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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 10 of 54

#84 of 530 Re: Taurus Rising II [gregg_vw] by barnstormer64

Feb 11, 2007 (5:29 pm)

Replying to: gregg_vw (Feb 11, 2007 4:43 pm)
Like I've said, the 500's acceleration has been more about the perception than reality. Yes, Ford was more than remiss to introduce what is essentially a full-size car with only one engine, and a 3.0 at that
 
I guess Ford made the mistake, then, of thinking people were RATIONAL.
 
Here we have people bashing the Five Hundred because it "can't get out of its own way" . . and I seriously doubt they thought that (or would say that) about the 2005 Toyota Avalon back in 2005.
 
And this is IN SPITE of the fact that probably only 1% of drivers ever use the full-power of either vehicle when accelerating.

#85 of 530 Was there any way... by jchan2

Feb 11, 2007 (8:17 pm)

that Ford could have rushed development of the 3.5 to get it into the Five Hundred and Freestyle at launch?

#86 of 530 Re: Was there any way... [jchan2] by barnstormer64

Feb 11, 2007 (8:22 pm)

Replying to: jchan2 (Feb 11, 2007 8:17 pm)
Probably so . . but then any problems with it, and people would be saying "Why did Ford rush it to market without fully testing it?"

#87 of 530 500 by walterquint

Feb 12, 2007 (2:09 am)

I sat in the 500 at an auto show, when it first came out. Its interior was cavernous and well-constructed. Why would anyone, I thought, need an SUV with the 500 available? I predicted it would nab the taxi and cop fleet sales too......but it never happened. Ford saddled it with a weak engine (although its acceleration times are comparable to the competition.) Ford also should have switched it to RWD, to better compete with the 300/Charger........point is, the 500 will have a new engine and a venerable name. This name change will do wonders, mark my words.

#88 of 530 Re: Taurus Rising [heyjewel] by pnewby

Feb 12, 2007 (6:56 am)

Replying to: heyjewel (Feb 10, 2007 10:35 am)
Yep, and there is more than 1 way to be dumped. When Bill or Jacques at that time, weren't smart enough to recognize JRs perfection at his job, they quit listening. That's enough to dump me, how about you? BTW I think you are very knowledgeable in your postings, just a lot "nicer" when you take your meds.

#89 of 530 perception vs. reality by brucelinc

Feb 12, 2007 (7:14 am)

Lots of talk about the 500's acceleration - or lack thereof. First off, based on Motor Trend tests, a Duratec Taurus was quicker than a 500 from 0-60 and in the quarter mile. Imagine a Taurus owner with a fully broken in engine test driving a new "tight" 500. It would not only seem slower - it is slower.
 
But there is more to it than that. As mentioned, few people care about 0-60. How about ability to hold top gear on a long grade? Every 6 speed 500 I have driven has a tendency to downshift too easily on even slight grades or when requesting even slight acceleration. The 3.0 is not the quietest engine around and it sounds like it is mounted to the console instead of under the hood. While the gearing of the 6 speed helps WOT acceleration, it otherwise makes for a very busy and noisy powertrain.
 
The frequent downshifts/upshifts and resulting noise gives the perception of lack of power. And that perception has a good dose of reality! The 2008 3.5 Taurus with the 6F transmission (I assume the 6F) and more sound insulation will be a huge improvement.

#90 of 530 Re: The part that makes no sense... [heyjewel] by xrunner2

Feb 12, 2007 (9:52 am)

Replying to: heyjewel (Feb 10, 2007 11:42 am)
Now I see the same already tired ad for the Edge day and night. OK, so the Edge is an Orange boxy vehicle that can ride on 2 wheels and on the sides of buildings. That is ALL this ad conveys, besides a catchy tune.
  
Marketing people, in general, are overpaid grown-up third graders. Fords' marketers apparently ARE third graders.
 
That Edge commercial, besides catchy tune, has pleasant looking actress. With a little bit of tweaking, that commercial could have been for some type of exotic restaurant at the top of a high building.
 
One positive about the Edge is it's name. At least it's a word and not an acronym.
 
I wonder if vehicle buyers today, who are asked to plunk down min $30K for a nice appointed crossover/wagon, would be interested in old-fashioned commercials showing "actual" attributes (hauling capacity, seating comfort, ease of loading groceries/boxes, room for children/dog/suitcases, etc).
 
500 name change to Taurus will be a non-event soon. I would guess that other than auto enthusiasts/junkies, most people in the market for this type vehicle and an "American" brand will either forget this renaming, will not make much of it, or did not even notice it.
 
Beside former satisfied Taurus customers, there are a whole new generation of possible buyers for the new Taurus (younger people, immigrants) who were not part of market of original and following generations of Tauri.

#91 of 530 Re: Taurus Rising [pnewby] by heyjewel

Feb 12, 2007 (10:07 am)

Replying to: pnewby (Feb 12, 2007 6:56 am)
Thanks for that. I dont try to mean, but sometimes that's all I can be. It's just me being me.
 
I agree 100% with what youre saying. Didn't know you knew the background. But yeah, in essense when they stop listening to you, it's like you're dumped so it's time to look around. BTW, though Jacques Nasser was and is a racist amoung other things, he was and is a car guy who championed the LS. It was Bill the Dufus who killed it.

#92 of 530 Re: perception vs. reality [brucelinc] by heyjewel

Feb 12, 2007 (10:08 am)

Replying to: brucelinc (Feb 12, 2007 7:14 am)
Yeah and to top it all off, there is NO WAY for the driver to take control becaue of the idiotic "D-L" shifter.

#93 of 530 Re: Taurus Rising [heyjewel] by gregg_vw

Feb 12, 2007 (11:49 am)

Replying to: heyjewel (Feb 12, 2007 10:07 am)
Heck, we are all racist in one direction or another. Can't escape it in this color-obsessed culture. Setting aside his racist tendencies, I'm positive that Nasser would not have let Ford slip so low. I had a feeling when he was dumped (justified or not) that it was the beginning of truly bad times for the company again.

Messages Page 10 of 54

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