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I wonder if sales will pick up just because of a name change. I didn't really know people bought a Taurus because of the name. I've never personally owned one.
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2000 Excursion Limited - 7.3 Diesel - Mine 2005 Freestar Sport - The wife's
This was what Ford should have done originally. Taurus is a recognizable name. Who the heck remembers the 500 Galaxies from the 1970's?
Here's two bad examples of changing well established names on "restyled" cars. The Buick Lucerne replaced both the Park Avenue and Le Sabre. The last year those two were built, sales were over 300,000 units. The Lucerne is dying on the vine. Sales haven't even come close to half that 300,000 figure.
Oldsmobile rebadged the Cutlass as an Intrigue...sales went down the toilet. People walked into showrooms, took one look and walked out. They hadn't a clue to what an Intrigue was. Oldsmobile, the oldest (1897) American car, folded within four years.
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Bill // Retired Ford Parts Manager // SoCal Chapter member // Part Number Research: 1928/2001 FoMoCo vehicles.
Sometimes you gotta kill known model and replace it with something new. Take Escort for example. Escort was a recognizable name. But when people are looking for a small car, who still pays attention to Escort? Same thing with Chevy Cavalier.
This was what Ford should have done originally. Taurus is a recognizable name. Who the heck remembers the 500 Galaxies from the 1970's?
Here's two bad examples of changing well established names on "restyled" cars. The Buick Lucerne replaced both the Park Avenue and Le Sabre. The last year those two were built, sales were over 300,000 units. The Lucerne is dying on the vine. Sales haven't even come close to half that 300,000 figure.
Oldsmobile rebadged the Cutlass as an Intrigue...sales went down the toilet. People walked into showrooms, took one look and walked out. They hadn't a clue to what an Intrigue was. Oldsmobile, the oldest (1897) American car, folded within four years.
Bill, I think it might be a sign that we're old. I think the Asian brands started the naming by numbers thing trying to match the European models. Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, etc. have always named their cars by number and some of them made sense (The Volvo numbers broke down-the first number was the series, the second number was the number of cylinders and the third number was the number of doors). In earlier years, I always knew the Acura Legend was the largest Acura but now they use numbers and I have no idea what anything is. The Buick Park Avenue was the fanciest Buick after they killed the Roadmaster and now they don't really have a flagship car since they merged the high end and the middle (LeSabre)vehicles together as one.
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2004 XLT Regular Cab, Short Bed, 4X4 with 5.4 and 3.73.
Buick should just die anyways, I've been in several 2002-2006's and they are just junk. Cheap quality, comfy seats is about all they can brag about. I don't understand why GM hasn't killed them yet, they make cars very similar through other parts of the company.
^^^^^the same reason why ford hasnt killed mercury. they will drastically lose loyal buyers. think about how many tc and gm owners would buy a vic?? probably slim to none. mercury would be a good brand if they would update the damn cars a little and stop making them so close to their ford counter-parts. the milan was a great start lets just hope they can continue
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99' Ranger
WARNING: For all you "Foreign'' car lovers
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Originally Posted by lariat79sc This is "FORD" truck enthusiasts. You fellas that want to defend asian crap, don't let the door hit you on the way out! Please turn over your keys to someone that still has some American Pride.
Last edited by linkinluver07; 02-06-2007 at 03:06 PM.
Lets see, take a car that's not selling all that great, rename it a for a model that has just gone out of production and that Ford allowed to fall behind the competition, and that a vast majority of people think of mostly as a rental, county/city gov't fleet vehicle. Makes perfect sense to me.
I would like to think and hope this name change works but I have my doubts, time and most importantly sales figures will tell.
It makes some sense if you think about it. They couldn't name it Taurus when it first came out because they were still building the last gen (and it was never intended to replace it directly, but to slot right above it). Now that final year of production on the old Taurus has been completed they have the perfect opportunity to advertise this car as the "all new Ford Taurus" and then list its numerous safety and quality awards.
Currently, most people have no idea that the 500 even exists. The average consumer won't know that the '08 Ford Taurus is just a reskinned 500 with some other upgrades. To the average consumer this is just the next evolution of the Taurus... and it is quite a leap above the last gen Taurus.
It gives them a fresh advertising plate and all the years of Taurus to back it up.
In the end, it certainly isn't going go hurt anything and it might just be the thing that the 500 needs to take off with sales.
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Roll 'til I drop and Ride 'til I die DONT COMPLY, NULLIFY BAN Mancum!
How many remember the 1954 Lincoln Futura Dream Car? Most of y'all have seen it, as George Barris made a few changes and the Lincoln Futura was turned into the first Batmobile.
How many remember the Falcon Futura..the Fairmont Futura?
Futura was the name originally planned for the 500. There were to be two models, the standard Futura and the upscale Futura 500.
But guess what. Ford, after using the Futura nameplate off and on since 1954, stopped using the name after 1983.
Pep Boys then adopted the Futura name for a line of their tires.
When Ford approached Pep Boys seeking permission to use the Futura name for their new car, Pep Boys refused.
So, only the 500 portion of the name found its way into Ford's new front wheel drive sedan.
Someone goofed.
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Bill // Retired Ford Parts Manager // SoCal Chapter member // Part Number Research: 1928/2001 FoMoCo vehicles.
2013 Escape SE FWD 2.0L Eco-Boost.
Last edited by NumberDummy; 02-06-2007 at 06:34 PM.
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