New body style Taurus or not

[tcob]

It's almost like it fell off a cliff . Nobody knows if or when it's coming . Nothing on Ford .com with the other future vehicles. Is this thing DOA or what ?

[silvrsvt]

Everything is leaning toward the Taurus being phased out for sale to the public. They stopped sale of it in Canada and Ford rather use the production capability to build Explorers. I'd venture to say 2017 will most likely be the last year of production, unless something comes out in Chicago or NY auto show.

[akirby]

The U.S. version was cancelled - it's only going to China now. They may drop it altogether or they may wait for a new sedan based on the new CD6 platform.

[akirby]

Didn't realized it had been cancelled in Canada.

 

With Fusion sport about to be available with pretty much the same interior space it really doesn't make sense.

[Stentgraft95]

I know big Al has moved on but I'm a little surprise they didn't recycle the name given Mulally's reaction when he arrived at Ford and found out they quit making the Taurus.

[akirby]

Huh? They haven't killed the old one yet. They could still keep the name on a new vehicle.

[mettech]

Sure would like to see a Thunderbird as the flagship replacement..

 

Looking for a full size touring car soon..

[bzcat]

Semi-related news... Hyundai Azera is supposedly bowing out after 2017 model year, which would mean Kia Cadenza will go away too. Hyundai Genesis is being redefined as luxury car so it is also leaving the fullsize sedan segment. And earlier news that Mary is keen on killing off Impala after the current iteration runs its course and Dodge Charger supposedly will be downsized with Barracuda if it lives at all.

 

Toyota Avalon, Buick Lacrosse, and Chrysler 300 look to be the final survivors of the non-luxury brand fullsize sedan cage match.

[akirby]

Sure would like to see a Thunderbird as the flagship replacement..

 

Looking for a full size touring car soon..

 

It's clear that it's not going to be done unless it can share a platform and production capacity without impacting higher volume/higher margin vehicles. China and Australia *might* provide additional volume.

 

I still think a longer wheelbase Fusion would sell just as well as a CD4 Taurus.

[jpd80]

I still think a longer wheelbase Fusion would sell just as well as a CD4 Taurus.

After comparing the internal dimensions of the latest Fusion against the older 2006 Taurus,

I was shocked to see that hip, shoulder and rear leg room dimensions were almost identical.

 

Last years production of D3 aTaurus wa over 74K including PI and exports but no retail sales in Canada. I think the case for another large car hinges on leveraging CD4 production in the right plants and clearly Ford is stretched making Enough Explorers now so some reorganisation is going to be at the centre of which products go where, Taurus replacement is down the list of priorities but I bet Ford has not forgotten it

Edited January 29, 2016 by jpd80

[StangBang]

I see absolutely no point of the Taurus anymore since the interior space is nearly identical to the Fusion. People wanting more space are buying CUV's anyway that Ford cannot sell enough of. Let the Taurus go I say. Let's see how much longer Fusion and Focus sedan sales hold up before they disappear as well, to be ultimatelyreplaced by more CUV's.

 

The all American family car has undeniably turned into the CUV!

[ehaase]

After seeing the new Honda Civic, Ford really needs to get its act together on the next Focus, or I could see it going the way of the Dodge Dart in North America. (The current car is perfect for Europe.) It needs a roomier interior, reliable automatic transmission, and better fuel economy.

Edited January 30, 2016 by ehaase

[Fgts]

I see absolutely no point of the Taurus anymore since the interior space is nearly identical to the Fusion. People wanting more space are buying CUV's....

 

The all American family car has undeniably turned into the CUV!

And that's how Ford lost the car market the first time because "everyone" wanted SUV's at the time and wouldn't fix the problem with the cars.

 

The current Taurus biggest problem is interior space (as is the Fusion matches the Taurus in space), that's it. Lacrosse, Impala, Charger and 300 still sale and make a profit with CUVs in the lineups, Ford forgot to do that in fullsize cars?. At this point at least offer the a N/A built, Chinese Taurus if a CD6, rwd replacement isn't in the cards.

 

Yes, CUV numbers are great but don't completely ignore a market because such short outlooks.

[jpd80]

The earlier malibu's sales were OK until Cruze arrived, that in turn required GM to make the malibu larger

by using Impala/laCrosse wheelbase. By doing that, GM has moved its mid sized cars much closer to its

full sized cars. That in turn may cause a lot of Impala buyers to switch to the more cost efficient Malibu

 

There is a place for the new Taurus in both domestic/LEV and export sales, Ford produced 74,000 of them last year

so combining a new more efficient taurus with the new CD4 platform is a no brainer, especially if Explorer switches too

and what's even better, the basic design work is already done, all that's needed is to incorporate it under supplier contracts..

