2013 Ford Taurus

(continued from above)

"We have significantly upgraded Ford's flagship sedan through obsessive attention to detail," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "The new Taurus builds on the transformation we achieved in the 2010 model. Delivering so many upgrades so soon further underscores Ford's leadership and commitment to delivering high-quality, fuel-efficient cars for our customers."

Interior Design

Inside, no detail went untouched. Taurus' interior craftsmanship is elevated through expanded use of soft-touch, high-quality materials inside the cabin. Upgraded materials across the instrument panel and throughout the center console are evidence of continuous improvement.

Additional improvements extend to cloth-wrapped A-, B- and C-pillars, flock-lined glovebox and console storage and new switchgear. This passionate attention to detail even reaches inside the trunk space, which is completely dressed.

NVH control has been enhanced in the new Taurus with the addition of A-pillar and cowl baffles and acoustic wheel-well liners to quiet road noise.

Greener, Yet Powerful

A choice of new engines offers customers increased fuel efficiency, without compromising the responsive performance they want.

Taurus is the first car in Ford's North American lineup to offer the advanced 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, combining a turbocharger with gasoline direct injection. It is expected to deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of at least 31 mpg. Providing plenty of power, the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine will deliver an estimated 237 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque.

The standard Taurus 3.5-liter V6 is projected to deliver unsurpassed fuel efficiency among V6 segment competitors while still delivering increased performance from an anticipated 290 horsepower.

This is accomplished with the addition of twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT), enabling increased fuel economy while delivering 27 more horsepower, a reduction in part-throttle emissions and increased responsiveness.

Both engines are mated with unique six-speed automatic transmissions that offer optimized gear selection for off-the-line power delivery in lower gears, while benefiting fuel economy with higher gears that keep the engine turning efficiently at lower revolutions while cruising.

The team put special emphasis to fit all new Taurus models with EPAS to improve steering response by speeding up the steering ratio and rigidly mounting the steering rack to the subframe. The EPAS system also allows for a high degree of tuning by Ford vehicle dynamics engineers to optimize steering feel, pleasing enthusiast drivers and serving as a confidence builder for less-experienced drivers.

Ford Taurus: Review (2/2)