Deanh Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 The Taurus name is popular and well-known, so I can't see any reason to drop it. Especially since Alan Mulally made a point of resurrecting it. If Ford drops the name right after he leaves, the pundits and internet "experts" will be wailing that Ford is already turning its back on his legacy. Enlarging the Fusion doesn't make any sense, as there isn't any advantage to making it bigger. Even Honda shaved a bit off the previous generation Accord for the new one. The Fusion is the right size - no need to enlarge it. Fusion EL...follow in Jaguars steps ala XJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 The Taurus name is popular and well-known, so I can't see any reason to drop it. Especially since Alan Mulally made a point of resurrecting it. If Ford drops the name right after he leaves, the pundits and internet "experts" will be wailing that Ford is already turning its back on his legacy. Enlarging the Fusion doesn't make any sense, as there isn't any advantage to making it bigger. Even Honda shaved a bit off the previous generation Accord for the new one. The Fusion is the right size - no need to enlarge it. main complaint...rear leg room... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grbeck Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Fusion EL...follow in Jaguars steps ala XJ. That smacks too much of Oldsmobile in the mid-1980s, when you could get a Cutlass Ciera, Cutlass Supreme or Cutlass Calais. It only confused customers and diluted the marketing power of the Cutlass name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) There is possibly a case to continue growing Fusion to a full sized car, drawing buyers along with it and then introduce Mondeo below it but as others here have said, this is the new Taurus that will go on sale in China around March next year. Ford has a great opportunity with this new car to reconnect with large sedan buyers and offer fuel efficiency that will gap the competition. Think of the possibilities with Ecoboost engines and hybrid/energi options and a new generation of buyers could rediscover large cars.. Cars like the Charger and Impala suddenly look "old" when compared with what Ford will offer in its next Taurus, Edited August 13, 2014 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 And then there is the MKS. I wonder how far along it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 There is possibly a case to continue growing Fusion to a full sized car, drawing buyers along with it and then introduce Mondeo below it but as others here have said, this is the new Taurus that will go on sale in China around March next year. The Mondeo is the Fusion! Makes no sense to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Although it appears something is going on as I'm seeing cryptic messages posted saying "there is no new Taurus". No idea what that means exactly. Where at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Where at? some guy on top of a ford Building flashing Morse code..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 As for the Fusion EL or whatever you want to call it...the upcoming Taurus will share better then 80-90% of its parts with the Fusion. I doubt that making a Fusion EL aka Taurus is going to be huge cost for Ford...I'd assume it would be roughly the same cost as making the C-Max or even Escape on the Focus platform. Do keep in mind Flat Rock is underutilized at this point and time, even with Fusion overflow production going on there...add in the Taurus and MKS production to the plant as has been rumored and well your looking at 300K units a year at a bare minimum. It does beg though what happens with the D4 based Explorer/Police Interceptor/Utilities at Chicago. I'd assume the Explorer will be replaced come 2017/18. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papilgee4evaeva Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 This is what I was thinking. If the Fusion is set for a makeover, why not enlarge it, drop the Taurus, keep the popular design of the Fusion and combine Taurus and Fusion buyers into one vehicle. YTD sales of the Fusion heavily out number the Taurus by 86,000 vehicles. So just screw Europe and the police, huh? I'm almost certain Europe wouldn't take a fullsize Mondeo very well. Especially considering they can't even buy a midsize one yet... and per my second point, cops aren't trying to buy midsized cars. And I don't think killing Taurus is worth it. The main reason it's not selling as well as we'd like is, well, because it's old. I'll bet a shiny nickel that sales would shoot up with a new, improved model -- and, since it will be on a shared platform, so will profits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taurusguy Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I do hope this is the next gen. Taurus for the US. I quite like what I see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader 10 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Although the current platform certainly has its deficiencies, I don't think "lack of space" is one of them. Remember the 500 and Montego? In their time they had the biggest trunk in the industry as well as spacious interiors. They were panned in part due to dull styling. Ford chose style over function with the current generation, thus the lack of room in such a large car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Although the current platform certainly has its deficiencies, I don't think "lack of space" is one of them. Remember the 500 and Montego? In their time they had the biggest trunk in the industry as well as spacious interiors. They were panned in part due to dull styling. Ford chose style over function with the current generation, thus the lack of room in such a large car. Regardless, it's a problem the current vehicle has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark B. Morrow Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 That smacks too much of Oldsmobile in the mid-1980s, when you could get a Cutlass Ciera, Cutlass Supreme or Cutlass Calais. It only confused customers and diluted the marketing power of the Cutlass name. Ah, the Cutlass Motor Division of GM. Good times! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTAUS Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 That platform Although the current platform certainly has its deficiencies, I don't think "lack of space" is one of them. Remember the 500 and Montego? In their time they had the biggest trunk in the industry as well as spacious interiors. They were panned in part due to dull styling. Ford chose style over function with the current generation, thus the lack of room in such a large car. True, the trunk has always been cavernous as back as the 500, but overall the interior dimensions/space usage for it's exterior dimensions are nothing special. Those vehicles have always been plagued with a wide center console even as back as the original S80 which was criticized for the same thing. Now the styling just creates a more cocoon atmosphere which extrapolates the matter. Its not the first time Ford has designed a vehicle that was criticized for "small on the inside considering the huge exterior", the MN113 triplets Tbird/Cougar/Mark8 has similar issues. For it's long wheelbase and large exterior length, they weren't very big in the inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 (edited) The Mondeo is the Fusion! Makes no sense to do that. No, I was talking about thoughts of renaming the next Taurus as Fusion to draw as many buyers as possible, then introduce Mondeo 5-door hatch and Stationwagon below it...silly idea I know but that would appeal to some. Certain engineering contacts suggest that while CD4 Taurus exists for China, nothing is being said regarding Nth America, perhaps because the launch is occurring in China possibly because that region is picking up the bulk of the development tab. Edited August 14, 2014 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harley Lover Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 If the rumor of the Taurus name going away are true, might this be (re)named Falcon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 If the rumor of the Taurus name going away are true, might this be (re)named Falcon? Doubt it, out of respect for that name plate, it is being retired at the end of 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transitman Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 So just screw Europe and the police, huh? First off, I like the current Taurus, I think it's one of the sharpest cars in the line up, but if the European market only needs or wants mid size or smaller, Ford can continue to build Mondeo's in Belgium without affecting NA manufacturing. Drop the Taurus, retool the NA plants to build a larger Fusion, modify the interior layout (like the current Interceptor has been from to accommodate computers, radios, etc. and too bad if the rear seat volume is decreased) and along with the Explorer, the needs of police as well as European markets will be satisfied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papilgee4evaeva Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 First off, I like the current Taurus, I think it's one of the sharpest cars in the line up, but if the European market only needs or wants mid size or smaller, Ford can continue to build Mondeo's in Belgium without affecting NA manufacturing. Drop the Taurus, retool the NA plants to build a larger Fusion, modify the interior layout (like the current Interceptor has been from to accommodate computers, radios, etc. and too bad if the rear seat volume is decreased) and along with the Explorer, the needs of police as well as European markets will be satisfied. Of course, that leaves a huge hole in the traditionally most hotly contested segment in the market. Assuming that buyers will jump up to a full-size car just because of the name is, well, a big assumption. Using another brand as an example, I don't believe Toyota would have kept Camry buyers by dropping the model and renaming the Avalon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackinaw Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 but if the European market only needs or wants mid size or smaller, Ford can continue to build Mondeo's in Belgium without affecting NA manufacturing....... This is going to be tough considering Genk (Belgium) is scheduled to be closed later this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Midsized buyers don't want a larger Fusion. You don't want to risk 25K - 30K volume every month and potentially more (Camry is close to 40K) chasing a few Taurus sales. You could offer an extended wheelbase version but don't make the base vehicle any larger. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 This is going to be tough considering Genk (Belgium) is scheduled to be closed later this year. Isn't the production being moved to Spain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grbeck Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Ah, the Cutlass Motor Division of GM. Good times! Only GM could take a wildly successful nameplate like Oldsmobile and run it into the ground in less than a decade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 There is speculation that the D3 Taurus may continue in the U.S. and the new CD4 Taurus may only be offered in China. Which makes no sense to me unless they're putting all those resources into something completely new (S550 sedans?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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