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Since 1986, millions of Ford Taurus models have been sold, a testimony to a midsize sedan that offers value, good styling, plenty of interior room and reliability. During the late 1990s, an unfortunate design change turned off thousands of customers, but in recent years the Taurus has been making a come back, currently in the form of a full sedan sedan for the Ford fleet.

The 2010 model is the most dramatic update for the Taurus since its inception. Larger than ever before, Ford decided to forgo mass volume in exchange for a full size sedan segment leader, one that the automaker hopes will shine the light on the rest of the Ford line up. Judging by its looks, the all new Taurus succeeds, but it may be under the hood where the new Taurus truly shines.

Reviving The Taurus Franchise

The Taurus nearly died in 2007 when the automaker decided not to maintain production of the sedan. For years, sales had been lagging and the Taurus name no longer represented design flair, cutting edge technology or value, attributes found in the first generation model. Instead, the bulbous shaped Taurus was ugly, outdated and no longer a contender to new segment leaders, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

But Ford’s new CEO, ex-Boeing chair Alan Mulally, had a different idea. Instead of dumping a damaged, but still well known product line, Mulally convinced Ford executives to rename its larger Five Hundred model the Taurus. That move allowed Ford to keep the Taurus alive long enough to bring the next generation model to the market, a new sedan introduced Summer 2009.

The 2010 Ford Taurus will not ever match the sales levels of the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the Taurus was the best selling car in America, selling more than 400,000 units annually. Instead, Ford will be satisfied if the bigger and more expensive Taurus sells at least 50,000 units during its first year with hopes of eventually peaking at 100,000 units within a few years time.

Redefining The Ford Taurus

The change in the Taurus’ direction is significant as Ford seeks to redefine what it means to be a full sized sedan, let alone what it means to be a Taurus. A five passenger model, the cockpit of the Taurus is smartly designed for the second decade of the 21st century.

Ford SYNC, a hands-free voice-activated calling, MP3 and GPS system is standard across the Taurus line. A Sony stereo provides unmatched sound while push button start is standard. Ford’s MyKey technology, which is innovative technology to track and warn teen drivers whose driving habits may put themselves in danger is also included. And, to emphasize the sedan’s sport flair, shift paddles allow drivers to have a much more engaging driving experience.

Safety features in the Taurus are abundant and include a Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) which helps drivers avoid swerving into a lane occupied by another driver, rain sensing wipers, auto high beams, rear camera and power sunshade. Side impact air bags and a safety canopy with rollover sensor is also included. Indeed, a number of the features found in the Taurus are not offered by its direct competitors but are much like what Lexus, BMW and Mercedes might offer in its similar sized sedans.

Introducing EcoBoost Technology

The Ford Taurus also helps to introduce EcoBoost engine technology which is being rolled out in select Ford and Lincoln models beginning with the 2010 model year. That optional engine, a 3.5L EcoBoost™ 24-valve DOHC V6, delivers V8 power but maintains V6 fuel economy. Indeed, with 365 horsepower and an amazing 350 lb.-ft of torque, the ginned up Taurus has power numbers rivaling some of the top sport coupes on the market. Standard engine is a 3.5L Duratec V6; both engines are paired with six-speed automatic transmissions which helps the Taurus achieve class leading fuel economy levels. Front wheel drive is standard; all wheel drive is optional.

The 2010 Ford Taurus offers so many more improvements over the 2009 and earlier models. With Ford sales now on a roll, the Taurus should contribute to Ford’s success, helping the renowned automaker find its way in a rapidly changing automotive market.

Marketers for Honda’s luxury division call their brand-new ZDX a “four-door sports coupe.” Serious coupe fans might dispute that designation, insisting that true coupes have only two doors. Still, several manufacturers introduced the “four-door coupe” theme earlier, including BMW with its X6 and Mercedes-Benz with its CLS sedan.

According to Acura, the ZDX features the world’s first continuous glass surface, extending from hood to bumper to bracket the panoramic sunroof. When closed, the power roller sunshade allows only three percent of outside light to reach occupants. With the shade open, 20 percent of light reaches the interior. Acura promises two-passenger comfort inside the ZDX, but with seating capacity for up to five occupants.

Beneath the low hood, a 3.7-liter VTEC V-6 engine develops 300 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, driving a new six-speed automatic transmission. Paddle shifters are mounted at the steering wheel. In Drive mode, a touch on the paddle provides a gear change. S-range gives the driver full control of shifts. When operating automatically, a double-kickdown can occur when necessary.

