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Comments
Obviously someone at Ford thinks names matter - they just have the opposite opinion in the quality of the Taurus name from me. I think the Freestyle name would have been good if they had ad tie-ins and it wasn't so similar to Freestar.
I am curious to see how the 6-speed feels. I still love the CVT!
xnappo
Take a look around the forums - there are plenty of alpha-numeric names like Rick2456 and Barnstormer64. But those seem to be real names first, not initials like CX-7 and ML-320. And there aren't too many like 1487 (and I had to scroll through a few pages of the member list at CarSpace to remember him). At least I think it's a him.
On the other hand, if Ford came out with a 2009 Fintail, then I'd probably be curious to see what it looked like and I'd remember the style when I did see it. I'm hard pressed to remember if a G45 is a sedan or SUV. But F-150's have been around so long I know immediately what they are.
I guess Ford is lowering the fuel economy with the TaurusX incarnation. Thats moving forward...... Brilliant, just brilliant. Fire them all, please.
Source?
Jim
I could not find anything in the manual and I looked quickly back there and did not see anything so I thought I would ask as I am sure I am not the only one that have wondered.
Thanks in advance!
But I haven't looked very closely.
HELP!
I have the LTD with the rear climate control, and it has a single pair of overhead vents that should service both second and third rows.
my bad, no returning the vehicle now.
My wife's comment was "Taurus? That's not a good idea. I had a hard enough time thinking that I would drive a Ford let alone own one. There's no way I would have bought a Taurus!"
You see my wife is not a Ford fan, but the Freestyle was simply the best car that suited our needs at the time and so we overcame our prejudice and bought the Ford. If it was called the Taurus, it may have been one hurdle too many...
Ford has a lot more competition now and I certainly would not buy the Taurus X. Although more expensive the new GM offerings simply out class it.
I also have a 2005 FS Limited AWD w/auxiliary climate. There are actually 4 overhead louvered vents that provide heated/cooled air to each of the passengers in the 2nd and 3rd rows. For those w/o the auxiliary climate, the only additional vents are in the rearward position of the center console. Glad to see that the 2008 Freestyle/Taurus X has tinted 2nd row windows along with some cosmetic enhancements. Lets hope the MPG with the 3.5 engine is close to the current model.
Regards -
M. J. McCloskey
I'd suggest telling your wife that maybe YOU should be the one picking out cars, then.
Anybody who gives much thought to the NAME when deciding doesn't have his/her priorities straight, IMO.
Just curious - what do you suppose was Ford's motivation for the name changes in the first place?
tidester, host
Regards -
M.J. McCloskey
Marketing . . I think they believe that the name change will at least get people to THINK about trying the vehicle.
It's hard to want to try a vehicle if you haven't heard of it. And a lot of people don't research EVERY car.
But, to AVOID (or PICK) a car largely because of the name, that seems a bit ridiculous.
Let me quote you "MPG probably goes down". Translation: you don't know.
Ford used the 3.0 because it was the best fit at the time, when paired with a CVT. It would have been hopeless with a 4 or 5 speed at the FS weight and size.
Often having a larger engine that does less work due to more gears results in an increase in MPG. Additionally, the Edge is around 400 lbs heavier than the FS.
My father has a Lincoln with a V8 engine that gets 20 / 27 (real world, not EPA) MPG. If they could do that in 2001, why not now?
Tidester, the 500 and FS overlapped production of the Taurus. They could not have used the Taurus name.
tidester, host
Let me quote you: "Additionally, the Edge is around 400 lbs heavier than the FS." Wrong again. The Edge is 200 lbs heavier than a Freestyle with no panoramic roof, not significant.
You also said "Often having a larger engine that does less work due to more gears results in an increase in MPG." Wrong again. The 6-speed has more gears than a CVT? LOL... The truth is that the reversal in the displacment-to-fuel-flow-rate curve you are referring to doesn't occur until somewhere around 1.6L, nowhere near 3.0L. Nice try.
xnappo
I was basing my Edge weights on the review posed on "another site". It was a loaded AWD. The comparison value was a loaded FS AWD. The difference was 400 lbs.
RE: More gears, I wasn't directly referring to the CVT vs 6 speed (I was thinking of other upgrades from 4 or 5 to 6 speeds), although technically the 6 speed does have more gears, since the CVT has only the one gear, while the new one has six. But that is moot, since the CVT is continuously variable. That part of the post was not clearly worded. FWIW, I like the CVT and will be sorry to see it go.