 

The best place to build a new Taurus would be Oakville when the Flex and MKT finish. Building Taurus there would allow

that side of the plant to have around 6k to 7K/mth production and enable exports not only to the Middle east but to other

regions like Australia where it could replace Falcon sales - performance versions with 2.7 EB or 3.5 EB are highly valued.

Edited January 30, 2016 by jpd80

[ehaase]

Well, it appears at this time that the return on investment for a CD4 Taurus isn't sufficient for Ford to build and sell it here. I guess that the smart people at Ford think there are better ways to invest their money. (Of course, some people on other forums get upset if people refer to the Continental as a tarted up Fusion).

[silvrsvt]

 

 

I still think a longer wheelbase Fusion would sell just as well as a CD4 Taurus.

 

what are you trying to say here? The Chinese Taurus is a long wheelbase Fusion. Not 100% if its wider or not.

 

Most larger FWD sedans are just bigger/wider versions of their mid-sized brethren these days

[fuzzymoomoo]

Of course, some people on other forums get upset if people refer to the Continental as a tarted up Fusion.

And if you ask some people who work at FRAP, they'll tell you we will be building less of those than we do Fusions every day.

 

That was an actual quote I heard today, people actually believe that.

[rmc523]

 

what are you trying to say here? The Chinese Taurus is a long wheelbase Fusion. Not 100% if its wider or not.

 

Most larger FWD sedans are just bigger/wider versions of their mid-sized brethren these days

He's saying literally just stretch a Fusion by adding a few inches to the back seat, rather than the completely different body/interior of the Chinese Taurus.

[akirby]

Right - same Fusion sheetmetal rather than a completely different design.

[jpd80]

Well, it appears at this time that the return on investment for a CD4 Taurus isn't sufficient for Ford to build and sell it here.

Or that the timing of D3 product cycle makes introducing a CD4 Taurus pointless at the moment,

no need to change Taurus until other associated product cycles change.....

[jpd80]

Right - same Fusion sheetmetal rather than a completely different design.

Here's a thought, slightly lengthen Fusion's wheelbase by let's say 2" to 114",

that would make rear leg room 40" and a car that straddles both markets

[2b2]

it'd need a bigger trunk too, right?

C&D April 2013

Edited January 31, 2016 by 2b2

[rmc523]

it'd need a bigger trunk too, right?

C&D April 2013

That was a Taurus mule.

[BORG]

Taurus, Flex, and MKT will be discontinued in the next 12-18 months with no nameplate successors. We should get an official announcement on the MKT and Flex very shortly. Taurus will likely leave retail before it's discontinued entirely. Fusion is positioned smartly to soften the loss of Taurus, at least among the customers Ford cares about (Sport and Platinum).

 

All carmakers will be exiting the large sedan market before the end of the decade, it's a deceased/obsolete segment effectively replaced by mid sizers or crossovers and is shrinking dramatically in a peak market (so it doesn't get better from here). Midsize cars have also peaked so that segment will be facing declines in earnings and volume as that segment also quickly transitions to crossovers. Ford is already scaling back future Fusion product by eliminating production at FRAP at the end of the current product cycle. I don't think there is anyway to overemphasize the permanent change over to new nameplate crossovers from top to bottom, it really is a complete form factor change for mainstream vehicles. I still think people see Crossovers like they view SUVs from decades ago, they now come in a huge blurred array of sizes and options with plenty of cost effective and fuel-sipping options that won't be threatened by fluctuations in gas prices or the economy. Effectively, nobody is going "back" to anything, they never do and they certainly don't have to now.

Edited January 31, 2016 by BORG

[fuzzymoomoo]

Taurus, Flex, and MKT will be discontinued in the next 12-18 months with no nameplate successors. We should get an official announcement on the MKT and Flex very shortly. Taurus will likely leave retail before it's discontinued entirely. Fusion is positioned smartly to soften the loss of Taurus, at least among the customers Ford cares about (Sport and Platinum).

 

All carmakers will be exiting the large sedan market before the end of the decade, it's a deceased/obsolete segment effectively replaced by mid sizers or crossovers and is shrinking dramatically in a peak market (so it doesn't get better from here). Midsize cars have also peaked so that segment will be facing declines in earnings and volume as that segment also quickly transitions to crossovers. Ford is already scaling back future Fusion product by eliminating production at FRAP at the end of the current product cycle. I don't think there is anyway to overemphasize the permanent change over to new nameplate crossovers from top to bottom, it really is a complete form factor change for mainstream vehicles. I still think people see Crossovers like they view SUVs from decades ago, they now come in a huge blurred array of sizes and options with plenty of cost effective and fuel-sipping options that won't be threatened by fluctuations in gas prices or the economy. Effectively, nobody is going "back" to anything, they never do and they certainly don't have to now.

Correction: Fusion production at FRAP ends on 2/26/16