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Final Ford Taurus Leaves Chicago Production Plant

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Final Ford Taurus

It’s the final Taurus (If you’re singing this caption to the tune of Europe’s “The Final Countdown,” good job.)

The final Ford Taurus made in the United States has left the building. The Chicago Assembly Plant rolled off its last sedan of the iconic Ford model last Friday.


Find Out: Which version of the 2019 Ford Taurus is the best fit


Over 8 million cars of the pioneering nameplate have made their way to showrooms over its 34-year history in the U.S.

Rise of a best-seller

When it debuted at the 1985 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Taurus was Ford’s ground-breaking achievement in design and engineering. It raised the stakes in the passenger car segment with its polished exterior, which left the current popular boxy sedan look in the dust.

Its 3.0-liter V6 engine with generated 140 horsepower, but this was only the beginning for the multi-port fuel injection engine.

By 1989, its SHO model added a high-performance V6 that cranked out 220 horsepower. Three years later, the Taurus was the most popular car in the U.S.


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The 2000s and beyond

It was not long after that NASCAR brought the Taurus on board the racing scene. Many teams chose it as their car to beat and relished multiple championships alongside the Ford Motor Company.

2006 however ushered in a two-year production hiatus before Ford brought the sedan back as an all-new car in 2008.

While the Taurus is officially going away, Ford invested $1 billion at its Chicago plants to carry on the learned lessons and achieved accomplishments from the Taurus when building its all-new 2020 Ford Explorer and Police Interceptor.

Like 1985, car consumer needs are changing. Ford will once again adapt to meet these demands with its vehicle lineup, including the Ranger, Bronco, Mustang, and other models to come.