It’s been five years since Ford killed off cars in the United States, but other markets were luckier. In the Middle East, Ford’s cars are still going, and they’re going well. Take, for example, the latest revision of the Ford Taurus — not only has the venerated nameplate stuck around, but the car it graces is downright gorgeous.
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Gorgeous within the constraints of modern car design, at least. A flat front end, high beltline, and all the the trappings of current safety regulations are present. But Ford has integrated them well, added a dragon scale-styled grille, and mixed some sleek head and taillights in. It’s legitimately pretty.
Those taillights, too, seem to borrow some style from the Mustang. Look at those three vertical lines, running through the center of the clear lighting element — that’s unquestionably some classic Mustang lineage right there. The Taurus’s 2.0-liter turbo-four might not have the performance of Ford’s sole remaining non-crossover vehicle in the U.S., but the style works.
It’s too bad, really, that Ford discontinued its entire sub-crossover line in the States. These would be nice to see on our roads, standing out from the aging Fusions that still dot our highways, refusing to give in to the crossover-fication of our country.
Ford may have thrown in the towel here, but it’s proved it can still build some gorgeous sedans — just not in America. Why can’t we get cars like this in the U.S., something to slot in beneath those high-riding SUVs that the company has staked its market share on? Just once, Ford, take this gorgeous styling from abroad and send it our way. We know you still have it in you.