Groundbreaking vehicles in so many ways, showing just what American engineers can do when given the financial backing to develop the best.

Thank you so much for sharing this. I remember when the Taurus first came out. I was 21 years old and would always visit my local Ford dealership, on Sunday, to see what was new. When I saw the new Taurus sedan, I was blown away. I rushed home and got my dad and made him come with me to see it. He was amazed at how great that car looked. It was a Blue 4 door sedan in the LX trim. The very next week, he called me and said I needed to come by cause mom wanted to talk to me. I couldn't imagine what for. Pulled into the yard and there sat that beautiful blue Taurus. The very first new car they had ever purchased, they were so proud of that car.

The first car I truly fell in love with was my dad's 1993 Ford Taurus SHO. I was 10 years old at the time and literally every time we went somewhere in that car I felt like I was riding in a spaceship. It was a fully loaded example and had buttons everywhere. Nothing was more exciting than when I got to hear and feel the power of the 3.2L DOHC V6 playing its tune at 7,000 RPM. I still, believe it or not, miss that car.

A friend bought a Sable in '86. It was so tight and seemingly well built it was like something from a completely different company that made all the other FOMOCO cars I'd been in before.

I remember when my cousin drove in with the original Taurus wagon, it was pretty shocking. I was in awe of that car. I still drive a Taurus today!

I still remember being in high school when the Taurus was introduced and I immediately loved it! So futuristic and cool…loved it. So fun looking back on this amazing vehicle.

I recall the first time I saw the Taurus and Sable. I’d just broken up with someone I was living with, my car was fully packed with everything I owned, and I was driving on 8 mile to my parents house and admit defeat. As I drove toward Woodward Ave. in Detroit, a car caught my eye as it drove past me. It was a fully loaded Ford Taurus with manufacturer plates. It was late summer of ‘85 and the Taurus and Sable hadn’t been introduced yet. I was very impressed with how sleek it looked. Then a second later, the Taurus wagon passed by me following the sedan. Then just as fast following the wagon was a Sable sedan, then a Sable wagon. I almost wanted to follow them, but I told my dad about the cars as I was unpacking my car. He had worked at Ford for years and was interested about how they looked, how big were they, and how the new shape appeared. He was in the market for a new car and was trying to decide if he was going to get another Cougar. Several weeks later, he surprised both my mom and me when he pulled into our driveway in a new Cocoa colored Taurus sedan. It really was a beautiful car. The neighbors wanted a look see as well. The car was unlike anything my dad had ever driven. He enjoyed that first Taurus so much, he continued to buy them until the Fusion was introduced. I remember in the 80’s how eye catching that first edition was. Everyone’s head turned when those cars drove by. It’s kind of a shame you never see one anymore. If I could find a low mileage wagon today, I’d consider buying it. Now everyone drives the same pointy nosed SUV that no matter what company, or what price, they all look the same.

I remember seeing the 1986 Ford Taurus for the first time. I couldn't stop looking at it as a kid. I still remember this slogan, " Have you driven a Ford lately".

Still see some first generation Tauruses today , wonderful cars!

My junior high school teacher mother bought one of these in 1986. Several of her students would see her drive into the parking lot in the morning and mob her to see this fascinating, futuristic new car. Yes by the 90s this was the boring rental car go to… but it can’t be stressed enough how absolutely astounding this was in the late 80s. It truly really did….” Make every other NEW car look 10 years old.” FYI. Mama drove the Falcon, the Maverick, the 1977 Chevrolet Impala (another car that made everything else look 10 years old) then back to Ford for the Taurus,, she went on to buy the Ford Explorer in the 90s and the Popular compact SUV Escape. Mama knew how to pick them!!!!!!

The OG Taurus and Sable aged so well. They still look fresh today in 2024.

My Wife and I bought the first '86 Taurus LX (Our first new car together) to show up at the local Ford dealership. It was Black with Gray bottom trim, Red pinstriping and Red interior. The "Fantastic Flying Egg" and it served us well. Great video, and thanks for the trip back in time.

Growing up, my parents had a 1996 Sable, then a 2002 Taurus. Fantastic vehicles. Both had the Vulcan V6. Bulletproof.

I had the second gen Sable wagon. It was white with the gray bottom. I truly loved that car! drove smooth, nice interior, lots of storage, and plenty of power. I later sold it and bought the second gen Taurus SHO, all white!

