Proud, I don't think a $38k (MSRP) car is necessarily just for the rich or up and coming executive. Look how many regular Joes (heh) plunked down way more than that for full size pickups and SUVs (wearing Ford badges and bowties) by the jillions. Yeah, those are "more" vehicle going by space / size, but MANY of those full size SUV owners bought bigger than they needed. If just a handful of Expedition buyers decide that they just don't need a big *** SUV this time around...

Ford sells the Mustang GT500 for over $50k. The Ford GT (I know, different market, but still) was way over 6 figures.

I think it would be crazy to call it a Mercury. To me, Mercury is among the most damaged / diminished brands on the market. They have no single vehicle that isn't a direct rebadge of a Ford. Not "platform sharing" like a Malibu to an Aura (no body panels shared, completely different interiors), but actual rebadges with minor grille / detail changes. Is the Sable even being redesigned for 2010 like its Taurus counterpart? Going away? Or soldiering on as-is? They could put this powertrain in such a car, but the SHO has a known and fairly respected history.

Also, not everyone with money is inclined to buy BMW / Lexus / other lux brands, as you well know. I personally think it is insane to pay $50k for a 4000 lb, 500 hp Mustang when the world beating Corvette can be had for similar money, but there are Ford fans out there who have decent money (or spend more than they should ) and buy such cars. I mean, yeah it's got a back seat, but otherwise, the Vette is superior in ANY measure possible. There are people with money who still choose to buy domestic, and people with money for whom the badge isn't critical (or for whom the Ford badge is a plus!).

8-10k such people will hopefully be inclined to pick up a Q-ship SHO.

Yeah, cars are expensive (like I said, I'm a used buyer primarily), but they've been that way for a long time, adjusting for inflation and such.

 

Agree with ^^^^

Lincoln already has its own version in the Ecoboost MKS and it'll be priced significantly more seeing as how the base N/A MKS already costs $37k. You are not going to find a Lincoln of this caliber for the SHO's price. You will pay a bigger premium for that Lincoln badge.

Mercury brand as mentioned has less prestige and value than Ford. At least the Ford brand has in the past and present sold many cars costing close to and in excess of 40+k. The most expensive mercury is what? the 31k Mariner hybrid? A sub40k mercury is an even harder sell than a sub-40k Ford imo. And no taurus = NO SHO. I don't think Ford has to badge this car as something else just to appease badge elitist. Btw, those same elitist most likely wouldn't be caught dead in a Lincoln or Mercury either.

Who's going to buy this? same guys that buy 45-50k GT500's, 70k GT500KR's, and 160k Ford GT's...pretty much Ford/domestic enthusiasts with a extra income and i think there's enough of them out there to move enough units to keep Ford satisfied.

pretty much rehash of what 94B4c posted since i agree with his stance.

 

http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

Even though it only goes to 2008, you have to go to between 1984 and 1985 to get a 2-1 margin according to this calculator. $1 in 1998 was worth about $1.30 last year.

 

GT500 guys? Maybe, but if they have 50k to burn on a fun car, they probobly have something a big higher end.
KR? Eh...you might see one or two, but thier other car is most likely a 550i or a E550.
GT? Deff not. They take thier GT out on the sunniest of summer days, but the rest of the time they are in the S class.

This is a good car, at the wrong time, at the wrong price point. They didnt bring enough to fight off cars like the G8 GXP and the SRT8 twins.

 

The car is priced competitively and it will hold well against those Muscle cars. What the SHO may lack in all-out speed compared to those,it beats them in features and luxury......epecially the Charger. The G8 is a dead man walking,so it's basically pointless to bring it into the discussion.
When does the new Charger arrive? I'd like to see if they improve the interior and exterior styling. That car would be the one to match against the Taurus.

 

Oh, so because the G8 doesnt have much of a future means that it shouldnt be compared to the SHO? Thats stupid.
The SHO does not have what it takes to make in the 40k sports sedan market. Sorry.

 

Luckily it is in the $38k market, not the $40k market.

 

It doesn't have to be buyers of those specific vehicles. It seems you're more concerned with the details/semantics...truth is, we're both speculating on what owners of those high$$ Ford's actually drive on the side with no factual data or figures. My overall point was that a Ford enthusiast with extra income is the most likely target...a point you either disagree with or failed to note in my previous post. This vehicle is NOT for the brand/badge elitist.

There's always something bigger, higher, better, etc... Not everyone uses the same rationale or reasoning in justifying their purchase. The corvette is without a doubt a better, superior, and prestigious car than the GT500 in just about every imaginable aspect, but about 12k people a year (enough to keep Ford satisfied) justify spending their 50k on the GT500 instead of the Corvette. You can't assume everyone's in it for the badge, performance, or whatever X or Y factor that comes to mind. If that was the case, Ford wouldn't be able to move a single 40+k vehicle and the GT500 would be an utter failure and long dead.

And for the record, i'd have NO trouble picking this SHO over the Gxp and SRT8 if i had 40k to spend on a car. I'd do it in a heartbeat. Again, everyone has their reasons.

 

G8 buyers are looking for an engine, not a luxury car.

I honestly doubt that many people will cross-shop the two. Otherwise, why would GM even bother with the Lucerne Super.

 

One thing about the Taurus SHO...

It is a BIG, HONKIN', fullsized car. I can see people cross shopping it with a 300C or Charger or G8.

I wonder what Chevy might one day bring to the party to compete with it?

 

I'm not convinced this car will be cross-shopped with the Charger, 300C, and G8 GXP. However, I do agree they are in the same market.

The Taurus is such a bland, boring, blend in with the crowd kind of car compared to the others. Someone looking for this type of car would not be the same person looking at a G8 with huge flared fenders and hood scoops in my opinion.

I personally have never understood a car like this new SHO. I mean, I get the sleeper idea, but I'm not even sure it this is really a sleeper. It is just a basic 4-door sedan that they threw some nice features at and then gave it a pretty powerful engine and saddled it with AWD and roughly 4,300 pounds of weight. It still basically looks like a cheap, every man's Taurus, yet costs almost twice. I just don't see how people spend this kind of money on a car like this when there are so many other better options in my opinion. Oh well. I guess I am not the target, haha.

 

It doesn't sound like you get the idea of a sleeper at all.

 

It already has the Impala SS.

I found the following interesting article about the Impala and Malibu. Supposedly there will not be a new Impala until after the Malibu is redesigned.

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fi-gm...952,full.story

 

I don't think I'd call the redesigned Taurus / SHO "bland."

The styling may not be for everyone, but they definitely went a bit more aggressive with the new version! Quite distinctive, IMHO.

 

Do you think that Ford should have added some fake scoops and cladding?

In person, the car looks agressive (mostly due to it's wheel/tire combo), in a very understated way. Personally, I like that kind of stuff.