Ask the Car People.SM


What Are Your Thoughts on the Return of the Taurus/Sable?

530 messages,  Last post on Aug 22, 2008 at 11:00 PM

You are in the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Five Hundred, Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable, Future Vehicle, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 15 of 54

#138 of 530 Re: I Always Thought The Freestyle... [lablover2] by gregg_vw

Feb 15, 2007 (9:07 am)

Replying to: lablover2 (Feb 15, 2007 7:34 am)
To each his or her own. I think it's a horse apiece. "Taurus" is definitely better than "Five Hundred." BTW there was a 2007 Taurus, which a lot of people seem to forget (ok, it is a forgettable car). It is still Ford's best selling sedan ever. So, having an 08 version makes sense, even if it won't work wonders for the car itself. (And Taurus X is way better than "Freestyle," one of the dumbest names ever...and did you know they first proposed to call the insipid thing "Crosstrainer?").
 
But Sable I agree is a dumb name, and Montego has a Mercury history too. It's good when marques honor their heritage with new versions of models that people once cared about. I don't know that Buick did itself any favor by changing the Regal and Century into the laCrosse, and the LeSabre and Park Avenue into the Lucerne. Neither is hardly burning up the sales charts, even though they are better cars than what they replaced. I bet if Buick did a 4 door coupe (a new segment that could get hot), and called it the Wildcat, I don't think most people would barf.

#139 of 530 Re: I Always Thought The Freestyle... [gregg_vw] by chuck1959

Feb 15, 2007 (10:40 am)

Replying to: gregg_vw (Feb 15, 2007 9:07 am)
I think the 500 would have done better if it had been a Galaxy 500 instead AND had the better engine/styling in the first place. I agree about the Taurus X being a better name than Freestyle and especially Crosstrainer....what did Ford they were naming a running shoe?
 
There's no doubt that Buick made a mistake changing ALL it's cars name. I mean the names Regal, Century, Le Sabre and Park Avenue were very successfull. So I don't understand why they would dump them!

#140 of 530 Re: I Always Thought The Freestyle... [chuck1959] by heyjewel

Feb 15, 2007 (10:53 am)

Replying to: chuck1959 (Feb 15, 2007 10:40 am)
Galaxie 500 was what I was waiting for. After all, Chevy brought back the Impala. What is so great about Taurus anyway? And Taurus X is just lame lame lame.
 
I'm losing hope for all the American car companies. Chrysler is a money losing pig that Daimler might sell to Burger King or something pretty soon (you want a Dodge with your fries?) Ford is grasping at so many straws and flailing around wildly yet keeps releasing "Brand New or Totally Restyled cars that are neither or if they are new, they are not as good as what the other guys have been selling for years. GM (surprise) is the only one seeming to make progress. But, they are still overburdened with insane UAW costs and they're making some of the same silly naming errors that Ford is doing.
 
I've always been an American car guy. Only had 2 imports - oops - 3 if you count Renault (hides head in shame) out of a couple dozen vehicles. But that may soon change. Many Americans wont even look at an American make anymore. And who can blame them? Pouring money into an old Chevy just gets old old old. My Mom, rest her soul, kept pouring money into her Chevys because she swore she'd never buy Japanese because of Pearl Harbor. Lots of folks felt that way, but they are soon to be no more. Today's buyers' are children of Toyota owners and they go to Scion to get their first car.
 
Anyway, rant off, but I wish it would change. If the frequency of repair records for the latest American models drop into the tank as they traditionally have, I think it will be the last nail in their coffins.

#141 of 530 Re: I Always Thought The Freestyle... [heyjewel] by gregg_vw

Feb 15, 2007 (12:18 pm)

Replying to: heyjewel (Feb 15, 2007 10:53 am)
Nothing is "great" about Taurus, but it isn't lame like "Five Hundred," plus people at least know we are talking about a Ford.
 
"Five Hundred" bears no relationship to "Fairlane 500, Galaxie 500, Custom 500, etc." At least they are using the Galaxie name in Europe. You say Taurus X is lame; I say it has some panache, and simply doesn't sound as stupid as Freestyle (running shoe). I think its the car that's lame, though I like the front end re-do of the X better than the plain Jane 08 Taurus. But it is still a pretty boring shape, which has also been a problem for the Pacifica and Cadillac SRX. "X," like it or not, is what several companies are already using to name their crossover thingies (X3, X5, SRX, SX4). Just like what they did with the LS, Ford isn't hanging a number on the X too.
 
