sullynd Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 (edited) Perhaps the NG Taurus stays linked to the NG Explorer and uses its higher ride height to become a crossover... And then Mulally will have the car redesigned and rename it Taurus from Five Hundred. Wait, JPDs post wasn't from 2004? Edited May 14, 2017 by sullynd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 (edited) What would be the point of that? All you would be doing is stepping on the toes of the Explorer. Not as all, think crossover in terms of 5-door hatchback car on raised ride height. perhaps like this... A Full sized car that's basically a 5-door hatchback crossover would not step on the toes of Explorer, it would offer a superiorexperience to the current D3 Taurus and encourage more buyers back to Ford. Edited May 14, 2017 by jpd80 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 It'd sell in SS like numbers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92merc Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 Or the Honda Accord CrossTour they just cancelled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehaase Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 (edited) Not as all, think crossover in terms of 5-door hatchback car on raised ride height. perhaps like this... A Full sized car that's basically a 5-door hatchback crossover would not step on the toes of Explorer, it would offer a superiorexperience to the current D3 Taurus and encourage more buyers back to Ford. It would be cheaper to test the waters by shipping a few Mondeo hatchbacks the US first. Edited May 14, 2017 by ehaase 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 (edited) That's not exactly the same, the Mondeo hatchback is lower set And more car like than the crossover I suggest however....if Ford extends its "Active" crossover model strategy to Focus and Mondeo, then perhaps Ford already has the situation in hand. I'm trying to imagine the synergy possible by changing cars enough to get buyers interested in them, there has to be a way for something Like this to work Edited May 14, 2017 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 The best way to do it would be to transition the BOF Explorer to the car based D3 platform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehaase Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 The best way to do it would be to transition the BOF Explorer to the car based D3 platform. Isn't that what Ford already did in 2010? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 (edited) Posted by sullynd Today, 07:50 AM The best way to do it would be to transition the BOF Explorer to the car based D3 platform. Ouch... what I was thinking was the reverse, how to make the Taurus a more desirable crossover without treading on Explorer's toes, a versatile hatchback that has a lot more spirited nature than Explorer, kinda like Ford's answer to a BMW crossover..... Edited May 15, 2017 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 (edited) Ouch... what I was thinking was the reverse, how to make the Taurus a more desirable crossover without treading on Explorer's toes, a versatile hatchback that has a lot more spirited nature than Explorer, kinda like Ford's answer to a BMW crossover..... So an Edge then? These modern day AMC Eagles (Like the BMW you mentioned) do not sell. (At least not in the volume that would make them worth chasing) Edited May 15, 2017 by sullynd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 So an Edge then? These modern day AMC Eagles (Like the BMW you mentioned) do not sell. (At least not in the volume that would make them worth chasing) Freestyle/Taurus X 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 (edited) So an Edge then? These modern day AMC Eagles (Like the BMW you mentioned) do not sell. (At least not in the volume that would make them worth chasing) Taurus production is approx 4,000-5,000/mth, all I'm saying is that Ford should look at that and see what can be done to evolve the D3 Taurus to make it more versatile -perhaps hatchback with bustle lid instead of Trunk, maybe look at improved hip/ shoulder room expected in a full sized car and already available in Explorer. Edited May 15, 2017 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 (edited) Freestyle/Taurus X Freestyle became Explorer, Taurus X was more like Stationwagon....think sleeker hatchback. I'm sure that Ford is considering all of these possibilities, ways of transforming products so that it keeps as many customers as possible within a certain product envelope. Explorer and Edge have done well to transition large car buyers to Utilities, all I'm saying is that there nay be an opportunity to add more crossover / less sedan to the mix and bring more buyers across... Edited May 15, 2017 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 I think Taurus is too big for that kind of styling. It didn't work for Honda and I don't think it's going to work for BMW long term either. To me those things are just downright ugly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 Freestyle became Explorer, Taurus X was more like Stationwagon....think sleeker hatchback. No, the Freestyle was the Taurus X--it got renamed Taurus X when the Five Hundred got renamed Taurus. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 (edited) No, the Freestyle was the Taurus X--it got renamed Taurus X when the Five Hundred got renamed Taurus. So it was and you know as soon as I posted it ,I realized that it didn't sound right...but I think you guys get my meaning. Freestyle -> Taurus X -> Explorer Fivedundred - > Taurus. I'm sure that Ford is looking at the possibilities and working on more crossovers and utilities than future cars. I wonder if Mulally wanting Taurus to be more car like now plays against what those customers are now seeking. Edited May 15, 2017 by jpd80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 So it was and you know as soon as I posted it ,I realized that it didn't sound right...but I think you guys get my meaning. Freestyle -> Taurus X -> Explorer Fivedundred - > Taurus. I'm sure that Ford is looking at the possibilities and working on more crossovers and utilities than future cars. I wonder if Mulally wanting Taurus to be more car like now plays against what those customers are now seeking. Hey now, let's not forget Flex! Freestyle -> Taurus X -> Flex -> Explorer And I've never heard of the Fivedundred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKX1960 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 Hey now, let's not forget Flex! Freestyle -> Taurus X -> Flex -> Explorer And I've never heard of the Fivedundred http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2005-ford-five-hundred-road-test-review Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2005-ford-five-hundred-road-test-review That's the Five Hundred, not the Fivedundred. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2005-ford-five-hundred-road-test-review Haha, I know what it is. I was making fun of his typo. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-150 Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 Freestyle became Explorer, Taurus X was more like Stationwagon....think sleeker hatchback. I'm sure that Ford is considering all of these possibilities, ways of transforming products so that it keeps as many customers as possible within a certain product envelope. Explorer and Edge have done well to transition large car buyers to Utilities, all I'm saying is that there nay be an opportunity to add more crossover / less sedan to the mix and bring more buyers across... Freestyle and Taurus X were identical with the exception of the powertrain. The 3.0 CVT of the Freebie was upgraded to a 3.5 6 speed to address the #1 complaint. It then became the Flex. The Explorer never replaced it. The Explorer replaced itself, just as the Pathfinder went to unibody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 So it was and you know as soon as I posted it ,I realized that it didn't sound right...but I think you guys get my meaning. Freestyle -> Taurus X -> Explorer It would be more correct to say Freestyle -> Taurus X -> Flex, but you can really only say that the Flex superseded the Freestyle/Taurus X. You can't really say that the Freestyle became the Explorer, as the Flex and Explorer coexist(ed), and they occupy different niches. I wonder if Mulally wanting Taurus to be more car like now plays against what those customers are now seeking. I think Mulally was more concerned with not throwing away 20 years of brand equity. The basic structure of the Five Hundred/Taurus was set before Mulally came on board; it would've been hard to make it more or less car-like when all they were doing was moving the name from a dead platform to a current vehicle and fixing the blah styling of the Five Hundred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Rosadini Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 I still say-love my SHO. And love that Chinese version. Add up all the "full size" sedans currently available, what is that annual sales figure? And then wonder what would happen if they built that China car here and shocker-actually tried to market it with some advertising! Hmnn-reminds me of my old postings about my CV Sport 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 I still say-love my SHO. And love that Chinese version. Add up all the "full size" sedans currently available, what is that annual sales figure? And then wonder what would happen if they built that China car here and shocker-actually tried to market it with some advertising! Hmnn-reminds me of my old postings about my CV Sport The Panther mafia lives! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevensecondsuv Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 Did anyone else hear the rumors of a few Crown Vics running around Dearborn with the 3.5eb under the hood back in 2011 or so? I'd really like to get my hands on one of them...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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