China-Only Ford Taurus Emerges
Back in the spring of 2013, our sources told us that a CD-based Taurus was under development, but promptly sent to the garbage dump after its design bombed its consumer clinics. Marketing brass at Ford decided to kill the Taurus, due to dissatisfaction with the way it looked, and the shrinking mid-size car market. But the large sedan will live on in China.
The sedan, shown above, is said to be exactly that car. Ford is already planning a large Lincoln flagship, codenamed GOBI. Based on the CD architecture and targeted at Chinese business consumers by emphasizing rear seat comfort and amenities, GOBI will replace what we know as the Lincoln MKS in both China and the United States. A Ford with the same attributes would serve as a flagship for the Blue Oval in a way that it never could in America.
The full-size sedan market in America is heavily weighted towards fleet sales. With the Fusion outselling the Taurus by a roughly 4:1 ratio, it’s understandable that Ford would not want to renew the Taurus for another model cycle.
More by Derek Kreindler
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You are better off buying what you want and need and keeping it rather than just buying a vehicle based on the changing price of oil. If you want to stay out of debt and have any savings for retirement then keep what you have. Unless you drive much more than the average driver it takes years to pay the the savings in fuel versus the cost of a newer vehicle. If I were driving more than average then a Prius might be a good vehicle to drive, but just to buy a Prius to save on fuel for my less than average driving is a waste of money. The same holds true for buying a big fuel thirsty vehicle, which if I am not towing or hauling a lot of people or things is a waste of money regardless of how cheap fuel gets. Cheap fuel will not last as nothing lasts forever. If you buy what you need and want you are more likely to keep it for a while and you are more likely to take care of it if you like it.
While I like large sedans, our average road conditions around here in rural 'Merkistan are like...well, require a vehicle of more utility. Potholes aside, there's winter debris on the roads, wave tossed rocks, gravel aprons and pullouts with 3"-4" asphalt edges, gravel roads, sand roads, beach approaches, farm roads, logging roads, steep approach ramps to off street driveways, restaurants, gas stations, etc. It's why UV's in general are more common because they have hauling and driving utility. I see road conditions getting worse due to lack of funding. By the time I'm 80, probably be driving a 'fookin Unimog (or Amphicar).
Another vote for the Fusion: I have a friend who has driven and owned mostly Mercedes, Volvos, Cadillacs .. just recently bought a '12 Fusion. Loves it. And compares it quite favorably to those other makes .. he used to say nothing could get him out of a Volvo. Until now ..
Here is food for thought. If the current Taurus was a better car maybe it would sell in higher numbers. None of today's so called full sized cars are really full sized. They are just slightly longer mid size cars with a tad more trunk space(Except for the Lacrosse) and decent rear seat legroom. If Ford took the current Fusion and made it longer and wider and put a V6 engine in it with nice styling, loads of features I bet sales would go up. I don't know what the take rate on the new 2014/15 Impala is but they are seen in droves in Upstate, NY everyday so in parts they seem to be selling quite well. I see more of those than 2005-2015 Taurures combined. In fact on my street alone there are no less than 4 new body style Impalas sitting in driveways as daily drivers. There are no 2010-current Tauruses at all! I know this is hardly representative but I still find it interesting. I also find it depressing and sad that in a couple of years Ford's top sedan will be a mid size with 1.5 and 2 liter turbo 4 cylinder only power and China will have this. So unfair!