1999 Ford Taurus SLX A perennial best-seller. By Mike Knepper, New Car Test Drive .com

The big news for the Taurus this year is that the price has dropped. The base LX is $1000 less than last year, dropping to $17,995. The upscale SE dropped $1080 to $18,995, while the SE wagon is down $1840 to $19,995. And you no longer have to pay for the mandatory emissions equipment, so that's another $170 drop off every window sticker.

Last year, Ford made choosing a Taurus easier by trimming the number of models available to just four: LX, SE, SE Wagon and SHO.

Ford has sold more than 4 million Tauruses since its 1986 introduction. It was the best-selling car in the U.S. from 1992 to 1996 and more than 357,000 were sold last year. The Taurus is popular in rental car fleets. And in just one year it has assumed a starring role on the booming NASCAR Winston Cup circuit.