ANTAUS Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 LINK-edmunds.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 :reading: Didn't know that was coming... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTAUS Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 According to the other article on the Sables death, they are pretty much saying if it doesn't sell well, they will kill it. So I guess the Flex might be next? Or maybe give it a few months and see of Taurus X buyers will upgrade to Flex? Looks like anything selling under 2K will get killed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 According to the other article on the Sables death, they are pretty much saying if it doesn't sell well, they will kill it. So I guess the Flex might be next? Or maybe give it a few months and see of Taurus X buyers will upgrade to Flex? Looks like anything selling under 2K will get killed. I'm thinking they'll keep the Flex for a while. Bad idea, IMO to kill a vehicle that just came out after bad sales in a horrible economy. Hey, it is already selling better than Taurus X in the bad economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 They killed the Sable because it'd be too similar to the MKS, after the next update. As usual, Edmunds guys can't find their backsides even after you spot them both hands and the flashlight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noah Harbinger Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 According to the other article on the Sables death, they are pretty much saying if it doesn't sell well, they will kill it. So I guess the Flex might be next? Or maybe give it a few months and see of Taurus X buyers will upgrade to Flex? Looks like anything selling under 2K will get killed. Um.... the Flex IS the reason the Taurus X was culled -- the Flex is the evolution, the Taurus X the degenerate. Well not really 'cause they're both great vehicles... but the Flex does seem to be more about where Ford wants to be going forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
focus05 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 The Flex has 0.30% market share as of November. In 2007, that was 50,000 units. Still not quite what Ford wanted, but fairly close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StangBang Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 It really irks me Edmunds post the discontinuation of the Taurus X and Sable as if were chalked up to another Ford failure rather than report it as a responsible move to pair down vehicles to fewer models that do not overlap, have a clear marketing focus and broader appeal which will actually sell. They also fail to mention that the new 2010 Taurus is coming which makes it necessary to remove the Sable. It's also part of Mercury's new plan to focus on smaller cars while Lincoln focuses on bigger ones. This kind of reporting is as negligent as blaming the discontinuation of the Pontiac GTO to poor sales rather than report it for truly what it is which was to make room for the newest generation Holden design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkisler Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 They killed the Sable because it'd be too similar to the MKS, after the next update. As usual, Edmunds guys can't find their backsides even after you spot them both hands and the flashlight. True. There are a couple of other reasons to broom the Sable and the Taurus X. . The Taurus is a great looking car which should improve volumes substantially. And you can equip the Taurus to near-luxury levels of content. As you say, no sense to have conflict in the LM showroom. . Ford wants to concentrate on and strengthen the Ford car lineup, secondary effort to Lincoln, Mercury takes third place. I assume the Sable trip wasn't worth it in incremental volume, or...Ford projects that the plant will have enough volume when all the new products are all on board and didn't need the Sable to fill in. . The Taurus X is being broomed to make place for the new D3 Explorer in Chicago. I assume that a fair amount of production preparation for Explorer production will take place during the changeover to the new Taurus, but maybe someone in Chicago could comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spudz64 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 It really irks me Edmunds post the discontinuation of the Taurus X and Sable as if were chalked up to another Ford failure rather than report it as a responsible move to pair down vehicles to fewer models that do not overlap, have a clear marketing focus and broader appeal which will actually sell. They also fail to mention that the new 2010 Taurus is coming which makes it necessary to remove the Sable. It's also part of Mercury's new plan to focus on smaller cars while Lincoln focuses on bigger ones. This kind of reporting is as negligent as blaming the discontinuation of the Pontiac GTO to poor sales rather than report it for truly what it is which was to make room for the newest generation Holden design. So true! It seems most journalism today centers around being negative and having to have a counter-angle to the obvious....esp in the auto field. These writers just slant things to make themselves appear smarter than us (the readers) which I guess they feel then justifies them being writers vs the average person, who I think can do just as well! Getting back to the Sable and Taurus X discontinuation, if this writer would have reported what you stated above, I would be more impressed that they considered the whole picture and also that they have a grasp of the market. Instead, they just used the piece (and us, the readers) to fuel their own needs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theripper Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 too bad. i'll just have to buy a used one to replace the freestyle. wrong car, apparently, for today's market. under-marketed. poorly styled. stupid name-game problems. still, it's one helluva