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Sedans Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable What Are Your Thoughts on the Return of the Taurus/Sable?
530 messages, Last post on Aug 22, 2008 at 10:00 PM
You are in the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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Replying to: barnstormer64 (Feb 16, 2007 4:39 pm) That's all you need to say. "TO every man his own." Som elike frequently driving new cars.
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Replying to: albook (Feb 17, 2007 9:08 am) Which is fine. But just don't go touting how much more ECONOMICAL it is do so (as they typically do). Or, to put it another way, THEIR CHOICE to continually drive new cars is what forces them to buy the imports . . so they can't turn around and say that the domestics are "no good", since they'll never ever try one because of their silly spending habits.
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Replying to: heyjewel (Feb 16, 2007 8:37 pm) Anyway, it's a fine car, it was as a 500, but nobody noticed. Maybe they will as a Taurus.... Way to go, ARM.
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Replying to: heyjewel (Feb 16, 2007 3:18 pm) 
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Replying to: nvbanker (Feb 17, 2007 4:03 pm) And I'm pretty pessimistic, like many others. You can't do it with grills alone. The 08 Super Duty is a 1999 Super Duty body with an even more gargantuan grill grafted on, and a better interior. Not a formula that is working too well for Ford. The comparisons to the Tonka concept are laughable, or pathetic, take your pick. Setting Ford's obvious "bonehead moves" aside a moment, there is the other problem of too many brands and models in the marketplace overall. Everyone is vying for the same customers. Kia is growing, Hyundai is growing, Mitsubishi is making a play ot come back, Audi intends to increase models and sales, Nissan has several new models just out or coming, Acura has expanded its range, Subaru has expanded its range, Volvo intends to build sales with its new models, Smart is coming, Saturn has increased its offerings, GMC is expanding into crossovers, etc., etc. In all this choice and model proliferation in every segment, some have to lose out. Look at all the new models Daimler Chrysler has issued in the past year. The Jeep line has more than doubled. They have a hit here and there (the Calibur is an out of the ballpark success, and the 300 still sells well for a car that has been around since 2004), but even with lots of new product (much of it good), they are stumbling. Shakeouts have to happen, and some brands may leave the US market. Ford isn't going to live unless it begins to incite some emotion in people again, and some segment standouts, as the original Taurus was, as the Mustang was (and to some degree still is), as the first Explorer was. The Edge and Fusion, as adequate to good as they are, are followers, not segment definers. It will be interesting to see if they are radical enough with the Fairlane to start a new wave. I'm not counting on it, but who knows?
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Replying to: gregg_vw (Feb 18, 2007 7:52 am)
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Replying to: nvbanker (Feb 18, 2007 11:53 am) Their moves to turn things around aren't doing much so far. The Fusion is a superior car to the current Malibu, but the Malibu still handily outsells it. The Edge is not s superior product, having been damned with faint praise on one end, or come in last in comparison tests on the other. The Taurus and Sable won't even be here until summer (the original plan was first quarter or spring). The Taurus X has been pushed off to late summer or fall. The 08 Focus isn't going to make big lines at the showrooms. The 08 Super Duty should do well with the new diesel, but Dodge and GM are issuing diesels with similar hp and torque in their 08 models, so there is no possibility of relying on that design for more than a couple years. The Super Duty, Escape, Explorer, Expedition, 500/Taurus re-do's have all been conservative efforts, and Ford ends up with vehicles that largely look like the old models. The F150 re-do is now pushed off to 2009. I am hoping it is not a change-the-front-clip-and-interior type-thing with engineering improvements underneath. This hiding new stuff under a bushel doesn't work. The next big thing from Ford is the Fairlane thing-y. The MKS will likely be summer of 2008, and we all know this won't salvage Lincoln by itself. Still no good news for Mercury, the last remaining brand that is completely badge engineered. Will they take it in Saturn's direction, or will they keep it as rebadged Fords to fill the Lincoln showroom? Mercury wasn't always badge engineered, and if Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep/Kia-Hyundau/Chevy-Pontiac-Buick-Saturn/Nissan-Infiniti, etc. can somehow find a way in very bad times to differentiate their lines more, why can't Ford? Lack of will and imagination more than anything. Yes, things could turn around for Ford. But the cards are not stacked in their favor right now.
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Replying to: gregg_vw (Feb 18, 2007 1:49 pm) The insiders I respect on the other boards I visit say that the 2009 F150 update is nothing more than what you describe, with the new Hurricane V8's. The best thing in the world for both GM and Ford in North America may be for DCX to spin Chrysler off (probably keeping Jeep for itself) and let Chrysler liquidate. There's too much capacity, too many brands, and too many new vehicles. There have been predictions for 20 years that there will be consolidation and/or liquidation in the auto industry. Something has to give soon.
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Although the Taurus may be welcome by many, it will not be a breakthrough but only a smart move by Mulally to save Ford from the abyss. It will not be Avalon/300 killer, but if in some way is perceived as a quality, well equipped car it will attract buyers, even those who may be thinking about a Camry/Accord/Impala. I just hope that Ford does not cheapen the Taurus by offering killer cash rebates in the first year anyway. It is hoped that the car is marketed to appeal to different segments, but not as one size fits all. At one point in time the Taurus was the best selling sedan. Ford shot itself in the foot and let the competition surpass it.
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Replying to: ehaase (Feb 18, 2007 2:32 pm) That only seems to be a problem for Ford though - GM does that with their SUVs and trucks, and gets rave reviews - but if Ford doesn't redesign their truck from the wheels up - it's shameful! The truck platform is fully up to date, constantly improved, frame is stiffer, suspension is updated as technology improves. Reskin it, and put the Hurricane in it - sounds great to me. It's a great truck.
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