1986 Taurus and Sable (Reaction) Motorweek Retro
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- This week's Motorweek Retro Reaction is the 1986 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable!
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Sorry for so many comments, but I think a lot was missed here.
The "instaclear" windshield was a revolutionary invention, right up there with cruise control and a/c, and we still haven't gotten back there today. It was a thin film of metal that covered the entire windshield and heated and cleared it almost IMMEDIATELY, on only a few Ford Products, and worked far better than waiting for warm air from the defroster to blow up and melt anything , especially snow or ice.
In about half of American, that could take about 30 minutes. to clear a windshield, relying on old fashioned heated air, once your car warmed up in 15 degree cold, plus ice or snow.
It looked coppery from the outside in certain light, and some police jurisdictions didn't like it because it reportedly scrambled police speed radar.
Sun visors for both front and side? How is this not standard on every car now? Came in handy, if not necessary, VERY often on long drives into the horizon.
And a 6 passenger option, not available on foreign makes at any price!
Offering options that your competition doesn't, it's like Ford has completely forgotten how to sell in a competitive marketplace; easier to just do safe clones of the others, and hope the trend never changes (it ALWAYS does).
It's like we forgot nearly all of the improvements and advantages, and decided to just build minivan variants , which is what SUVS mainly are.. 4 door minivan clones.
What a shame... there was a time when automakers shot for the stars, and made BILLIONS.
I agree. My Sequoia and all of it's simple luxuries like a cold climate package still only has electric defrosters at the base of the windshield. I would love to be able to press a button and be able to clear the whole thing quickly. Every car manufacturer today is pandering to the green movement, you would think this would be a standard by now. Definitely a selling point so to speak for package upgrades..
Ford still offers cars with the windshield feature
Toyota Cressida did 6 passengers a few years before the Taurus
@@xFactoryUSA Pretty much all older cars from that era and before had a front bench seat for 6. Now the front bench is all but extinct as an option today on anything but certain pickup truck models.
Well put... remember seeing front window flash & wonder what was up with that...
I remember seeing the first one on the street.EVERYONE stared,looked like a spaceship!
Remember the announcements was so different than anything at the time. My cousin went on to build them for years in ATL plant till it shut down last Taurus went to the owner of the Dwarf House aka Chick Fillet it's right by the factory.
Ford Taurus was absolutely a revolution in the 90s. Everyone had them! Then the Explorer and Suburban became the "we do well" mom car of choice, they died a slow, bubbly death.
I was 15 when my parents bought a new 1987 Mercury Sable, light blue, 3.0, one step up from the bottom trim. It was the families first brand new car. I thought it was a great looking car. It was also the first car we had with the FM radio OPTION. After growing up in big Americsn coupes from the late 60's and 70's, this car was amazing. Fit, finish, ride, interior space, how quiet it was, you name it, it was MUCH better than our previous cars...until 6-8 months after purchase, when the V6 blew a head gasket. My dad was MOST unimpressed with that.
A dark blue 1988 Sable LS was offered as a replacement with the newly available 3.8 V6. As I recall, all Dad had to do was pay the difference between the 3.0 and 3.8, and we got a car with almost everything standard and a few options, we even had a CASSETTE deck! My dad was much happier as a result. The 3.8 proved to be extremely reliable, and the car seemed quieter, probably because the 3.8 didn't need to work so much.
I look back at that experience as a big plus, and we were all happier with the 3.8. Road trips were a pleasure. The seats were so comfortable compared to the too-soft seats we had in our other cars. We got to our destinations refreshed and relaxed. It's a car I miss having. It was a great CAR. Thank you for taking us back down this road.
Must have been a lucky 3.8 because those were way worse for blowing headgaskets than the 3.0s.
Sign.
That "slotted" grille didn't make it to production, on any trim level.
The engine was a bottom breather, that's why the Sable didn't need a grill either, regardless of engine size.
