Will Chinese Drivers Pay Luxury Prices for the Ford Taurus?

[jpd80]

 

Mondeo is build in Chongqing with Kuga.

 

Taurus is build in Hangzhou with Edge.

Sorry for that error.

I typed "will" when I meant to say, "can be" following on from discussion regarding the closeness of Taurus & Continental with fusion & Mondy

Edited December 5, 2015 by jpd80

[usa_4004]

What markets in Europe and the Middle East also sell Lincolns? Remember, Continental is the new brand flagship. I will be sold wherever Lincoln has a presence.

 

Ford has been selling Lincolns in the Middle East sine the early 90s. And, according to Lincoln Middle East website, Lincoln vehicles are currently sold in:

 

1. Saudi Arabia.
2. UAE.
3. Oman.
4. Qatar.
5. Bahrain.
6. Kuwait.
7. Yemen.
8. Jordan.
9. Lebanon.

[jpd80]

 

 

Ford has been selling Lincolns in the Middle East sine the early 90s. And, according to Lincoln Middle East website, Lincoln vehicles are currently sold in:

 

1. Saudi Arabia.
2. UAE.
3. Oman.
4. Qatar.
5. Bahrain.
6. Kuwait.
7. Yemen.
8. Jordan.
9. Lebanon.

 

...But Ford never really divulges how many sales in these regions,

they're always percentages that mean nothing without numbers.

[akirby]

We have several Middle Eastern Edge owners over on the edge forum. Plus a couple from Eastern Europe.

[silvrsvt]

Taurus is build in Hangzhou with Edge.

 

Hmmmmmm.....the MKT and Flex are going away soon....

[jpd80]

 

Hmmmmmm.....the MKT and Flex are going away soon....

if Ford was looking at both US and rest of world sales, Oakville probably makes sense or maybe Ford does something completely different

[bzcat]

2 interesting comparison tests with the new Taurus.

 

First, Taurus vs. Lacross - the main competitors

 

You can use Google Translate if you want to get the main points: http://www.autohome.com.cn/advice/201512/881623-all.html?pvareaid=101380#p0

 

The summary of their takeaway:

 

Exterior: Both are elegant and conservative but Lacross looks slightly more upscale.

Front cabin: Ford interior is "too conservative" but has better ergonomics and higher equipment content.

Back cabin: Taurus wins by a landslide but Ford has some build quality issues

Power/ride & handling: Taurus is slightly better (peak torque occurs earlier) and bonus points for having adjustable suspension setting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bzcat]

The second comparison test - Four Executive Sedans Under RMB$300K: Taurus 2.0 Ecoboost vs. Lexus ES200 vs. Cadillac XTS (2.0 turbo) vs. Toyota Crown (2.0 turbo)

 

http://www.autohome.com.cn/advice/201512/882120-all.html?pvareaid=101380#p0

 

 

 

Their conclusions:

• Lexus ES200: Don't bother if you enjoy driving yourself but this car is otherwise luxurious and well appointed. Seriously under powered and outclassed in the engine department (only non-turbo car).
• Cadillac XTS: It looks different but is sparsely equipped for the price. 2.0T drinks lots of fuel by the buckets load so expensive to keep.
• Crown: It's the only RWD car in this class but don't expect any real handling advantage. This is a comfort cruiser and the youthful restyling can't hide its roots.
• Taurus: Lively performance, high content level, and cheapest car in the test to boot. If you don't mind the "mundane" looks, this car is hard to beat.

 

Final takeaway: Taurus is recommended for best overall car even without the cheapest price tag advantage. If comfort is top priority, Crown is the best choice. If badge is top priority and driving experience is not, Lexus is the best choice. If looks is top priority (the actual expression in Mandarin is more crass... more akin to if you only care about skin deep beauty and not about the quality of ones character), Cadillac is best choice.

Edited December 9, 2015 by bzcat