Thank you again for making this video for those of us lucky enough to have grown up in the 80's and remember this car. This car truly saved Ford. It was the perfect car at the perfect time for everyone. I did get a little emotional watching this as it reminds me of my childhood and my late father who worked for Ford in the late 80's. I will never forget my mom and dad bringing home our 87 Taurus LX loaded with leather and even a power moonroof! It was unlike anything to come before it.

The Taurus/Sable, cars that literally saved the company..

I definitely remember how futuristic the Taurus wagon was, it was so cool if i found one today that was nice i'd buy it )

When I got my driver's license in 1992 I took the test in a 1991 Ford Taurus lol I'll always remember that car i past the test in it👏👏 it was powder blue with same color interior. Then I ended up buying a Mercury Sable & i loved it had it for many years 😊

Your level of story-telling is amazing!! So much thought and effort... As a child of the 70's and 80's thus driving these cars (used) in the 90's and 2000's, I truly appreciate your respect and love of vehicles from these eras!

We had one of the early ones bought brand new in 86'. Half the neighbourhood came around to see it the next day, that's how big a deal the Taurus was in 86'. People turned to look as we drove by. We had the first one in our town.

I had a 92 Sable wagon and drove it all over the country with my job as a service technician. I still love the looks of it to this day. It's a shame those wagons aren't made anymore. It had so much room behind the backseat, no midsize SUV can match.

I had two of them and really loved those cars. Other than the transmission issues on the '91 they were pretty darn durable and reliable. The 3.0L engine, for me anyway, was always very reliable and powerful enough, though I did notice that water pumps failed more often than they should have (but then I could have gotten weak pumps somehow too because another person I knew had no problems with them).

Crazy to think the ultra-modern Taurus was sold alongside the seemingly archaic LTD on the same showroom floor. Imagine trying to be a Ford salesperson in the late 1980's.

The first car that I bought was a 1988 Taurus GL Sedan. My Dad had a 1982 Mercury Cougar wagon. The Taurus blew that car away in every way. It had more power, better handling, better ride, better mpg, build quality, and needless to say the look was radical for the time.

My first car, in 1991 (while I was 16yo) was a beautiful 1978 Fairmont Sedan covered in OEM Metalic Brown with the reliable 200 Straight-6 and colum shifted automatic transmission. It wasn't fast, but for a teenager, it got me to school, work, and back everyday! God, how I miss that car, but with an accident we're I was flown off of an icey road, the aluminum bumpers SUCKED.

My first generation SHO was as fun to drive as it was unreliable due to electrical issues. Had quite a bit of torque steer.

I had a 1987 Sable LS for many years until I got a 1995 Sable LTS. I loved that car. It was white with about every option. Including a sunroof. I had that car for 25 years until I let her go. I still miss it.

Thank you for this. I had a 1988 Mercury Sable Wagon. I truly loved that car. People called them Space Shuttles when they first came out. When I was buying my first new car, a Mercury Tracer, my dad came along with me so that I didn't get taken advantage of. He was I guess a Ford guy, with a history of Ford cars including a 56 Ford Sunliner. While we were in the showroom, he got the idea to buy a car himself. Which kinda confused the salesman, because my dad was making a car buying decision without any planning. The Continental was brand new and my dad actually made a cash offer, which the salesman refused. He ended up looking at a 4wd Tempo? But then when walking out to pick out my car from the lot (we bought what we could see and touch). He spied a metallic red Sable wagon. Without even going into the car, he bought that, for my Mom. That was a 'good' year for my family. Everyone was making money from our jobs. But first time he bought a new car for my Mom. That NOT sitting in the car turned out to be important. As it turns out it had a leak. And the passenger side was water logged. It took a handful of times and 3 months to finally stop the leak. The dealer was motivated to fix it as New York introduced a Lemon law and that 3rd time had to be it or we got our money back. My Tracer 5 years later was a victim of a hit and. run driver and multiple break ins and my Mom gave me the Sable. Wow. It drove so nicely. I still miss it. They were put down for some drivetrain issues, so when mine hit 10 and repairs mounted up I replaced it with another new car. But I still stop and look for another Sable.

I've got quite a few of these cars and have been restoring: 1986 Ford Taurus LX Wagon (56k miles) 1987 Ford Taurus MT-5 (112k miles) 1988 Ford Taurus LX Sedan (53k miles) 1991 Mercury Sable LS Wagon (126k miles) 1993 Mercury Sable LS Sedan (23k miles) 1995 Ford Taurus SHO (68k miles) Absolutely love driving them and get a lot of thumbs up ☺️

I had a 91 Taurus LX. It was slow, it handled like a tank on back roads, but it was comfortable and could handle long trips. The engine had over 230k on it and I managed to accumulate nearly 20,000 miles before a kid in a stolen car crashed into it and totaled the thing. I would definitely get another, but the SHO version.

