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Not to long ago we said good bye to the Taurus.. well it's apperntly Back and the 500 might be dead!

looky here: 2008 Taurus

Actually if you remember ford said that the 500 was a limited edition car. It was never planned on being around for more then 7 to 10 years :)

I wonder if the new taurus has all the wonderful tranny problems the old ones did lol.

Frost__2001,Feb 6 2007, 05:17 PM Wrote:Not to long ago we said good bye to the Taurus.. well it's apperntly Back and the 500 might be dead!

looky here: 2008 Taurus
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ok that is still 500 with the Fusion front grill :ph34r:

NikiterZTS,Feb 6 2007, 06:35 PM Wrote:

Frost__2001,Feb 6 2007, 05:17 PM Wrote:Not to long ago we said good bye to the Taurus.. well it's apperntly Back and the 500 might be dead!

looky here: 2008 Taurus
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ok that is still 500 with the Fusion front grill :ph34r:
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no. s***.... :rolleyes:

they might kill the 500 and rename it the Taurus for more sales as the 500 is thought of as borring bland and under powered still, and Ford is afraid with all the new tweeks to it that people will still have that perseption of it.

call it what you want. people are still not going to buy it.

bluetoy,Feb 6 2007, 11:02 PM Wrote:call it what you want. people are still not going to buy it.
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hehe, yep :)

Ford just couldn't let a what was once a good car ride of into the sunset. I'd be all for bringing back the taurus if it was any where near as good as the originals were, but i doubt that'll be the case.

I'm utterly boggled as to why theres even a sniff at Ford at such a ridiculous idea :blink:

Bringing back a name from the dead that you killed barely two years ago and affixing it to a car that is the automotive equivalent of a sleep aid?

"Bold Moves" my ass... try "Boneheaded Moves" :rolleyes:

NefCanuck

NefCanuck,Feb 6 2007, 10:48 PM Wrote:I'm utterly boggled as to why theres even a sniff at Ford at such a ridiculous idea :blink:

Bringing back a name from the dead that you killed barely two years ago and affixing it to a car that is the automotive equivalent of a sleep aid?

"Bold Moves" my ass... try "Boneheaded Moves" :rolleyes:

NefCanuck
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acutally it was killed on October 27, 2006.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwuCm8hNXgI

last day / end production of the taurus from ABC News in the states.

NefCanuck,Feb 6 2007, 10:48 PM Wrote:I'm utterly boggled as to why theres even a sniff at Ford at such a ridiculous idea :blink:

Bringing back a name from the dead that you killed barely two years ago and affixing it to a car that is the automotive equivalent of a sleep aid?

"Bold Moves" my ass... try "Boneheaded Moves" :rolleyes:
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Maybe not ... Taurus still has brand equity with a certain family/fleet/business demographic (probably no one here, however) and when you consider that the Grand Marquis is becoming a fleet car only for 2008 (same as Crown Vic) moving the 500/Taurus up to the old fogies category (no offense) makes sense if the plan is to slot the Mondeo just above Fusion.

ZTWsquared,Feb 6 2007, 10:55 PM Wrote:

NefCanuck,Feb 6 2007, 10:48 PM Wrote:I'm utterly boggled as to why theres even a sniff at Ford at such a ridiculous idea :blink:

Bringing back a name from the dead that you killed barely two years ago and affixing it to a car that is the automotive equivalent of a sleep aid?

"Bold Moves" my ass... try "Boneheaded Moves" :rolleyes:
[right][snapback]226012[/snapback][/right]

Maybe not ... Taurus still has brand equity with a certain family/fleet/business demographic (probably no one here, however) and when you consider that the Grand Marquis is becoming a fleet car only for 2008 (same as Crown Vic) moving the 500/Taurus up to the old fogies category (no offense) makes sense if the plan is to slot the Mondeo just above Fusion.
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I dunno, I still have a hard time believing that the Taurus name has much equity left after Ford basically allowed the car to wither & die on the vine (Not to mention the horrendous QC issues the car had during its run, people tend to remember trannies grenading at 50K)

I say let the Taurus name rest for a while, come up with some new name...

If they wanna keep the F naming convention why not bring back the Fairlaine name? At least that name would suit a 500 redo.

NefCanuck

I've always thought the Taurus, while popular, was poorly executed. The SHO in the early 90s was the forefather of the modern sporting sedan (and competed well with a fledgling hot-rod Maxima at the time). The late 90s SHO was a disaster in that they managed to make more power with an even more exotic engine and still made the car slower than the original SHO. The rest of the Tauruses (Tauri?) were horribly bland, unexciting people movers that made you think twice about whether it really was a rental car or not. That's it.

Perhaps if they gave it a proper suspension, a proper gearbox and a real engine... it would finally compete as they expect it to.

In other words, nothing from the current 500's parts bin.