And the radio WAS low and fussy with a lot of small buttons, BUT there were "finger tip" controls high on the dash, that let you easily control volume and "seek" to next radio station, right by your right hand, easily reachable without removing your hand from the wheel.
Compare this dash to a Celebrity /Camry of the same year and get back to me lol
And this comes from a GM guy too... the Taurus was better in every way imo
Boy do I feel bad for the guy who created this car. Maybe that explains why there’s hardly any good talent left at Ford nowadays. If I remember right, Ford also chased out icons like Iacocca.
That "chunky" front end was resolved in the refresh... the refresh had slimmer headlights, less gaps in the front, I had one as a long time company car, and even its body panels were TIGHT. Nothing "worn out" about it, although I can't speak about the 1st generation.
But would I have traded it for a cramped Accord or Camry of the same year? NO WAY!
I'd say the "refresh" looked even better than the Audio that it was similar to, with better proportioned headlights and side windows and taillights.
Very handsome... for a sedan.
I'd say, NO other sedan looked as good. At any cost, and I know how blunt that comment is!
I was once a "Ford Guy" and read a book called Reinventing The Wheel which covered the Taurus development and how much Ford had at stake. Chrysler received a bailout but Ford had been in at least as bad of a financial situation. Anyways, I loved the Taurus and its futuristic looks (so futuristic in the day, it was the police cars in Robocop). It was the first car I considered giving up my 60's and 70's cars for. Nice video! Thanks!
Thank you for the reaction. I preferred the Mercury Sable over the Ford Taurus styling wise. I preferred the digital gauges as well. This car spawned the 1988 Lincoln Continental. These cars were midsized, but they were big and roomy like full sized cars with interior room and trunk space. They made GM and the industry wake up and change. GM started it with the cars they came out with starting in 1988. I know had GM not got delayed, what if they had beat Taurus and Sable to market. I read that GM was trying to get the W Bodies out before 1988 model year. They made the mistake of releasing the coupes first as the sedans did not appear until the 1990 model year. That is almost four years later after Taurus and Sable. I see how that car was influenced by Audi 5000. I see how these two influenced everything in the industry. I know the Continental was intended to replace Lincoln Town Car. It did not as we know. By 1987 and 1988 all the Fords had the Taurus look. The same thing at Mercury. I hated the headlight design as they put it on every Ford. It does always translate well. Thank you. Taurus for us! Have you driven Ford lately? : ua-cam.com/video/UFzqZxGcNHI/v-deo.html
People forget howmuch this changed car design. That said the Henry Ford Museum has a brand new one sitting there and must say looking at it new in person the Taurus of the era is still better looking than most modern day sedans.CT4 or CT5. An Accord or Camry of 2024 these look cleaner and better.
Always thought it was funny that Ford let the Taurus prototype with the conventional grille slip into Motorweeks hands instead of the production design that lacked a true grille.
Someone got "grilled" for that, I'm sure
The Taurus was revolutionary at the minimum. It literally changed everything we thought we knew about styling. Everything from the shape of the body (obviously) to the radio buttons on the steering wheel, independent rear suspension on ‘just’ a family sedan… total game changer.
Now I’m with you, I have never wanted one, not in the slightest. (SHO is a maybe) but even as a 12 year old in 86, I saw how it was changing everything in the industry as it took over in sales.
Well, it could've been a great car even in Europe as cheaper Scorpio/Granada sibling. Still, Ford had a lot of issues with that garbage Essex engine and slushbox.
P.S. Could you make a video on a 1988 Lincoln Continental?
I'd definitely want one. Perhaps the first generation with the 3.8 l V6. In my view they were the most significant car introduced in North America between 1975 and today.
If you believe that you were rambling there for a moment, don't worry. You were making a point. Your content is excellent as usual and I appreciate it. Thank you.
I love your motorweek reaction videos! Especially when they're American cars. Keep it up!
Great video. Also, I love that MotorWeek says what suspension is used on the car, and their tests are comparable.
