Production ended at Ford’s Atlanta Assembly Plant on Friday at 7:00 a.m. when the company produced its last Ford Taurus. Ford produced 7.5 million Taurus units since the sedan was introduced in 1985. From 1992 to 1996, Taurus was the best-selling car in the United States. Its peak year was 1992 with 409,751 units sold. Ford produced Taurus at two assembly plants – Atlanta and Chicago – until 2004 when Chicago Assembly began production of Ford Five Hundred, Freestyle and Mercury Montego.
Atlanta Assembly opened in 1947 and built a variety of historical models including the light trucks, Ford Fairlane, Fairmont, Falcon, Galaxie, Grananda, LTD, Rachero, Torino, Thunderbird, Marquis, Sable and Taurus. Atlanta Assembly employed 1,950 workers, including 1,800 hourly and 150 salaried. The hourly employees, like all UAW-represented Ford employees in the U.S., can select among eight separation, educational and retirement packages.
10/27, 4:48 PM
posted by:
Don
RIP
10/27, 4:59 PM
posted by:
meanpants555
Jerry Seinfeld always gets his choice of the last in line Porsche run; I wonder who was in line for Taurus number 7,500,000? And were they above the age of 70? And would you have bragging rights at bingo night?
10/27, 5:03 PM
posted by:
ironpony42
This car won’t be missed. Atleast in its later generations, I fully acknowlege what a break through it was in 1985/86. When everything was angluar and sharp edged in the 80’s this car broke the mold. I still think of RoboCop when I see a first gen car in flat black primer…
10/27, 5:04 PM
posted by:
meanpants555
Wait, I’m on a roll.
The evolution of the Taurus has been so sluggish that there is a species of snail in Alabama that has evolved opposable thumbs in the 21 years took Ford to manufacture all of those Tauruses.
10/27, 5:24 PM
posted by:
A4
i dont know which blows more, the taurus, or the five hundred
10/27, 5:32 PM
posted by:
meanpants555
Which is worse? A newbie M3 driver or the rear legroom in an A4? That’s not meant to be inflammatory just a Taurus related pondering. Hmmm…
10/27, 5:34 PM
posted by:
Foster
RIP to the last BEST made American Sedan
10/27, 5:34 PM
posted by:
Foster
LOL Robo Cop lol
10/27, 6:45 PM
posted by:
S-60-driver
Great car! My family always had it as new for every generation. I had one Taurus on my car list in my life. A leased 2001 white Taurus. I was like 21 or 22. Im 26 now. I had a blast with it. Who cares if its for seniors?
Now my family are driving a Ford 500. Another great car, tho! Screw all of you who say 500 is crappy. Test drive it and ur attitude will change!
Don’t buy cars. LEASE!!! we all do!
10/27, 7:08 PM
posted by:
MyGodBeatsYourGod
Rental Car companies all shed a collective tear for the loss of this ‘premium’ offering.
.
10/27, 7:09 PM
posted by:
GL1
who cares…
10/27, 7:49 PM
posted by:
bepsf
I’m sure the last one was a beige GL that was headed to Hertz…
10/27, 7:53 PM
posted by:
Ricardo Head
Man, I dont think I’ll ever get over this great automotive loss.
.
.
Then again, 7.5 million units in 22 years is pretty damn good. What is that … 340,000 cars a year? Plenty of cars don’t get close to that in their whole life cycle.
10/27, 7:59 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
bepsf: no, the last one is going to a store owner who happens to be situated just in front of the Atlanta plant. Gheeez, if you want to rant, at least get your facts straight.
10/27, 8:12 PM
posted by:
lanapat7
Why did they build it at 7:00 AM?
Were they working night shifts for a car that was headed for extinsion?
No wonder Ford lost so many billions.
10/27, 8:50 PM
posted by:
mujician
Ford lost so many billion? No,No,No… millions jackass! Wear would the auto industry be right now without the Taurus????? Then again, were would the automotive industry be without Ford… or indutry. (with a big . for that matter)??????????????????????