People look back at the Taurus and think it just looks like every other car from that era. Nope, it's the reason other cars went from square to round. It really was a beautiful car and so futuristic at the time. The Probe was in the same category. And later the Intrepid

My mom bought a new Taurus XL in early 1986. I used to drive it sometimes and later bought the newly refreshed '92 Taurus GL. My mom kept hers' until 1994 replacing it with a new Mercury Cougar. But the '92 Taurus stayed with us until 2006. Really loved those cars and I later got the opportunity to meet Jack Telnack. Thanks for showing this video.

My mom had an 88, and it had a lot of cool features. It definitely had a better interior than her 95.

This was the best vehicle for the era. My second favorite (thank goodness it didn't replace the Mustang) is the Ford Probe!

Got my license in 86 ... to say Taurus was impactful is understatement. Even though Ford sucks today and makes nothing to get my attention ... I await their next sedan when they get a new CEO with hope.

I owned 1989 GL and a 2004 SES both were awesome vehicles

My parents had a 1985 T-bird. Loved that car. When the Taurus came out for '86, I would join my dad when he took the TBird in for oil changes so that I could sit in a showroom Taurus. It felt like the future. The digital dashboard was similar to the one in our car, but more elaborate. Compared to the refrigerator-styled wagons of thee 70s and 80s, the Taurus wagon was relatively sporty, and actually a car that young families would be proud to drive. 1986 was a good year for mainstream sedans. The sleek Accord was launched with popup headlamps. It immediately overshadowed the milquetoast Camry. The only car that compared in styling of the Taurus and Accord was the Audi 5000, which was still a rather obscure brand and completely out of reach for us. The message should be revisited today by Ford... apply effort and deliver intelligent designed products, people will line up to buy it.

Best Ford ever!!!

My mom had a Taurus, and it was okay. Had some issues, but for a mom car it did well.

My grandparents had an '87 Taraus LX They bought it new in the winter of that year, it stayed in the family after my grandmother died in "96 (my mom bought it from her estate) and we had it until '98 when the transmission went and caused damage to the engine (after 250.000 km) so we had to scrap it. My mom ended up buying a '94 Pontiac Grand Prix GT Sedan to replace it, she absolutely hated that car because it constantly broke down and cost her a fortune to keep running.

My favorite Ford & Mercury ever! Fantastic video! ❤

There was a movie in the late 80s set in the year 1999 where they used robots (that looked human) to tame a very violent high school. in the movie these robots consumed WD 4O and drove a silver Taurus. I just remember thinking how futuristic the car looked and how nothing else resembled it. Ive owned 2 2nd gen Taurus SHO'S for a while. loved em.

I bought a 2005 or '06 Sable LS in '07, I think... decades after the original product's design, this was a real comfortable, well-handling/well-appointed sedan that I was proud to own for some years. Rust-free. in MI, no less. She was super-quiet for the time. Nothing broke down on me after thousands of miles as a pre-owned prize. One of my wiser and more enduring car choices.

Ford must've hired a band to sing their "Ford Taurus Jingle," that same band would later go on to sing "Get Ready for CBS" during their 1989-1990 Fall TV viewing season.

Great video SALUTE‼️

That jingle brought back memories

I still see those first generation Tauruses once in a while, a friend of mine had one for years!

The LX and Sable LS had the 3.8L Essex V6 as optional equipment. The 2.5L four-cylinder in the MT5 and the Taurus L was not an overhead cam engine, but rather a stroked version of the 2.3L HSC OHV Tempo engine - and it didn't make much more power than it dd in the Tempo, with the Taurus's added weight. In 2002, I drove a Taurus LX with all the bells and whistles and a freshly rebuilt 3.8L V6 and AOD transmission. I honestly thought I had never driven a more luxurious, quiet car short of a Mercedes E-class. They were absolutely amazing feats of engineering and it's a shame they let the marque fall off.

Excellent job on the retrospective, very interesting. Also the editing is great as well. Very good job on cleaning up the wagon commercial. I wish I could find a wagon in good shape today. Right now I guess I am will have to be happy with my 03 Town Car. She only has 60k and drives like new. Maybe the Town Car could be something you could do a video on.

