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Car Forum / Toyota / Toyota Cars / August 2007Ford Taurus: The Dreadful End
Funny line I have heard twice on SNL Ford is discontinuing the Ford Taurus. This is forcing some 30 something's to find a new way to show the world that they have given up on life. > Funny line I have heard twice on SNL > > Ford is discontinuing the Ford Taurus. This is forcing some 30 something's > to find a new way to show the world that they have given up on life. Ford did discontinue the Taurus a few years ago. The replacement was the Ford Five Hundred, named after the Fairlane 500 of years ago. However, the 500 has not been doing well lately, and because of that they have renamed it the Taurus for the new model year. So the Taurus has been reincarnated. >> Funny line I have heard twice on SNL >> [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > have renamed it the Taurus for the new model year. So the Taurus has been > reincarnated. Must have been an old SNL but it was funny and deserves a thumbs up. > > Funny line I have heard twice on SNL > > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > they have renamed it the Taurus for the new model year. So the Taurus > has been reincarnated. I thought the replacement for the Taurus was the Fusion. The Five Hundred is a higher class vehicle, much like the Avalon. > I thought the replacement for the Taurus was the Fusion. The Five > Hundred is a higher class vehicle, much like the Avalon. The Fusion is a smaller car (I drove a rental not long ago), more like the Corolla. So in that sense the Five Hundred is a higher class car, but so was the Taurus. For 2008 the Five Hundred has been renamed the Taurus (does anyone have a web browser?). > > I thought the replacement for the Taurus was the Fusion. The Five > > Hundred is a higher class vehicle, much like the Avalon. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > For 2008 the Five Hundred has been renamed the Taurus (does anyone > have a web browser?). The Fusion is in the same size class as the Camry and Accord. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass/Midsize_Cars2008.shtml Just that Ford has decided to rename the Five Hundred to Taurus doesn't automatically make it be the same class as the old Taurus.  Signature"Truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." ~ Flannery O'Connor > The Fusion is in the same size class as the Camry and Accord. > http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass/Midsize_Cars2008.shtml > > Just that Ford has decided to rename the Five Hundred to Taurus doesn't > automatically make it be the same class as the old Taurus. Class? What the hell are you talking about? Those EPA class categories are based on interior cabin volume only, even though some cars cost 4 times as much as other cars in the same class . The Audi A8 (about $80K loaded) and Acura RL (about $54K loaded) are in the same class as the Fusion, primarily because of smaller interior cabin volume of RWD vehicles. From a price perspective, the Fusion is generally cheaper than the Taurus (Five Hundred) or Camry, but depending on model and options there is price overlap between all 3 cars. But for most buyers looking at similar options, the Five Hundred and Camry are priced competitively, with the Fusion at a lower price point. > > The Fusion is in the same size class as the Camry and Accord. > > http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byclass/Midsize_Cars2008.shtml [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > looking at similar options, the Five Hundred and Camry are priced > competitively, with the Fusion at a lower price point. Which is exactly why there are classes of vehicles. It allows one to have a perspective of comparing one size car to the similar size. It wouldn't be right to compare the Five Hundred to the Camry or Accord because it is a much bigger car and comes with more standard options. The price comparisons that you tout are manufacturer's attempts to make their vehicles a better alternative. If you compare the Five Hundred to the Camry you must compare MPG figures also. The Five Hundred compares to the Avalon much more favorably in size, interior room, power, fuel consumption, widgets, etc. than it doees to a Camry. The Fusion is the car that should be compared to the Camry, Accord, 626, Altima. At least that's what Automobile magazine says: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0510_ford_fusion/ Maybe you know more than they do about vehicle classifications. > Which is exactly why there are classes of vehicles. It allows one to > have a perspective of comparing one size car to the similar size. It [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Maybe you know more than they do about vehicle classifications. Yes I do. But seriously, the Camry base 4 cyl without any options is about $18,570 (straight from Toyota.com), but a fully loaded (leather, navigation, premium sound, etc) V6 XLE is over 30K (I went through the "Build and Price your Camry") . So it is hard to say what a "Camry" competes with since it is obvious that there is such a big difference in features/options available (and also price that is charged). I don't buy cars based solely on interior volume, and apparently neither do the buyers of the Audi A8 or the Acura RL, which are in the same interior volume class as the Ford Fusion. BTW, a Porsche Boxter S (140K) is probably smaller than a Ford Focus, but I don't think anyone would say the Focus is a "higher" class car. The Camry is plenty big enough for me, so I would never consider an Avalon since it is basically a larger version of the V6 XLE. I am likewise not impressed by the fact that new Taurus is in a higher EPA interior volume class than the Camry. I am more into quality than size. > The Camry is plenty big enough for me, so I would never consider an > Avalon since it is basically a larger version of the V6 XLE. I am > likewise not impressed by the fact that new Taurus is in a higher > EPA interior volume class than the Camry. I am more into quality > than size. So I guess that mean you struck Camry off your list? Ed No. He is buying a Fusion, since he saw the