2008 Sable and 2008 Taurus X

[EIB Student]

Wow yall are hard on these cars. I personally like the idea of bringing the Taurus name back

[comp50]

I just want Ford to pick a name and stand by it. To me this is alot of back pedaling. I love ford ,but show some cahones!!! :happy feet: . And also GMs new Pontiac G8 to sum it up in one word DAMN!!! :bowdown: If ford doesn't build the interceptor/MKR or something like it ,We ford guys are going to get our asses handed to us at every stoplight :poke: The mustang cant fill all these roles, its a sweet car but it needs some help in the line-up and I dont see anything in Fords pipeline to change this (someone needs to talk again to the guys from down under again)

Edited February 9, 2007 by comp50

[ebritt]

Wow yall are hard on these cars. I personally like the idea of bringing the Taurus name back

GO EIB!!

[Illusive]

I could see the Fairlane-based CUV using the Freestyle name? They can't use Fairlane, since it brings back memories of an old sedan. It could be okay if they used the Freestyle name.

[Mark B. Morrow]

I could see the Fairlane-based CUV using the Freestyle name? They can't use Fairlane, since it brings back memories of an old sedan. It could be okay if they used the Freestyle name.

 

I can't see them reviving the Freestyle name. It was already too easily confused with the Freestar minivan. The stated reason for going to Taurus X was that Freestyle had no market presence. It would be monumentally stupid to hang Freestyle on the "Fairlane"

[grbeck]

The Taurus X looks better than I expected but it can't touch the Outlook in terms of design, value, and versatility. The Outlook is a MUCH larger vehicle Richard, haven't you actually seen one on the road? It dwarfs the short and squat Freestyle.

 

The Taurus X is not an adequate competitor to the Lamdas, the Fairlane will probably be a better response but I don't think it's going to be a good one. The Taurus X will be a nice low volume compliment to the Taurus brand which is probably why it's wise to give it the same name. Otherwise the Freestyle will be eaten alive by just about any 7-passenger CUV around.

 

At the Philadelphia Auto Show the Saturn spokes model said that the Outlook starts at $32,000, which is well above the starting point for the Freestyle/Taurus X.

 

The two GMC Acadia SLTs (with AWD, three rows of seats, leather interior, sunroof and entertainment center) stickered at $43,000 - again, much more expensive than a comparable Freestyle.

[Mark B. Morrow]

At the Philadelphia Auto Show the Saturn spokes model said that the Outlook starts at $32,000, which is well above the starting point for the Freestyle/Taurus X.

 

The two GMC Acadia SLTs (with AWD, three rows of seats, leather interior, sunroof and entertainment center) stickered at $43,000 - again, much more expensive than a comparable Freestyle.

 

Thats about a well equipped Expedition price.

[twintornados]

The names Five Hundred and Freestyle need to be shelved.....Fords' whole strategy of naming all their cars with the a name that starts with the letter "F" needs to be reviewed....I mean, why limit yourself to that. But before anyone starts to want to use other Ford names to replace the current fleets names need to really think...would the Focus really be better served if it was named the Escort? (Or, god forbid...the Pinto?) The next thing you know...there will be a segment to rename a current SUV in the lineup the Edsel...every one thinks it is just a name. but lets face it...a name can make or break a model just as easily as poor engineering can. It is the same reason you will never see Chevrolet name a car the "Corvair" or "Citation"...too much bad publicity for it.

[Jason Kerluck]

Personally, I think the return of the Taurus name makes good sense. Yoda has had the Camry name for decades, as has Honda with the Accord. While the Taurus name was sullied in the late 90's early 2000's due to boring design and massive fleet sales, there is still stock in it.

Also, whatever they want to call the new Freestyle/Taurus X, I want one worse than ever. I have three kids and a 5 seater is just too tight. With better loks and more power, what's not to like. It's perfect.

 

And why the hell am I not getting any new post emails anymore??!!

[grbeck]

Thats about a well equipped Expedition price.

 

Which makes me wonder just how much competition they will provide to the Freestyle/Taurus X.