I had an 07 Taurus... Great car and very comfortable!! Ran like a top when I traded it in at 165 K but unfortunately rust was eating it alive!!

The Taurus looks so contemporary, even today. Would love to have a Taurus wagon! Congratulations on 10k subscribers!

between mi and my wife we had have 84,86,94,2003 sedan & 92 ,94,99 station wagons.

Superb as usual Tofer. Taurus & Sable truly were historic. I'd love to own one today & preserve it next to my 87 Lincoln Town Car. The Pontiac 6000 STE was an awesome car. Dad had an 86 LE, my 2nd car was an STE. Throaty exhaust, digital 80s dash. Very cool car to those who remember them. Glad you're well Sir. Always a treat to see you post something. I live 20 minutes from the Glass House. It's a beautiful building. Ford is all over Dearborn. Although Henry is rolling over seeing what the city is today. Warm regards from the Motor City. If you're ever in the neighborhood, You'll love Henry Ford museum & village. It's an unbelievable place❤

My hale childhood was in the back of an 86 torus.

My first car was a ‘94 Taurus sedan in that mint green color with dark green interior and the console shifter. I liked the car itself, but the particular one I had was a piece of junk. Still, I have very fond memories of my teenage years with that car!

Thank you Tofer for bringing back the greats from the past! Love your videos. I still have an ‘89 corvette that’s in perfect condition. I love the 80s!

I love the montage of other vehicles at 19:50, like they all died RIP

Absolutely nuts to think there were carbureted, solid axle, FR layout body-on-frame cars sold brand new in ‘86 in dealerships next door to this. Almost 40 (!) years later, new cars still have more than a little Taurus in them

Hey Tofer, excellent video of an excellent automobile!!! The Ford Taurus & the Mercury Sable were truly revolutionary!!! I was pleasantly surprised when in 1986 my sister showed up at my parents house in a beautiful new Taurus!!! It was the most futuristic car I had ever seen!!! Congratulations on hitting 10k subscribers, your videos are always informative & entertaining!!! I'm sure that you will continue to grow!!! 👍👍🙂

Unfortunately here in Australia we didn't get Taurus but its Ford global design came in 1988 with release of EA falcon. Awesome vid, interesting history, can't wait for next instalment.

Awesome!

My dad also worked for a company that made sparkplug wires for Ford that's why we owned a lot of them

That was EXCELLENT

excellent video content. we had a 89' model from new. very refined with the 3.0L Vulcan motor...

Thank you for this. I've owned 3 Tauruses (Tauri?): a used 1991, a 2001, and the 2011 SEL my son currently drives. They've all been safe, reliable, and comfortable, if not so fuel-efficient as I might have liked.

Approved head lamp design sealed beam had a huge impact on the Taurus.

Absolutely loved that revolutionary design -- GM wasn't ready for this! That design eventually was copied so much we now simply call it jellybean.

CONGRATULATIONS on 10k! I've enjoyed your videos from pretty early on and they just keep getting better and better.

Tofer, i will watch and rewatch whatever rendition you create of this revolutionary vehicle. Ford Taurus

As a german driving a 84 Fiesta L (45hp) - I was very pleased to hear and see the MK II Probe (A friend has one) and ofc about the Fiesta brand. Ford always was a part of my life. My family and my friends always had some kind of Ford. But as an European the Taurus brand isnt so well known.

My best friends has one in 1987 .. and I couldn’t get over the futurist look…

This car was mind blowing in its day.

I forgot how much I like how you slice up flat images and create subtle depth. It’s excellent! You make the graphic designer in me so happy. I see the little things you do to get just the right look. I appreciate the quality you put into these.

I owned a 1989 Taurus GL and I loved driving it. I had it until it practically died. I miss that car.

18:59 they were smart to follow the Demming SPC protocol

The red car at 28:50 is sporting a surprise under the hood. It was a test mule for the Yamaha V6 and upcoming SHO.

Enjoyed the video,hope there’s a panther platform video in the future ending with the last Crown Victoria rolling off the assembly line. A not too widely known fact,the 1st generation Sable was sold in small numbers in South Korea in sort of an “exchange program” for America getting the Festiva which was built there & imported here. There’s a advertisement out there for a 1st generation Sable written in Korean!

I didn’t know the wagon’s lines were penned so far in advance of the C3 Audi 5000 Avant hitting the road.

Another enjoyable video. Thanks mate.

