2016 Ford Taurus set for Chinese launch this month - Report

Production began a few days ago at the new plant in Hangzhou.

Ford will be launching the 2016 Ford Taurus in the Chinese market this month, reports Chinese portal 163. The full-size sedan (Chinese variant) was revealed to the global public this April at the Shanghai Auto Show and is likely to cost around 300,000 Yuan (INR 31.2 lakhs).

The new Taurus is based on the ‘ABB’ platform and has dimensions of 4996 mm length, 1878 mm width and 1503 mm height. The sedan has a wheelbase of 2949 mm, which should give it ample room and provide comfortable seating for four.

The exterior looks elegant and upmarket with a wide grille, sleek headlamps, big air intakes on the front bumper, elongated tail lights, dual exhausts and a boot lid spoiler.

The interior sees a simple layout with dual-tone scheme of gray and white. The dashboard has a four-spoke steering wheel behind which is seen the twin-pod instrument cluster. The center console gets the 10.1-inch SYNC infotainment screen below which rests a Sony CD player. The center console does not have any shifter, in its place, there is a rotary drive selector.

The interior's luxurious feel is amplified by the use of faux wood inserts on the dashboard as well as the door panels; while comfort is enhanced by leather seats at the front and the rear bench that comes with power recline, adjustable lumbar support and massage function.

The new Taurus will come with three engines options - a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder producing 181 bhp, a 2.0-liter turbo with 245 bhp and a 2.7-liter turbo V6 generating 329 bhp. The V6 powered sedan has one of the most powerful engines to be ever used in a Chinese-made car. All engines will be mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

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The “premium business sedan” will be made by Changan-Ford at the alliance’s new plant in Hangzhou, where the production has already started. More details on the equipment and variants will likely emerge closer to the launch date.

[Source - 163]