The last Ford Taurus sedan rolled off the line at Chicago Assembly Plant marking the end of U.S. production of the historic and pioneering nameplate.
More than 8 million Taurus passenger cars were built at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant over 34 years of near continuous production.
“Taurus broke new ground at its start and we’re thankful for its role in our portfolio,” said Mark LaNeve, Ford vice president, U.S. marketing, sales and service. “Those same kinds of innovations will continue for today’s customers with Ford Explorer and the rest of our lineup.”
When introduced at the 1985 Los Angeles Auto Show, Taurus represented the latest in Ford engineering and design, developed to meet shifting consumer needs. Its sleek looks were a departure from the boxy sedan shapes of the time, setting a new bar in passenger cars. Its 140-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 engine featured multi-port fuel injection.
Taurus continued to evolve with the addition of the SHO model in 1989, which came equipped with a 220-horsepower high-performance V6.
By 1992, Taurus had become America’s best-selling car.
Taurus went on to become a staple in American stock car racing when it entered NASCAR in 1998. The Taurus NASCAR was the vehicle of choice for numerous race teams and it delivered many championships for them and for Ford Motor Company.
The nameplate briefly ended in 2006 before it was revived as an all-new car in 2008.
Although Taurus production is ending in Chicago, Ford is investing $1 billion into its Chicago Assembly Plant and Chicago Stamping Plant, and adding 500 jobs to expand capacity to build the all-new 2020 Ford Explorer and Ford Police Interceptor Utility, which will continue the Taurus legacy of innovation, along with the all-new Lincoln Aviator.
Ford aims to replace 75 percent of its U.S. lineup, including Escape, Explorer and F-150, by the end of 2020, building on its strengths in trucks, utilities, commercial and performance vehicles and investing in new propulsion and technology.
Like the original Taurus met changing consumer preferences, Ford is also expanding its lineup with new and returning nameplates tailored to today’s consumers, including the all-new Ranger, all-new Bronco, a yet-to-be-named rugged off-road small utility, a Mustang-inspired fully-electric performance utility and more still to come.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 199,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.