Quote:• Camry 4 cylinder from 1997-2001,
• Camry 6 cylinder from 1997-2002,
• Camry Solara 4 cylinder from 1999-2001,
• Camry Solara 6 cylinder 1999-2002,
• Sienna 6 cylinder from 1998-2002,
• Avalon 6 cylinder from 1997-2002,
• Celica 4 cylinder from 1997-1999,
• Highlander 6 cylinder from 2001-2002,
• Lexus ES 300 from 1997-2002 and
• Lexus RX 300 from 1999-2002.

Why did Toyota not rename all of these vehicles? All of these are covered under the class action lawsuit for engine sludge. Because if one particular problem (ie.tranny problems) are the criteria for dropping a nameplate, then I guess the Camry should be canned.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0.../C01-154989.htm

6.7 MILLION vehicles. That's how many Taurii Ford sold. (not including the Sable, which usually could add 25% onto those figures).

Any member of a FOCUS forum shouldn't yappity-yap about another car that handed the Focus its ass in North America yearly sales since the Focus even hit the sales floor, even up to the day they shut down the Taurus assembly line. :rolleyes:



**side note**

Counts the negative posts in this thread, over a frickin name, and notices one reply post in the Ford Edge / Lincoln MkX 2007 IIHS Top Safety Pick" ( http://www.focuscanada.net/forum/index.p...opic=20197 ). :angry:

OAC_Sparky,Feb 7 2007, 09:06 AM Wrote:[Any member of a FOCUS forum shouldn't yappity-yap about another car that handed the Focus its ass in North America yearly sales since the Focus even hit the sales floor, even up to the day they shut down the Taurus assembly line. :rolleyes:

It's a Focus forum, we can say whatever the hell we want if we're Focus fans. I'm not sure about a lot of you lately, but I'm stil a (2000-2007) Focus fan.

And as for the sales? That's easy... Joe Beergut needs soft, floaty family wheels with a big trunk for his wife's junk. The Focus isn't for that person. The Focus is for the person who wants to drive their car and feel connected to the road... not bob merrily down the road. Land yacht school is ----> that way.

There are far more Joe Beerguts than Focus Enthusiasts. They can keep Ford up in sales, we'll keep driving the cars that are fun to drive.

If there was a true, sporting Taurus I'd give it a second look. So far, everything else they've offered this side of the Mustang is CRAP for sport touring.

It's official ... for '08 500 = Taurus, Freestyle = Taurus X, Montego = Sable (U.S. only)

As for the name ... it will obviously mean different things to different people regardless of the vehicle they put underneath the nameplate - you can't necessarily equate one with the other.

For me ... remembering I worked with Ford on the launch of Taurus when it turned the North American auto scene on its ear ... and remembering that Taurus represented the rebirth and the financial health of an iconic auto brand; I will always remember more of the positive that Taurus represented than the bland car the actual vehicle later became.

Maybe the 500 isn't it ... but if you were to put another dynamic, good looking and good handling car under the Taurus nameplate, we would all quickly forget the "dark ages" of Taurusdom -- and all you have to do is think of the iterations of Mustang over the years and yet think of how valuable and positive the name remains, to see how that can work.

NOS2Go4Me,Feb 7 2007, 11:45 AM Wrote:And as for the sales? That's easy... Joe Beergut needs soft, floaty family wheels with a big trunk for his wife's junk. The Focus isn't for that person. The Focus is for the person who wants to drive their car and feel connected to the road... not bob merrily down the road. Land yacht school is ----> that way.[right][snapback]226069[/snapback][/right]

I own a '99 Taurus with the Duratec 3.0L 24V V6, and an '05 Focus ST. So I'm not giving "anecdotal" opinion, but some "real" opinion. And I'm telling you that the "land yacht" will walk all over your 2.0L, because it nearly keeps up with my ST. Cornering, it handles just fine, for its size, and I'd take it any day on a long trip. I have the SHO suspension in mine, I had to put a set of Eibachs in my ST to get rid of the "floaty" feeling.

Just because "grandpa" doesn't drop the hammer doesn't mean that it's a Crown Vic.

And note: I like my Focus AND my Taurus. For different reasons. But I also see both for what they are, both have their strengths and flaws.

I just find it ironic that those who defend their Focus jump on other cars when in the automotive "food chain" the Focus is really not much better, if at all.

Now, back to the 500 soon to be Taurus/Sable, have you actually (gasp) driven one?

OAC_Sparky,Feb 7 2007, 12:15 PM Wrote:

NOS2Go4Me,Feb 7 2007, 11:45 AM Wrote:And as for the sales? That's easy... Joe Beergut needs soft, floaty family wheels with a big trunk for his wife's junk. The Focus isn't for that person. The Focus is for the person who wants to drive their car and feel connected to the road... not bob merrily down the road. Land yacht school is ----> that way.[right][snapback]226069[/snapback][/right]

I own a '99 Taurus with the Duratec 3.0L 24V V6, and an '05 Focus ST. So I'm not giving "anecdotal" opinion, but some "real" opinion. And I'm telling you that the "land yacht" will walk all over your 2.0L, because it nearly keeps up with my ST. Cornering, it handles just fine, for its size, and I'd take it any day on a long trip. I have the SHO suspension in mine, I had to put a set of Eibachs in my ST to get rid of the "floaty" feeling.