J D Powers quality report, and saving a few grand in the process as well. ;) mike >> The Camry is plenty big enough for me, so I would never consider an >> Avalon since it is basically a larger version of the V6 XLE. I am [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Ed Eight our of ten Camrys sold in the US are 4cy cars. Apparently not even Toyota loyalist will spend over 30K to get one with an engine big enough to make it a decent performer anywhere but in the flat parts of the country. mike >> Which is exactly why there are classes of vehicles. It allows one to >> have a perspective of comparing one size car to the similar size. It [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > impressed by the fact that new Taurus is in a higher EPA interior volume > class than the Camry. I am more into quality than size. > Eight our of ten Camrys sold in the US are 4cy cars. Apparently not even > Toyota loyalist will spend over 30K to get one with an engine big enough to > make it a decent performer anywhere but in the flat parts of the country. > > mike I just priced a 2008 XLE 4 cylinder at Toyota.com and it maxes out at $28,627 (based on installed options of inventory near my zip code). Nevertheless, I will admit that the "average" Camry buyer gets a LE 4 cylinder, which is still substantially more money at about 22K (and much nicer car) than the "average" Ford Fusion that is sold (a 4 cyl SE goes for $18,360). In addtion, Fords are discounted more heavily than a Toyota off of their respective MSRP prices, so the real difference is probably closer to $5,000. I drove a Fusion rental recently, and thought it was similar in "class" to a Corolla or Civic. I am not talking about interior volume when I say class, but subjectively I did not think the Fusion was as large inside as a Camry. I prefer to drive my 98 Camry XLE V6 over a 2007 Fusion (unless I could sell it). >> I thought the replacement for the Taurus was the Fusion. The Five >> Hundred is a higher class vehicle, much like the Avalon. > > The Fusion is a smaller car (I drove a rental not long ago), more like the > Corolla. So in that sense the Five Hundred is a higher class car, but so > was the Taurus. I believ the Fusion is equivalent to the Mazda 6, similar to the Focus is the Ford sister car to the Mazda 3. -Dave > For 2008 the Five Hundred has been renamed the Taurus (does anyone have a > web browser?). > I believ the Fusion is equivalent to the Mazda 6, similar to the Focus is > the Ford sister car to the Mazda 3. As far as I know, Focus and Mazda3 are NOT on the same platform. >> I believ the Fusion is equivalent to the Mazda 6, similar to the Focus is >> the Ford sister car to the Mazda 3. > > As far as I know, Focus and Mazda3 are NOT on the same platform. I don't know, but I understand the Focus uses the Mazda 3 engine. Thought they shared other parts as well. You thought wrong ;) mike >>> I believ the Fusion is equivalent to the Mazda 6, similar to the Focus >>> is [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > I don't know, but I understand the Focus uses the Mazda 3 engine. Thought > they shared other parts as well. Maybe. You didn't prove otherwise. ;) > You thought wrong ;) > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >> I don't know, but I understand the Focus uses the Mazda 3 engine. >> Thought they shared other parts as well. >I thought the replacement for the Taurus was the Fusion. The Five >Hundred is a higher class vehicle, much like the Avalon. Don't forget that these "classes" are a moving target - cars tend to grow in size, each generation. The '08 Fusion is a mid size car, like the '08 Camry and Accord. The 2008 Taurus, nee '07 500, is a full size car, The only comparison to the Camry is in price range, even though Consumer Reports notes the '08 Taurus AWD is priced below the Camry FWD and $8,000 below the Avalon. mike >>I thought the replacement for the Taurus was the Fusion. The Five >>Hundred is a higher class vehicle, much like the Avalon. > > Don't forget that these "classes" are a moving target - cars tend to > grow in size, each generation. > Ford is discontinuing the Ford Taurus. Speaking of Fords... there's an ad running on Canadian TV for the Mercury "something_or_other" (it's that memorable...) that craftily suggests that there's lots of interior room, presumably by being able to fold down the rear seat and I would guess front passenger seat. We see the first shot of a 30-ish guy (with perhaps 3-4 friends in tow) extracting a short kayak from the trunk. All we see is the rear half of the kayak. The next shot from a longer distance shows him competing the removal and the front half of the kayak is now visible. It LOOKS like the kayak would have to take the place of the rear and front seat. Just where the friends in tow would sit is not clear. My immediate impression was that the first shot in fact was just the rear half of the kayak sitting in the trunk and the second shot was a complete kayak that has been shoved into the trunk, and since it did not fit, it was pulled out again. I would have been more impressed if we saw the ENTIRE kayak being removed in the one shot. Do the marketroids who come up with this tripe think consumers are stupid? SD >> Ford is discontinuing the Ford Taurus. > [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > SD If it was a "new" Taurus or Sable (formerly 500 and Montego) I am confident you could get a smaller one person kayak and three people in the car. I know I could get a smaller one person kayak in my Fusion and carry one or possibly two passengers. The trunk is very deep and the rear seats folds down. I think with the kayak angle across the trunk and through the wide side seat folded down I could get a 9 to 10 foot kayak in the car without folding down the front seat (the seat would need to be moved forward though). The "new" Taurus has a much larger trunk, so I imagine a 10 or 11 foot kayak would be no problem. Ed >Funny line I have heard twice on SNL > >Ford is discontinuing the Ford Taurus. This is forcing some 30 something's >to find a new way to show the world that they have given up on life. LOL |
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