 

The GM crossovers are nice vehicles. The interiors are very nicely finished, and the GMC Acadia and the Buick Enclave are quite handsome. The Saturn Outlook looks a little too much like a VW for me.

 

But they aren't inexpensive.

 

I wonder how the Saturn will sell. Current Saturn customers aren't the type who are prepared to pay over $30,000 for a vehicle, while those who are prepared to pay that much usually don't shop at the Saturn dealer.

[Mark B. Morrow]

Which makes me wonder just how much competition they will provide to the Freestyle/Taurus X.

 

The GM crossovers are nice vehicles. The interiors are very nicely finished, and the GMC Acadia and the Buick Enclave are quite handsome. The Saturn Outlook looks a little too much like a VW for me.

 

But they aren't inexpensive.

 

I wonder how the Saturn will sell. Current Saturn customers aren't the type who are prepared to pay over $30,000 for a vehicle, while those who are prepared to pay that much usually don't shop at the Saturn dealer.

 

It is definetely a move up for Saturn. The Sky was also a bit higher in price than the usual Saturn. I don't know how Sky is selling. I have seen a few around here, before it got cold. Maybe it will work to keep people in the Saturn family. There is a lot of internal GM competition for what is essentially the same vehicle and the same buyer. It doesn't seem that the prices are going to be much different for the Saturn/GMC/Buick versions.

[Daryll40]

What about pricing? Dontchya think that Taurus buyers will be expecting prices closer to Fusion/Camry/Accord?

[2005Explorer]

What about pricing? Dontchya think that Taurus buyers will be expecting prices closer to Fusion/Camry/Accord?

 

Well if you get a loaded up Camry, Accord then the Taurus should compete fine in pricing. I guess it is the Ford dealers job to direct the customer to the right car, either Fusion or Taurus depending on what they want to spend.

 

I think it is a good idea to have some pricing difference between the two models. Remember what happened last time when Ford had the Contour and Taurus in the showroom. The Contour was so close to the Taurus in price that people almost always by default chose the Taurus.

[630land]

I saw the 2008 "T car" at the Auto Show, and there is really nothing "wrong" with it. Entusiasts want a V8 RWD, and others want a 'import name plate'. Ford should play up the Volvo connection.

 

It will be way easier to market one name for a sedan and wagon with AWD available. Freestyle got lost in the crowd, and Five Hundred sounded like a trim level. The old Fords with 500 were not especially knowd as "500's" but as Torinos, Fairlanes, Galaxies, and Customs.

[ehaase]

As I read in another article this morning, the last 500 sold was the Custom 500. I remember Ford dropped the Galaxie 500 and Custom 500 for 1975, but brought back the Custom 500 mid year 1975 and 1976. It just wasn't a good name for a Ford, unlike 300 which was a high performance Chrysler in the 1950's and early 1960's.

[grbeck]

As I read in another article this morning, the last 500 sold was the Custom 500. I remember Ford dropped the Galaxie 500 and Custom 500 for 1975, but brought back the Custom 500 mid year 1975 and 1976. It just wasn't a good name for a Ford, unlike 300 which was a high performance Chrysler in the 1950's and early 1960's.

 

In the 1950s, and through mid-1960s, the 500 suffix usually meant "top of the line" for Ford's full-size and intermediate cars. But then the XL subseries, along with LTD and Torino, came along, and the 500 suffix gradually lost its meaning.

 

After the letter-series 300s died, the "regular" 300s (available as a four-door!) continued as the "sporty" Chrysler, even though their main distinction compared to the Newport and New Yorker was a different grille and set of taillights. But the image of those letter-series cars was so strong, that when Chrysler revived the name, everyone thought of those cars first, not the regular 300s.

[goblue93]

In the 1950s, and through mid-1960s, the 500 suffix usually meant "top of the line" for Ford's full-size and intermediate cars. But then the XL subseries, along with LTD and Torino, came along, and the 500 suffix gradually lost its meaning.

 

After the letter-series 300s died, the "regular" 300s (available as a four-door!) continued as the "sporty" Chrysler, even though their main distinction compared to the Newport and New Yorker was a different grille and set of taillights. But the image of those letter-series cars was so strong, that when Chrysler revived the name, everyone thought of those cars first, not the regular 300s.

