Ford Taurus

Prototype Information

Ford launched the Taurus in 1986 to save the company from bankruptcy. Most American sedans looked like boxes at the time. Ford gambled on a sleek, aerodynamic shape that people called the “jellybean.” This new look used flush headlights and a smooth front end. It made every other car look old overnight. The gamble worked. By 1992, the Taurus became the best-selling car in America.

The car’s popularity dropped in the late 1990s. Ford released a radical, oval-shaped redesign in 1996 that confused many buyers. Meanwhile, the Toyota Camry took the top sales spot. Ford tried to replace the name with the “Five Hundred” in 2005. They quickly realized their mistake and brought the Taurus name back in 2008. Ford finally ended U.S. production in 2019 to focus on trucks and SUVs. The Taurus name now only exists on models sold in overseas markets like China.