Editing Ford Taurus (section)

==Fifth generation (2008)==
{{Main|Ford Taurus (fifth generation)}}
[[File:2008 Ford Taurus SEL .jpg|thumb|2008 Ford Taurus SEL]]

The fifth-generation Taurus entered production in 2007 as a 2008 model and was developed directly from the [[Ford Five Hundred]], chiefly with a mild exterior [[Facelift (automobile)|facelift]] and revised engine and transmission. Ford designated the model as the Taurus, after the demise of the concurrently marketed fourth-generation Taurus and to take advantage of its customer recognition and dealer demand.<ref>{{cite web|title=Five Hundred To Be Renamed Taurus|url=http://www.stangbangers.com/News_FordFiveHundred.htm|publisher=stangbangers.com|access-date=July 26, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217111308/http://www.stangbangers.com/News_FordFiveHundred.htm|archive-date=February 17, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Changes to the fifth-generation Taurus from the Five Hundred included a new front end and the 263&nbsp;hp 3.5&nbsp;L [[Ford Cyclone engine|Duratec 35]] V6, replacing the {{convert|203|hp|abbr=on}} [[Ford Mondeo V6 engine|Duratec 30]] 3.0&nbsp;L [[V6]]. The [[Ford Five Hundred|Five Hundred]]/Freestyle's [[List of Ford transmissions|ZF-Batavia]] [[continuously variable transmission|CVT]], which had a maximum torque rating of {{convert|221|lbft|Nm|0|abbr=on}}, was also replaced with a [[GM-Ford 6-speed automatic transmission|Ford–GM joint venture six-speed automatic]] with additional torque of the Duratec 35. The [[Aisin]] AW six-speed automatic which was used on FWD Five Hundred and Montegos was also replaced by the new Ford six-speed.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Ford slaps a once-successful nameplate on its refreshed and reinvigorated Five Hundred |author1=Siler, Steve |author2=Mike Dushane |magazine=Car and Driver |url=http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/07q1/2008_ford_taurus-auto_shows |date=February 2007 |access-date=February 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818000259/http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/07q1/2008_ford_taurus-auto_shows |archive-date=August 18, 2009}}</ref>

The Taurus sedan twin, the [[Mercury Sable#2008|Mercury Sable]] nameplate, was revived and applied to the restyled [[Mercury Montego#2005–2007|Mercury Montego]].<ref name="DETROIT"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leftlanenews.com/like-taurus-mercury-sable-nameplate-to-return.html |title=Like Taurus, Mercury Sable nameplate to return |publisher=Leftlanenews.com |access-date=February 7, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=25374 |title=Mercury Sable Returns to Showrooms With More Power, Style and Sophistication |publisher=Ford Motor Company|access-date=February 7, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070712211918/http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=25374 |archive-date=July 12, 2007 }}</ref> For the 2009 model year, Ford revived the "SE" trimline for the Taurus. The SE sold for $24,125 according to Ford's website and served as the base model for the vehicle.

The fifth-generation Taurus was sold in the Middle East as the Ford Five Hundred from 2008.<ref name = "drivearabia">{{cite web |url=http://www.drivearabia.com/news/2008/02/10/so-we-got-a-ford-five-hundred/ |title=So we got a Ford Five Hundred |date=February 10, 2008 |publisher=DriveArabia.com |access-date=February 11, 2008}}</ref>

It was determined that Ford's strategy to redesignate new cars in the lineup with new names beginning with the letter ''F'', as in [[Ford Focus (North America)|Ford Focus]], [[Ford Fusion (North America)|Ford Fusion]], and [[Ford Taurus X|Ford Freestyle]], was not a good marketing move, as some of the renamed cars had highly recognizable iconic names. Car buyers in the U.S. did not associate the new ''F'' names with Ford, and were confused by the name changes.<ref name = "DETROIT" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-five-hundred-to-be-renamed-taurus.html |title=Five Hundred to be renamed "Taurus" |publisher=MSNBC.com |date=February 6, 2007 |access-date=February 7, 2007}}</ref> Mulally believed that the Taurus had an immediately strong [[brand equity]], and that it would take years for consumers to have a similar recognition of the Five Hundred.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8N48NI80.htm |author=Krisher, Tom |title=Officials say Ford to revive Taurus name |publisher=BusinessWeek.com |date=February 6, 2007 |access-date=February 7, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225221742/http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8N48NI80.htm |archive-date=February 25, 2011 }}</ref>

The 2008 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable were awarded the Top Safety Pick ratings by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and five-star ratings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The five-star rating given to the Taurus and the Sable is the highest safety rating being given by the government agency. It was also the first Ford of America model to come as standard with side airbags.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/52973/cars/2008_ford_taurus_mercury_sable_receive_highest_safety_ratings.html|title = 2008 Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable Receive Highest Safety Ratings}}</ref>