 

Ford just figured that if they were competing against the Chrysler 300 they should call it the Ford 500 because everyone knows that's 200 better! :P

[RichardJensen]

Well, why didn't they just make the 300 louder?

[RichardJensen]

That picture....... Is it Dr. Z wearing an army beret and using a possum as a telephone?

[hiles8500]

name change was a great idea. i like the 500, i wish i could buy it as a real wagon.

 

I still love my 96 sable wagon and i'm ready to buy a replacement from ford. i tested a freestyle last year and it was too trucky. in '96 my choices were the sable, the volvo, or the passat wagons. the sable was very close to those products at many thousands of dollars less. easy choice. i want a real wagon with car-like handling. Something like the Mondeo wagon built to US scale would be nice.

 

right now, my choices are the passat and volvo wagons.

[jasonj80]

name change was a great idea. i like the 500, i wish i could buy it as a real wagon.

 

I still love my 96 sable wagon and i'm ready to buy a replacement from ford. i tested a freestyle last year and it was too trucky. in '96 my choices were the sable, the volvo, or the passat wagons. the sable was very close to those products at many thousands of dollars less. easy choice. i want a real wagon with car-like handling. Something like the Mondeo wagon built to US scale would be nice.

 

right now, my choices are the passat and volvo wagons.

 

Don't forget the Mazda6

[Mark B. Morrow]

Some people have.

 

 

I'll bet that one goes up to 12.

[ASword]

From all the numbers I've seen, though, the Lambda package does not appear to top the Freestyle package in passenger accommodation by anything more than a few finger widths across the hips and shoulders.

 

When push comes to shove, I don't think the new Taurus, with its MSRP likely lower than the outgoing Freestyle & refined interior materials/sound deadening/powertrain, will come across as the definite loser that some on this board seem bent on depicting it.

 

Having just spent a fair amount of time looking closely at both the current Freestyle and the Acadian/Outlook (not to mention more than 30 other vehicles in this rough range), I have to say that I prefer the Freestyle by a significant margin. My wife and I think it looks better, is more comfortable inside, is more useable, and drives nicer. The Outlook is just too much of a huge beast, whereas the Freestyle is just a wagon -- and that is a good thing! I'm a tall guy (6'4") and my wife is short (5'4") and we both fit very comfortably in the Freestyle, but neither of us fits especially well in the Outlook... oh its luxurious enough, but on a long trip I'd rather be in the Ford. And then there is the height of the Outlook's back window... the bottom edge is more than 4' off the ground! The reversing sensor ought to be mandatory, and even then you have to have a lot of blind trust in technology to think its going to be safe, especially with kids and their toys around.

 

Both vehicle's approach to styling is preferable to all the other new fangled oddities that the various car designers seem to be foisting upon us these days. The car fashion industry is apparently following the lead of the high fashion industry... how outlandish, impractical and downright ugly can they go and still sell it? The Mazda CX-9 is a case in point: while not ugly its a vehicle I really wanted to like, but the roof lines and internal arrangement just make that impossible. I read comments about the Freestyle and just have to laugh... what is wrong with conservative, functional styling? Have you actually gone and climbed into these vehicles or tried to drive them? Kids these days.

 

 

I'm not going to buy a Freestyle though. After falling in love with it we went home and did some reading. We want the potential to tow a small trailer, and the engine/tranny are just too weak for that. I am also a huge fan of the electronic stability control systems as they seem to be having a very positive effect on vehicle safety (unlike many other technologies that were supposed to, but haven't)... and I was very surprised to discover the Freestyle doesn't have it (but the Focus does! What's up with that?). And lastly the CVT doesn't bother me, but my wife didn't like the engine noise caused by being at peak RPM all the time while accelerating... not to mention it is different (and different is bad when it comes to the local repair shops), and it is being dropped from the model line. Fortunately all these issues, and more, are going to be corrected by the Taurus X. All I want to know is when I can buy the T-X?