It’s difficult to pick the most noteworthy feature of the 2013 Ford Taurus, but let’s start with how the flagship sedan manages to make a bit of automotive history: It is the first car in the Ford North America lineup to offer the new 2.0-liter EcoBoost™ engine. Beyond that, the new Taurus also touts improved fuel economy, more smart technology, a fresh look and additional safety features. And did we mention the Taurus SHO is the sportiest model yet to wear the performance badge? But more on that one in a minute.

The 2.0-liter EcoBoost combines a turbocharger with gasoline direct injection, and is expected to deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of at least 31 mpg, as well as an estimated 237 horsepower and 250 lb.-ft. of torque. Meanwhile, the standard 3.5-liter V6 is projected to deliver unsurpassed fuel efficiency among V6 segment competitors while still delivering increased performance, with an anticipated 290 horsepower. Both engines are mated to unique six-speed automatic transmissions that offer optimized gear selection for off-the-line power delivery in lower gears, while benefiting fuel economy with higher gears that keep the engine turning efficiently at lower revolutions while cruising.

On the technology front, class-leading offerings include SYNC® with MyFord Touch™, which replaces many traditional buttons, knobs and gauges with clear, colorful LCD screens and steering wheel-mounted five-way toggles. The Taurus is available with a wide variety of audio and navigation connectivity alternatives as well as comfort and convenience options. For example, you might dig the new heated steering wheel, a nice companion to heated and cooled leather-trimmed seats. Read more

If there were any doubts about reports that the American auto industry is on the mend, they were laid to rest today with the release of J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 Initial Quality Study (IQS). Domestic brands, as a whole, demonstrated higher initial quality than the imports for the first time in the study’s 24-year history. And, not surprisingly, Ford Motor Co. led the reformation.

Even before the Big Three went to Washington with their hats in hand back in the fall of 2008, Ford had been making sound decisions about the direction of the business. One of the pivotal moves it made was hiring Alan Mulally, the automaker’s current CEO, from Boeing. By focusing on the company’s balance sheet and leveraging its assets, Mulally was able to cut costs, put money in the bank and avoid taking government bailout money, unlike the other two big American automakers. While this endeared the brand to a financially strapped American public, it also gave Mulally the money needed to aggressively restructure the company and, more importantly, develop better automobiles.