For this 2013 Taurus SHO coupe, I gave it the slim, flowing C pillars that Ford's 1960s cars were famous for. First shown on the '63 1/2 Galaxie "slantback" coupe, my mother's bright red 1966 Fairlane 500/XL had a gorgeous roofline, too. While not really needing to modify the roof itself from the production Taurus sedan, I thinned out the C pillar and gave the greenhouse more glass area. Extending the body contour line just below the door handles, all the way to the taillights instead of breaking it for the rear wheelwell, also gives the Taurus a more flowing appearance. Conventional wisdom is that a Taurus coupe would cannibalize sales from the Mustang, but I really don't see why. The Mustang is a performance rear-wheel drive coupe, even in V6 form these days, and the Taurus is a luxury car with front- or all-wheel drive. I really think the two could co-exist in a Ford showroom.
The idea to add "muscle car" and "luxury" is kind of a rarity these days. Not many American automakers make "coupes" and the idea posted above seems to satisfy the younger soul in all of us. I would just add awd, lol.
ReplyDeleteVery nice. Having several sizes of coupes in the 60s certainly didn't hurt Mustang sales so I don't see why it would now. This would make a very nice 500XL. You mention the 63-1/2 slantback Galaxie 500 and 500XL -- two of my favorite Fords of all time -- so elegant!
ReplyDeleteHave you done a coupe version of the MKS? It seems like you might have but I don't recall it -- I know you've done a lot of Lincolns.
Paul, NYC
thanks, Paul
ReplyDeleteI did an MKS coupe when the car first came out. It's time to do a better one with the facelifted version:
http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c40/artandcolour2006/Photochops/?action=view¤t=MkCNew3.jpg
Hi bob,
ReplyDeleteI love the '63 and '64 Fords—classics in every way! They didn't make many of them, but the '64 500/XL 4-door hardtop came with bucket seats and a console, and that one-year only smoothed out roofline. That's the one I'd love to own. I was pleased when the new Taurus came out for another detail—the trunk lid. The way the Ford oval logo is bisected by a chrome bar, is very late 60s Ford, the '68 Torino comes to mind. I think the big round taillights might just work, too. I'll have to see about it in a future chop.
I'd like to see the current Taurus made into a 2dr convertible w/modern interpretations of retro cues from the '65-'68 Galaxie! :D
ReplyDeleteThose are all great Fords, LeSabre!
ReplyDelete