10/28, 1:54 AM
posted by:
WonbyOne
I think I heard somewhere that the final car was going to the founder/owner of Chick-fil-a as his company was one of the first fleet purchasers or something like that. I could be wrong.
But what I really want to know is why LLN didnt run a story about the huge Audi recall in the news today?
10/28, 8:06 AM
posted by:
bepsf
@Â 1c3d0g – I was being sarcastic – if that’s where the last one went, great.
10/28, 10:03 AM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
I won’t miss it, it was inferior in so many ways to the competition. A really, really, mediocre, hell i’ll say it, a really really terrible car.
10/28, 10:22 AM
posted by:
mujician
LamborghiniZ, I don’t know if you are saying all this negative stuff because you actually owned one in the past, or are you just talking out of your ass. The reason I ask is because I happen to know alot more people that own one of these cars with 200k miles or more than all people that own vehicles from across the sea’s with more than 200k miles. And just to let you know I at one time owned a 99′Taurus, then
i sold it to a friend who is still driving it with about 260k miles on it and the only things that were ever replaced other than regular maintinence items were an EGR valve and the rear strut recall.
10/28, 10:53 AM
posted by:
GMbeefy
lamborghini gets off on his own negativity
10/28, 1:03 PM
posted by:
04focus
WonbyOne: yup, the founder of Chick-fil-a got the last Taurus. And yes, he is above the age of 70.
10/28, 1:05 PM
posted by:
Hal
Its tragic really – Ford build a great fleet/family sedan that leads its class in sales for years then let it wither on the vine instead of investing in keeping it (and the atlanta plant) up to date and competitive. The Fusion is built in Mexico.
10/29, 12:25 PM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
GMbeefy, how you would have any idea at all what i “get off on”, lets be realistic here, you’re negative about things you dont like, im negative about things i dont like, its a little thing i call human nature. i dont like the ford taurus, its not a good car, therefore im not about to post anything positive about it. the end. thanks for the pointless comment
10/30, 9:23 AM
posted by:
lanapat7
Mujician: Ford reported over 5 BILLION loss in Q3. So if you want to call somebody a jackass, look in a mirror.
10/30, 12:39 PM
posted by:
mujician
Ok, so your right and I’m wrong, but I can still call someone a jackass if I want to. It makes me feel good abut myself ok. I need to be negative to make myself feel better. JACKASS LOL!
10/30, 10:05 PM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
you’re really cool mujician.
10/30, 10:06 PM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
oh and you’re also really wrong, about almost everything car related.
10/31, 12:05 PM
posted by:
bigjob
Lambo,
How do you know the Taurus ‘is not a good car’. What is your basis for this statement? It offered the buying public a mid-size sedan, at an affordable price. People did not buy the car for it’s styling, just for the overall affordable package. You are always so negative about all. Kind of disheartening. Offer some comments we can work with from time-to-time. Seems most of your discussions are…’it sucks’
10/31, 4:38 PM
posted by:
mujician
Go get’m bigjob. I think I already asked you Lambo-Icantaforditbutit’scoolanywayZ were you are basing your knowledge of the car. Because you owned one. Ha Ha Ha, yes I owned one also. And I know dozens of others that have too. Not to mention I do have alot of car backround and if you dig or listen to pretty much everyone else posting a comment you can obviously see that you are the outcast here.
10/31, 10:18 PM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
Ok bigjob, the last iteration of the Taurus is the easiest to attack, it was lackluster, and my ‘comments’ regarding it can begin with its terrible interior quality, it’s mediocre handling, its outdated engine, and its boring styling. Work with those. Thanks.
10/31, 10:20 PM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
By the way, I’m only negative about things that deserve to be negative, show me an article about a Honda Accord or a car that’s actually well made, and I won’t be negative, sorry that you happen to be reading my comments regarding bad cars, like I’ve said in the past, I won’t say good things about bad cars.
And you have no knowledge at all of my financial situation, or anything else about me, so stick to the only thing we’re here to discuss, which is cars