Ford · 1991–present

Ford Taurus 2nd generation

The second-generation Ford Taurus is a mid-size car that was produced by Ford from the 1992 to 1995 model years. Slotted between the Ford Tempo (later, the Ford Contour) and the Ford Crown Victoria in size, the Taurus was sold as a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon. While the influential styling of the first generation was played a strong role in the design, the exterior and interior underwent an extensive redesign. As with the previous generation, the model line used the Ford DN5 platform, again shared with the Mercury Sable, with the high-performance Taurus SHO also included. In several firsts for the model line, this generation introduced flexible-fuel powertrains, standard dual airbags, and the standardization of a V6 engine. Following over 410,000 sales for the 1992 model year, the Taurus overtook the Honda Accord to become the best-selling car in the United States, a title it would hold until the 1997 model year. The second-generation Ford Taurus was assembled alongside the Mercury Sable by Ford in its Atlanta Assembly (Hapeville, Georgia) and Chicago Assembly (Chicago, Illinois) facilities.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Ford Taurus 1st generation · Successor: Ford Taurus 3rd generation

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Overview

=== Exterior === The exterior of the second generation was completely redesigned from the first generation. Its length was increased by a few inches, and it was a couple of hundred pounds heavier, and had a more rounded roofline. Every body panel, save for the doors, was redesigned. However, many of the redesigned components closely resembled that of the previous generation, leading many to falsely believe that this generation is just a facelift of the previous generation. The front nose was redesigned with slimmer headlights, while retaining the first generation's "bottom breather" nose, albeit in a more aerodynamically efficient design that flowed into the front bumper. In the rear, it received new taillights that closely resembled those of the previous generation, as well as an entirely new rear clip. The trunk was also redesigned, with a spoiler being integrated into the trunk lid's design to make the car more aerodynamically efficient. Also with this generation, each model of Taurus received different exterior trim. The lowest level Taurus L had light grey plastic mirrors and window trim, while the bumpers and side trim were also light grey. The GL, the mid priced model, got chrome window trim and body color mirrors, while still retaining the grey bumpers and side trim. The top-of-the-line LX model had its bumpers color keyed, as well as having the grey side trim replaced with color keyed body cladding. 1992 L and GL models (and the Mercury Sable GS) could also be ordered with a two-tone paint job, in which instead of being grey, the bumpers and side trim were painted a slightly darker shade of the vehicle's body color. To cut costs, this was discontinued for the 1993 model year, as all models received color-matched trim and bumpers from that year onward. Interior

Variants

=== Mercury Sable === A redesigned Mercury Sable, a sister model to the Taurus aimed at a more upscale audience, went on sale alongside the Taurus in 1991. Like the first generation, the Sable shared all of the Taurus' mechanical components but had a unique body and interior. Similar to the Taurus, the second-generation Sable's design closely resembled the first-generation model, though the body and interior were almost completely redesigned and the new model was shorter than its predecessor; while the first generation Sable had an extended wheelbase, the redesigned model had the same wheelbase as the Taurus. The new model was still offered in GS and LS models in sedan and wagon bodies, a top-of-the-line LTS trim was offered on the sedan during the 1995 model year. Powertrains and most options were the same as the Taurus, though no counterpart of the Taurus SHO was offered. The Sable was produced concurrently alongside the Taurus through the 1995 model year. In 1993, Ford Canada hand-built 40 Mercury Sables powered by SHO V6 engines as part of their AIV (Aluminum Intensive Vehicle) program and released 20 to the public. Using aluminum suspension elements and aluminum body panels, held together with a spot welding process and adhesive joining process developed specifically for this vehicle, the end result was a car that was 400 pounds lighter than a SHO Taurus. In 1995, Multimatic Motorsports entered one of these vehicles in the One Lap of America event, finishing 15th overall and 1st in the Mid-Priced Sedan class. Ford Taurus SHO. The second-generation Ford Taurus SHO was launched in the fall of 1991, along with the Taurus. Unlike the first generation, this SHO contained less aggressive body cladding, as well as a unique front end using parts largely borrowed from the

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Ford Taurus (second generation)

Manufacturer

Ford

Production

August 1991–June 16, 1995

Assembly

Atlanta Assembly, Hapeville, Georgia, United States, Chicago Assembly, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Designer

Jack Telnack (1988)

Class

Mid-size car

Body style

4-door sedan, 5-door station wagon

Layout

FF layout

Platform

Ford DN5 platform

Related

Mercury Sable, Lincoln Continental, Ford Windstar

Engine

3.0 L SFI Vulcan V6, 3.8 L Essex V6

Transmission

4-speed automatic

Wheelbase

106.0 in

Length

Sedan: 192.0 in, Station wagon: 193.1 in

Width

71.2 in

Height

Sedan: 54.1 in–55.4 in, Station wagon: 55.5 in

Kerb weight

3118 lb–3472 lb

Predecessor

Ford Taurus (first generation)

Successor

Ford Taurus (third generation)

Model years

1992–1995

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5467948CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Taurus_(second_generation)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1366497149 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ford_Taurus_--_07-09-2009.jpgPublic domain · Photo: IFCAR · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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