Ford Will Redesign Taurus Next Year

Ford CEO Alan Mulally let slip some interesting product news today: During a speech at the Auto World Congress in Detroit, he said that there would be a new Taurus sedan coming next year. “The new Taurus is the one we should have made originally," he said.

There are a few interesting tidbits here. One, it was Mulally who, after arriving at Ford from Boeing, immediately decided to resurrect the Taurus name on an existing and failing model, the Five Hundred. The resurrection included some major upgrades and took place just last year, for the 2008 model year.

We’d guess the current Taurus would stay for another year as a 2009 model. Even after it’s replaced, there’s a chance its sister vehicle, the Mercury Sable, could stay around as is. Neither is lighting the world on fire in the sales department, but the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan might be too similar to their sibling sedans, even though they’re smaller vehicles. It’s unlikely the Taurus would move to a rear-wheel-drive platform, but it could take its cues from the upcoming AWD 2009 Lincoln MKS. We’ll have to wait and see.

Ford CEO Says New Taurus Coming (Detroit Free Press)

Comments

The Taurus and old five hundred are not the most popular cars, but in my opinion are among the most thoroughly designed large cars on the road. I don't know what other large cars the media are driving that are so exciting. I think a redesigned interior, a sport or touring model, and some commercials showing the car would be money better spent. The redesign money should be spent on the focus- a car that needs it. But I guess every brand needs a flagship.

I am really liking this new quick on its feet Ford. Kudos to Mullaly.

Broq

The 500 was not a modern car. It had outdated engine/transmission and everything else.
The renaming to Taurus finally came with new, modern engine and transmission, but the inside the car is still 19th century. Infinity-like clock, Chrysler-like guages. Corporate radio/cd player. Ford simply ran out of ideas.
What killing American makes is attention to details. they don't have any attention to it. Honda, Toyota are champions of the small detail.
They invest heavily into design of every little piece of plastic. Ford has had recalls for failing Cruise Control switch for 10 years.

Based on the size of the current Taurus it should have appropriately been called the Walrus. Maybe rename the Expedition the Elephant. Too bad the Excursion is extinct for it could have been badged the Tyrannosaur.....ha ha!

Tony,
have you driven a 500?
The engine was maybe a little small and perhaps outdated relative to the best in the class, but it had a 6-speed tranny- or a CVT- neither could be called outdated. The interior is not as imaginative, but it is a very comfortable place to spend time. Yes some of the plastic could be better, but again, it is nowhere near as bad as some cars.

Like I said though, a new interior and a few tweeks is all it really needs. Avalon has more airbags and reclining back seats- even though I think they are useless - I rather be able to fold my seats down- Taurus should have them too.

broq

What is the point in having the Fusion, Taurus, and Crown Victoria? Honda has the Accord, Toyota has the Camry and Avalon, Chevy has the Impala and Malibu. Three's a crowd Ford! Kill off one of them, especially considering that only one out of the three are selling well.

Actually, they don't have three since the Crown Vic is fleet only. It hasn't been an integral part of the retail fleet for a long time anyway.

Adam-
Ask you shall receive.

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2007/07/2008-ford-crown.html

The new Mercury Sable is a really beautiful car, I like the classic and modern mix of styles and with the new transmission it has to be even better to drive.

Why can't they do this to the FOCUS FIRST?! It is not even focused anymore.

From day one,500 should have been called Galaxie 500,with a Galaxie 500 XL sport model(heck,if needed,strip one bare and call it Fairlane 500).Taurus could have continued,but with a serious chassis/body re-do.My bet is Galaxie would have held its own well,the "new" Taurus would have continued its solid sales (fleet and otherwise) and Ford would not be scratching its head,and chasing tail now.Chevy fell back on Impala,Malibu as new/old names,why not Ford?

Ford just doesn't "get it".

The 500 never sold well because it didn't have an engine, plain and simple. Just about everything else out-performed it including a few lawn-mowers, and to make the experience worse, the underpowered Duratech was noisy and thrashy delivering a decidedly unrefined driving experience. A short test drive was enough to scratch the 500 off my shopping list.

Ford should never have released the 500 the way it was, and as a result they tarnished it's image and lost the short window of opportunity that opens when a car is new to market. Perhaps if the small Lincoln V8 or even the 4.0 liter V6 with more torque were offered as optional powertrains, the 500 may have been more successful.

Ford did all the right things for 2008 by installing the new, powerful and very competent 3.5 liter V6 and upgrading the interior and exterior, but then shot themselves in the foot by calling it Taurus - the very definition of mediocrity.

NOBODY aspires to a Taurus. It is not 1986 anymore.

It is a real pity because the Taurus and Sable are very nice vehicles in their own right, offering a lot of very nice car for the money, but the window of opportunity in attracting market attention is gone.

As the saying goes, you only get once chance to make a good first impression - and Ford blew it.

well J and Broq,
In the article linked to this article, its says that the Euro Focus and the N.A. Focus will eventually be the same car. I guess that takes care of the Focus, although it doesn't say when.

Ford managers are masters of shooting themselves in the foot!!
When they came with this 500 thingy, they also stuck 20 years old engine in it. This is just the way Ford does things.
They need more horses, so they make 3liter into 4liter. They don't develop new stuff. They just drilling wider holes.
This is what Ford does. May be this, new manager will change them.

sulli,

The Focus is long overdue for a REAL redesign. It's been on the market since 1999.
No matter how many surgery Ford gives it, it is still the same car. Just like no matter how many surgery MJ had, he is still the same old MJ.

Tony,

Don't forget the Mustang's platform too.