Just because "grandpa" doesn't drop the hammer doesn't mean that it's a Crown Vic.

And note: I like my Focus AND my Taurus. For different reasons. But I also see both for what they are, both have their strengths and flaws.

I just find it ironic that those who defend their Focus jump on other cars when in the automotive "food chain" the Focus is really not much better, if at all.

Now, back to the '08 500/Taurus/Sable, have you actually (gasp) driven one?
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I've driven all but the ST, and if you think a Taurus is really going to keep up with a Focus in the twisties... please, think again.

Now you're being completely ludicrous. And, furthermore, I could care less about the other cars. If I did, I likely wouldn't be driving a Focus for the second time.

The 24V V6 gives it straight-line stomp, but I don't see how you're going to keep up with one of the best-handling sport compacts in the world in the corners. Every Taurus I've ever driven screams "moooooo" in a high-pitched shrill of understeer as you goad it through a fast corner.

It kind of reminds of the Camry and the 300. :lol:

A Focus bent around a tight on-ramp at double the recommended speed will likely not even bark a tire. A Taurus asked to do the same thing will behave quite differently. It's not rocket science.

"Alright guys, we need to do something to boost our sales. Any ideas?"

"Ooh Ooh!!! I've got it!!! I've got it!!! Let's take the 500 and throw the Fusion grill on it and rename it the Taurus and EVERYBODY will buy it!!!!!!!!"

"God damn Jonesy, that's the best idea I've ever heard! Somebody get this boy a beer and a lapdance! Hell Jonesy, I'm gonna put you in charge!"

And Ford wonders why they're sales have been dropping like flies inhaling cans of raid.

Why not look at what's causing their sales to drop. Cars that people don't find attractive aren't going to sell. It seems like the N.A. manufacturers are concentrating so much on their truck and SUV market that their missing the entirety of their car lines.

Honest to God their isn't a single N.A. CAR that I would spend the money to purchase right now, not even the 07 focus I don't think, I hate the plastic dash etc, the exterior looks fine but I'm not sitting on the exterior to drive it. I'd be going with a European manufacturer or a Mazda.

OAC_Sparky,Feb 7 2007, 12:15 PM Wrote:I own a '99 Taurus with the Duratec 3.0L 24V V6, and an '05 Focus ST. So I'm not giving "anecdotal" opinion, but some "real" opinion. And I'm telling you that the "land yacht" will walk all over your 2.0L, because it nearly keeps up with my ST. Cornering, it handles just fine, for its size, and I'd take it any day on a long trip. I have the SHO suspension in mine, I had to put a set of Eibachs in my ST to get rid of the "floaty" feeling.

Just because "grandpa" doesn't drop the hammer doesn't mean that it's a Crown Vic.

And note: I like my Focus AND my Taurus. For different reasons. But I also see both for what they are, both have their strengths and flaws.

I just find it ironic that those who defend their Focus jump on other cars when in the automotive "food chain" the Focus is really not much better, if at all.

Now, back to the  500 soon to be Taurus/Sable, have you actually (gasp) driven one?
[right][snapback]226078[/snapback][/right]

I did drive an '86 Ford Taurus four banger sedan for three years (94-97) It wasn't the worst car I ever owned, but it had been crippled by the beancounters even then. The 4 banger was a bored out Tempo/Topaz motor that was slow, thirsty and noisy. It rode like it was hardly connected to the road (and yes, I had the shocks checked, all were within spec at the time) and was the only car I ever owned that left me stranded when an electronic part failed at speed, causing me to be stranded at the side of the 400 until a good samartian let me use their cellphone & call CAA for a tow.

Before I bought the Focus I did take a test ride in an '05 Taurus and while I did like the execution of the interior, the exterior styling and ride left me cold. The ride being the primary offender, the suspension set up left me as a passenger feeling that there was a delay between steering inputs I observed and reaction from the car.

That and the horror stories of the transmissions dying with regularity scared me away.

All I'm saying is that maybe affixing the Taurus nameplate to a reskinned 500 isn't the best move they could make :unsure:

NefCanuck

ZTWsquared,Feb 7 2007, 11:53 AM Wrote:It's official ... for '08 500 = Taurus, Freestyle = Taurus X, Montego = Sable (U.S. only)

Maybe the 500 isn't it ... but if you were to put another dynamic, good looking and good handling car under the Taurus nameplate, we would all quickly forget the "dark ages" of Taurusdom -- and all you have to do is think of the iterations of Mustang over the years and yet think of how valuable and positive the name remains, to see how that can work.
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Well, you do have a point, I mean the Mustang nameplate survived that horrific thing that was the Mustang II ('74-'78) a car that had so much wrong with it, not even shoving a V8 in it later in its run made Mustang fans happy (and why you almost never see them at carshows, in fact I nearly fainted seeing two of them one day at the Mapleview Mall show & shine last year)

We shall see I suppose...

NefCanuck