Back in October, I thought about writing* about how Ford was discontinuing the Taurus nameplate. The model, whose popularity had once rivalled the Camry, had been reduced to a rental-only vehicle, with pitiful sales. I remember when we had a Ford Taurus (actually, a 1992 Mercury Sable). Had the transmission fall out on the freeway. At that moment, we decided it was going. Was never quite quiet after we drove to hot springs near Mammoth. Ford just never kept up the product.
So, in October, Ford discontinued the nameplate, after 21 years and sales of nearly 7 million.
Guess what. According to anonymous Ford officials, Ford will rename its slow-selling Five Hundred model the Taurus. Why? The Five Hundred isn’t selling, and the they believe the name changes are confusing consumers (my opinion in four words: “It’s the quality, stupid” or “It’s the stupid quality”). The Five Hundred, built on Volvo architecture, sold moderately well in 2005, its first full year on the market, but sales nose-dived last year from almost 108,000 to about 84,000. It will get a new, more powerful engine and some cosmetic updates for the 2008 model year, when the name change likely is to take place.
In other Ford news, Alan Mulally, former Boeing executive who became Ford Motor CEO in September, has agreed to spend a day as a salesman in a yet-to-be determined Ford dealership. This should be quite interesting. I wonder what he’ll learn… both about reputation, and what really sells cars!
* Actually, I remember writing the post, but I can’t find it. CRS strikes again!
