1996 Ford Taurus Review

When a lot is at stake, a major automaker can make remarkable changes. Sometimes it comes up with a dramatic flop, at other times a major success.

In this case, the automaker is Ford Motor, and it has dramatically changed its 1996 mid-size Ford Taurus and nearly identical Mercury Sable. They're major design successes, and it's a good bet that the Taurus will continue as the best-selling car in America.

The radically resculpted new models built at Ford's South Side plant and in Atlanta officially go on sale Sept. 28. They've been changed so much that the old Taurus and Sable look stodgy.

The new front-wheel-drive cars are larger, roomier (except for trunk space) and slightly heavier than the 1995 models. They're also quieter and faster, and steer, ride and handle better.

The new models also feel a lot more solid and safer, thanks to a bunch of crossbeams, panel stiffeners and reinforcements throughout the unibody.

An innovative oval-shaped control panel in the user-friendly dashboard allows quick, safe selection of a variety of controls by a driver in sharp contrast to the confusing instrument panels on many new cars.

That's what I found during a brief test of the new Taurus and a long test of the new Sable. The Sable is mechanically identical to the Taurus, but has a different roofline and is a few inches longer behind the rear wheels.

It should be no surprise that the new models are slightly more expensive. The base Taurus GL costs $18,600, while the higher-line Taurus LX stickers at $20,980. The base Sable GS costs $18,995, and the high-line Sable LS lists at $21,295. Those are pre-introductory suggested retail prices and don't include a $550 freight charge or popular option packages.

Some analysts feel Ford Motor has priced the cars too high, especially considering that the rival 1996 Chevrolet Lumina will be significantly cheaper.

I tested the well-equipped, high-line versions of both cars, but even base models come with dual air bags, air conditioning, speed control, rear defroster and power windows and door locks.

Sharp styling sells cars, and styling of the new Taurus/Sable was given priority over function in some areas. For instance, rounding off the rear end made the long, shallow trunk smaller and gave it a high opening, which doesn't help while loading or unloading cargo.

Also, the rounded roof, especially the Sable's, has lowered rear door openings, making it fairly easy for taller people to hit their head if not careful. However, the Taurus/Sable comfortably accommodates four tall adults.

Both my nicely assembled test cars had a new, smooth, 3-liter V-6, which powers the top-line Taurus LX and Sable LS. With double overhead camshafts and 24 valves, the 200-horsepower engine whisks the Taurus/Sable from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in 8.5 seconds and

provides good 65 to 75 m.p.h. vehicle passing times on highways.

The engine, which has a fairly high 9.7:1 compression ratio, works with a smooth, quick-shifting new four-speed automatic transmission.

The standard motor also hooked to a four-speed automatic is a 3-liter, 145-horsepower V-6, which is a revamped, quieter version of the 1995 Taurus/Sable 140-horsepower V-6.

Steering friction has been cut and response is more precise and linear. While firm, the ride is not harsh. The suspension has been completely redesigned, and the car's stiffer structure works with it to allow above-average ride and handling for a family sedan.

The shapely bodies of the Taurus and Sable don't just look good; they're so aerodynamic that there is virtually no wind noise at highway cruising speeds.

Ford worked just as hard designing the new Taurus as Chrysler did developing its all-new, much-advanced 1996 minivans, which have long been best-sellers in their market segment.

On the other hand, the new Taurus/Sable looks smaller and more confining than the 1995 Taurus/Sable because Ford rounded the car's corners, softened its shape and extended the windshield forward.

The car's sheet metal is so taut that one observer said it ``looks shrink-wrapped.'' From the rear, the Taurus/Sable with dual exhausts remarkably resembles the wild-looking, innovative 1960s Studebaker Avanti.

The Taurus/Sable should be a hit, especially with younger buyers. But it may take lots of advertising firepower and the might of Ford Motor dealers to win over older, ``traditional'' buyers of mid-size sedans, who may object to the zoomy styling and higher prices.