Ford Taurus (fifth generation)
| Ford Taurus, fifth generation (5G) | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ford |
| Also called | Ford Five Hundred (Middle East) |
| Production | May 2007–May 2009 |
| Assembly | Chicago, Illinois (Chicago Assembly) |
| Designer | J Mays (2005) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size |
| Body style | 4-door sedan |
| Layout | Front engine, front-wheel drive / Four-wheel drive |
| Platform | Ford D3 platform |
| Related |
Ford Taurus X Mercury Sable Lincoln MKS Ford Flex Volvo XC90 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 3.5 L DOHC Duratec 35 (Cyclone) V6 |
| Transmission | 6-speed 6F automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 112.7 in (2,863 mm) |
| Length | 201.8 in (5,126 mm) |
| Width | 74.1 in (1,882 mm) |
| Height | 61.5 in (1,562 mm) |
| Curb weight | FWD: 3,741 lb (1,697 kg) AWD: 3,930 lb (1,780 kg) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Ford Five Hundred |
| Successor | Ford Taurus (sixth generation) |
The fifth-generation Ford Taurus is a four-door, front-engine, front- or all-wheel drive full-size sedan manufactured and marketed by Ford for model years 2008–2009.
The fifth generation (5G) Taurus is directly related to a group of rebadged variants, Ford's Chicago D3's, so called for the plant where they were manufactured (Chicago Assembly) and the platform (D3) they share: the Ford Five Hundred (2005–2007), the Mercury Montego (2005–2007) and third generation Mercury Sable (2008–2009) sedans; the Ford Freestyle (2005–2007) and Taurus X (2008–2009) wagons, marketed as a crossover vehicles; as well as the Lincoln MKS. The 5G Taurus is closely related to Ford's Oakville D4's: the Ford Flex, Ford Explorer and Lincoln MKT, all sharing a modified D3 platform.
Originally intended to be marketed as a facelifted 2008 Ford Five Hundred, Ford re-branded the vehicle as the Taurus shortly before its debut, with the Mercury Montego counterpart to the Five Hundred receiving the Mercury Sable nameplate. The 5G Taurus was the first generation of the Taurus sold as a full-size car and the first to be sold exclusively as a sedan.
The 5G Taurus was marketed in North America, South Korea, Mexico, and the Middle East. Outside the United States, Canada, and South Korea, it retained the previous Ford Five Hundred branding.
As a rebranded and modified Ford Five Hundred, the 5G Taurus featured an engine with 30% more power; a front facelift; chrome-trimmed, fender-located faux engine vents; revised tail lights; and increased sound absorption measures, including foam pellets expanded into the A-pillars and a new sound-absorptive material, marketed as Sonosorb, used throughout the body. The 5G Taurus used a new 6-speed automatic transmission (the GM-Ford 6-speed automatic transmission, jointly developed with General Motors), in contrast to the Aisin 6-speed used in the Five Hundred, and was no longer equipped with the CVT. Handling was revised by re-engineering the front end – transferring the weight of the engine from the sub-frame directly to the chassis via hydraulic mounts – increasing front suspension travel by 10mm (10%) and retuning the suspension.
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