The Taurus/Sable (as is) was to be discontinued in 2005, & replaced by a Mazda based Taurus, which now seems to be dead. The Futura is still on though, which means Ford will have the 500, the Taurus, and the Futura all in their mid-size car lineup.

http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?p..._code=09269189

Though it isn't mentioned in the article, Lincoln's Town Car is scheduled for a redesign (as opposed to replacement) in 2007. Since the Crown Vic has always been redesigned in lockstep with the TC, it's safe to say we'll be looking at another CV on the current chassis (with some updates) through the end of the decade.

 

Yeah, that won't confuse the masses.

 

I don't understand the strategy here...

Talk about over-competeing with yourself!

Eh, it's good for Ford buyers, I guess... more in-house choices...

 

Ford is looking to do fleet sales with the Taurus after the 500 is out.They are looking to have 70% of sales be fleet.Whats wrong with that?They have been doing it with the 4 door escort for a couple years.Which is dead this year me thinks...
The 500 is the replacement for the Taurus....
Someone must be mixing the freestyle up with the Taurus....But it is well in development so I cant see them stopping it right now.

 

This just gives Jack Roush 6 more years to bitch about Ford's aerodynamic disadvantage in Winston/Nextel cup even though all the cars are run with common bodies (only the nose differentiates the makes now).

 

The problem for Ford is that all their new vehicles are costing significantly more to manufacturer then the product they were intended to replace. They need cars like the existing Taurus for high volume fleet sales so they dont have to sell the new Futura at a discount and deflate its resale value.

This way they can keep the new Futura loaded with expensive options to offset the higher cost of manufacturing and keep the Taurus as the base model with fewer options and sell it cheap.

Ford is doing the same thing by keeping the existing F150 around along side the all-new 2004 F150 so they can sell all the new 2004 F150's loaded with expensive options to make them profitable (the 04 F150 costs around $2000 more to make then the 03's) and keep the older/existing F150's as base/low priced entry-level models and for fleet sales.

Ford will continue to keep these older models around until the new models become cheaper to produce and/or all these huge sale incentives and 0% financing go away.


The Ford 500 and Freestyle will be larger and more upscale then the new Futura (and existing Taurus) and will most likely sell for around $30,000 (depending on options and standard equipment).

 

Anybody got a pic of the Ford 500?? I hadnt heard a thing about it coming out yet.

 

Comes out in about a year as a 2005 model.

http://www.car-data.com/xpage.previe...l=five-hundred

http://www.velocityjrnl.com/jrnl/2005/vmd6477ov.html

 

Here's a pic of a disguised Ford 500

http://info.detnews.com/autosinsider...x.cfm?id=10897

 

My confidence in Ford's turnaround has just decreased. Oh well, if their still on the "F" names kick, they could rebadge it the "Ford FleetCar".

 

If Ford decided to keep the current Mustang and sell it along side the all-new 2005 Stang then you know Ford is in big trouble.

What if Ford kept the current Stang as the v6 base strippy model for a year or two while they ramp up production and meet the huge demand of the new 05 model.

Theres no doubt that the new 05 Stang is going to cost significantly more to manufacturer then the outgoing Stang. Ford will have no choice but to produce as many V8 GT's loaded with high-margin options to recoupe their cost and make these new Stangs profitable (most of the profit is in the options).

They could ironically call the current Mustang the "CLASSIC" and call the 2005 RETRO-styled Mustang "ALL NEW!"

While I doubt Ford would do this I wouldnt be suprised if they really over produced v6 versions of the outgoing 2004 Stang so dealers will have a plentiful supply of lowpriced Stangs to sell. The new 05 Stang is going to bring tons of potential customers into the showrooms and since most of the 2005 Mustangs will be loaded with all the options and consequently they will be too expensive for alot of folks so these heavily discounted outgoing 04 V6 models should sell very well.

Call it the old "bait and switch" selling technique

 

Dang! A newly found evil of retro!!

 

Jonnie, you just solved a minor mystery.

I picked up the new edition of EVO magazine (it's a very good european car magazine), and around page 18 or so, there is an article about a new RWD V8 MG sedan. In the background is a rear view of a parked car with camoflage over the tail end. All the other vehicles in the picture are Fords (MG's V8 is from Ford) or something from Ford.

In the forground is a Mercury Mararuder and in the background is a old Ford Pickup. Both vehicles ar visible in this spy pic of the 500, Mararuder in the left edge of the picture, and old pickup on the right edge. Mystery solved.

In case anyone's wondering (and can't spot an Evo magazine at Barnes & James), it looks like a disguised Nissan Altima in the rear, complete with round taillights.

 

If Ford did that, then everyone should sell their Ford stocks.....NOW!

Seriously though, if I understand correctly the Dearborn plant where the current Stang's built is scheduled to be rebuilt as part of a new advanced manufacturing facility next year, so you Ford stockholders can hang on to them for awhile.

BTW: The new Mustang's being made at the Flat Rock plant.

 

Now that it is public, I can't believe this. I thought the futura and the mazda rx-8 thing was the next best thing that ford was going to use for everything. Very strange.