Ford Five Hundred to be called Taurus after all?

[omicron]

You mean "hotel"?

Indeed. I've been hearing televised persons referring to 'an otel' of late, and it troubles me greatly.

[nickdrinkwater]

Five Hundred is a shit name.  They could at least call it a Ford 500.  Mind you, I think both names sound kinda old fashioned, Taurus probably isn't going to appeal to many younger buyers I'm guessing.

But are people really that stupid?  The Five Hundred has been a Five Hundred for too long now, they can't just change it to Taurus and expect people to think 'oh, the new Taurus, wow!'.

I think it would be better if they wait for the next generation of models if they really are planning to change the name.

[MX793]

I think the VW "V6's" (or VR6's as they used to call them) are actually closer to I6's when you look at them.

The VR6 is sort of like a weird combination of V6 and I6.  The bank angle is so narrow that they only need to use one cylinder head instead of two and there's no apparent "V" when looking at it from the outside.  The block looks like a fat inline.  But if you pull the head, the cylinders definately aren't arranged in a manner that one would call "inline".  They're staggered.

[Raza]

Indeed. I've been hearing televised persons referring to 'an otel' of late, and it troubles me greatly.

On Australian television?  Because we always say our hs.  You Aussies and the Brits are notorious for dropping them. 

[omicron]

On Australian television? Because we always say our hs. You Aussies and the Brits are notorious for dropping them.

There hasn't been an Australian TV program shown here for sixty three years.

[the Teuton]

Ford has been really good lately with biting the bullet and coming to the realization that they're doing a lot of things wrong the first time.

Key examples:

-Lincoln Blackwood
-not updating the LS
-Renaming the Zephyr
-Renaming the 500
-probably going to have to redo the Navigator soon, IMO
-Ford GT engine problems
-Focus fuck-up in '01
-Mercury Marauder
-Killing rather than updating the American Mondeo
-Windstar/Freestar

It seems like the only things they've done right these days are the Fusion, the 6 speed automatic, and the Mustang.  Someone please help this company.

[Raza]

There hasn't been an Australian TV program shown here for sixty three years.

Geographically targeted adverts?

[omicron]

Geographically targeted adverts?

I think it may have been a New Zealand relative of mine who referred to an otel, and started off this whole thing in my mind. Can't...........remember................tired.............

[Vinsanity]

so is the facelifted model with the new engine going to be called the Taurus now? that would help the 'transition'.

will the Mercury model be renamed Sable?

[SVT666]

Five Hundred is a shit name.? They could at least call it a Ford 500.? Mind you, I think both names sound kinda old fashioned, Taurus probably isn't going to appeal to many younger buyers I'm guessing.

But are people really that stupid?? The Five Hundred has been a Five Hundred for too long now, they can't just change it to Taurus and expect people to think 'oh, the new Taurus, wow!'.

I think it would be better if they wait for the next generation of models if they really are planning to change the name.

The front end is being redesigned and I'm guessing the new name would be placed on the trunk lid at the same time.......and yes, people ARE that stupid.

[sportyaccordy]

Doesn't Volvo use an I6 in the S80, which I think is the same platform?

Yea but it has like an 80mm bore and 200mm stroke.

[AutobahnSHO]

One step closer to a revival of the SHO.   

[TheIntrepid]

One step closer to a revival of the SHO.

How?

[SVT666]

How?

Let him live in the moment. 

[the Teuton]

Because the stigma of bringing back the Yamaha V8 isn't as bad when it's called Taurus.

[Vinsanity]

Because the stigma of bringing back the Yamaha V8 isn't as bad when it's called Taurus.

good thing Ford conveniently developed that twin turbo V6, then, huh?

[SVT666]

I guess the Freestyle is being renamed as well.  Apparently it's getting a name that starts with an "X" for the whole crossover thing.  The Mercury Montego will be renamed the Sable as well.

[thewizard16]

I guess the Freestyle is being renamed as well. Apparently it's getting a name that starts with an "X" for the whole crossover thing. The Mercury Montego will be renamed the Sable as well.

That's too bad. I hate the name Sable. I don't love Montego, but I like it better than Sable.

[JWC]

Surprising. 

Ford made a big deal three or four years ago about corporate naming.  The online reports stated that Ford wanted to have all autos with a name beginning with "F" except for the Mustang.  Freestyle, Focus, Freestar, Five-Hundred, Fusion were named with this marketing ploy in mind....and eventually the Fairlane, should it go into production.

Maybe they broke the ploy with the Edge, they didn't feel obligated to continue someone's marketing idea.

BTW, I drove an Edge today.  Not a bad ride, but nothing impressive. Fusion steering wheel, comfortable seating, and a solid feeling ride. Rear visibility isn't very well thought out, but I'm used to an older Volvo where you can see next year approaching. I do  prefer it over the Freestyle and since the wife was at the dealership today looking at a Freestyle when the Edge arrived, I nudged her in its direction. 

[ifcar]

They put the Edge with SUVs rather than cars. Escape, Explorer, Expedition, Excursion.

But Mulally is on the record as disapproving of the F naming scheme.

[SaltyDog]

Surprising. 

Ford made a big deal three or four years ago about corporate naming.  The online reports stated that Ford wanted to have all autos with a name beginning with "F" except for the Mustang.  Freestyle, Focus, Freestar, Five-Hundred, Fusion were named with this marketing ploy in mind....and eventually the Fairlane, should it go into production.

Maybe they broke the ploy with the Edge, they didn't feel obligated to continue someone's marketing idea.

