2013 Ford Taurus Delivers More Fuel Efficiency, Technology, Design Refinement and Even Better Driving Dynamics
03/07/2012
Ford
The new Ford Taurus delivers more of what large sedan customers really want for the 2013 model year - with even better fuel economy, more technology, design refinement, improved craftsmanship and enhanced driving dynamics.
"We have significantly upgraded Ford's flagship sedan through obsessive attention to detail," said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. "This evolved 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 bringing high-quality, fuel-efficient cars for our customers."
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(R) engine. Ideal for full-size sedan buyers seeking maximum fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance, this advanced engine combines direct injection of gasoline and a turbocharger to provide performance comparable to naturally aspirated V6 engines offered by competitors.
The EcoBoost 2.0-liter is anticipated to deliver an estimated 240 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque while delivering highway fuel economy of at least 31 mpg. That performance bests Toyota Avalon by 3 mpg.
A relatively high compression ratio is enabled by the use of direct injection of gasoline, operating at fuel pressures from 2,200 to 2,800 psi. The unique turbocharger is optimally matched to the EcoBoost 2.0-liter engine and direct injection system, providing precise fuel pressure control to deliver boosted power at low rpm without annoying turbo lag.
The EcoBoost 2.0-liter uses 5W30 oil to reduce internal friction, and enables 10,000-mile oil change intervals representing a potential reduction in cost of ownership. In addition, fuel economy is optimized with a low-tension accessory drive belt and a one-way alternator clutch.
Ti-VCT 3.5-liter V6 engine
The 3.5-liter V6 is offered as standard equipment in Taurus SE, SEL and Limited series models.
In the new Taurus, this engine benefits from the addition of twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT), achieving better fuel economy, more horsepower and a reduction in part-throttle emissions compared to the previous standard Taurus V6. This engine delivers an expected increase of 2 mpg highway, with 10 percent more horsepower than the current model.
The engine has been engineered for durability with chain-driven camshafts, high-strength forged metal connecting rods with floating pins, a fully counterweighted forged steel crankshaft, die-cast aluminum deep-sump oil pan and four-bolt main bearing caps with side bolts through the engine block.
Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics are controlled and reduced through employment of a tuned composite upper and lower manifold, and a silent-chain camshaft drive.
EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 engine
The EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 - standard equipment in the high-performance Taurus SHO - is Ford's most powerful EcoBoost offering, delivering 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque.
Like all Ford EcoBoost engines, this engine produces peak torque across a broad plateau from 1,500 to 5,250 rpm. Peak torque building quickly off idle ensures responsive acceleration.
From the driver's seat, the result is linear power delivery.
Combining direct injection and a pair of turbochargers, the V6 EcoBoost engine avoids lag by employing impellers that spool up quickly for swift response. This Taurus SHO combination of power, consistent torque delivery, all-wheel drive and up to 25 mpg on the highway is unmatched by competitors.
Six-speed transmissions
Each Taurus engine is mated to a unique six-speed automatic transmission specially tailored to that application. Six-speed transmissions add fuel economy and performance, as they allow for lower gearing to be optimized for improved off-the-line acceleration, yet enable higher gears to help provide economical cruising by keeping engine rpm levels low.
The 2.0-liter EcoBoost Taurus is fitted with a new 6F35 gearbox featuring active transmission warm-up and a "dot nozzle" internal clutch friction material configuration. Together, these innovations contribute to overall fuel efficiency by reducing internal friction.
Taurus equipped with the 3.5-liter Ti-VCT V6 engine features the 6F50 six-speed transmission, while the Taurus SHO sport sedan mates a high-capacity 6F55 version of this gearbox to the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6.
Integrated efficiencies
Each Taurus powertrain features additional technologies to help conserve fuel, such as:
Low-tension front end accessory drive belt
Smart battery management
Aggressive deceleration fuel shutoff
Variable-displacement air conditioning compressor
Reduced friction lubricants
Electric power-assisted steering (EPAS)
The team put special emphasis on fitting 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 allows for a high degree of tuning by Ford vehicle dynamics engineers to optimize steering feel, plus it saves fuel and provides drivers with enhanced feedback.
All-wheel-drive Taurus models features an advanced array of mechanical clutches that engage and disengage unobtrusively to efficiently distribute torque to the wheels with optimum traction.
The Taurus interior keeps green with extensive use of recycled material in the cloth surfaces, in the headliner and in the NVH control components. Taurus seat cushions are made from soy-based foam, significantly reducing petroleum-based content.
Even smarter
America's most innovative full-size sedan gets even smarter with an array of even more class-leading technologies including SYNC(R) with MyFord Touch(R), which replaces many traditional buttons, knobs and gauges with clear, colorful LCD screens and steering wheel-mounted five-way toggles. These screens can be personalized to display information relevant to each driver by using voice command, keeping the driver's eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
MyFord Touch is powered by a new version of Ford's award-winning SYNC system, combining voice control for vehicle functions, enabled Bluetooth(R) devices, MP3 players and a wide variety of external media.