I have a lot of hope for GM too. But I'll buy what suits me at the time. I've owned over two dozen vehicles, and the most common nameplate has been Ford (sedan, coupe, Mustang convertible, three pickups, a Sport Trac), but also a German Mercury Capri, an Opel (ugh!), Oldsmobile (unreliable), an Audi, three VWs (satisfied with all), Accord, both a Subaru sedan and a wagon, a Toyota, Honda Del Sol (a chick car I sold to my sister 6 months after I bought it), two Mazdas, even briefly had a turbocharged Corvair Corsa. Now, I'm thinking about such disparate things as a heavily discounted Acura RL, a CTS, a Volvo, the Kia Rondo, the 08 G8, and even the Suzuki SX4 and the coming 2008 Smart Car. However, if Ford could sell me an 08 Mondeo, or begin building an MKR-like sedan in a couple years, they'd have my business back.

#142 of 530 What's in a name? by gearhead4

Feb 15, 2007 (12:26 pm)

#143 of 530 What's in a name? by gearhead4

Feb 15, 2007 (1:33 pm)

The year I purchased my first car, there were 5 cars wearing the Ford name..Pinto, Maverick, Mustang, Torino, LTD.
I could recognize any one of them. Today, only one of those names lives on (and that's the only one I would instantly recognize).
 
The top selling nameplates today are the names that have not changed in years Camry, Accord, Impala, and .....
Hmm, I seem to remember something called a Taurus. But it wasn't on the list last year. The Five Hundred was not there, either.
 
Maybe Ford should not mess with success.

#144 of 530 Incredibly Lame by gsemike

Feb 15, 2007 (1:46 pm)

Besides being underpowered, I didn't think that the 500 or especially the Montego were horrible. They're not in the same ballpark as the Avalon, but they don't scream rental car either.
 
If this is the best that they can do, Ford is in trouble. If the 500 isn't selling, why will the same exact car with a Taurus name? This rename is just weak and screams desperation. The should at least take a better shot a restyling the car to go along with the name change.

#145 of 530 Re: Incredibly Lame [gsemike] by gregg_vw

Feb 15, 2007 (2:05 pm)

Replying to: gsemike (Feb 15, 2007 1:46 pm)
Well, of course. But they didn't take the better shot they should have, and are now stuck with the tepid 08 styling. Yes, it is weak and screams desperation.
 
It also is recognition that they should never have abandoned such a well-recognized name. Ford screwed up several times with the Mustang over the past 40 years. Remember the big pig 1971 to 1973 version? How about the Mustang II? The late 80's and early 90's long-in-the-tooth versions of the 1979 re-style?
 
If they issue a 2010 Taurus with cutting edge styling and dynamics, all will be forgiven. (And if they don't, I'm with heyjewel on their future prospects.)

#146 of 530 lame by david123

Feb 15, 2007 (2:39 pm)

I actually think that the Taurus name works pretty well. I just wish that hte car looked better. The new styling elements - 3 bar grille, fender vents, and clear taillamps all work good on the modern looking Fusion, but on the dull FiveHundred body they just look tacky and added-on. However, the look is much more integrated to me on the Taurus X. I have a feeling that this car won't exist for more than 1-2 years b/c of the new unibody Fairline and Explorer in upcoming years. Personally, I dont think that either will sell great, just because neither of these cars are revolutionary enough to get people to come into Ford showrooms. Most people may never even notice them.

#147 of 530 Re: What's in a name? [gearhead4] by heyjewel

Feb 15, 2007 (3:15 pm)

Replying to: gearhead4 (Feb 15, 2007 12:26 pm)
Wow, nice bunch of rolling stock in that list, gregg.
 
Amazingly the only overlap I have with you is a Sport Trac, which I sold 3 months ago. It was OK. Sold it for money reasons, nothing else. Wife has been wanting a Del SOl for years. But it's near impossible to find one with reasonable miles and price anymore.
 
Interesting list of possible cars in your future too. And the Acura RL is heavily discounted in part because - the name sux. I read just the other day that Acura screwed up with their switch to alphanumerics too. Apparently "RL" stands for "Ruined Legend" in a lot of minds.
 
Alpha name or not though, if I were you I'd take a good long look at the 2008 CTS. That looks like one great car to me.
 
emmkayarrr in a couple of years? Dont hold your breath. Look how long they've been talking about the emmkayess. When will we see that in metal?
 
Not gonna argue with you about names in this post. Tired of tellin you how wrong you are ...

Messages Page 15 of 54

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement