Ford bringing back the Taurus

[Gene]

I never understood why Ford decided to kill the nameplate off in the first place.

Ford to Rename Five Hundred
After Once-Popular Taurus
By JOHN D. STOLL
February 6, 2007 9:32 a.m.

DETROIT -- Just months after putting an end to the Taurus sedan, Ford Motor Co. is getting set to resurrect the name of what was once the top-selling car in the U.S.

Company executives will announce Wednesday at the Chicago auto show that Ford's Five Hundred midsize sedan, which was launched in 2004, will be renamed Taurus, according to multiple people briefed on the company's plan.

Ford spokesman Jim Cain would neither confirm nor deny the move. He noted that Ford Chief Executive Alan Mulally has been a vocal advocate of the Taurus name and that many media outlets have speculated about the moniker's return to the marketplace.

"Taurus is a wonderful brand that's fondly remembered by a great many people and it's been fantastic to see so many reminders of that on blogs and other Web sites," Mr. Cain said.

Ford, which is scrambling to recover from a $12.7 billion loss in 2006, sold nearly seven million Tauruses during the two decades it was in production. The Taurus, which was the best-selling car in the U.S. for several years starting in the early 1990s, lost its standing in recent years as Asian competitors such as Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. steadily improved their comparable entries. Lately the Taurus was mostly sold to rental car firms.

Mr. Mulally, who took the helm of Ford in October after a long career at Boeing Co., has said repeatedly that he does not understand why the company did not adequately invest in the Taurus. Last month, in an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Mr. Mulally hinted the auto maker may be considering reviving the Taurus name, but stopped short of giving a clear indication of confirming the move.

The Five Hundred, a larger car than the defunct Taurus, has met a cool reception since its launch. In 2006, sales of the Five Hundred fell 22% to 84,218 vehicles, or about half as many Tauruses as were sold in the last year of production. Sales of the Five Hundred were down 51% in January from a year earlier, at 3,526 vehicles.

Ford is doing a modest redesign on the Five Hundred for the 2008 model year, a move that the company hopes will help it reposition the car in the marketplace.

The Five Hundred shares many of its parts and a common architecture with the Ford Freestyle crossover vehicle and the Mercury Montego sedan, all of which are built in Chicago.

A Ford dealer who asked not to be identified said the company has great "equity" in the Taurus name, but he is concerned the company has wasted the cachet by not having updated the Taurus in recent years. He worries that the Five Hundred may not be an adequate replacement for people who truly appreciated the Taurus.

Write to John D. Stoll at john.stoll@dowjones.net

[theyallslow]

it cant sell as a 500, and so they are trying to sell it again as a Taurus?

[02mingryGT]

I agree. Seems like they need a better car rather than a name change.

[Gene]

I agree. Seems like they need a better car rather than a name change.

I drove one when they first came out...it's a really nice car. It's boring, but I would say that I like the interior more than on any Camry that I've been in recently, and it's available with AWD.

The badging is more important than a lot of people think. Taurus is a well known brand name, and has a good reputation for being solid, a bit boring, but reliable. No one knows what a Five Hundred is; how big it is, what's it cost, etc. The average consumer knows that a Taurus costs about what a Camry or Accord costs, and cross-shops it.

[Black Hole]

I drove an AWD 500 down at the Kentucky Speedway and I loved it. Much better than any Taurus or Crown Vic that I've ever driven!!!

[02mingryGT]

Then I guess you guys are saying it needs better marketing. Changing the name seems to be a lazy man's way to marketing....lol.

[mustangboy]

I think I read somewhere that the new head of Ford want to bring back the names that people recognize. I think I heard that they may want to bring back the Escort name as well as the Fairlane, Galaxy and Falcon. I agree the 500 seems to be a real nice car but is just very boring and under powered. It is getting a boost in hp as well as a front end redesign and now a name change so maybe that will help kick start sales.

[Stangman]

I think I read somewhere that the new head of Ford want to bring back the names that people recognize. I think I heard that they may want to bring back the Escort name as well as the Fairlane, Galaxy and Falcon. I agree the 500 seems to be a real nice car but is just very boring and under powered. It is getting a boost in hp as well as a front end redesign and now a name change so maybe that will help kick start sales.

I'd agree with that... as long as they didnt try and make all those legendary names into a stupid XUV or a front wheel drive something, anyone see the Fairlane Concept that was posted up a few months ago? HIDEOUS, I actually wrote Ford a letter over that one! I would never want my old musclecar or classic car EVER related to an SUV, FWD, or 4 door car of today. I couldnt look at my Mustangs or my Dad's Fairlane in the same light ever again if it was "related" to something that was designed by a person with no taste of Automotive background and heritage. Did anyone ever see the concept for the Ford 500?? it was a 4 door... but.... it was badasssed, it was black, had a front end design that the Fusion ended up getting and it was a rear wheel drive 427 cubic inch V10. Theres nothing more I hate when Automakers seem to pull a classic name out of a hat and then pin it to a concept that in no way shape or form is based or designed around the vehicle in which the name orginially stuck with.


Oh yeah and since i'm a lot tech now i drive a lot of new cars and let me tell you, the Ford 500/milan/lincoln MKZ/Zephyr all seem to have NO throttle response, I LOVE the looks of the Lincoln MKZ/Zephyr, but damn.

[beefcake]

I never understood why Ford decided to kill the nameplate off in the first place.

i don't understand what they are talking about bringing the name back

the name has never went anywhere

the taures is still being made

even though the public hasn't been able to buy them new since 05, they are still being made for fleet

i've had a ton of 06's on the lot, and now we are getting 07 used ones on the lot, back from the rental company and fleet companies

the five hundred is supposed to be getting a facelift, i heard it looks pretty sharp

[Evil_Capri]

i don't understand what they are talking about bringing the name back

the name has never went anywhere

the taures is still being made

even though the public hasn't been able to buy them new since 05, they are still being made for fleet

i've had a ton of 06's on the lot, and now we are getting 07 used ones on the lot, back from the rental company and fleet companies

the five hundred is supposed to be getting a facelift, i heard it looks pretty sharp

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...01/1063/SEARCH


http://www.leftlanenews.com/2007/01/...undred-debuts/

[Black Horse]

Its more than just the Taurus suffering from brand identity:

The 500 will be re-badged the Taurus
The Freestyle (crossover) will be re-badged the Taurus X
The Montego will be re-badged the Sable

I agree with the Taurus/Sable decision - I think it will help more folks return to what they felt comfortable with, but the "Taurus X" wtf?

[Ranger50]

X just marks the spot....for where to throw some stones or bricks.

BTW, as RIJon said elsewhere, "Fire all the execs, and I mean all of them." I have to agree. Ford has a bigger problem then renaming "failing" car nameplates. It's called, Toyota, GM, DCX, etc.....

[beefcake]

Its more than just the Taurus suffering from brand identity:

The 500 will be re-badged the Taurus
The Freestyle (crossover) will be re-badged the Taurus X
The Montego will be re-badged the Sable

I agree with the Taurus/Sable decision - I think it will help more folks return to what they felt comfortable with, but the "Taurus X" wtf?

definately a good marketing idea, hopefully with the redesign it will be good,

i guess i'll have to assume the taurus will actually be gone then

[Black Horse]

i guess i'll have to assume the taurus will actually be gone then

Tarus has been gone for a while (with the closing of the Atlanta Assembly Plant) - the sales to the fleets have been from the stockpile with the basic options. There really is not 2007 Taurus....yet

[beefcake]

Tarus has been gone for a while (with the closing of the Atlanta Assembly Plant) - the sales to the fleets have been from the stockpile with the basic options. There really is not 2007 Taurus....yet

i have 2 used 2007 taures's sitting on my lot,

there definately are 07 taureses lol