DETAILS:
The 2010 Ford Taurus was designed specifically for customers looking for "style and power," a shift from its predecessors that appealed to those looking for "practicality."
The vehicle is a manifestation of "designer intuition" informed by consumer preference. By talking with consumers, offering them choices and evolving designs to reflect their input, designers produced not only a car they fell in love with, but one that is garnering positive reviews for design style and quality.
Researchers started with concept clinics, exposing focus groups to four or five vehicles of the same color and with all brand identification removed. Participants were asked to choose a favorite vehicle and offer first impressions.
Consumers who selected the 2010 Ford Taurus as their initial choice described the vehicle as sleek and sexy, having a modern fresh design, aerodynamic, fast lines, sporty but luxurious, classy, as well as sophisticated, stylish, distinctive and dynamic.
Then, researchers progressively revealed more about each vehicle, including specifications, its brand or nameplate and finally the price. While there was some variation along the way, consumers usually stuck with their initial choice – showing the power of first impressions, or the "Blink" effect.
Through conversations with focus group participants, designers made significant adjustments to the design:
-Instrument panel and console – People preferred a more dramatic curve.
-Texture and material – Some preferred a warm, wood-filled interior, others liked a cool, technical environment; Ford made both interiors available.
-Heightened center stack sweep of 38 degrees – People preferred a steeper slope in the instrument panel between the two front seats.
Lower roof line – Evolved in response to consumer input and preference.
-Larger "hot" wheels, specifically 17-, 18- and 19-inch Painted Sparkle Silver Aluminum wheels – Made available in response to consumers' obvious preference (20-inch wheels are included with Taurus SHO Performance Package).
photo:Ford
The 2010 Ford Taurus was designed specifically for customers looking for "style and power," a shift from its predecessors that appealed to those looking for "practicality."
The vehicle is a manifestation of "designer intuition" informed by consumer preference. By talking with consumers, offering them choices and evolving designs to reflect their input, designers produced not only a car they fell in love with, but one that is garnering positive reviews for design style and quality.
Researchers started with concept clinics, exposing focus groups to four or five vehicles of the same color and with all brand identification removed. Participants were asked to choose a favorite vehicle and offer first impressions.
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Consumers who selected the 2010 Ford Taurus as their initial choice described the vehicle as sleek and sexy, having a modern fresh design, aerodynamic, fast lines, sporty but luxurious, classy, as well as sophisticated, stylish, distinctive and dynamic.
Then, researchers progressively revealed more about each vehicle, including specifications, its brand or nameplate and finally the price. While there was some variation along the way, consumers usually stuck with their initial choice – showing the power of first impressions, or the "Blink" effect.
Through conversations with focus group participants, designers made significant adjustments to the design:
-Instrument panel and console – People preferred a more dramatic curve.
-Texture and material – Some preferred a warm, wood-filled interior, others liked a cool, technical environment; Ford made both interiors available.
-Heightened center stack sweep of 38 degrees – People preferred a steeper slope in the instrument panel between the two front seats.
Lower roof line – Evolved in response to consumer input and preference.
-Larger "hot" wheels, specifically 17-, 18- and 19-inch Painted Sparkle Silver Aluminum wheels – Made available in response to consumers' obvious preference (20-inch wheels are included with Taurus SHO Performance Package).
photo:Ford