The point is that if the smaller 3.0 / CVT has to work harder than the 3.5 / 6 speed at a similar speed, the 3.5 / 6 speed may very well get better mileage, due to lower RPMs. As I recall, the Ford 500 got similar (or better) MPG with the 3.5 / 6 Speed than with the CVT.
I stand by my statement, the 2008 FS will probably (sorry, couldn't resist) have comparable MPG to the 2007.
Now I'm confused . . you're amused by my comment, yet you agree with it? :confuse: :shades:
No problem here . . as long as the car was what I wanted.
However, I do think that you might have a hard time getting people to even TRY a car named the Pinto.
But once a person's tried it, if they like it, they shouldn't care about the name.
Yes, my amusement was in conjunction with the part you left out of the quote that explained it: What I find humorous is that Ford appears to be banking on it.
On the one hand it seems rather silly that the name of a vehicle would be a primary deciding factor in making a purchase yet that is exactly what Ford appears to be counting on by making the name changes.
Hope that helps.
tidester, host
There is some truth to the concept of a higher powered and/or displacement getting better mileage. Usually the larger engine is pulling a taller gear (lower numerical number) so the RPM is lower. In the case of the Freestyle CVT and AWD, the final ratio is 5.41 which is a stump puller but the CVT can get to "overdrive ratios" that allow this. A conventional trans would have the engine screaming at 70 MPH. The TaurusX will most likely not have a final gear this low so the mileage may improve or stay about the same.
It is interesting to note that the AWD system is going to be the same as Edge which is much less complex ($$$$) as the AWD in the Freestyle. In other words it looks like less content in the Taurus X.
Yeah.. less content. Like an all-new 3.5L engine with 60 more horsepower and a lot more torque, new 6-spd. transmission, power liftgate, one-touch folding 2nd row seats, Bluetooth/Sync, std. Anti-Lock brakes and Electronic Stability control, and a simplified AWD system that can deliver up to 100% thrust to either axle. Yep.. less content all-right.
Well, I would predict that the Taurus name is more likely to get people to actually TRY the car . . or even know that it exists. And that's half the battle.
The new four wheel drive system allows Ford to use it's existing Electronic Stability Control system. ESB has become the politically correct safety device felt necessary by many. Personally, I'd rather do my own driving.
A bigger engine is always nice - but the auto mags will soon be whining because Ford did not include Variable Valve Timing.
The power lift gate will be an option along with most of the other new options you listed.
My '05 Limited has every option available at the time and the MSRP was $34,890. I am suggesting that the Taurus "X" will be much more expensive loaded than the current Freestyle after factoring inflation. If you do not like the less content wording then pick your own phrase for getting less for your money.
By the way, I expected to hate the CVT but bought the vehicle because I could live with it and my wife likes it. It has become one of my favorite vehicles and the CVT is great. So I'm not convinced that the GM/Ford 6 speed is not also less content - the jury is out.
I admire your passion though and hope the new "X" is a roaring success.
The 6spd/CVT trade-off is a complete non-issue with me. Although I appreciate my CVT for what it is, it's the addition of the new engine that will completely transform the Freestyle into something it should have been to begin with.
No, I admit I haven't. But I'd buy it in an instant on looks alone over a Taurus X if the price of the Tau-X Ltd. got even close to SRX range. That was my point.
(The SRX starts at 37.8k)
I think many would agree the current Freestyle CVT is better than the future 6-speed. The 6-speed, discrete gears, should really be a thing of the past, as its yesterday's approach to compensating for an IC engine's torque curve, where a CVT is the long-term future, clearly. Its a step backwards to go with the 6-speed. (Ask Nissan, they are wisely going with CVTs.) And anyone who thinks a bigger, fuel-thirstier engine is better needs to wake up and smell the foreign oil.
Once we were off the driveway, the snow-covered (but at least somewhat plowed) streets were no problem.
The thing to remember about the Freestyle is that the AWD works very well, but there is not as much ground clearance as in a regular SUV, so you end up doing some snowplowing in deep snow.
That's because it's not a SUV...see crossover.
I've been through the Chicago snow these past few days in a FWD FS with 15k Conti's, safe driving, a capable, car and a little smarts will get you home in one piece more often than not...