New Ford Taurus' quality can be felt, heard

Little things mean a lot. That's the philosophy that guided engineers and designers who worked on the 2008 Ford Taurus.

"One of the areas that we focused on is what we like to call the 'handshakes' of the vehicle -- the things that influence a person's initial impressions of the car," said Robert Parker, car marketing manager, Ford Division. "It's an attention to detail that tells the customer on either a conscious or subconscious level that the vehicle is well built." According to Parker, things such as the way the door sounds when it closes, how the audio control knobs feel when you turn them or the way the vehicle sounds when it's idling are just a few examples of the kinds of details that leave lasting impressions on car buyers.

"If you ask a customer, they might not be able to consciously identify these things, but we've found through research that all of these factors taken collectively add up to an improved perception of quality," he said.

Parker says it could be something as simple as the way the door handles are molded.

"We used to mold the plastic in the previous generation in such a way that the seam was right where your fingers were so that when you grabbed it, you felt a rough edge," he said. "We spent a lot of time improving small details like that in the Taurus."

The shifter knob is another example, says Ben Winter, chief engineer for the Taurus.

"We developed a new shifter knob and shifter assembly that feels more solid and substantial in the customer's hands," he said. "We also standardized leather on the shifter and added chrome and wood accents as an option. In general, we made the shifter feel, look, sound and operate in a more refined and solid way."

According to Winter, customers probably wouldn't take their car back to the dealer because the clock is difficult to read, but improving the clarity of the clock and the instrument cluster will probably increase their perception of quality.

"We made the gauges and the clock in the Taurus much easier to read no matter what kind of lighting condition you're driving in -- broad daylight, twilight with the lights on, or dark with the lights on," he said. "It's the type of refinement that makes the customer feel more satisfied with their car."

Since the Taurus is derived from the Five Hundred, interior designers were limited to working within the existing architecture. According to Susan Sage, Taurus interior designer, color and materials were used to alter the look and feel.

"With fashion, for example, you can change your jewelry and make an outfit look totally different," said Sage. "The same concept applies to vehicle interior design."

Sage says designers enhanced the interior of the Taurus by adding a little bit of "bling."

"We added chrome ring accents to the audio and climate control knobs," she said. "It's a fairly small thing, but weve received a lot of complements about it from the media, guide book editors and even customers in final drive research."

Designers also lightened the headliner to make the vehicle feel more open and spacious, and they upgraded Taurus' leather seats.

"We opted to upgrade the leather because it has a softer feel -- what we call a luxurious hand -- which communicates to customers that they are in a premium car," said Sage.

Winter says engineers will soon be implementing a new exterior door latch mechanism in all vehicles, including the Taurus, which will make the door sound more solid when it is opened and closed.

"The customer hears the sound the car makes when they open and close the door, and based on that sound and that sound alone, the customer is going to draw a conclusion in their mind about the quality of the entire car," he said.

After all, it's the little things that count.

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