Here’s a car, photographed by SeattleO, that I never knew existed. It’s a late-production fourth-generation Taurus panelvan, as evidenced by the red turn signals and full door latch bezels (the earlier pieces were notched to fit a larger handle). Lacking a rear wiper, brightwork around the windows and exterior latches on the back doors, which may or may not open, it appears to be a factory job, but a Google search didn’t result in any evidence of its existence. I’m very perplexed; do any of you guys know more about this?
There’s a lot about the fourth-gen Taurus wagon which makes it a good choice for use as a panelvan, especially for long distances. A solid structure, good ride comfort and compact rear suspension all help and I can think of much worse cars to use for courier service. This car is especially versatile if it is equipped with the split front bench, if it was still available this late in the Taurus’s life. The view out the back must obviously be horrific, but otherwise, it’s hard to think of a downside. Okay, okay, it doesn’t have a turbodiesel, and it’s not brown, but one day, this uber-90s shape will boast enough obscure flair. Just wait fifteen years.
I don’t think it’s a factory job. The finish on the rear panel as well as the rear door(s) doesn’t match up with the rest–a flatter finish, and more of a beige tint.
You’re right about the paint.
I have never ever seen that either. It looks like a custom job. An ugly result though, nevertheless unique looking.
Its probably done by an aftermarket outfitter vendor outside of Ford Motor Company for commercial utilization fleets.
I don’t think so as if it was done by an upfitter they likely would have just bolted steel panels where the rear side glass went not went to the trouble of welding the panel in, filling the seams and doing the same for the door handle openings which meant they had to paint it all when they were done. See the current Transit Connect which comes to the US will all of its side glass and then if it is destined for cargo duty steel panels are put in place of the glass.
I’m leaning towards a custom job, too.
Perry, what do you mean by “full door latch bezels?” Even with your explanation, for the life of me I can’t see any differences between the door handles between a ’96 and a post-2000 model.
It’s hard to describe… let’s see…
Gotcha, thanks – and good eye! That’s the sort of subtle detail I love nitpicking on newer cars, too, but I never would have noticed this one.
Sure looks interesting and is that Taurus Grey or Silver? I think it is a bummer Ford switched away from Orange rear turn signals for the fourth generation.
One of the few ways Mercurys were differentiated from Fords were the red turn signals. Fords having red turns signals was just another ill-thought out cost-cutting move that further eroded and eventually kill the Mercury brand.
If you look closely where the panel meets with the bumper, it looks like a slightly raised surface. So, it might be a non-permanent polymer/plastic overlay that is adhered in place? Plus it seems to reflect differently, than the surrounding surfaces. Beyond a different paint color.
I agree, that it is not flattering.
It looks like something a funeral home would use as a service car, or first call car for pick up at the place of death. It does look like a well done custom job, whoever did it.
That was my first thought. Certainly a more dignified way to go to the funeral home than a plain white van.
One of our local funeral homes uses a black Ford Flex for a service car. Other than the extra dark tint behind the B pillar and the Illinois “FH” plates it looks like any other Flex.
Needs landau irons for proper dignity… 😉
I kid, I kid.
Or as they call it in the trade a “meat wagon”. Spent 8 years in the funeral industry.
Ford Tortoise.
+1 Perfect!
now if you added a stripe and a porthole, you would have a Taurus Cruising Wagon.
Homemade. Never was such a beast from Ford. Kinda cool tho.
When I heard “the rarest Taurus” I was expecting a 1st-gen MT5. This is…different.
So, would this be cost effective? I can’t imagine a commercialized Windstar or Freestar costing much more than this.
Yuck. I can’t imagine anyone putting this much time and effort into modding such a hateful, HATEFUL car. The only good use for a 96-07 Taurus is as a fire pit. Or target practice. HATEFUL car.
Ummm… how can a car be hateful? PEOPLE can be hateful… a car, not so much.
I always thought of the 3G Taurus as impractical because of lack of rear-seat and trunk space (owing to the shape). The 4G was just plain boring, destined only for service as a rental car (I have no idea how many of those things I rented from Hertz on trips over my years of business travel) or transportation for salesmen. Definitely not hateful.
The 4G had a boring shape, boring exterior details, and cheap interior materials. Just awful.
The redesign was certainly boring but considering how much flack they got for going so radical with the fish mouth cars I’m not surprised that they erred on the overly conservative side. Unfortunately since they took a bath on the bubble they did have to cut back on the quality of some of the interior materials but I would not call them awful.
Do I see that the rear wiper has been removed? (Can’t tell for sure.)
I’ll lean “custom job.” Some gotta-mod-it owners like to “clean up” Taurus wagons a bit by taking the roof rack off and filling the holes and repainting, and such. (I was a picture on one of the Taurus owner forums a while back.)
The other thing I realized is that they filled the antenna hole which would have been smack dab in the middle of that quarter panel.
I’m going to say factory job……..because of what Chevrolet did with the HHR Panel. Now I will say it was probably a prototype or market study model but still confused on why Ford picked this particular wagon instead of what Dodge did with the Caravan. Why not a cargo version of the Windstar in other words. Chevy did the same to the HHR Panel. Except kept the wiper. Same hidden rear door release and I bet the interior was gutted and replaced with plastic storage bins and a rubber floor mat. If it aint a Ford job than somebody spent a heck of a lot of time and money on this car.
They did offer a Cargo version of the Windstar after they killed the Aerostar.
Actually, Perry, it’s the CLI Taurus that’s often described as the most difficult to locate.
/old joke (among the Taurus crowd, anyway)….
Thank you for that; it’s the first time I laughed today, which is not a good thing (going that long).
Some MB G-wagons suffer the same issue.
Happy to provide needed levity, Paul–small repayment for all the enjoyment and amusement you’ve provided me and so many more.
[Pic courtesy of taurusclub.com]