Great cars, actually brought America into the 80s!
You're right - had an 86 auto Sable, big, fat, slow & beige called Potato Car. Didn't trust the trans, lame power or build quality, (though it rarely broke). It was, for me in my 20s, just sooo boooring....
We never got those in Europe (although the RWD Scorpio looked kinda similar) but I have to say, the first gen Mercury Sable was a gorgeous looking sedan. The Taurus was good, but the Sable looked futuristic in almost a mish-mash of 1950s futurism (the "all glass" look of the greenhouse) and 1980s futurism (the light bar at the front)
Awesome
My grandmother had a new 1987 Taurus, my best friend Jeremys mom had a new 1986 Sable , and they seemed nice at the time, my mom had a new 1987 Audi 5000 … but I have to say my Aunt had a new 1987 Honda Accord with the low hood line, huge windows and flip up headlights…. I think the Honda was really cool!!!! And it is still going, her grandson is driving the 36 year old Honda Accord… I am sure the Audi 5000 and Taurus are in the junkyard!!!!! But I really think Ford did a great thing with these …
Ignoring the interior, I actually really liked the 2nd Gen Taurus, specifically the SHO, in Rose Mist Metallic
Ford has always tried to emulate the Europeans. From the Granada-Mercedes comparison to the Taurus-Audi comparison to the less recognized Five Hundred-Audi comparison. Cost cutting and drivability may suffer by comparison, but cost of ownership is dramatically different.
Ford drifted from the German copies, and decided to look at frogs for inspiration. The Taurus redesign absolutely killed the car, and it never truly recovered.
When I saw the 1986 Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable for the first time when I was a kid, I was like, "Wow! It was really revolutionary at the time, at least when it came to styling. The era of the boxy sedan was officially over.
I never liked these cars. My uncle had a black Taurus sedan, then a silver Taurus station wagon. The cars were unremarkable, or rather, remarkably ugly. Previous to these two, he had a late 1980s's Cougar, and before that, and early 1980s Grand Marquis. The Grand Marquis was by far the best car..
All in all a good summary. This car was revolutionary for its time, but if I were going to pick a Taurus, I would go with the 92 through 95 generation. The styling was simply better both inside and out. If I was in the market for a car back in 1986, compared to the other domestic offerings this would certainly be up there as one of the top picks but for me this is not the iconic version of the Taurus. It doesn't have the speed, the styling, or the personality that it would have 92-95.
I drove an 89 Taurus lx until 2017. It looked so small next to pretty much anything built after 2003.
People abandoned manuals because they're largely lazy. I don't think most could drive one today. But that v6, the 3.0 might not have been very powerful it was fairly reliable and it got the job done and ended up being in the vast majority of these cars because of it. The 4 cylinder with auto was completely gutless. All else being equal the it might have seen as radical but it was rational if functional. I loved the design as a whole but the 2nd gen 'oval' shaped was ugly and frustrating design in general. These cars just looked the look, especially for a mid 80's car. I think it was every bit as good as anything GM was selling at the time. Ford took a huge risk with these and because of that I respect the car in general. Sure it looks bland now since nearly anyone who was had one, it was definitely forward thinking in it's time.
I remember seeing the first generation Taurus / Sable fill my grammar school parking lot. I was amazed by its futuristic look even as a kid. Once I became an adult in the late 90’s early 2000’s I had to have one. My first was a 1989 Sable I purchased in 2000 lol…. The car floated . I had the most common problem with this vehicle with the transmission slipping. I like the car so much I purchased a 1990 Taurus only a few months later. Both vehicles had the same issues but they never left me stranded. The Sable seemed a little larger to me. I wish I would’ve saved one of them. You don’t see them anymore
Last sentence says alot... headgasket on 3.8 & transmission on 3.0. 120k & time to make it go away.