Front/rear torque distribution from the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system ranges from 90/100 to 30/70, taking place automatically. Left/right, the torque distribution stretches all the way from 100/0 to 0/100: all to none, applied to wheels on either side.

Enhanced intake and exhaust sounds yield “a little bit of exciting flavor in the upper rpm areas,” said principal engineer Jason Widmer. Otherwise, Active Noise Cancellation and other engineering features help keep the ZDX pleasantly quiet. All models roll on 255/50×19-inch tires, but the ZDX suspension may be set for either Comfort or Sport mode. Fifteen sensors react to road conditions, altering the suspension’s effect as needed.

On the whole, the ZDX doesn’t yield a truly car-like experience, because its SUV underpinnings are too evident. Handling is a prime enticement, as the ZDX driver enjoys appealing steering feel and fine feedback, along with the bonus of Acura’s SH-AWD system, in case the weather turns foul.

Delivering a comparatively firm ride overall, the ZDX hits an occasional bump hard. Such incidents are appropriate for an SUV-based vehicle, but less so for what’s deemed a sports coupe. Sufficiently supple in suspension capability, this four-door recovers nicely from any excess reaction. Acceleration qualifies as enthusiastic, if not exactly startling, perhaps not quite as dramatic as some sport-coupe enthusiasts might crave.

Getting inside demands a moderate climb?almost like some actual SUVs. Substantial side bolstering cradles the driver snugly, but these serious yet comfortable seats are abundantly cushioned, augmented by superior thigh support. The rear seat is more comfortable and roomy than anticipated, but substantial head-ducking may be needed to twitch one’s body into the back. Cargo space totals 26.3 cubic feet with the second-row seats up; 55.8 with those seats folded.

Gauges are readable but dim in darker light conditions. Over-shoulder views are somewhat impaired. Visibility directly astern is split by a thick horizontal bar; nearly everything is seen through the upper pane, which is adequate but squat. The driver faces Acura’s first hand-stitched leather dashboard.

On sale around mid-December, the Canadian-built ZDX will be priced between the MDX sport-utility vehicle and the RL sedan, which puts it in the mid-$40,000 neighborhood. Three versions will be offered, starting with the base model, which includes a standard power tailgate. The Technology Package adds Acura’s navigation system, with Real Time Traffic information and a Weather Radar View. Lane Guidance can show which lane to be in, when anticipating a turn. The multi-view backup camera can provide a normal, wide, or top view. In base models, the 8-speaker audio system is rated at 266 watts. ELS Surround Sound is part of the available Technology Package.

*Updated with photo

San Clemente’s Greg Long, who has emerged in recent years as the world’s premier big-wave surfer, added another major accomplishment to his resume by winning the prestigious Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau contest Tuesday at Waimea Bay on Oahu’s North Shore.

With enormous waves pumping in from the north, Long survived a nearly sheer drop down one of the larger set waves late in the event’s final heat. Judges scored the ride a perfect 100, which helped propel Long past Kelly Slater, who had led through most of the daylong competition.

The mountainous wave, with a face exceeding 40 feet, exploded at Long’s heels and a towering wall of whitewater swept over him like a horizontal avalanche. He received the score on the heaviness factor and the potential consequences if he did not make the drop.

“I’m humbled just  to be in this event,” Long said afterward of a competition that honors a legendary North Shore waterman and is held only on years when truly epic conditions exist.

Long, a regular standout in the yearlong Billabong XXL Big-Wave Awards, caught another wave as the heat drew to a close, for a lesser score, but it was enough to give him a 10-point lead over Slater in the best-four-scores format.

Waimea was at its earth-shaking best, with the swell holding most of the day and pulsing even larger toward the end of the competition, which featured literally dozens of remarkable rides, but also breath-taking wipeouts, broken boards and the world’s elite big-wave surfers thrilling crowd of thousands by charging all the way into the 15-foot shore break.

This marks only the eighth time in 25 years the Aikau contest was held. Slater, who has an unprecedented nine ASP World Tour titles, won the Aikau event in 2002. Bruce Irons, who finished fourth Tuesday, was the defending champion after winning in 2004. Sunny Garcia, a former world champion, was third.

– Pete Thomas

Photo: Greg Long in action at Waimea Bay. Credit: Kelly Cestari