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

The first generation Taurus of 1986 launched in four trim levels and offered a wide array of optional extras. Many examples were equipped with one of Ford’s Preferred Equipment Packages (PEPs), that bundled popular options together at a cost savings and made ordering vehicles easier for dealers and customers.

To keep the (very high volume of) customers flowing Ford updated the first-gen model a few times over its six-year run, and added a sporty variant and Lincoln sedan along the way.

In its second year of production there were no major changes for the Taurus sedan or wagon. Trim levels remained the same, and Ford continued to figure out which features to bundle together. By 1987, all Taurus and Sable examples had three-point seatbelts in the rear - some 1986 examples were built with lap belts. To aid in product differentiation, the Sable from 1987 onward was a V6-only vehicle. The only four-cylinder Sables were in 1986.

The first revisions to the lineup came in 1988. The underpowered MT5 wagon proved immediately unpopular and was dropped after 1987, leaving the sedan as the only manual Taurus offering. A part swap saw interior coat hooks reveal their screws to save a few pennies. But the big news was a more powerful engine.

Optional on GL and LX trims was the Essex 3.8-liter V6. Originally fitted to the American Granada of 1982, the Essex was a Canadian-built V6 and completely different to the Essex V6 built in England and used in the European Granada. The engine was revised and included multi-point fuel injection, which meant an increase in power to 140 horses and 215 lb-ft of torque. 

That same 3.8-liter was the only engine on offer in an exciting new product from Lincoln, which launched its first front-drive vehicle in 1988: the new Continental. Based on the Taurus platform, the sedan was a replacement for the bustleback Fox platform Continental that proved unpopular because of its controversial styling. 

The Taurus’ wheelbase was extended by three inches for Lincoln duty, to 109 inches. Continental spanned about 18 inches longer than the Taurus, a vast 205.1 inches. Continental was also a couple inches wider than Taurus. In addition to its front-wheel drive nature, it was also the first Lincoln since 1948 without a V8 engine option.

A conservative and restrained design, it was much less aerodynamic and European looking than the Taurus or Sable. Its upright stance and extended length meant Continental had the largest interior volume of any front-wheel drive car in 1988. It was let down visually by its clunky exterior door handles and considerable overhangs.

Lincoln aimed to capture the younger affluent customer with the Continental, and like other domestic brands wanted the “European luxury car intender,” complete with Louis Vuitton luggage in its brochure. The front-drive Continental proved much more successful than its predecessor (though largely not with the desired customer), and led to sales records for Lincoln. Back to Taurus!

In 1989, the MT5 trim was no longer offered, as Ford had much larger plans for a manually motivated Taurus. Door panels, including the door locks and interior handles were revised slightly with a new design. Chrome trim was an option on the door panels for a single year in 1989. All trims now had metallic interior door pulls. The 2.5-liter inline-four engine was offered only in the base L and GL sedan.

The front clip was updated with a slimmer grille and narrow headlamps. Parking lamps were sharper looking, and the lower grille changed from an eggcrate design to horizontal slots. At the rear of Taurus sedans, the amber indicator went away as the rear lamp was fully red. 

Aside from small visual tweaks, there was a new model on offer with some spicy Japanese seasoning. The range-topping SHO, or Super High Output. The SHO used a brand new engine, the SHO V6.

A 3.0-liter mill, SHO V6 was developed and built by Yamaha. The engine was technically advanced with an aluminum head, DOHC, and 24 valves. It had a variable length intake manifold, offered 220 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque, and had a redline at 7,000 rpm. Top speed was an impressive 143 mph and 60 arrived in just 6.6 seconds, one second slower than a Porsche 911.

Organizing all this power was a new transmission specifically designed for the SHO. Engineered and built by Mazda, it was called the MTX-IV. The transmission was a revision of Ford’s MTX, engineered for sports duties. The Tempo and Topaz also benefited from the SHO, and received the same transmission on Vulcan V6 powered models. All SHOs had a dual exhaust exclusive to the model. Tires were more aggressive to match the suspension upgrades. 

Outside, the SHO differentiated itself from regular Taurus models with a smooth hood from the Sable, revised bumpers that had aggressive ribbing, fog lamps, valances, and special scalloped side skirts. Early examples used the lace alloys optional on other Taurii. B- and C-pillars were always body colored, as the SHO went for a more monochromatic look in general. SHO logos were prominently placed in several places.

On the interior were sporty bucket seats (often in leather) and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The instruments were based on the Sable as that model always had a tachometer. Dash trim was gray, in contrast to the wood tone found on the LX. 

With the exit of the MT5 and arrival of the SHO, the Taurus entered its final couple of years as a more clearly defined product lineup. The Taurus had immediately established itself as a sales winner, and quickly quieted any 1985 naysayers who declared it too futuristic. In our next installment we’ll round out the final two years of model revisions, and turn our attention to sales figures and pricing.

[Images: Ford]

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