I purchased a 2005 Taurus from my brother last year to flip. Was rusty and had no passengers floor bored but sold in 2 days. It also had the 3.0 v6. Kinda funny they kept the same variant of the same engine for 20 years
I think the 86-91 Taurus was kind of dumpy, we had a 92 so it was refreshed and looked nicer. Prior to the Taurus we had a Tempo & the Taurus was a nice step up.
Purchased a new sable in 93.. drove it for 3 years.. great car.. comfortable.. good fuel mileage
I had a 92 SHO with the Yamaha engine. One trip to the 'Sho Shop' and it would walk away from Mustang 5.0.
They were an instant hit in my town, We had a Lincoln/Mercury store right by elementary school...almost every teacher bought a new Sable, so she could drop the car off and walk to the school...Now our Principle and the Librarian had new Grand Marquis...
Was like an 80's rock star. It started out HUGE and then the SHO was a crazy good single. 2nd Gen tried to change it's style but wasn't liked, 3rd Gen played it safe just easy listening music, 4th Gen just cover songs of other artists, took a retirement & and came back FAT af but a GOOD album but people had moved on to different styles. Now they live in China and Americans forgot all about them😂😂😢🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️🤷🏽♂️
LOL! I love this comparison!
Now add in the refreshes of the 1st and 2nd gen! :)
@@AllCarswithJon Hey the refreshes are the face-lifts that the famous musicians get!😂
Very revolutionary automobile. I've been searching for an LX trim 86 Taurus wagon for over 5 years now for future restoratipm. Very hard to find them today. I nearly had the chance to get a white 86 LX wagon in Portland with the rare instaclear windshield option but my dad got in the way. No luck trying to find another one in great condition like that one since then.
I remember when Ford unveiled these in Canada at the Toronto Auto Show. They created a lot of buzz and people were fascinated by them considering the style and value at the time. All these great attributes you mentioned and consumer demand meant these were top sellers for quite a few years beating sales of the Accord and Camry. The Taurus/Sable was the top selling car in America.
Amazing to think the American sedans would pretty much go away! A lot has changed with buyers taste.
An error by Motor Week...
The initial Taurus came standard with a 4 cylinder engine, not a V6.
People often forget this, it was also true with the Mustangs and futuristic Camaro/Firebirds of the day.
4 cylinders made sense, they got good fuel economy, had no problem cruising at the 55mpg federally mandated speed limit, and I'm always surprised how often they are forgotten, as are the V6s in very large cruisers like early 80s LeSabres, Delta 88s, Caprices, etc.
I had a 4 cylinder Mustang (but bought the 5.0 badges). The V8s were pretty rare, the V6s and 4 cylinders common, in nearly every car that wasn't a big body on frame luxury car.
V8s had become VERY rare.
And non-existent in mid sized family cars... the foreign makes didn't offer them, but DID offer efficient 4 cylinders, so that's what the Taurus had to compete with in its first generation.
Between the small engine, aero body, and low speed limits, these "largish" mid sizers got VERY good gas mileage.
Maybe something we should revisit.
Nobody liked the weird oval style of the 1996 Taurus and so it lost to the boring Toyota Camry as the #1 selling car
Funny too that the Camry that beat that ugly ovoid Taurus just copied the shape of the Gen 2 Taurus.
I read that book in middle school and couldn’t find it the book after ❤
Eu Ford Scorpio was launched 1985 with very similar styling and size to the Ford Taurus. This have always made me think how is that...
Yet the Scorpio was rwd.
@@frankdeboer1347 Oh yes it is and overall totally different car, but looks so similar. Later sedan model is much nicer looking to my eyes. Top model uses old technology Ford Cologne V6.
Great retro review topic, Jon! Quite a watershed model for American cars. I have long felt that the 1986 Taurus took most of its styling cues from the 1985 British Ford Granada.
I owned an 87 Sable and it was a great commuter car.
The Taurus was everywhere in the 90's, the sable not as much, but you could pick one out at night from the headlights. Gm was 3 years late with the Lumina. One could say the Taurus is responsible for the production of the Lumina.
