There is a Motor Trend magazine issue from 1988 I have that is titled "How Ford Became #1". It is a special issue where they reviewed all the current Fords from that era. There are some neat photos that show the Ford lineup back-to-back, and I agree - it may not look fresh today, but it was back then. Especially when you compare to what GM and Chrysler had been doing. GM was just starting to go aero in 1988, but Ford had a 4-5 year head start on them. Jack Telnack was a great designer.
It's also interesting to me that Ford went from some of the most homely styling in the early 1980's (1980-82 T-bird for example, Granada and Fairmont weren't great either) to probably the best all-around vehicle lineup styling by the end of the decade. It shows how much good leadership can have an impact.