rWould updates to the Sedans GM and Ford are canceling have saved them? (F150, rental)
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We have all heard the usual of consumer preference is shifting towards Crossovers,as to why Sedans are being phased out. I really cant see a man saying, screw the Impala, I want a Traverse instead or a guy trading in their XTS or CT6 for a XT5 CUV.
Many of the cars being canceled seemed to have been neglected the updates needed to keep them competitive.
Ford:
Ford Focus and Fiesta had a awful DCT that probably ran many away from those sedans and Ford all together, so would a 8 or 9sp auto along with an option of the 2.0T 250HP engine from the ST being available in a automatic have made the Focus more competitive and appealing vs it competitors.
The Fusion finally got a v6 again, but would a 2.3L Turbo or even a 8spd auto made the Fusion stand out more vs the Camry/Altima/Accord?
The updated Taurus that fixed all complaints many had of the Taurus went to China, so would that model i China if released here along with a 2.3L option from the Explorer, DI 3.5L and a updated 8spd auto, have saved the car?
GM:
The Cruze actually wasnt a bad car in the upper trims, but could have used a more powerful powertrain option to compete with some levels of Hyundai and the Civic.
The Spark Sonic seemed like a toy cars made for their rental purpose.
The Lacrosse is nice, but a bit too expensive to me.
The Impala is still pretty much the exact same 5 years later, and the 3.6L/9sp auto combo went to the Lacrosse and not the Impala, so would having that power train Combo and even a minor update to the rear or non LTZ models have saved the car considered how Highly praised the car was in 2014 when it was released?
Do you think modern updates to these sedans and other models mentioned would have saved them from being canceled or the CUV/SUV craze is here to stay?
They did update them. They created parallel models that are basically four-door sedans with a taller body profile, an inch or two more ground clearance, various truck-like details, and an SUV / CUV name plate.
I'm sure the lack of updates to these models did have something to do with why people weren't buying them anymore. Pretty much a self fulfilling prophecy for the car companies.
I remember when they canceled the Ford Ranger and shut down the production plant (which was only a few miles away from me). I always thought there was still a decent market for the small trucks because not everyone wants a full sized one that gets worse gas mileage and is harder to park. It seemed like Ford gave up on the Rangers and quit advertising and updating them about 10 years prior, though. Ford had a motive to get rid of them since there was much more money to be made with the F150's, so that's what they wanted people to buy.
I suspect the car's are somewhat the same. People expect to pay less for a smaller vehicle, therefore they have to sell them for less money, or not sell them at all. Therefore the manufacturers start cutting corners and making them crappier than their larger, slightly better made models and then people notice and stop buying them.
Sedans died out in Europe over 40 years ago to be replaced by hatchbacks. Small sedans just aren't useful to enough people to warrant the endless R&D costs, thin margins and strong competition.
Europe today is dominated by hatchbacks, likewise here in the US I expect us to be dominated by small CUVs.
First off, i'm a fan of sedans. My wife drive's a CUV but I plan to stick to sedans (or 2 door WD coupes) for as long as I can.
With that said, I think the biggest thing that doomed the Taurus was it's name. I drive a '14, and whenever I told anyone I drove a Taurus, their minds immediately went to thoughts of a 90's econobox hoopty. However, anytime anyone unfamiliar with them got in my car they would ask "what kind of car is this? A fusion?".
Car simply wasn't marketed right, and the SHO really caters to more of a niche market. Last few years, it was left off most Ford promotional materials anyway.
Here's one of the latest Ford performance promo pics...and no Twin-Turbo, AWD SHO model to be seen anywhere...but there's the Fiesta. Most performance minded people I bump into don't even know a SHO exists.
Having someone mistake your Taurus for a Fusion isn't exactly a compliment. But yes, Ford and GM are still paying for the reputations they earned in the 80s and 90s. Ironically, compared most of their cars. I mean, this was the period where they went through the Fairline, Tempest, Contour as if by changing the names everyone wow forget how bad the last one was. Taurus was quite good. Radical departure from land yacht but in comparison to a Tempest.
First off, i'm a fan of sedans. My wife drive's a CUV but I plan to stick to sedans (or 2 door WD coupes) for as long as I can.
With that said, I think the biggest thing that doomed the Taurus was it's name. I drive a '14, and whenever I told anyone I drove a Taurus, their minds immediately went to thoughts of a 90's econobox hoopty. However, anytime anyone unfamiliar with them got in my car they would ask "what kind of car is this? A fusion?".
Car simply wasn't marketed right, and the SHO really caters to more of a niche market. Last few years, it was left off most Ford promotional materials anyway.
Here's one of the latest Ford performance promo pics...and no Twin-Turbo, AWD SHO model to be seen anywhere...but there's the Fiesta. Most performance minded people I bump into don't even know a SHO exists.
The Tarus was never a ecobox The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by Ford in the United States. Now in its sixth generation, it was originally introduced in the 1986 model year, and has remained in near-continuous production for more than three decades. It has had a Mercury-branded twin, the Sable (1986–2005; 2008–2009), as well as a performance variant, the Ford Taurus SHO (1989–1999 and 2010–); in addition, it served as the basis for the first-ever front-wheel drive Lincoln Continental (1988–2002). It was a front-wheel drive mid-size car until 2007, and has been a "global" full-size car (built on the Ford D3 platform) since 2008, and available in front- or all-wheel drive since 2008.
I'm sure the lack of updates to these models did have something to do with why people weren't buying them anymore. Pretty much a self fulfilling prophecy for the car companies.
I remember when they canceled the Ford Ranger and shut down the production plant (which was only a few miles away from me). I always thought there was still a decent market for the small trucks because not everyone wants a full sized one that gets worse gas mileage and is harder to park. It seemed like Ford gave up on the Rangers and quit advertising and updating them about 10 years prior, though. Ford had a motive to get rid of them since there was much more money to be made with the F150's, so that's what they wanted people to buy.
I suspect the car's are somewhat the same. People expect to pay less for a smaller vehicle, therefore they have to sell them for less money, or not sell them at all. Therefore the manufacturers start cutting corners and making them crappier than their larger, slightly better made models and then people notice and stop buying them.
That is not true the reason the Ranger got the axe was it's increased price to where in 2011 a Ranger and F150 with comparable options would be about a $2500-$3000 Difference.
That is not true the reason the Ranger got the axe was it's increased price to where in 2011 a Ranger and F150 with comparable options would be about a $2500-$3000 Difference.
So consumers went with more capable F150 instead.
Than why did GM get tied of the S10 Chevrolet and S15 gmc. They were not selling plain and simple not because they wanted people to buy full-size pickups because that’s exactly what they were buying instead of the smaller ones why is so hard for people to except that fact, why do they think it was a conspiracy to get people to buy full-size pickups.
Having someone mistake your Taurus for a Fusion isn't exactly a compliment.
Was insinuating that most people just don't care or know what it was.
Personally, I feel the fusion should have been named the Taurus as a successor. Of course I realize there was an inconvient overlap of the two models. Just an opinion
Last edited by BostonMike7; 12-13-2018 at 03:53 PM..
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