BTW, I drove an Edge today.  Not a bad ride, but nothing impressive. Fusion steering wheel, comfortable seating, and a solid feeling ride. Rear visibility isn't very well thought out, but I'm used to an older Volvo where you can see next year approaching. I do  prefer it over the Freestyle and since the wife was at the dealership today looking at a Freestyle when the Edge arrived, I nudged her in its direction. 

That would be funny if they came out and declared that the Taurus is a classic, so it gets exception.

[JWC]

They put the Edge with SUVs rather than cars. Escape, Explorer, Expedition, Excursion.

But Mulally is on the record as disapproving of the F naming scheme.

True, but if you look at the Freestyle serial number, it runs along the truck line also, just like the Edge, and when we check them in, we check them as a "truck". (There is no option for crossover).

[LonghornTX]

What utter desperation.

I agree.  Do they honestly think the Taurus name has anything more going for it than the 500, other than maybe some name recognition.  It's not like the last Taurus left a huge mark on the american public.  People are going to hear Taurus and think of all the rental queens that filled the production quotas of the last model....

[JWC]

I visited the Ford site to check on this, see if it was updated and what do I find?

A notice to hold 2007 F250-350's for improper lubrication of the rear axle bearings.  I already know my day tomorrow will suck.  There is a brand new unit scheduled to delivery tomorrow morning.

(Nothing on the name change for 500 though).

[Onslaught]

Five Hundred is a shit name.? They could at least call it a Ford 500.? Mind you, I think both names sound kinda old fashioned, Taurus probably isn't going to appeal to many younger buyers I'm guessing.

But are people really that stupid?? The Five Hundred has been a Five Hundred for too long now, they can't just change it to Taurus and expect people to think 'oh, the new Taurus, wow!'.

I think it would be better if they wait for the next generation of models if they really are planning to change the name.

+1
A name change is absolutely and completely irrelevant. This won't help the car at all and they should just wait and bring back the Taurus name later. A piece of chrome plastic on the deck lid won't make the 500/Taurus sell any better.

[thewizard16]

I think all this is going to do is annoy people who bought a Five Hundred and confuse people who've finally accepted the Taurus is dead.

[TBR]

Ford has been really good lately with biting the bullet and coming to the realization that they're doing a lot of things wrong the first time.

Key examples:

-Lincoln Blackwood

Mark LT?

-not updating the LS

Their solution here was to stop production of their best car.

-Renaming the Zephyr

Don't see that as a mistake, people are getting tired of alphanumeric car names

-Renaming the 500

Too late, this is another stupid move by Ford.

-probably going to have to redo the Navigator soon, IMO

Best vehicle in class except for the questionable gauges and ugly headlights. A mild facelift will do.

-Ford GT engine problems

???

-Focus fuck-up in '01

So they realized this was a problem by leaving the car the same for 7 years and then making it ugly?

-Mercury Marauder

The Marauder should've been cut for sure.

-Killing rather than updating the American Mondeo

Actually, it is just cost-cutting. They're cutting down their line-up to save money, the next Fusion will be the same as the next Mondeo. Smart move, GM is doing the same thing with Saturn and Opel.

-Windstar/Freestar

They are abandoning a large sector of the market because their entry is mediocre. Not a smart move at all. Put some money into a minivan based off of the Five Hundred/Freestyle platform and it will sell 100,000 units a year.

It seems like the only things they've done right these days are the Fusion, the 6 speed automatic, and the Mustang.  Someone please help this company.

I've heard bad things about the 6-spd and the Fusion doesn't seem to be an off the wall success, but you're right about the mustang.

[ifcar]

I agree.  Do they honestly think the Taurus name has anything more going for it than the 500, other than maybe some name recognition.  It's not like the last Taurus left a huge mark on the american public.  People are going to hear Taurus and think of all the rental queens that filled the production quotas of the last model....

Ford has sold hundreds of thousands of Tauruses each year for over twenty years. Considering that most fleets don't keep cars around for too long, most of those still running would be in private hands. If people like them and come in to the Ford dealership, they'll ask to drive the Taurus.

What they're doing with this move is turning the Five Hundred from a more of a niche car, the Avalon instead of Camry, to the family sedan that most Ford buyers will look at.

They have a lot of name recognition, and I'm skeptical of how much the public sees of a fleet car image, or even if they do, if that's understood as undesirable.

[Raza]

They have a lot of name recognition, and I'm skeptical of how much the public sees of a fleet car image, or even if they do, if that's understood as undesirable.

I've always wondered about that.  I know the magazines seem to make a big deal of it, and I'm not the typical buyer, but the idea that a car is available for rent never came into play for me.  "Oh my!!  Thousands of people at any given time could be driving an identical car to mine that they don't own!"  I've also never heard anyone else voice concerns about rental fleet images either. 

[FordSVT]

I've always wondered about that.? I know the magazines seem to make a big deal of it, and I'm not the typical buyer, but the idea that a car is available for rent never came into play for me.? "Oh my!!? Thousands of people at any given time could be driving an identical car to mine that they don't own!"? I've also never heard anyone else voice concerns about rental fleet images either.

People don't seem to have any problem with the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of 4 cyl Accords and Camrys painted that ugly bronze/tan colour driving around at the same time as them. 

Fleet sales effect resale value due mostly to the fact that they're bought cheap in bulk by the fleet companies and then sold cheap after a couple of years which brings down the price of the consumer used vehicle. There's definitely a psychological component to it as well, but I think "I won't buy this because I've driven or seen one as a rental car" is pretty low on the list of thoughts an average person might concider when making a purchase.

In fact, I know a guy who bought a used car because of a good experience he had with a rental.
-FordSVT-