Ford Taurus at Launch: When Almost Everything Was Optional

When the Ford Taurus arrived in 1986, it didn’t just modernize the American family sedan — it also offered buyers a level of configuration freedom that would be unthinkable on a mass-market car today. The four launch trims, L, GL, LX and the short-lived MT5, formed the skeleton, but the real story of the early Taurus was the sprawling menu of extras layered on top.

Standard equipment varied sharply by trim. Air conditioning came fitted on the LX but cost extra on the other three, and electronic climate control was reserved for LX and GL buyers. Power locks and windows were standard on the GL, optional elsewhere. Leather upholstery was an LX exclusive — nobody else could order it, and vinyl was the cheap route on every trim except the LX. Even floor mats and a spare tire were line items rather than givens.

Ford also grouped features into Preferred Equipment Packages, with two apiece for the L, GL and LX and three for the MT5. The higher the package number, the more content was bundled in — the base L packages added the V6, air conditioning and the Exterior Accent Group, while the top LX package brought electronic climate control, a digital gauge cluster, keyless entry and a powered antenna. Outside, alloy wheels, metallic paint and a moonroof were always paid extras, and a diagnostic warning-light package supplemented the federally mandated lamps.

Paint and interior choices were extensive but carefully managed. Fifteen exterior colors were available across every trim, with metallic shades outnumbering gloss six-to-one and mid-Eighties beige and taupe dominating the palette. Five interior colors were offered, and Ford restricted combinations — a taupe gloss car could only be ordered with a taupe cabin, for example, and only gloss white could be paired with any of the five interior shades. This deep level of personalization set the tone for the Taurus lineup before it evolved through its first generation, adding a sporty model and interior redesigns along the way.