SHANGHAI: Ford’s all-new Taurus sedan makes it Shanghai Auto Show debut this week, shown here in its Chinese long-wheelbase form.
Developed specifically for the rear legroom-mad Chinese market, this new 2016 Taurus rides on a stretched 2950mm base – 82mm longer than the current model.
At 5000mm, the new Taurus is 154mm shorter overall than its predecessor, but Ford says interior space is greater than ever – although some rear storage capacity is likely to have been lost (Ford hasn’t revealed those numbers).
Promising an “exceptionally roomy cabin”, Ford says rear legroom is abundant, with generous hip and shoulder space. Headroom is also improved, thanks in part to a sunroof that extends over the rear panel rather than beneath it.
Rear passengers also gain the benefit of power-reclining seats with optional lumbar support adjustment and massage functions.
The second row also boasts its own climate control and media systems. (Note: full interior photos have not been released.)
The new model’s styling highlights a connection with its smaller platform-mate, the Mondeo, and Ford’s wider new-generation range.
Both models boast slender swept-back headlights and that large Aston-inspired grille, while – again in the interests of interior space – the profile of the Taurus showcases a more conventional sedan shape.
Power is provided by Ford’s new 2.7 litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, although outputs are still to be confirmed.
A new nine-speed auto transmission is standard, as is front-wheel-drive, while all-wheel-drive will be offered as an option.
For the Chinese market, the new sedan will be built at the new Changan Ford Hangzhou Plant, a joint-venture facility that is expected to produce around 250,000 Taurus models each year.