The new Taurus also adds Ford's intuitive active park assist technology, making life simpler and more convenient for customers.
The following comfort and convenience technologies are available too:
New heated steering wheel adds to the comfort of the heated and cooled leather-trimmed seats
Multicontour seats with Active Motion(TM), a Taurus class-exclusive offering, help to reduce driver and first-row passenger fatigue with a subtle rolling massage pattern
Intelligent Access with push-button start allows the driver to enter the car and start the engine via push button simply by having the key fob in his or her possession
Auto high beams employ a sensor to switch headlamps to high beam when no oncoming traffic is detected
Rain-sensing wipers use an advanced optical sensor to detect the intensity of rain and/or snowfall to automatically adjust wiper speed
Rear view camera activates when reverse gear is selected, projecting via the center stack-mounted 8-inch screen
Rear window power sunshade is a luxury-class feature that shades the rear glass at the touch of a button, helping to keep the cabin cooler
In addition, Taurus is available with a wide variety of audio and navigation connectivity alternatives including a Sony(R) audio system and the latest MyFord Touch driver controls.
Packed with detail
New Taurus quality begins with design refinement. Building on the completely reinvigorated 2010 model, the new Taurus features a more muscular hood. Wider wheels and tires fill out the wheel well openings, giving the car an athletic stance. Rear quarter panels house larger, full LED taillamps. Without increasing overall dimensions or vehicle weight, the new Taurus looks more streamlined, substantial and sporty.
Improved driving dynamics is a quality the driver will feel. Beyond the across-the-board transition to EPAS, the hard-mounted steering rack with a faster ratio, springs and dampers have been optimized to provide improved vehicle handling combined with improved ride quality.
Turning technologies
The new Taurus dynamics benefit from the addition of torque vectoring control. This feature uses a slight - virtually imperceptible to the driver - amount of braking force on the inside front wheel when accelerating through a corner, resulting in a vehicle that feels smaller and more maneuverable, with more control when increasing speed through curves.
The new Taurus adds curve control, a Ford braking control feature aimed at slowing the car if it senses a driver inadvertently entering a curve too quickly. With application of four-wheel smart braking, the car can reduce speed swiftly.
Entering curves or on- and off-ramps too quickly contributes to more than 50,000 crashes each year in the U.S.
All new Taurus models will receive a larger brake master cylinder with revised booster tuning, resulting in a shorter pedal ratio and dramatically improved pedal feel.
Careful craftsmanship
Exterior craftsmanship for the new Taurus has been improved through the employment of digital pre-assembly. This advanced technology enables engineers to address potential issues in Taurus manufacturing while still in the online phase and ensures precise, uniform surface gaps and margins once series production is initiated. The exterior fit and finish of the Taurus rivals that of more expensive German sedans.
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, throughout the center console, cloth-wrapped A-, B- and C-pillars, and fully trimmed trunk space are evidence of continuous improvement.
NVH control has been enhanced in the new Taurus with the addition of A-pillar, cowl baffles, acoustic wheel well liners, shock tower wraps, and upgraded hood and dash insulators to quiet road noise.
Safe Taurus
The new Taurus builds on a legacy of safety, as the current model earned an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick rating. The stiff Taurus structure contains much high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels, including boron. Additional safety features include:
Trinity front-crash architecture, named for the three elements that are designed to absorb and redirect crash forces away from vehicle occupants
Side Protection And Cabin Enhancement (SPACE(R)) Architecture
Enhanced airbag restraints feature optimized tethering and venting to tailor deployment force to occupant size, position and seat belt status
Safety Canopy(R) with rollover sensor
S.O.S. Post-Crash Alert System(TM)
AdvanceTrac(R) with Electronic Stability Control
Taurus also offers a complement of driver aid technologies, including:
Adaptive cruise control employs radar technology to monitor traffic up to 600 feet ahead, automatically adjusting Taurus speed to help maintain a safe distance
Collision warning with brake support, enabled by adaptive cruise control, provides a "heads-up" visual warning combined with an audio signal to alert the driver to slower moving traffic ahead. The system also precharges the brakes to aid stopping
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS(R)) is designed to alert the driver if another vehicle is driving within a potential blind spot
Cross-traffic alert, enabled by BLIS, senses and warns the driver of oncoming traffic from either direction when the Taurus is backing out of a driveway or parking space
MyKey(R) owner controls feature allows parents or fleet administrators to activate restricted driving modes. MyKey can limit top speeds and audio volume, provides earlier warnings and prevents deactivation of stability control systems. A new MyKey feature can prevent access to blocked satellite radio content
The new Taurus is manufactured at Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant.