taurus ST coming.

[Sixt9coug]

I doubt a rebadged MKS EB is going to help Lincoln's brand cache a whole lot

 

and I thought ford was getting better about its rebadges...

 

 

Could it just be possible to read between the lines and just MAYBE assume that the MKS EB might be rated higher than the Taurus' 350hp?

[snooter]

Could it just be possible to read between the lines and just MAYBE assume that the MKS EB might be rated higher than the Taurus' 350hp?

wow..you guys are quoting some serious horsepower numbers in this time of high fuel costs..i hope like hell the horsepower at least has some mizerly mpg numbers....something 25ish.....if anybody buys 15mpg rating anymore i will be surprised

[Noah Harbinger]

are you serious?

 

 

are you serious?

 

 

are you serious?

 

omg.....

We already knew he wasn't that bright... this just helps confirm it.

[battyr]

Then why not call it SHO?

 

SHO was at one time considered short for Shogun. I Believed it's a Japanese word. Something to do with samurais and yamaha engines. The ST won't have a Japanese engine.

[Catalepsy]

SHO = Super High Output

 

Can you just imagine the backlash if Ford had named a performance variant SHO without the Yamaha engine?

 

SHO was at one time considered short for Shogun. I Believed it's a Japanese word. Something to do with samurais and yamaha engines. The ST won't have a Japanese engine.

[silvrsvt]

SHO = Super High Output

 

Can you just imagine the backlash if Ford had named a performance variant SHO without the Yamaha engine?

 

NO...the name doesn't have any cache anymore outside of a few fans that still remember it.

 

If anything the ST branding might/should be expanded to the Fusion and back to the Focus again, making the ST name more pertant to buyers.

 

The SHO Taurus isn't a Mustang now...esp when it comes to reconginiztion

[Catalepsy]

The backlash would come from the automotive media... I don't know about you, but I can see a poorly written, misspelled headline on Autoblog proclaiming outrage over the name.

 

NO...the name doesn't have any cache anymore outside of a few fans that still remember it.

 

If anything the ST branding might/should be expanded to the Fusion and back to the Focus again, making the ST name more pertant to buyers.

 

The SHO Taurus isn't a Mustang now...esp when it comes to reconginiztion

[Mark B. Morrow]

Uh. Because Ford should design a totally different suspension for a limited volume model????????????????

 

I mean it's not as though Ford can make the Taurus suspensions extra super independent, as opposed to the run of the mill independent suspension on the current Taurus.

 

I'm going to have to hold out for the double secret final extra super independent version that will surely come out in year 2. That car is going to need a really big trunklid.

[mlhm5]

In 2010 when this car arrives, gas may well indeed be over $4.50 a gallon which begs the question, how does this fit in with Mulally's recently announced strategy?

 

He said the consumer shift from pick-ups and SUVs into smaller more fuel efficient cars was structural and Ford needs to act now.

 

Before Ford's announcement, Honda announced that they were betting the farm on hybrids and Toyota has hinted that they might have a whole line of Prius.

 

After Ford's announcement, Kia announced that they will build small fuel efficient sedans at their GA plant instead of SUVs and Honda said they were moving their SUV and PU production to Alabama so the CDN plant could increase production of Civics.

 

Seems to me that Ford better pull out the stops to get those smaller fuel efficient cars in the USA before 2010 and focus more on hybrids.

 

It isn't like the people buying Hondas and Toyotas hate them and are waiting for Fords.

[Catalepsy]

Gas is over $9 a gallon in Europe, and they still buy performance cars. Every single manufacturer out there are still release high performance variants. People want choices.

 

 

 

In 2010 when this car arrives, gas may well indeed be over $4.50 a gallon which begs the question, how does this fit in with Mulally's recently announced strategy?

 

He said the consumer shift from pick-ups and SUVs into smaller more fuel efficient cars was structural and Ford needs to act now.

 

Before Ford's announcement, Honda announced that they were betting the farm on hybrids and Toyota has hinted that they might have a whole line of Prius.

 

After Ford's announcement, Kia announced that they will build small fuel efficient sedans at their GA plant instead of SUVs and Honda said they were moving their SUV and PU production to Alabama so the CDN plant could increase production of Civics.

 

Seems to me that Ford better pull out the stops to get those smaller fuel efficient cars in the USA before 2010 and focus more on hybrids.

 

It isn't like the people buying Hondas and Toyotas hate them and are waiting for Fords.

[P71_CrownVic]

Then it would no longer be a Taurus though if it would be strictly RWD.

 

Rear-biased AWD would be cool though.

 

Yes it would still be a Taurus.

 

 

thats is funny because when i saw the thread title i thought taurus sport truck and immediately next thought "what the hell"

No that is called the Taurus X2.

[FordBuyer]

In 2010 when this car arrives, gas may well indeed be over $4.50 a gallon which begs the question, how does this fit in with Mulally's recently announced strategy?

 

He said the consumer shift from pick-ups and SUVs into smaller more fuel efficient cars was structural and Ford needs to act now.

 

Before Ford's announcement, Honda announced that they were betting the farm on hybrids and Toyota has hinted that they might have a whole line of Prius.

 

After Ford's announcement, Kia announced that they will build small fuel efficient sedans at their GA plant instead of SUVs and Honda said they were moving their SUV and PU production to Alabama so the CDN plant could increase production of Civics.

 

Seems to me that Ford better pull out the stops to get those smaller fuel efficient cars in the USA before 2010 and focus more on hybrids.

 

It isn't like the people buying Hondas and Toyotas hate them and are waiting for Fords.

 

Ford just announced that they are cutting truck production again and increasing production of more fuel efficient vehicles like Focus, Fusion, and Escape. I'm sure they are also pushing up timetable on new N.A. Fiesta as best as possible. The Fusion Hybrid is almost here. And who knows what the price of gas will be in another year? Nobody knows. We do know demand for gas in America is dropping like almost never before and van and car pooling is gaining popularity. Demand for fuel is down over 4% for year and falling. Gas stations in Metro Detroit and going out of business and becoming empty corners. Most drivers are doing their errands all at once and parking vehicles rest of the time. In time the oil industry will catch on to this and will have hard time propping up high price. Now there is stuctural shift in what auto industry produces and fuel demand will drop further over coming years as SUV's are dethroned. Only contractors, and others who really need full sized pickups will be buying them. It will also take years for homes values and the housing industry to recover fully. The value of dollar will come back and be strong in time also and oil prices will be under further attack. To think oil prices will stay high and go higher and higher over long period is to dismiss history and be pure folly.

[ANTAUS]

Maybe Ford is using "ST", more as a trim model that not only will be used on the Taurus and Focus, but a few other vehicles as well. Whereas Focus SHO, Fusion SHO...Might offend the Taurus SHO enthusiasts. Instead...ST might just be an easier way Ford can create a trim line. Remember years ago we heard that a Fusion ST270 would be released just around this time.

 

It would be interesting to see if the "Taurus-eST" will be putting out more power than the Mustang at that time, unless the Mustang gets at least 400HP in it's next re-incarnation.

[Sixt9coug]

I dont see why milage should be the massive issue for the ST model. Its NOT the mainstream bread and butter model of the Taurus, and the article even said it would make up only about 10% of the mix anyway.

 

"oh noes! Ford is offering a performance niche model that might not get 45mpg! oh noes!"

 

This is like complaining that the GT500 doesnt get 30mpg. I wonder what the ST will get as far as milage, but i dont think it will get much worse than the standard NA engines. Remember, the Ecoboost is primarily meant to keep milage in check, and when you arent on it, (98.734% of driving conditions) turbos arent making boost.

[igor]

I dont see why milage should be the massive issue for the ST model. Its NOT the mainstream bread and butter model of the Taurus, and the article even said it would make up only about 10% of the mix anyway.

 

"oh noes! Ford is offering a performance niche model that might not get 45mpg! oh noes!"

 

This is like complaining that the GT500 doesnt get 30mpg. I wonder what the ST will get as far as milage, but i dont think it will get much worse than the standard NA engines. Remember, the Ecoboost is primarily meant to keep milage in check, and when you arent on it, (98.734% of driving conditions) turbos arent making boost.

expect the same 18/28 from the standard Taurus and at worst 16/25 from the EB ... oh noes ..!!!!

 

Igor

[atomaro]

Do we know who has the trademark rights to use the SHO name ? Maybe thats the issue...

 

 

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=doc&...ate=429u1a.4.18

 

 

Yamaha can only use for the marine equipment.

Edited May 29, 2008 by atomaro

[WXM69]

Here' something to think about, will Ford allow the Taurus ST,SHO, uberTaurii to be ahead in HP over the "halo" Mustang? GT500 doesn't really count as dealers mark those up out of the price range of most common folk.

[Catalepsy]

I doubt it. The next Mustang GT is rumored to be around 400 hp to fight of the Camaros & Challengers... There's a lot of room under that for the Taurus ST... Although if you think about it, why not have a 4d sedan option with GT's HP?

 

Here' something to think about, will Ford allow the Taurus ST,SHO, uberTaurii to be ahead in HP over the "halo" Mustang? GT500 doesn't really count as dealers mark those up out of the price range of most common folk.

[NickF1011]

A good ad campaign can get the word out. Before SVT, it was SVO and the change did cause some confusion. It didn't seem to be a big stink at the time. As well, dealerships spending money for the privilage to sell SVT seems out of step with the overall direction of the current Ford marketing.

 

There were no extra requirements for dealers to sell SVT vehicles for some time. Every dealer since 2001 or 2002 could sell SVT vehicles. In my opinion, that was actually the beginning of the end for SVT itself.

[NickF1011]

Here' something to think about, will Ford allow the Taurus ST,SHO, uberTaurii to be ahead in HP over the "halo" Mustang? GT500 doesn't really count as dealers mark those up out of the price range of most common folk.

 

It wouldn't be the first time. The SHO was cranking out 235 HP from its V8 at the time the Mustang GT was only rated 215-225.

[ANTAUS]

So essentially Taurus-eST will be an MKS light from what I'm seeing ? I'm sure the difference might be in pure equiment?

[atomaro]

It wouldn't be the first time. The SHO was cranking out 235 HP from its V8 at the time the Mustang GT was only rated 215-225.

 

 

Don't forget that the Thunderbird Super Coupe had a higher rating than the Fox Mustang GTs of the same era.

Edited May 29, 2008 by atomaro

[NickF1011]

So essentially Taurus-eST will be an MKS light from what I'm seeing ? I'm sure the difference might be in pure equiment?

 

Which will be the difference between the regular Taurus and the regular MKS. From what I can tell from the early picture, the Taurus really doesn't look a thing like the MKS, other than sharing 4 doors and 4 tires.

[igor]

people need to get over this "MKS is rebadged Taurus BS" - the MKS is about 400 pounds heavier, has several inches of extra wheelbase and length, and very differently tuned chassis.... the share components - yes - but they are FAR from a rebadge ...

 

Igor

[ANTAUS]

Thats not the road, a negative one at that, that I was going down to. I was stating it in a positive way, as in..."well this seems to be a better deal if someone really wanted performance over luxury"...route...

 

But if this is the case..."the MKS is about 400 pounds heavier, has several inches of extra wheelbase and length, and very differently tuned chassis.... the share components - yes - but they are FAR from a rebadge ..."

 

Then its 1990's all over again, between Taurus and Conti...again, NOT a bad thing.