useful vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 still, it's one helluva useful vehicle. :sniff: :sniff: There goes the best damn Subaru Ford ever made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaylonJennings Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 good night sweet prince Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 (edited) According to the other article on the Sables death, they are pretty much saying if it doesn't sell well, they will kill it. So I guess the Flex might be next? Or maybe give it a few months and see of Taurus X buyers will upgrade to Flex? Looks like anything selling under 2K will get killed. nope....anything NOT profitable is being axed.......only way taurus X sold was total give-away....... Edited December 5, 2008 by Deanh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnm Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 :sniff: :sniff: There goes the best damn Subaru Ford ever made. i cant tell if youre being sarcastic, but if your not, i kinda agree. great product-maybe too large in size. but cmon AWD station wagon=the perfect vehicle. of course sale indicated otherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 next up Sports -trac...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8-X Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 This kind of reporting is as negligent as blaming the discontinuation of the Pontiac GTO to poor sales rather than report it for truly what it is which was to make room for the newest generation Holden design. Maybe I've been mislead, but my understanding on partly why the GTO was axed is due not meeting certain airbags regulations. "We announced that the GTO will be discontinued because of some new federal safety standards on air bags," he said. "To bring it back for 2007, the instrument panel would have to be extensively re-engineered, and that would be too costly. Unfortunately, we love the car and would love to keep building it." http://www.cars.com/go/crp/research.jsp?re...mp;aff=national Back to topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6t5frlane Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 The Flex has 0.30% market share as of November. In 2007, that was 50,000 units. Still not quite what Ford wanted, but fairly close. THEY SOLD 50,000 FLEX'S?? I HAVE YET TO SEE ONE ON THE ROAD IN NY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 THEY SOLD 50,000 FLEX'S?? I HAVE YET TO SEE ONE ON THE ROAD IN NY No, they've sold 11,772 Flexes this year. focus05 was saying that as of November, Flex has 0.30% of the market share. In mentioning 50,000, he was referring to 2007 sales figures, saying that 0.30% of the market (which, according to his numbers, Flex has right now) last year was equal to 50,000 units/sales. In other words, he's essentially predicting that Flex will sell about 50,000 units in it's first year, at least at current volumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 i cant tell if youre being sarcastic, but if your not, i kinda agree. great product-maybe too large in size. but cmon AWD station wagon=the perfect vehicle. of course sale indicated otherwise I was being sarcastic and sincere at the same time, if that's possible. That vehicle was perfect for Subaru. Certainly better than the Tribeca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_spaniard Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I was being sarcastic and sincere at the same time, if that's possible. That vehicle was perfect for Subaru. Certainly better than the Tribeca. I agree, it was a very un-Ford vehicle. I really liked that thing though. I didn't hate the styling as much as people here, but i had a chance to ride in one once, and that thing was nice. If I had the cash I would pick one up when the prices bottom-out. But then again I like Subarus - used to anyway, not so much after the last batch of restyling...good Lord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
focus05 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 No, they've sold 11,772 Flexes this year. focus05 was saying that as of November, Flex has 0.30% of the market share. In mentioning 50,000, he was referring to 2007 sales figures, saying that 0.30% of the market (which, according to his numbers, Flex has right now) last year was equal to 50,000 units/sales. In other words, he's essentially predicting that Flex will sell about 50,000 units in it's first year, at least at current volumes. Not quite. I'm predicting at current marketshare, it will top out at 30-35k its first year (assuming a 12MM market). If it had 0.30% marketshare in 2007, it would have sold 50,000 at a 0.30% markethare. If they achieve the 0.45% they originally eyed, they'd get about 50k in a 12MM market (November was 10.5MM for reference, I believe). All a marketshare game in markets this bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I agree, it was a very un-Ford vehicle. I really liked that thing though. I didn't hate the styling as much as people here, but i had a chance to ride in one once, and that thing was nice. If I had the cash I would pick one up when the prices bottom-out. But then again I like Subarus - used to anyway, not so much after the last batch of restyling...good Lord. nail on the head right there Alonzo, quote...."I would pick one up when the prices bottom-out'....not exactly the buyer Ford is looking for but the car elicits THAT exact response..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnostic Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 THEY SOLD 50,000 FLEX'S?? I HAVE YET TO SEE ONE ON THE ROAD IN NY I live in upstate NY. They are all over the place up here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmm55 Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 I live in upstate NY. They are all over the place up here. I've been seeing a few more Flex's lately on the road here in San Diego. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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