I find myself thinking two of my favorite cars are Dodges. The 96 Neon sedan with 3 speed automatic in highline trim and a 2016 Dart automatic. I love a stick shift so that would be nice too. The Neon had cool styling and to me a very nice interior, dash, and seats. Was peppy with automatic and not a screamer on the highway despite no overdrive. The Dart reminded me of the Neon in many ways. The styling inside and out still looks new. I loved the way they drove. Would be a great Carmax car to get with Maxcare warranty as it likely would need it. The Civic and Corolla are likely far more reliable but the Dart stole my heart.
My mom had a Bentley that was horridly unreliable. As a backup, she got a first year Taurus wagon and totally loved it. It was basic transportation you could depend on. The ride and handling were a compromise of smooth vs sporty, but a nice compromise. In short order, the Bentley was history.
Reasonably solid family car, that is about it. My parents had two Mercury Sables, a 1988 sable Wagon and a 1991 Sable sedan. I was in my mid teens at the time and there just isn't much to say about them, good or bad.
I bought a 1987 Sable which was all white including white basket style wheels. The car look very cool and would attract some attention. I think it was called a "White Knight" edition, at least in my local market anyway. I became impressed with the Mercury Sable after having one as a rental or loaner. I was a fan of Motorweek back then and was certainly influenced by their review.
Unfortunately the car had a variety of mechanical issues including a bad radiator and most disappointing a defective transmission which was fixed under warranty after the dealer kept it for 2 weeks.
The Taurus and Sable styling was revolutionary even though the Tempo and Topaz foretold that styling trend but were not as dramatic. The Audi 5000 looked aerodynamic prior to their release but then the Audi looked like another automotive box after the Taurus and Sable release.
I had the second gen Taurus SHO , 1996. The car the Auto journalists ripped apart. But it was sure footed, fast and turned heads with it’s slippery oval on oval shape and centered spoiler. The seats in that car rivaled our SL500. And the Yamaha V8 , tho only cranking 235 hp was enough to smoke most cars at the light. I fully planned on keeping that car and had put it away in storage for a year as we were transitioning after a family death and moving back into a farmhouse in New England and while it was in storage, my previous smoking permeated that car to the point that by the time I had taken her out of it and had quit I couldn’t drive it anymore because I couldn’t stand the smell. So at 7 years of age I sold her, it was a sad day.
my mom bought a new Mercury Sable in 1986/87 I forget. Overall i remember it to be a decent car, a few engine issues like the classic lifter tick. The salty southern ontario winters didn't do it any favours. Digital dash was cool and always worked.
Glad you’re enjoying the book!
I admit I've been going very slowly through it. It's great, but it *is* a busy time of the year! :)
Ford Taurus would lead not just aero exterior but from brown hard features to light soft, grey, well flow buttons interior n just like Australian Ford Falcon it force GM to respond at time small body Commodore. VN would change n save Holden from near death this would start new generation of performance war, never would feel guilty owning large performance sedan.
I was born in 1988 so by the time I started noticing car "design" and comparing the vehicles around me to each other in how they looked, the Taurus was already in its refresh period and pretty much fit in with what was on the market at the time, so I never saw this car as a "revolutionary" design. That award would've went to the Chrysler LH cars and Dodge Neon. Looking back and knowing what was available in the mid-late 80's before I was born, the Taurus was definitely a leader in modern design.
I vividly remember my uncle bought an 86 base model, blue on blue. When I went to visit him as a teenager, I was captivated by this amazing design that looked like nothing else on the road. I do remember he had an issue with some computer part that was apparently too close to the radiator and would cause the car to not run. I guess that was one of the issue on the early builds. It was a very comfortable car.
For many years, these cars sat in every other driveway and garage and filled the highways. Then, one day, it seems that they all disappeared. Now, I see one or the other every couple of years.
120k & their trans started slipping(3.0) or headgasket went on (3.8) repair/ replacement costs weren't worth it so... to the crusher they went.
