Spied! 8th gen RHD Ford Taurus spotted in Thailand, any chance for a regional debut?

In the current crop of large, boxy SUVs, Ford may soon challenge that notion by introducing more sedans. We recently captured spy shots of the eighth-generation Ford Taurus in Thailand.

The Ford Taurus nameplate may be unfamiliar to some, but depending on the market, this D-segment sedan is also sold as the Ford Mondeo.

This particular Taurus, or Mondeo if you will, wears Thailand’s test-car plate, as denoted by its “TC xxx” format. It is also a right-hand-drive (RHD) unit, a configuration that does not officially exist at the time of writing. The Taurus nameplate is currently offered in the Middle East, which is a left-hand-drive (LHD) market.

Left-hand-drive versions of the Ford Taurus / Mondeo are currently manufactured in China by Changan Ford at its Chongqing facility. Powertrain options include turbocharged 1.5- and 2.0-litre petrol engines, as well as a 1.5-litre turbo petrol-electric hybrid.

Could Ford finally be offering more RHD sedans? While the sedan market may not be as profitable as SUVs, plenty of car buyers still prefer the low-slung sedan body style. Given the company’s long history of offering sedan models, a Ford sedan priced right might be just what they need.

A RHD Taurus could also potentially win buyers over from the long-standing Toyota Camry. The Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Mazda 6, Nissan Teana, Peugeot 508, Volkswagen Passat, and its Arteon sibling have since been discontinued here.