2010 Ford Taurus SHO pic?

[igor]

Well it is closer to production than the Flex was when they showed that. Job 1 is only about a year from now.

the Flex was a sacrificial lamb- Ford needed the good PR - and they showed a full production vehicle 15 months before beginning production - this is different - Ford is moving to sheer 3-4 months between reveal and Job1 so the first-impression articles from the Auto Shows are still on the news stands as the car rolls into dealerships. This is what Honda usually does and does it well - it helps build up the momentum for the car's sales launch.

 

Igor

[Ford Jellymoulds]

Because it's pretty bad business to release information about a product that is still over a year away, particularly when Ford has no way of controlling the way in which the information about it is distributed.

Can't help but agree with Richard, the Taurus will be built on a Mondeo template l can't see what all the fuss is about, it will be very much a Mondeo shape in 2010 so it won't be anything new, and Ford won't surprise me when l see it for the first time, l know what to expect now already.

[NickF1011]

There have been, to date, two vehicles designed from the ground up with "Dave" in mind: The Edge and Flex. It should hardly be expected, then, that the Focus, Fusion, and Taurus look like their previous selves with Dave touches tacked on.

 

In the Fusion's case, it was intended to look like the Five Hundred and previous Mondeo until it had the Dave grille slapped on it. In the Focus' case, it received the Mondeo's side sculpting after the directive came out to merge global design languages.

 

So yeah, because Dave was never implemented across the lineup, it looked like nothing more than a bit of chrome tack-on.

 

What was "Dave" intended to be then? Broad grilles, narrow headlights, prominent fender flares, slab sides, strong shoulder line, and wide-bodied vehicles. Look at the 427, the Interceptor, the Edge, and the Flex to get an idea of what Dave should've been.

 

It's not just 3-bar chrome grille inserts. If that's all it was, then yes, by all means, get rid of it. But it was an opportunity to create an iconic instantly recognizable family of "toy" cars. Cartoon cars. Cars that little kids can draw pictures of.

 

Then Dave is 1 for 2 in my book. The Edge looks great. The Flex....meh. It could be a hit, but I think that will be more to do with its quirky, blocky shape (hardly something 'Dave' invented) and unique interior packaging than anything else.

[RichardJensen]

What we've lost:

 

 

There is a family resemblance there, and there's no particular reason for the Taurus to follow kinetic cues instead of "Dave" cues.

[timmm55]

I like it a LOT!

 

Love the new variation of the 3-bar grill (note the cheese grater holes) and the HD headlights. It's a nice, clean yet aggressive shape with some nice detailing. I'm seeing a little Interceptor in the rear/roof too.

[RichardJensen]

Then Dave is 1 for 2 in my book. The Edge looks great. The Flex....meh. It could be a hit, but I think that will be more to do with its quirky, blocky shape (hardly something 'Dave' invented) and unique interior packaging than anything else.

Well, as has been pointed out, the Edge's basic shape comes from the Lexus RX. Look at the pic above. Any two-box could've looked vaguely similar to the Flex, but that emphasis on the horizontal, on simple shapes, etc., that was to be the hallmark of the Dave language, is what makes the Flex the Flex, and I will guarantee the Flex will be a success based on its looks, not just its vague Range Roverish/Minish/Scion xBish looks but its, as Jim Farley put it, "only Ford could do this" looks.

 

What about the 2010 Taurus makes it a vehicle that "only Ford could do"?

Edited April 8, 2008 by RichardJensen

[igor]

^^^^ The profile is actually quite close to the Interceptor and to the DAVE ideals - the nose and door skin went a little more kinetic than Dave wanted to.

 

I actually think that the "toy" car would have fizzled away quite quickly - definitely after one generation - this seems more sustainable - the proportions are more DAVE than Kinetic - high belt line, STRAIGHT belt line, strong shoulders, wide track, high cowl aligned with belt line. The nose is a new version of kinetic - it looks better than Mondeo or Falcon with very very narrow slit positioned deep compared to the grille.

 

The grille could have been stronger, but the rest is actually very, very strong IMO. However I know you are a designer and very passionate about it and your knowledge of car design (much more knowledge than the rest of us have) so I will probably gradually stop arguing with you. I just think that just like online armchair quarterback complain about things the buying public does not give two craps about, I think you as a learned designer think about details the buying public will not give 2 craps about - I am growing more and more confident that this car will be stunning and take the market by surprise - whether or not they abandoned DAVE.

 

PS: the 2008 Focus was designed and approved before even Fields got to the office - let alone Mulally - and before Kuzack became global PD chief.

 

Igor

Edited April 8, 2008 by igor

[MKII]

I think the Dave thingy is good for the truck stuff, SUV,CUV and whatever other UV variants they build, but never appealed to me on the car designs, IMO it looks too trucky, but then again IMO when I see the new Mondeo in my rear view mirror the perception of bland does not come into my mind at all. It is very distinctive and does stand out.

[Extreme4x4]

Who cares. I REALLY like it, and I'm only 43.

 

As a side note, I see more moms in Taurus/500's than I do old people. I see them in CV's and GM's. Moms want something safe and reliable, with lots of room. We also don't mind some style. This Taurus has some great, elegant style. The details really are VERY nice........... even a bit sexy.

