Ford's Five Hundred is renamed to become the 2008 Ford Taurus. For '08, this large sedan gets more power, freshened styling, and revised suspension tuning. It shares a basic design with the similarly updated 2008 Mercury Sable (formerly Montego) and the Ford Taurus X SUV (formerly Freestyle). The old midsize Taurus/Sable sedans are history. Ford again offers SEL and Limited models with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, but a 260-hp 3.5-liter V6 replaces a 203-hp 3.0 V6 as the only engine. A 6-speed automatic is now sole transmission; the continuously variable transmission is dropped. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, an antiskid system, curtain side airbags, and front side airbags. A navigation system and DVD entertainment are optional. Newly available is Ford's Sync, a voice-activated interface for cell phones and digital music players.