Ford Incentives Up, Include Specialty Models

April has begun, and Ford has updated its incentives for the rest of the month. There are some very interesting deals to be had. We’ll break down all the models soon enough, but the most interesting tidbit of information for car enthusiasts is that both the Ford Mustang Bullitt and the upcoming Ford F-150 Chip Foose Edition are getting cash back just like their plain-jane brethren. 

The 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt is already on sale, and the Bullitt package costs an additional $3,310 on top of the cost of a regular Ford Mustang GT. Rebates range from $1,000 to $1,500, with an additional $1,000 offered in some regions if you go with Ford Credit to purchase the vehicle.*

Depending on where you live, that means you could pay just a $810 premium to have the special edition, which adds horsepower and suspension tweaks.

The 2008 Ford F-150 Chip Foose Edition isn’t on sale yet, but the roughly $55,000 sport truck will come to market over the next few months with between $3,000 and $3,500 cash back (plus that potential $1,000 in financing cash) on the intricately detailed hood.

Other rebates are more pedestrian, but still noteworthy:

Friday Fleet Notes: 10.12.07

They may not be the sexiest of test vehicles, but a few of us got to check out two important entries for their respective brands. One other staffer also discovered why the Mini Cooper S is so beloved when it returned to our fleet for a short time after topping our Top 10 Urban Cars list.

Suzuki SX4 Sport

• I'd driven the SX4 Crossover before with the automatic transmission and thought it was OK, but not great. The SX4 Sport with a manual transmission was a lot more fun to drive. I didn't push it, but it was reasonably peppy away from stop signs and, given its small size, decent over rough pavement. The large A-pillar didn't bother me, but it did bother Mike Hanley when he had the car for a much longer time than I did, so it's something to check out. (I really liked the little window in the A-pillar, though it's more of a decorative than functional thing. It'd be even better if it were an old-fashioned vent window.) Sedans aren't my thing, but I left the SX4 Sport hoping I'd get the chance to put its Crossover brother, with a manual, to the Weekend Athlete test. — William Jackson, Buying Guides editor

Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Ford Taurus X

Senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder takes some time to explain why the all-new Taurus X isn’t exactly all-new at all in his just-posted review on Cars.com. Just because it’s based on the outgoing Freestyle, though, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a few things going for it. Joe will walk you through all the pros — “very roomy” — and cons — “aesthetically flawed inside” — along with showing off the Taurus X in video format. 

2008 Ford Taurus X Expert Review

Weekend Athlete: 2008 Ford Taurus X

I loaded up the new Ford Taurus X for Weekend Athlete duty, drove it, unloaded it and played with its features. It was nice, but I left knowing it wasn't something I'd buy.

It was the largest vehicle I'd tested up to this point, so there was enough room to put my bike in without removing the wheel. It's also the first vehicle since the Honda Element that held all my gear and my bike without taking the wheel off. If you plan on carrying a lot of stuff, don't get the optional center console in the second row — doing so eliminates a nice storage cubby.

New Ford Taurus X a Top Safety Pick

Hot on the heels of the renamed and redesigned Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable sedans earning the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s top safety award, Ford’s renamed and redesigned Taurus X three-row crossover has also earned the designation of Top Safety Pick.

Previously called the Ford Freestyle, the Taurus X now features more safety features, a larger engine and new exterior styling. Recently, Ford began an ad campaign touting the new Taurus, formerly called the Five Hundred, as the safest large sedan you can buy. It’s the only non-luxury large sedan that’s earned the Top Safety Pick award. 

Currently, the Taurus X is the only non-luxury three-row crossovers of its size to earn the nod. To be fair, many other new comparably sized three-row crossovers have not yet been tested. The Taurus X should be on sale next month. 

The Week in Ask.cars.com

It’s been another week of terrific questions from Ask.cars.com readers. Our crack research staff has been hot on the phone with automakers and questioned our reviewers about driving impressions and more to make sure no automotive inquiry is left unturned. Check out the latest entries below. If you have a question you want answered, submit it at Ask.cars.com.

• Does the Nissan 350Z convertible have a hardtop?
• When will the new 2008 Ford Taurus X go on sale?
• How can you spot an all-wheel-drive Cadillac?
• Does the Honda CR-V or Mitsubishi Outlander have easier steering?
• Does the Impala use drive-by-wire technology?

2007 Chicago Auto Show: 2008 Ford Taurus X

Formerly known as the Freestyle, Ford has renamed its redesigned large crossover the Taurus X. We think the name is lame, but the Freestyle has been due for a redesign since almost the day it debuted. When the Taurus X arrives at dealerships in late summer, it will feature Ford’s new 3.5-liter V-6 engine rated at 260 hp and matched to a six-speed automatic. 

This is a considerable upgrade from the previous Freestyle’s anemic 203-hp V-6, which was mated to a frustrating CVT automatic transmission. There will also be an Eddie Bauer edition offered for the first time, and the Taurus X also features easy-­to-maneuver second-row seats. We’ll have more on the Taurus X later today, but for now there are more photos to peruse below.

Related:
2007 Chicago Auto Show: 2008 Ford Taurus
Ford May Rename Five Hundred ... Taurus