 

I always liked the 500/Taurus. I drove one for a day, and really enjoyed it. I could just never quite wrap myself around the styling......... it just didn't really fit the car. Now it will.

 

Damn good job !!!!!

[RichardJensen]

There is just nothing distinctive about that face. So many different choices that could've been made with those headlights, grille, etc., and this is what they've done?

 

What aspect of those features are in any way, or even capable of becoming, signature Ford elements. At least Lincoln has the wing grille.

[RichardJensen]

PS: the 2008 Focus was designed and approved before even Fields got to the office - let alone Mulally - and before Kuzack became global PD chief.

Hardpoints were set, but the thing wasn't frozen until late 2006/early 2007. Probably after Mulally ordered that 90 day review of Ford ops.

[igor]

Hardpoints were set, but the thing wasn't frozen until late 2006/early 2007. Probably after Mulally ordered that 90 day review of Ford ops.

nope - in mid-2005 the Focus was finished - Fields could not even change it in early 2006 - hence SYNC.

 

I had inside info on that project in 2005 - 2006 and the car looked 100% as shown in 2007.

 

Igor

[jpd80]

So this Taurus was probably set in motion about early 2006.

[suv_guy_19]

The front is a little bland, but its just a picture. Its already grown on me. I think the real thing will look good, at least I hope.

[NickF1011]

Well, I just showed the '10 Taurus to my girlfriend. She liked it a lot more than the current Taurus, but she did say it reminded her a bit of the Camry. (Queue "I told you so" remark from Richard.) In response to that though, she said she hates the three-bar grille a'la Fusion/'08 Taurus.

[Ford Jellymoulds]

Well, I just showed the '10 Taurus to my girlfriend. She liked it a lot more than the current Taurus, but she did say it reminded her a bit of the Camry. (Queue "I told you so" remark from Richard.) In response to that though, she said she hates the three-bar grille a'la Fusion/'08 Taurus.

What does she thinks of the Mini Nick?

[jpd80]

That "Taurus' looks good to me but I understand Richard's concerns and how the showroom wil have inconsistency

with Edge and Flex in particular. Bearing in mind that if this is the Taurus for 2010, it will fit with the conetic Euros

like Fiesta, Focus and hopefully Fusion/Mondeo.

 

I do think that this design has been chosen to broaden appeal in other markets - is it a back up plan for places like Australia?

The cost of manufacturing a large RWD may become steep for a small market like Australia or maybe this next Falcon doesn't

become the hit they hope for - what then?

So perhaps this model could be a radical post 2010 plan for there as well as North America and maybe for FoE as well.

Edited April 8, 2008 by jpd80

[silvrsvt]

The only thing I dont like is we are going from boring (05 Focus and Five Hundred) to Dave (Fusion and Edge, lesser extent on the Taurus) to slighty dumbed down Kinetic on the 10 Taurus, but we still have Dave on the Fusion...Ford can't seem to keep a styling langauge for more then 5 years, where as it progress nicely from 1982 to 1996 or so.

[GT40 2]

Can someone send me the photo?

[GT40 2]

Never mind I got it.

[Ford??-LOL!]

And people don't buy Toyotas, Hondas, and Nissans for looks. They buy them for quality. Something Ford is not going to be able to sell for quite some time.

 

 

One of the most sensible "3 sentence combo" i have heard Jensen put together. I agree 100%. Matter of fact, you are about to be sig worthy.

[SVT_MAN]

One of the most sensible "3 sentence combo" i have heard Jensen put together. I agree 100%. Matter of fact, you are about to be sig worthy.

 

I'm surprised you agree because he is implying that Ford is quality, they just cannot sell themselves as quality yet.

[Ford??-LOL!]

I'm surprised you agree because he is implying that Ford is quality, they just cannot sell themselves as quality yet.

 

 

I have no problem admitting that Ford's quality is getting better. I personally think they are not quite there yet when compared to the Asian brands. However, i am encouraged by what i see.

[P71_CrownVic]

Seems pretty darn cohesive to me. If it's too anonymous, well shucks to you. I find this thing so far being more attractive than anything 'Dave' has laid its hands on.

 

What the heck has 'Dave' even accomplished anyway? What we have ended up with is a mish-mash of design cues all across Ford's NA lineup that don't really identify anything as being a Ford by anything more than a 3-bar grille tacked on to everything. The rest of the design language has been completely different from vehicle to vehicle. The grille is the ONLY noticable commonality between all of the 'Dave' designs. Where's the cohesiveness in that?

 

If the '10 Taurus is an indicator of future Ford NA design direction, bye Dave, it was nice knowing you.

 

Mark this date on your calender because I agree with you.

 

'Dave' can go back to Gillette.

[P71_CrownVic]

All of the styling and boldness in the world isn't going to make a FWD/AWD fullsize sedan a "gotta have" in ANYBODY's book. It is just a dowdy segment that doesn't have much appeal to younger drivers, no matter what it looks like. That configuration lends itself to being labeled an "old man's car". With the somewhat more conservative design, it appears that they have admitted that's all it could ever be.

 

And I think it's a considerable mistake if Ford is writing off boomers as a lost cause. They are still a huge market, and will be for the foreseeable future. Many boomers I know are simply looking for a good enough reason to return. Quality is their main concern. Prove you've got that nailed and you'll lure them back in.

 

 

Yep...bye 'Dave'.