2386 Model Culture

Recently I was driving behind a fine Ford product and when I looked down at its actual model name I saw it said Taurus.  And my first thought was, they still make the Taurus? That's pretty cool, because I remember when they first introduced the Taurus line back in the 80s and everyone said it was too odd looking to last.  Some even went on to say it was the next Edsel. 

Well kudos to Ford, because the Taurus is now in its sixth generation.  That says a lot about Ford and also speaks to what Ford says about America.

At least if using model names is any indication.

When I was growing up the big Fords were the Falcon, the Fairlane and the Galaxie.  The name Galaxie seemed so aspirational.  It was the era of our quest for the stars.

Perhaps one of those star clusters inspired the Taurus.  Or maybe it was a name that resonated with the partying and singles set coming out of the disco seventies.  The whole “what's your sign” line and its associated carefree swinging lifestyle.  Forget about dreaming as a nation for the stars, we were just dreaming about the next “me generation” moment of hedonistic pleasure.

Which led to the whole comfort-driving getaway SUV era, and its associated model names.  The Escape and the Explorer, the Excursion and the Expedition.  And the luxury SUV if you were the displaced ruler of Panama, the Ford Extradition. 

But as our hedonistic, comfort-driven, aging baby boomer bulge moved, our national obsession switched once again.  To the medical and scientific.  With the Ford Edge, the Ford Fusion and yes, the Ford Probe. 

Ford's been with us boomers all the way.  From aspiring to the galaxy and the stars...

To a procedure. 

America, ya gotta love it.