Around 2 AM EST on Monday night, one of our readers sent us a tip about a photo making the rounds on two Taurus-specific forums. We followed both links and came across the spy shot you see above – now rumored to be the 2010 Ford Taurus. Big deal, right? It was, but not for the reasons you think. While we like spy pics as much as the next pistonhead, we have a policy against posting photos taken inside an automaker's design studio. Unlike the shots snapped by Frau Priddy and the crew at KGP, our legal department insists that anything taken on automaker property is illegal to distribute. So after the picture began circulating on several smaller sites, we held off on publishing it... until now. With sites like MotorTrend and InsideLine throwing caution to the wind, despite Ford's attempt to quell the photo's circulation, we feel compelled to bring it to you in all its grainy majesty – until FoMoCo's legal department starts pounding on our virtual door.
With that out of the way, all of us around the Autoblog offices are split about the design direction this one particular exercise (we're sure there's at least a dozen) is taking. The front end is far more dynamic than the current Taurus, with swept-back headlamps, a pointed fascia and the best application of the three-bar grille we've seen yet -- even if it does ape the last generation Lexus IS. The profile is handsome and distinctly Mondeo, a model that may, or may not, underpin the next Taurus. And if there's an SHO variant packing Ford's new turbocharged, EcoBoost V6, we're sure Mr. Neff will have his dirty little way with it when its officially uncloaked (possibly) in Detroit.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
RCL1221 @ Apr 9th 2008 8:07PM
there are taurus-specific forums? that's the news to me.
Damon Lavrinc @ Apr 9th 2008 8:14PM
Don't tell John.
Cornholio @ Apr 9th 2008 8:38PM
My first thought too - "Wow, there are people who read forums about rental cars"
Tinu @ Apr 9th 2008 9:38PM
Looks like the 2000 Sebring got updated :-P
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/bm/images/98_sebring_conv_jx.jpg
Matt @ Apr 9th 2008 10:31PM
It looks kinda... Lexus-y. Only not as ugly.
Andrew @ Apr 9th 2008 10:40PM
HAHA yea, theres a Taurus forum for quite a while now. and im a member :D we nonSHO guys have to do something right?
toronado455 @ Apr 10th 2008 5:52AM
Taurus-specific forums. LOL
What's next? Dodge Sprinter-specific forums?
Oh wait... they exist too! :-D
http://www.mysprintervan.com/
Guenther @ Apr 10th 2008 8:52AM
of course there are Taurus specific forums. While thei're rentals to some people, they're work cars for to many others. People who spend a lot of time in them...
BoneheadOtto @ Apr 10th 2008 9:10AM
i spend a lot of time in my underwear but i dont visit forums about it.....
SAA @ Apr 10th 2008 10:49AM
Very nice!!!!
Sean Eagen @ Apr 10th 2008 11:18AM
There are Honda Odyssey forums. If there is a make/model of car, there will be a forum full of fanboys for it. Makes for some pretty funny reading material though. I will say this about the Odyssey forum, it did save me hundreds of dollars when the wife took off the passenger door mirror. :)
tariq @ Apr 13th 2008 6:29AM
show me the pontiac aztec forum so i can commit suicide
Corey @ May 8th 2008 12:31PM
Commence suicide!
http://www.aztekfanclub.com/
Fooman @ Apr 9th 2008 8:08PM
I can here the cheers at jalopnik already.
Damon Lavrinc @ Apr 9th 2008 8:14PM
Huh?
refugee7 @ Apr 9th 2008 8:10PM
Looks a little sporty for a full size sedan...
geo.stewart @ Apr 9th 2008 11:32PM
looks a lot better than the brick out today.
are you saying a full size sedan cant be sporty looking?
Flashpoint @ Apr 10th 2008 9:54AM
Ford and GM are making the best cars they've ever made - and facing the biggest losses ever too.
This looks like its based on the MKS' platform and body.
Its gonna be huge.
That One Person @ Apr 10th 2008 11:51AM
Flash...the MKS is based on the Taurus platform. And yes, it's big.
Fernando @ Apr 10th 2008 1:25PM
This is an American car I'd actually drive (judging by the exterior alone). It looks so much better than anything Ford has in the USDM market today!