Bowing at the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show, the Ford Taurus’ arrival marks the sedan’s first-ever appearance in the Chinese market.
The new Taurus is one of 15 new vehicles Ford intends to bring to China by 2015. It’s set to be assembled at the automaker’s recently opened Changan Ford Hangzhou factory, a flexible-assembly facility with an investment of $760 million and an annual production of 250,000 units.
Power for the sedan comes from a 2.7-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, though power figures weren’t stated at this time. Meanwhile, rear passengers can enjoy power-reclining seats with optional adjustable lumbar support and massage function, fold-down center cushion that boasts a control panel for AC, seat functions and infotainment, and plenty of leg, shoulder, head and hip room thanks to the cabin design and 9.7 feet of length in the wheel base (16 feet overall).
Other features include: 25 different places to store items inside the cabin; cup holders that can adjust to different sizes of tea bottles; a panoramic sunroof whose front panel slides over the rear to ensure better rear-passenger headroom; leather seating and wood and chrome trim pieces; and extensive use of NVH-reducing materials and technologies.
Bring it here – leave the sunroof behind.
Which platform is this being built on in China?
Current North American Taurus/MKS or stretched Fusion/MKZ?
Stretched Fusion/MKZ, same for the new Continental.
@PrincipalDan,
Designed by Ford Australia( slight resemblance to current Falcon) to be built in China
http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/EB90463C15A6C59CCA257E2C00035BFC
More on the Design of the Chinese Ford Taurus
“AUSTRALIANS were in the spotlight when Ford ripped the covers from its new China-specific Ford Taurus at a pre-Shanghai motor show media event last weekend.
Designed by Australian Todd Willing and – as exclusively revealed by GoAuto last year – put through its development paces at Ford Asia-Pacific’s engineering centres in Australia as part of an international effort, this particular new Taurus will be pitched at well-heeled Chinese corporate types as the large-car flagship of the Blue Oval range in the world’s biggest motor market from the second half of this”
I wonder if this car is a platform-mate of the new Continental?
From that press release:
“The China Taurus is 6 inches shorter than the current U.S. Taurus, but rides on a wheelbase 4 inches longer, which opens up more leg room, especially in the back.”
Sounds like the Continental Platform.
Looks like a nice potential “Town Car” (fleet “limo”) setup for the US. And definitely nicer than the current Taurus.
Don’t know about fleet service. It sounds like the length came almost completely from the trunk, where the people that use these things going to/from airports like to put their luggage.
Most of the people who are using these things to go to airports are single business travelers with only a carry on and a briefcase these days. Families take taxis. The Town Car (and the rest of the panthers) had really pathetic trunk space, actually less than the then Taurus-based FWD Continental, because of the intrusion of both the fuel tank and the spare into the trunk.
I believe it’s on the same D3 platform as the N/A Taurus.
The rear passengers get all that stretch-out room, but will the driver be hemmed in by a too-wide console like in the U.S. market Taurus and Fusion?
To my eye, this looks remarkably similar to the current Hyundai Genesis, which itself seems like a (admittedly handsome) pastiche of Audi and Mercedes styling cues. So the Taurus is a pastiche of a pastiche – how perfectly post-modern AND appropriate for the Chinese market.
I agree however, what I saw at first was a combo of current Taurus and Fusion combination.
Ideally this Taurus will have as much head and legroom as the Montego/Five Hundred. I could comfortably sit in the back seat of those cars. Not so in the 2010- current Taurus. Only other big car more uncomfortable? The Tesla Model S.
How is the trunk space in this Taurus? This appears to be a much better Taurus than what is available in the US.
Actually the current one has one of the biggest most usable truck spaces on the market however since this new one is 6 inches shorter I am sure it all came from the truck.
Not bad looking, but from some angles it looks like a Falcon after too many pies. I wonder how the back looks? I hope they keep those amenities for NA.
I picture the back to look a lot like the new Escort also being built for the Chinese market; it even has the same cutouts in the rear corners.
My wish and my issue with this is that if its based on the Fusion (it is) then it will be atleast 300-500lbs over weight. The Fusion like most of Fords line up (excluding the F150) weight wise is less than competitive. They do have some models that come close however they are compromised by the interior space that was left on the designing floor in order to reach said weight.
Unfortunately I see GM headed this same way. The new Terrain/Equinox will share the same fate as they will be reportedly much smaller in size however if this is the only way that they can shave weight off then they aren’t really trying.
I love Ford/Lincoln however how is it that Honda and Toyota can make a bigger overall vehicle with 200 plus less lbs. I look forward to the next C Max. If Ford can do it right I will most certainly consider it.
“How is it that Honda…can make a bigger overall vehicle with 200 plus less lbs.
Low levels of sound deading? Hondas are loud for a reason.
In the grand scheme of things, sound deadening materials are very light. No way that makes near 200lbs difference.
Sound deadening materials are heavy, that’s how they damp the sound.
Sound deadening materials are heavy, I’m sure there is not 200+ less pounds of sound deadening in the honda.
And yet, every single Honda I’ve ever driven in really needed about 200 pounds-worth of sound deadening just to be as quiet as the average Ford.
Very Chinese market, with the bland and soft styling and the focus on rear seat legroom. I’m not totally convinced it will even come here.
That said, it’s a lot better-looking than the ungainly current Taurus, which has the looks and stance of a chopped Explorer (itself one of the ugliest CUVs on the market).
I’m so happy to know I’m not the only one who finds the current Explorer to be positively hideous.
It’s especially sad when looking at the Escape and Edge, which are a lot less “morbidly obese person in stretch pants” than the Explorer.
I’ve always struggled to articulate why I find the Explorer so ugly. You captured it perfectly. It’s just like so many of its buyers — trying way too hard to hide a whole lot of extra flab.
It’s almost impossible to believe the Explorer and Flex are on the same platform and share a lot of parts when you look at them.
I liked the old Edge and find the 2016 model blander but inoffensive. I don’t really like the Escape, but for different reasons, and it’s not that offensive.
I like it, which means the USDM version will have to be ruined in order for it to be acceptable here.
LOL
i like the look of this
i hate the look of the US Taurus, its just ungainly and odd
i love the look of the Charger, but an rwd proportions are pleasing
this China Taurus is conservative to a fault but it does look upmarket, or at the very least, ‘aspirational entry luxury’
this bodes well for Chinese manufacturing if they can make this in China and it proves to be near world class or at least, meeting US/Can./Mexican domestic production standards
i doubt 4,000lb fwd faux luxury saloons will ever come from china but if they do, we could do a lot worse than this thing
@Tony JZX
The Australian Ford team have done a good job, in producing a pleasant enough design
Looks just like the bigger Fusion it is. Where is the 1.2 liter quad turbo Ecoboost 3 cylinder?
I’m sure the base engine (although not described here) will be the 2.0T. 2.0 liters is one of the displacement-tax steps in China.
The wheelbase is basically a 1968-69 Ford Torino, but the Torino was 202 inches long, about 10 inches longer than this Taurus, and about the same width. I knew yesteryear’s mid-size is now full size, but now the old mid-size is a stretched model, but with less overhang? Maybe we ARE headed for city cars and subcompacts as full size.
Keep in mind that all of that extra length was in the overhangs, which aren’t passenger space, and that the passenger space in today’s FWD cars moves closer to the wheels both front and rear. This Taurus would have a whole lot more usable interior room than a ’68 Torino.
It’s verrrrry generic, which I guess is okay for a Ford in the CDM. I wouldn’t think a new nameplate on a non-luxury brand to be desirable to the Chinese chauffeur market, but whatevs I guess.
Look at the side profile shot – it could just be a Legacy.