rejoined the lineup.
There are two engines available--three, if you count the SHO's V8. The
base engine is a 3.0-liter overhead valve V6 rated at 145 horsepower. It
goes into the G and GL. The LX gets a double-overhead-cam, 32-valve, 3.0-liter
V6 that makes 200 hp. All engines are teamed with a four-speed automatic.
The V8 in the SHO is rated at 235 hp, and as the acronym suggests--Super
High Output--it transforms this family sedan into a fast tourer with long
legs. Ford calls it an "executive express," a name that seems
appropriate for its excellent midrange response, performance-tuned suspension
and $26,460 base price.
It has taken Detroit a while to come to parity with the Europeans and
Japanese in the suspension department, and the Taurus is a good example
of getting it right. The front suspension is a MacPherson strut design
with a lower control arm and stabilizer bar. Simple but effective.
The rear suspension is a bit more complicated with what Ford calls its
Quadralink (four links) design. Links are basically metal rods that locate
the suspension. The advantage is a more precisely positioned suspension
to maximize handling and response. Along with the links are coil springs,
shocks and antiroll bar.
Power steering is standard, of course, but Taurus adds speed-sensitive
variable assist, which means at low speeds there is more power assist for
easier turning while at higher speeds there is less assist for more road
feel.
There are disc brakes in front with drum brakes at the rear. Wagons
and the SHO get rear discs. We can understand ABS as an optional feature
on the price-leading G, but we were surprised that it's also optional on
all models but SHO. To get ABS, you have to buy one of the Popular Equipment
Packages. The one we priced was $720 after discount.
Since it was all-new last year, there's little in the way of updates
for 1997, with one important exception. Ford has recalibrated the computer
controls for its Taurus/Sable automatic transmission to provide smoother
shifting. Shift quality was a persistent criticism of first-year editions.
Another welcome change: an AM/FM radio is standard in all models. Next Page