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

530 messages,  Last post on Aug 22, 2008 at 10:00 PM

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

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#1 of 530 What Are Your Thoughts on the Return of the Taurus? by jchan2 Feb 07, 2007 (5:36 pm)
Well... Ford unveiled a renamed Five-Hundred and Freestyle at the Chicago show. Seems like the Five-Hundred will now be a Ford Taurus, a Mercury Montego will become a Mercury Sable, and a Ford Freestyle will become a Ford Taurus X.   I think that the name change is questionable because sure, people recognize the name Taurus more, but the Taurus name has baggage, including low resale value, the image of "rental car special", and of course, there's that 1996 Taurus that nobody liked...   Same thing goes for the Sable. Why Ford decided to rename the Freestyle is beyond me, as Taurus X seems like a somewhat silly name. Replies to this message: barnstormer64 (Feb 07, 2007 6:31 pm) lfagius (Feb 08, 2007 4:29 am) cxk (Feb 08, 2007 8:12 am) icescort (Oct 17, 2007 12:07 pm)
#2 of 530 Well... by tncarman Feb 07, 2007 (6:29 pm)
I know alot of people have no idea what a 500 or a Sable is, and for that reason it gets overlooked. But yea, I would've chosen a better name, but like they said, with 80 and 60% customer awareness it is a good idea in that respect, the name is just going to drag it down. But who knows, the Sonata name sure picked up even after a bad rep., maybe it'll happen for Ford. It needs it.   (Will the Atlanta factory reopen?)
#3 of 530 Re: What Are Your Thoughts on the Return of the Taurus? [jchan2] by barnstormer64 Feb 07, 2007 (6:31 pm)
Replying to: jchan2 (Feb 07, 2007 5:36 pm) I think it would've been fine to name them that when introduced (though I guess the Taurus was still around then), but changing the name NOW doesn't seem all the smart.   Maybe they shoulda held off with the intro until the new 3.5L and then they coulda just used the Taurus name like it was an upgrade.   I guess I have instant classics now, though. Yay for me. Replies to this message: lfagius (Feb 08, 2007 4:29 am)
#4 of 530 Re: What Are Your Thoughts on the Return of the Taurus? [barnstormer64] by lfagius Feb 08, 2007 (4:29 am)
Replying to: barnstormer64 (Feb 07, 2007 6:31 pm) That is exactly what is going on. The 3.5 intro was part of the intro in January at the Detroit Auto Shop, when they invieled what was then called the 2008 Ford Five Hundred. THe 3.5 intro was also part of the Chicago intro of the Mercury and the crossover, which are now all renamed.
#5 of 530 It's not a "bold move" but rather a "bad move" by rockylee Feb 08, 2007 (7:23 am)
I can't believe Maulley signed off on this. I knew he wasn't prepared for the auto-industry. He was a good politician and won government contracts to keep boeing from going under. He doesn't have those same government friends in the automobile industry.   Rocky
#6 of 530 Ughhh by british_rover Feb 08, 2007 (7:26 am)
I don't know I have a hard time seeing a upside to this. Replies to this message: heyjewel (Feb 08, 2007 7:40 am) cxk (Feb 08, 2007 8:24 am) bobmos (Feb 09, 2007 12:31 am) fixrepairdaily (Sep 02, 2007 3:18 pm) jmn1 (Sep 03, 2007 6:30 am)
#7 of 530 Re: Ughhh [british_rover] by heyjewel Feb 08, 2007 (7:40 am)
Replying to: british_rover (Feb 08, 2007 7:26 am) As a Ford guy for practially ever, I'm disgusted.   Not only are their products second-rate but their marketing geniuses must be second-graders.   This AM on the MSN home page there's a pointer to a comparo between 2 under $30K AWD sedans. The 500 and the Legacy. Guess who wins? But hey NEXT time they compare it'll be the Taurus against the Legacy. NOW Ford will win just based on name alone eh? They must think so.   Ford is grasping at straws and they're pulling the short one every time. I've got 3 FoMoCo vehicles in my driveway right now. They've all been very good vehicles. In all likelihood, they'll be the last Fords I'll ever own.   One is a Lincoln LS, probably the best Lincoln ever built. It was a car that could compete with the Germans head to head. I was on the ground floor of Lincoln's resurgence. If given a little attention, it couldda been a contenda for sure. Instead, Ford let it die on the vine and came out with a Zephyr NO, Wait, a emm kay zee whatever the h__l THAT is (at least LS was Luxury Sedan) which is nothing but a dolled-up Mazda. I'm actually a bit ashamed to be seen in a Lincoln now. When many of my friends said "You bought a LINCOLN?" Accent on sarcasm, I said well, you wait this LS is a BMW fighter and they'll be more from Lincoln soon. Now? 2nd rate cars and stupid names. Sell your Ford stock before it;s too late. There isn't evven anything in the pipe for this company, save 2 concept cars which will probably never be built cause the new stuff they're doing is just going to seal their fate. And probably all the good people took buyouts and just the dregs are left. Sayonara Ford. Hello ... I dunno, where do I go from here? Replies to this message: cxk (Feb 08, 2007 8:24 am)
#8 of 530 Re: What Are Your Thoughts on the Return of the Taurus? [jchan2] by cxk Feb 08, 2007 (8:12 am)
Replying to: jchan2 (Feb 07, 2007 5:36 pm) Ford just doesn't get it..This new Taurus gimmick isn't going to make or break them, they simply need to build cars that will actually get people excited. Almost every other car company has some type of "hot rod" for lack of a better word, 4 door sedan. Stop building slow, heavy, gas guzzling & dull cars and trucks, with the exception of the GT!
#9 of 530 Re: Ughhh [heyjewel] by cxk Feb 08, 2007 (8:24 am)
Replying to: heyjewel (Feb 08, 2007 7:40 am) As a frequent business traveler, I have rented many LS's over the last 2 years and you are correct, the potential was there but was never close to reaching it. I don't understand how GM has started to build pretty good new cars and Ford still can't??
#10 of 530 Ford - GM by fezo Feb 08, 2007 (8:49 am)
Ford is maybe 2 years behind GM's curve on returning to profitability so they are shuffling deck chairs until their plans reach the point where we see them. This name business is just a way for them to buy time with the generic car buying public. GM did a little of that trick a few years back when they kept making the previous generation Malibu for rental fleets and naming it the Classic while supplying newer generation Malibus to the dealers.   They don't have to worry about alienating 500 customers because there weren't any. It's a desperate shot but I don't think they have that much to lose on it.   It will certainly drop the price of a used 500! Replies to this message: charts2 (Feb 08, 2007 9:19 am) gregg_vw (Feb 08, 2007 9:30 am) heyjewel (Feb 08, 2007 10:05 am) gregg_vw (Feb 08, 2007 10:36 am) gregg_vw (Feb 08, 2007 10:49 am)

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