This is really cool hearing about the history of one of Ford’s greatest inventions. GM, Chrysler, and even Japanese brands were changing because of Taurus. Great video Tofer!

Thank you for the most excellent video! I've been a subscriber since your beginning. As a Ford fan myself, I would love to see Ford introduce another exciting revolutionary model. You did a great job with this benchmark automobile!

Never seen and heard of Taurus in the U.K. But they were a common sight in Hong Kong.

I picked up a bunch of Tauruses over the years, from the first 4 generations, even a V8 SHO once , mostly from auctions or dirt cheap from people. Most of them have got me a fair amount of time considering how cheap and high mileage they were lol. Always a good highway car. Most of them went out with bad transmissions eventually but the Vulcan motors held up well. I'm even guilty of liking the oval late 90s ones. They sure rushed a wild styling update on those!

I weirdly remember the very first time I ever saw a Taurus in person. I was 16 years old. Thought it was amazing…

Another excellent and entertaining video! Thank you! I was 11 when the Taurus came to market. I still have the Car and Driver article somewhere. I thought it rather revolutionary for Ford and more tasteful in styling than the XR4Ti from Merkur. Growing up on Toyotas, though, it wasn't all that revolutionary to me. I remember thinking that it was a nice car for middle America but still lacked some of the quality and features that I was used to. It also looked a little bloated when compared to my friend's mom's 1985 Maxima. I also wondered why the clean-sheet Vulcan V6 was a pushrod and not an OHC for such a revolutionary car. I was also more of a GM fan and the 1986 Riviera really blew me away. I will say I appreciate it more now than I did as a kid. I also remember seeing a black 1987 Sable with tinted windows and a red interior in the showroom and thinking it looked really awesome. I about lost my mind when the SHO came out in 1989 and really wanted one, or a Cougar XR7. I almost traded my 90 Accord for a 1992 refresh SHO. I loved that Yamaha-headed V6. Years later I did buy its cousin in 2013. That MKS EcoBoost was a nice sleeper, and one I really wish I had kept.

Ahead of its time when compared with other American cars of its day. Chosen as the Police cars in Robocop due to its futuristic styling.

This is such a fascinating video. I was born in 1994, and the vehicle my parents had at the time was an ‘88 Ford Taurus. It’s one of my earliest memories-being in the back of a Taurus growing up. They bought a Ford Windstar shortly after to replace it. This test mule and initial design footage presented in this video are just amazing, and I’ve never seen any of it before. Bravo, and well done.

THX...Loved our 86 wagon LX. Super ride handling bance,,, Maybe beter than my currnter stinger!

The only all new /clean sheet gamble Ford North America has ever taken. Add in initial: R&D, Marketing-Advertising,Ford spent well over 5 billion in 1980s currency introducing Taurus.

I never truly realized the impact of these cars until I saw how futuristic these were for their time, and especially compared to their competition (mainly the GM A-body cars). I don't see these a lot anymore but I've grown to have an appreciation for them nowadays. I overlooked these for a very long time. Also, where did you source the music for this video? It compliments the video very well

Thanks Tofer for another fantastic video. I always look forward to seeing your work. I bought a new 91 Taurus SHO in 1991. What a fun car that was! White with tan leather, loaded. Dealer almost gave it away to me. Looked and sounded amazing!

Congrats on 10k+ subscribers 🙌❤️

Thank you for this great retrospective in the Ford Taurus/ Mercur Sable well put together and enjoyable to watch.

21:57 Remastered best jingle of the industry. Only Toyota would come close with their 80’s catchphrase and ending jump freeze frame.

What a wonderful video, thanks! As a kid I knew the Taurus as Robocop’s car. I wish I had a first gen SHO

Yep, I enjoyed that Tofer, I still love the intro music, it relaxes me. How can we join the "Live Studio Audience"? =)

Still hoping and praying that I can find my dream medium canyon red 1986 Ford Taurus LX wagon!

Great video 😊

I had an 86 Taurus. I still have a 98 Taurus. Runs like a top.

This video makes me feel nostalgia for a car that my country never got, as well as for a period of time I wasn't even born in, but the Taurus was influential enough even in markets that didn't get it. The Aussie Ford Falcon got a similar design overhaul in 1988 with the EA Falcon, as well as the Ford Sierra looked very similar around 1987 or so, both of which are nostalgic to me as I watched the Sierras racing as well as we had Falcons growing up, in fact we have the last decedent of the EA Falcon design, the EL Falcon which is like a more curved, refined version of the EA.