Rare Rides Icons: The Ford Taurus, Modernizing Family Transportation (Part VI)

We resume our Ford Taurus coverage today and wade into the multi-faceted arrangements that were trim levels and options at its launch in 1986. Ford didn’t have it all figured out right away, and there were small changes made here and there throughout. So while the brochures might have specified this or that feature or appearance as part of a trim, a Taurus on the lot may have been slightly different!

The information presented here is taken from a 1986 Taurus brochure, a version from September 1985. It’s noteworthy the finalized Ford lineup brochure for 1986 was revised quite a while later, in January of 1986. The Taurus brochure spent a full 25 pages explaining trims, standard features, Preferred Equipment Packages (PEPs), and color options.

All trims received power front disc brakes with rear drums, and power steering. A 16-gallon fuel tank was also a standard feature, as well as carpeted luggage areas. And that was all aside from things like platform details. The rest of the Taurus was dictated by trim and options.

There were four available trims in 1986, and they were the same for sedan and wagon. The most basic Taurus was the L, alongside the particularly short-lived but “sportier” MT5. Midrange was the GL, and the full-fat version was the LX. The sporty SHO would not arrive until 1989. We’ll cover the power and transmission mix first. 

In L trim, the Taurus was usually powered by a 2.5-liter HSC (High Swirl Combustion) inline-four. Good for 88 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque, the engine was borrowed from the Tempo. The four-cylinders in L and GL trims were paired to the three-speed ATX automatic from the Escort. 

Optional on this trim was the 3.0-liter Vulcan V6, the engine most people think of when the Taurus is mentioned. It managed a more competitive 140 hp, and 160 lb-ft of torque. The V6 was standard on wagons outside the MT5 trim. 

Taurus experimented with MT5 for a short while as a sporty yet skinflint option for the economy-minded driving enthusiast, fitted only with a manual transmission. The only engine was the 2.5-liter in this trim. It was available as a sedan or wagon, and the MT5 was the only way to get a four-cylinder wagon. The five-speed was the MTX, shared with other smaller cars in Ford’s lineup of the day. MT5 was only available through 1988 before being dropped.

The midrange GL trim also offered the 2.5-liter engine and the optional 3.0 V6, and was the trim chosen by most consumers. Vulcan engines were paired to the AXOD transmission. The four-speed box was designed specifically for the Taurus and Sable, and its derivatives would remain in production through 2007. Top-of-the-line was the LX, which arrived with the nicest looking exterior and the longest list of standard features. Among them was the V6 engine.

L versions received a very basic wheel cover as standard equipment, but could elect a nicer wheel cover. There were 195/70R 15 tires as standard, but could be optioned to 205s for more grip. Plastic coating was used on the L’s lower panels, but not cladding. However, lower moldings were available as an option. The L was the only version with a black grille, denoting the economic mind of its owner.

Unique to the L was a front bench seat that did not recline on the driver’s side, called the “flight bench” seat. Optional was a reclining split bench seat if a driver wished to reposition themselves. The standard radio was an AM mechanical unit with two speakers that could even be deleted for credit. Optional extras were things like visor mirrors and tinted glass, while power seats and map pockets were off-limits. If one did not opt for the lighted and mirrored sun visors on the L, there would be no visor mirrors at all.

The MT5 offered many of the same restrictions as the L trim. Dual power mirrors were standard, and it always had lower moldings along its sides but not cladding. A body-colored grille indicated that it was better than the L. MT5 received bucket front seats as standard, which were optional even on the LX trim. It also shared a nicer “luxury” steering wheel with the upper trims. 

Ford provided an actual electronic radio for the MT5, which had an FM band in addition to AM. A cargo net was standard in the trunk, not available on L. Interval windshield wipers were a standard feature, as was a clock that was optional on the L. Ford even threw in sun visors as standard equipment. Tinted glass was also standard.

The GL upped the ante with standard wider 205 tires, though cladding was still off-limits and cornering lamps still cost extra. Reclining bench seats were standard, but tilt wheel was still an option at GL level. Most all standard features of the GL were from the MT5, just with a mandatory automatic and an available V6.

The LX made a few more features standard, most notably V6 power. The upscale wheel covers were standard here, though many sprung for the lace alloys instead. LX was the only trim to receive the ribbed lower bodyside cladding. Cornering lamps were standard, too.

Tilt wheel was a standard feature of the LX, though the AM/FM stereo with cassette player was still an optional extra. Dual illuminated visors were standard here, as was a lighting group that was optional on all other trims. Power front seats were also standard. And though it didn’t mean much, the LX was the only Taurus to receive storage bins with lids in the trunk.

In our next installment we’ll dive even deeper into the trims. Among a bevy of standalone options offered across all four trims (mostly) there were packaged PEPs which bundled features together with the promise of saving money. And Ford offered a dizzying 15 exterior colors at launch, and five different interior colors to mix and match!

[Images: Ford]

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