According to a new report by CNW Marketing Research, about 20 percent of Ford's dealers are referring to the new Ford Taurus by the old Five-Hundred name.
If you recall earlier this year Ford unveiled a newly restyled Ford Five-Hundred, but then one month later the automaker decided to resurrect the old Taurus name that the automaker killed a year earlier. In addition the re-styled new "Taurus" does look very similar to the old Five-Hundred sedan although it does have a new front end and revised taillights. Now you can see the apparent confusion, well at least for 20 percent of the dealer network. About 60 percent of Ford's dealer network are using the correct name, but they do slip up from time to time.
Although Ford figured that the Taurus name would resonate better with the buying public than the Five-Hundred name, the new car is still not selling that well. Maybe because dealers keep referring to it by the old name or because the styling is still too bland? Who knows?
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Comments (10)
Can't be any more bland than a camry or accord, doesn't seem to stop those cars from selling.
Styling aside, it's a good car.
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/autos/0708/gallery.ford_taurus_review/index.html
Posted by greg | September 18, 2007 12:42 PM
Posted on September 18, 2007 12:42
Or maybe becasue when customers here "Taurus" all they can think about is blown head gaskets and transmissions failing... They should have stuck with Five Hundred.
Posted by Kevin | September 18, 2007 2:58 PM
Posted on September 18, 2007 14:58
This problem with the Ford 500 was that it was underpowered (for its size) and had a CVT(only Nissan has been able to hone a CVT to acceptable standards). The previous styling (by an ex-Audi stylist) was nice, the interior was well done, and on the whole the car had reasonable road manners. The new "taurus" has addressed the power and replaced the CVT with a regular tranny making the car much better. I think Ford is shooting themselves in the foot by renaming it a Taurus. The Taurus at the end of its previous cycle was almost relegated to fleet sales, because Ford abandoned an update to focus on SUV's. Most people associate that name to rental vehicles and not the vehicle during its heyday.
Posted by longdxcommuter | September 18, 2007 6:58 PM
Posted on September 18, 2007 18:58
It was Ford's fault for tarnishing the Taurus name. Let us remember that the Taurus was once a respectable car, earning car of the year awards and being number 1 in sales for multiple years, beating both the Accord and Camry. Then, for whatever reason, Ford went crazy with the oval theme in it's third generation car and when it lost the sales crown to both the Accord and Camry, let the model line rot until.
To call this a Taurus is really an insult to the name. The original Taurus was about innovation (with great aerodynamics and a unique body style) and performance (remember the SHO?). What we have here is an upgraded Ford Five Hundred--or what the original Five Hundred should have been.
Posted by Jim | September 18, 2007 9:08 PM
Posted on September 18, 2007 21:08
All this talk about the Taurus and Five Hundred names is seriously confusing me. If they want to tell everyone that it's still the Taurus but (maybe) better, why not call it the Ford Taurus 500? or a similar compromise?
Posted by Eddie | September 18, 2007 10:41 PM
Posted on September 18, 2007 22:41
id much rather just buy a mondeo than tbis looks like a vauxhall vectar with different facia
Posted by osh | September 19, 2007 3:40 AM
Posted on September 19, 2007 03:40
Jim nailed it on the head!
The only thing I would add is that Ford and the rest of the big three abandoned their cars in the early 90s to concentrate on SUV's.
Nothing wrong with that, they were making huge profits on them. I just don't have any sympathy for them now and the position they have put themselves in.
Posted by zippy | September 19, 2007 7:51 AM
Posted on September 19, 2007 07:51
FYI Kevin the Five Hundred wasn't only a CVT - the one I'm driving has an Aisin 6-speed.
It's still a POS.
Posted by Ben | September 19, 2007 11:12 AM
Posted on September 19, 2007 11:12
hey if u call by ford Taurus or ford five hundred the sale will be the same....people are well knowledge and know how to get if they want to buy......
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samuelcaleb
Used Cars
Posted by samuelcaleb | September 10, 2008 12:24 AM
Posted on September 10, 2008 00:24
The most nondescript car on the road.
Posted by bad hat | December 13, 2008 4:55 PM
Posted on December 13, 2008 16:55