Auto industry insiders were unimpressed and merciless. They dubbed it a "jelly bean," a "flying spud" and a "gel tab," among other unflattering appellations. The object of their scorn was the newly introduced 1986 Ford Taurus and its softly rounded contours, which defied the sharp-edged, boxy look long favored by the industry.
But the critics were wrong. Welcoming the new look, buyers flocked to the showrooms, and sales of the Taurus soared--just in time to rescue Ford from the worst financial crisis in the company's history. A decade later, some 3.3 million Tauruses--as well as a million look-alike, upscale Sables produced...
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