The Vulcan 3.0 V6 was a great engine and they used it for many years. Had 3 Taurus's from 87 to 92 years they were great cars no real big problems
You really need to have a look at the Ford Granada and Sierra, which came out in Europe at the same time you would find a very interesting comparison
I had an 87 Taurus wagon for years. Served me well.
I had an 07 Taurus than ran like a top when I traded it in at 165 k miles...
We had a bunch of 86 Taurus wagons at a previous player. I thought they looked futuristic but could never warm up to the bizarre dash layout.
Remembered this like it was yesterday rather have a Camry
Back in 1986 ford wasn’t very reliable and is true today in 2023. Only by Lexus Toyota.
It was a huge step up from Ford's in the late 70s and early 80s tho.
Had a 93 Taurus Wagon.3.0 V 6. Best Car I think I Ever had. No Problems, Very, Very Dependable.
Until...?
CAR! Such an excellent read!
These were the first non-boxy sedans in America. Chrysler was making ugly boxy K car sedans.
While not a pretty car I know someone who purchased a brand new 1984 Ford Tempo and it was bubbly and not boxy.
What about the Continental? It was rounded out in back, no?
1st view
Awwww! Frik!
I DREAMT of a Taurus coupe, or better yet, a Sable Coupe... they would not have hurt TBird or Couger sales anymore than 70s LTD II/Torino or Marquis?Montego couple would have!
Especially since the main competition from Chevy, Honda, Toyota and everyone else ALWAYS offered coupe versions of their midsize sedans...
(Actually DREW versions of this "dream" car, that I was just positive Ford would release soon ... I mean, they even IMPORTED coupe versions of the Mercur, SURELY they would spend almost NO MONEY on a coupe variant, especially since they were making a lame wagon version in the middle of the minivan craze?).
And midsized , round jellybean FWD coupes are a different class from full sized low slung V8 RWD luxury RWD coupes, so almost no conflict.
Just abandoned one of the biggest markets out there. Typical.
Would have just meant extra sales, all the way until the last "brick" Taurus in the late 2000s... I have zero interest in a family / cop / taxi car.
But a big coupe with a sleeker roofline?
I'd be driving itt RIGHT NOW!
Especially since the Tbird was discontinued why not the very minimal (and BIG cost savings) of a coupe option? Imagine those Taurus SHO "coupes" if they had been made. SIgh.
Coupes equal better styling and big cost savings... half as many moving window panes, window motors, door locks, door hinges, ett etc.
And look 100% better, everyone agrees a 57 Chevy Coupe looks better than a sedan of that year, or comparisons of any year.
Including SUVs, the 2 door S-10 Jimmys and Blazers are LEGEND.
A Taurus / Sable Coupe to compete with Cutlass/Regal would have sold MILLIONS.
Front wheel drive? Space age styling? YES PLEASE
Even more curious, the "junior" versions, Tempo and Topaz, DID come in coupes. So why never a multi million selling Taurus coupe?
Dang it ... another VERY simple, obvious and cheap way for an American car company that ignored it, even after a decade, LONG after the Tbird and Cougar were gone.
Camry? Coupe. Accord? Coupe. Lumina? Coupe. Altima? Coupe. Rest of GM's midsizers? Coupes.
Taurus?.... LOST SALES to all of them.
They seriously need a "customer advisor" group to counter act the bean counters, because this was a prime reason I never bought a Sable... no "single man's, sleek" coupe version.
Bought GM's coupes instead. I was in my 20s, didn't wanna drive a family car, no matter how sleek... 4 doors is still a deal breaker for many.
Coupes represented less than minor part of sales in 1980's ( unless it was a PLC or pony car).
impossible to find today, a guy in my town collected the 4 cyl 5 speed manual wagons and found 3 . Might still have them.
Anybody know what the "28? features to surprise and delight" were?
The Chevy Lumina was so much better than the Taurus just in my experience. I have always worked at Car Dealerships so I have 35+ years experience.
