Spied! 2010 Ford Taurus in the Studio

Scratch April 10th, 2008 8:11 AM Link

I can’t decide if that looks too much like an Accord or too much like a Camry. Either way, it seems Ford is outsourcing their design team to China.

The Stig April 10th, 2008 8:21 AM Link

The front reminds me of a Hyundai for some reason. Nothing great, nothing offensive either.

Keith April 10th, 2008 8:34 AM Link

I think the European design team needs to come over here and pull a mafia style hit on the American design teams because we have missed out on almost every cool Ford car in the past several decades.

Josh April 10th, 2008 8:38 AM Link

definitely looks more Accord-like than Camry-like to me. Which is good, because I like the look of the Accord better than the Camry.

xjug1987 April 10th, 2008 8:42 AM Link

I think it looks great. Much better than the Camry, cleaner and less fussy than the boring Altima. Who’d rather drive a Ford over a Huyndai? Plenty! I think this could be the 80’s formula brought back from the dead. Way to go Allan Mullaly, cuz this ain’t Mark Fields.

HotCarNut April 10th, 2008 8:56 AM Link

I guess most people here haven’t seen the European Ford Mondeo. This is the Mondeo headlamp treatment with the three bar grille on a larger scale since the Taurus is a much bigger car. All in all, it looks like a huge step up from the current Taurus, but I’ll wait to pass judgment until I see it in person.

C Tizzle April 10th, 2008 9:37 AM Link

Way to go!!! Now…of course this is all relative to that tall cool glass of lame-juice called the current Taurus. I think anything that came after that would seem a lot more inovative and bold, but this seems to do the job. I hope the SHO makes a return based off of this design!!!

rudy April 10th, 2008 9:59 AM Link

I’m equally excited about the new line of maytag dishwashers.

94 Taurus owner April 10th, 2008 10:12 AM Link

SMOKIN HOT!!!!!!!when Interceptor meets mondeo,makes a fine looking taurus.This will replace mine one day.

Mena April 10th, 2008 10:13 AM Link

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Jeb April 10th, 2008 10:13 AM Link

I definitely see Mondeo influence in there too. I just hope that the underpinnings of the car are Mondeo-influenced as well.

Cicero April 10th, 2008 10:21 AM Link

Much more personality then the one we have now, and with the EcoBoost engines and some good transmissions, should give the Japanese companies a run for their money

Deano April 10th, 2008 11:31 AM Link

Am I the only one who thinks this picture was not taken in the Ford studio?….I think this is a picture of a Nissan. I don’t think it’s legit.

Jim April 10th, 2008 11:37 AM Link

Looks fine now,
dated by 2010 though

Texas_Dude April 10th, 2008 11:51 AM Link

Looks pretty slick.

94 Taurus owner April 10th, 2008 11:56 AM Link

Leftlane.com Illastrated for a clearer picture.

Fritz April 10th, 2008 12:19 PM Link

SWEET! The problem is that they will do this thing liek their concept cars which to me proves they CAN make a cool looking car but WON’T.

I expect to see this car with low rent plastic hubcaps, 15″ low rent tires, and all of the coolness stripped out of it so it doesn’t compete with some other Ford product like trucks which have high profit margins.

In fact the domestics’ large vehicles have proven to me they know how to make a good looking vehicle but for some reason choose to only apply that expertise to the large vehicles.

Some of us want cool compacts and mid-sized vehicles.

Will wait and see how much WOW gets from the studio to the streets.

Bernard April 10th, 2008 12:36 PM Link

Another boring iteration of the generic “smiling mouth” theme found on so many front ends.

I like the 3-bar grille. Ford has found something different yet classy. This is not a subtle application of the 3-bar grille. It is a return to unimaginative grille design.

I hope it’s not too late for Ford to bring back a true 3-bar design

hwyhobo April 10th, 2008 2:25 PM Link

I am grateful Ford is dropping the cheap-looking plasti-chrome louvers.

corco16446 April 10th, 2008 2:47 PM Link

That makes me sad. It reminds me of the Five Hundred in that it will look like a last generation car by the time it comes out. I was really hoping Ford would design something more progressive and interesting for the ‘10 Taurus. Here’s hoping the interior is awesome

Cicero April 10th, 2008 3:56 PM Link

Yes, it is so terrible that this Taurus looks like the spectacular Ford Mondeo of Europe, what a horror that is. Maybe this is why Ford of Europe gets all the good stuff, the home office knows Americans could never appreciate such amazing and gorgeous vehicles, considering what I am reading in these comments.

brian April 10th, 2008 3:57 PM Link

Just ship the Mondeo over and change it to left side drive.

Cicero April 10th, 2008 4:20 PM Link

You could not do that, since the Mondeo for Europe does not meet US pedestrian safety laws and the fact that bringing it from Europe would price it far to high since the dollar is so weak

Cicero April 10th, 2008 4:21 PM Link

Plus there is also the fact that the Mondeo is the size of the FUSION, not the Taurus, the Taurus gets design cues from that car, but they are not comprable in size

Ducati Minor April 10th, 2008 5:13 PM Link

The Taurus was classified as a medium-size passenger sedan up until the 2000s. The category change may have been due to the 1996 redesign, which lengthened the car considerably. In fact, the Five Hundred was compared to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord in early tests. The re-classification probably has to do with marketing. The mid-size segment is tough, and the Five Hundred/Taurus wouldn’t break in serious figures. By presenting it as a “full-size” sedan, its competition is smaller in number. The Fusion, dimensionally, fits into the mid-size category and has been widely praised as an exceptional vehicle.

Cicero April 10th, 2008 5:32 PM Link

The new Taurus is based on the same platform as the Volvo S80, which is a pretty big vehicle, while the Fusion uses the platform from the the Mazda6 which is a bit smaller then an S80. In fact many comparisons I have read said the Taurus is pretty close in size to the Crown Vic, but without the rwd.

Ducati Minor April 10th, 2008 5:39 PM Link

As for the shot, I don’t know what to make of it. It’s not a bad-looking car at all. It’s clean and simple–what’s expected for a family four-door. I do see the Nissan resemblance on the front fascia. The body lines, however, are pleasant and even a little elegant. It’s no Mondeo, but it’s also no Jag XF (which is good).

Ben April 10th, 2008 7:23 PM Link

Do I hear a twin turbo under the hood…?

Greg April 10th, 2008 9:39 PM Link

Jim called it.

Charles Jackson April 11th, 2008 11:17 AM Link

From the picture I like what I see!But would like a view of the back of the car, and a side angle! I am glad it doesnt look like a Fusion, this cloning of front ends such as the 3 bar Corporate Grille soon makes for boring styling! One car is okay with the three bar grille not the whole line! Just wish it was a rwd! I think Ford is on to something with the syling of the new Taurus! Just keep it unique and not let other models in the line be a copy of it!So far so good!

CarboyZR1 April 13th, 2008 8:27 PM Link

The Mondeo in Europe Right Now To Me is still better.

Cicero April 13th, 2008 10:56 PM Link

Still want them to hurry up and get their new global rwd platform so we can get the Interceptor concept

DS April 18th, 2008 4:55 PM Link

Like everything but the headlights.

HutcH May 14th, 2008 7:08 PM Link

I think it more resembles a larger Mazda 6. The shared platform of Mazda and Ford go way back. The side marker and the side panels are definitly Taurus and the look is good. With the correct powerplant this could relaunch the Taurus to dominance in the North American car market.