2018 Ford Five Hundred Introduction
Back in 2005 Ford released a full-size sedan under the Five Hundred name. This replaced the 4th generation of the Taurus but unfortunately the car was not as successful as Ford hoped. Because of that, just 3 years later they decided to rename it the Taurus. More than a decade after it seems a successor might be on its way. At this point these are nothing but rumors. However, we can still take a closer look at most rumors about the upcoming 2018 Ford Five Hundred. As we all know, the Taurus is about to be discontinued from the US market. It seems that a Taurus might be imported from China and sold in the US under the same name as ever before. The big news come in the form of the Five Hundred. It seems that Ford may release two completely different cars for the US market.
In detail
While the Taurus would be a slightly larger Fusion, the Five Hundred would be based on a new platform. It looks like this may in fact be Ford’s higher end sedan offering, so we can expect things like rear wheel drive, more potent engines as well as a more impressive engine than on the Taurus. All of these are expected to cost so the car is not going to be cheap.
source:autoblog.com
Most rumors suggest a starting point north of $40,000 which would make it one of Ford’s most expensive cars on the market. At this price point it would compete with the Lincoln Continental. However, the 2018 Ford Five Hundred is not expected to be a competitor for the Lincoln. Instead the car is actually expected to be a much sportier vehicle than some would think. With it Ford would finally be able to take head on the Charger and its successor, so it might be quite surprising if they decide to release it.
The design – inside and out of Ford Five Hundred
So far there is not much available information about how the car will look. Its predecessor was a large sedan with a lot of European styling influences. The same could happen with the 2018 model in which case it could become something really unique on the US market.
source:autoblog.com
We can expect the car to boast design cues from both the Mustang and the Fusion for the perfect blend of aggressive features and style. The interior will more than likely feature just as much room as the regular Taurus.
source:autoblog.com
However, the Five Hundred should offer a lower driving position and a more driver-oriented cabin. These alone should make the driving experience considerably better than in the Taurus.
Under the hood
If the 2018 Ford Five Hundred ends up being a rear wheel drive car like the most rumors suggest then it will surely come with very well known engines. The base model could get either a 2.0 or a 2.3 liter EcoBoost. Either of these should be capable of north of 240 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque which would be sent to the rear wheels via a 10 speed automatic. A larger 2.7 liter EcoBoost V6 with up to 310 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque should allow the car to become one of the faster full size sedans on the market.
This is expected to come with the same gearbox found on the lesser models. The rumored top end version of the Five Hundred may receive a V8 engine. A 5.0 liter naturally aspirated V8 with around 450 horsepower would give the car the power and grunt a full size sedan needs. This would likely come with beefed up suspension and brakes as well as a tweaked transmission in order to be able to handle the extra power and torque.
Ford Five Hundred Video
