It may seem a bit strange, but my very 1st car when I was 16 years old was a brand new 1986 Ford Taurus. I had a pretty good job, and my Dad co-signed. I had originally planned on a Ford Escort or Chevy Nova- but I'll credit my early developed negotiation skills. 1986 was the 1st year of the Taurus, and the car was revolutionary at the time with many design elements you don't even consider today 1st appearing in this car. One example- headlights that were integrated into the car, not round or rectangle glass light bulbs. There are many many articles on the 1st Taurus/Sable, and it's importance to automotive design can't be understated. My girlfriend at the time didn't really care for it... so I traded it in on the Ford Probe (that I still own). Like many ordinary cars- they were used up and turned into hammers and dishwashers. Out of the 2 million built, I would bet this is one of the nicest basic model examples there is. I won this on an auction site- however the previous owner was a car enthusiast too, making this one a gem. This is the last year of the 1st generation Taurus. Fitted with an airbag, V6, and luxurious power locks, it was a bit nicer than mine- but still has a bench seat and hand crank windows. Driving this car for me feels like a ride in a time machine.
- 140 HP
- 3.0L V6
- Curb Weight 3130 lbs
- 0 to 60 9.7 (seems so much faster when you are 16)
- Top Speed of 123 MPH