The Accord would also be better especially in 86-87.
Actually in 86, Lumina wasn’t produced yet so I would much rather have the Buick Century T-Type. The Taurus feels like it’s King of the Rental Car market. It is numb. The transmissions In the Taurus/Sables were always going out
I hated those cars until the SHO came out.
these weren't the only Ford/Mercury twins of that era that didn't have a Lincoln equivalent same went for the Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz which had debuted a few years prior for the 1984 model year the Tempo was replaced with a US version of the European Ford Mondeo the Taurus ended up lasting until 2019 33 yrs. and the Mercury Sable was produced for 24 years from 1985 to 2009 over 5 generations the only other Ford Sedan to have a production that long is the Crown Victoria from 1979-2011. the last Mercury off the Assembly line in January 2011 was a Grand Marquis
Lincoln got a version of the 1986 Taurus/Sable in 1988. Remember the 1988-1994 Continental? Also the 1995-2002 Continental was based on the 1996-2006 Taurus/Sable but had a V8 engine.
@@johnnymason2460 in that era you had two flavors of the Continental the standard and the Mark Series coupe that's for most of Mark VII and the first two years of Mark VIII from 87 to 92 my uncle Dan owned a Mark VII Designer Series Continental and then a Town Car of corresponding era
@@courtneypuzzo2502 The Continental I'm referring to is the FWD one based on the Ford Taurus. The Mark VII and Mark VIII are RWD coupes based on the Thunderbird. Two completely different vehicles.
Could the '88 Continental be considered a Lincoln version 🤔 It was said that the Continental was a Taurus platform.
@@sziii8417 As I said before, the 1988-1994 Continental was based on the 1986-1995 Taurus platform. The 1995-2002 Continental was based on the 1996-2006 Taurus platform.
While it was a great car, I never liked the styling. Adjust those prices for inflation. Multiply by 2.8, so that $10,000 to $15,000 is about $28,000 to $45,000. Remember not airbags, ABS, traction control, drum brakes in the rear and others things as well.
There are still a lot of us who prefer a manual transmission. They are stronger per dollar, last longer, they are cheaper to repair or replace, and they are certainly more fun to drive. With modern hydraulic clutches, the whole not wanting to drive them in traffic is kind of ridiculous. Unfortunately, we usually don't even have the choice anymore. It's not that there isn't demand. It's that emission regulations favor automatics. It's a lot easier to meet regulations when you can fine tune shift points in conjunction with fuel and timing maps. Manuals would have to be de-tuned, and less customers are going to want to buy the less powerful model.
Actually, the reason there are less manual transmission vehicles now is because most people in America prefer automatics. They just want to drive the car, not have to worry about shifting all the time. This is not Europe where manuals are still popular. We don't want to shift for ourselves anymore. There will still be models with manual transmissions for certain people as long as gas powered vehicles continue to exist. But this is the reality. Automatics are better than manuals now.
@@johnnymason2460 You are incorrect and should not believe everything you hear. Which sounds more likely, there isn't demand for a Corvette with a manual transmission or Chevrolet can't reach the same performance level and pass emissions? You may be boring and lazy, but not everyone is.
@@Noneofyourbusiness2000 Then explain to me why Ferrari and Lamborghini stopped selling cars with manual transmissions. I said most people don't want manuals anymore. I never said that manuals are completely dead. There will always be people who want a manual transmission. However, that number of people is shrinking. That's the reality. Deal with it. Electric vehicles will cause that number to shrink even more. Also, to call people lazy because they don't want to shift for themselves is absolutely pathetic. People decided to buy automatics over manuals. Not all people, mind you. But enough people did to make manual transmissions a rarity now.
So you're in absolutely AWE of the Saturn but could never own a Sable or Taurus? LoL. Just having some fun with you. LoL. I love them both. The sable in particular & find the interior very nice & good looking. That light bar was very cool back then
I drove my great-grandmother's 87 taurus as my first car