Why Did Ford Neglect A Real Winner, the Taurus?

[jasik]

:shrug:

 

LINK-USAToday

[ZanatWork]

Again, the mourners are ten years late...it's been on life support since the Trotman era. Thanks all for playing.

[silvrsvt]

not to mention that I bet the vast majority of the 412K sales in '92 where due to fleet sales.

[Edgey]

The damage is done, the Taurus was left to die, Ford is trying to move beyond the Taurus years when only one car could save the company even if half of it went to fleet. Times change and Ford can't afford another Taurus. Only GM seems able to still pull that off and make huge profits.

[Mark B. Morrow]

The damage is done, the Taurus was left to die, Ford is trying to move beyond the Taurus years when only one car could save the company even if half of it went to fleet. Times change and Ford can't afford another Taurus. Only GM seems able to still pull that off and make huge profits.

 

 

What one car does GM have that comes close to the original Taurus? Is GM Making huge profits on any one line?

[156n3rd]

not to mention that I bet the vast majority of the 412K sales in '92 where due to fleet sales.

Tell us about your Taurus experince.

[630land]

The Panthers were more profitable than the Taurus in the 80's, and they brought in most of the gravy, then.

 

Chevy let the Lumina, Cavalier, and Corsica rot, but no one cried when they finallly died off. Why cant some get over it?

[Edgey]

What one car does GM have that comes close to the original Taurus? Is GM Making huge profits on any one line?

 

Malibu and Impala

[630land]

GM's crossovers are getting good reviews, and the next gen Malibu.

 

But GM's big seller used to be the RWD big Chevy Impala/Caprice, which sold up to a Mill a year. No year Taurus ever did.

[silvrsvt]

Tell us about your Taurus experince.

 

 

Lets see, first car I drove was a 89 Taurus Wagon. The Automated HVAC controls died on my parents in November while visiting me in Basic Training in Kentucky in 93, leaving them no defrosters for a 13 hour ride back to Jersey. $700 bucks to replace. 13 trips to the dealer for recalls/repairs. Transmission crapped out at 52K miles. Great car when it ran though. My old man told me if he didnt work for Ford, he wouldn't buy another Ford product after that experience.

 

I know Ford makes turds at times (the 89 Taurus wagon and my 02 SVT Focus being excellent examples of that), but we've also had some really good cars, like a 86 Escort GT (my first car) that was still on the road in 1998 with well over 200K on it. A 92 Escort that under $100 in repairs on it when it was sold with a 130K miles on it, a 98 Mustang GT that just had some crappy trim and a sticky starter when it was cold out with 80K miles on it. A 1998 Ranger with 120K on it that still runs good.

 

Though it seems like the cars we got in the early 2000's have had some problems again..my Mom's EB Explorer tranny broke 2 times in less then 6 months this past year and my sisters 02 Cougar had some major steering rack issues, but I think they where partly due to dealer incompetence installing it. My 02 SVT was a total POS.

[NickF1011]

But GM's big seller used to be the RWD big Chevy Impala/Caprice, which sold up to a Mill a year. No year Taurus ever did.

 

Yeah, back in the day when the Mustang was selling 500,000+ units a year also. Would you say the current Mustang is a failure because it's not meeting those previous sales? Of course not. The market has changed and there's more competition. More models + More brands = Less market share.

[robertlane]

San Jose

Ask San Jose if they want a Ford plant today.

 

There is life after manufacturing.

 

EDIT: CRAP! I just edited Robert's post instead of replying to it.

 

The gist of the message was that Chevy only sold a million or so Impalas in 1965, and Ford only 400,000 Mustangs at about the same time.

 

Ford used to build the Mustang at San Jose, Dearborn and Metuchen (New Jersey).

 

Sorry Robert.... :shrug:

Edited October 27, 2006 by RichardJensen

[630land]

No the gist is that the Taurus was not the "only sucessful US car ever" as some think. In in the 80's the biggest money making Ford cars were the 'ancient' Panthers. 150K-200K of those made gravy.

 

 

When they bought the #1 title in 92, that was the start. The glut of used ones killed resale, and the 1996 'higher priced' new one bombed in the long run. I dont know how it was #1 in 1996, but by 1999, it was dropping like a rock.

 

The 2000 make over was OK, but within a year it was 'next?' The Nassar/Trotman, '70% trucks' plan was in full swing, till Nasser was kicked out. And the Explorer tire fiasco fannned the flames.

[Mark B. Morrow]

Malibu and Impala

 

 

That is the point Chevy has a two car strategy just like Fusion/500. Based on what I have seen posted here on GM's sales of the Malibu/Impala are heavily dependent on fleets for their numbers. I doubt they are hugely profitable

Edited October 28, 2006 by Mark B. Morrow