Spy Shot: 2008 Ford Five-Hundred
The Ford Five Hundred is getting a 2008 makeover en route to its 2012 replacement. As we reported earlier, the facelifted full-size sedan will adopt Ford's new three-bar chrome family grille, as well as a revised cabin. Looks like there'll also be a butt-lift for the rear end, which is also masked by a cover in this spy pic. Still, this is our best view yet of how the three-bar grille will work on the Five-Hundred, and we're curious to hear your thoughts. Perhaps we've become accustomed to the Five-Hundred's humble visage, but to our eyes it seems obvious the car wasn't designed with such a grille in mind.
The biggest news for Ford's big family-hauler, however, is the jump from its barely-adequate 3.0-liter V6 to the more substantial 3.5-liter unit that's being launched first in the Ford Edge, Lincoln MKZ and MKX. The Detroit News says Ford has decided against offering a V8 in the Five-Hundred, but quite frankly we never thought it would. The 3.5-liter V6 with around 265 horsepower is exactly the powerplant this car needed from the get-go.
[Source: Autos Insider]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
JB 3:51PM (9/18/2006)
Personally, I have driven the 500, and I like the car. It's styling is a me-too Passat, but so what? The first Taurus was an Audi 5000 anyway.
It is a roomy car, one of the few modern cars that I can adjust the seat for me (6'4") and sit in the back without my knees even touching the seatback. Very roomy.
Even the 3.0V6 is OK with me. With the 5-speed auto, it moves out fine. It's not a Hemi, but it gets 25 mpg consistently. The V6 should be very durable, and the trans is a joint venture with GM (I think).
The trunk is huge, sure to be a Mafia favorite.
The interior is fine, not offensive, not weird either. Some surfaces are too hard, like the door panels (bad for elbows), but that seems to be trend which I don't like.
I think that the 500 was caught with bad timing on the 300. Almost anything would have suffered under that comparo at the time.
I think the 500 with the Fusion face will do better, it has more chrome which some Americans love. Hopefully, there is a dark chrome option as well. I hope it is very chip resistant, too.
The larger V6 will be welcome, it is a better engine, and will help when the vehicle is full. I just think the CVT should be avoided. No need for it really with a 5-speed auto.
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doug 3:22PM (9/18/2006)
Given that the 500 is Ford's new old person car, I wonder about the success of the 3 bar grill on the car. Anyone remember when they did the major redo of the Crown Vic (to make it look like a Taurus back in 1992)? The car had no grill, like the Taurus, and the old folks hated it. Ford quickly restyled the front end and added a grill.
As for the v8 and hybrid, that's just more Ford vaporware, not gonna happen.
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KT 5:27PM (9/18/2006)
I never disliked it's look myself. It was designed with the understated Euro look (German). The SEL version with the different color egg crate grille appeals to me the most. I think if it had the 3.5 in it at launch, all the bland talk wouldn't have made much difference. However, coupling the "plain" look with an unappealing powertrain really hurt it from the start.
I agree the new front end looks out of place on the car. Once this is lauched I bet people will say they liked the old look better.
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Bruce Lee 3:27PM (9/18/2006)
Big deal, it's still going to be ugly and boring. When will Ford learn that boring and ugly are just boring and ugly! They need to work on somrthing that is appealing to all, not just the 65 and above group, no offense to the older readers.
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Richard 3:29PM (9/18/2006)
Shoot the 500 and shoot it now!
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Jim in Tampa 3:43PM (9/18/2006)
I like the 500. Some people need just a regular sedan which is roomy and safe rather than a Porsche. Anyway, the 3.5 liter engine is welcome but I'm not feeling the love for the three-bar grill.
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Tri-Bob 3:45PM (9/18/2006)
I'm sorry, did I miss something, when was the Taurus ever good lookig. It was successful because it was dependable and priced right. That is what this car needs to be.
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Bullitt Mustang 5:14PM (9/18/2006)
Sort of looks like something between an Audi and a Toyota.
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Noah 3:59PM (9/18/2006)
Funny Ford has an excelent track record with boring cars, the Crown Vic is a huge seller and it's boring. The Tarus was a huge seller and it was REALLY boring. The Festiva world wide is one of the best selling cars in history and every generation is at the forfront of automotive snoreology and I quite like the five hundred and it's new engine and grille. If I were shopping for a new sedan it'd be on my list for sure.
265hp is no sniffle either, that's decent output for a V6 heck it's down right perfect for the car.
--Noah
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me 4:02PM (9/18/2006)
The Taurus was way cool back in 1986(?) when it first came on the market - the ovoid shape was a first and it was excellently done. Ford has done little with cars since...
As for the 500, the 3.5L and the new grill are exactly what it needs - I like them both and if they price this car right (i.e. lower than they were) it will do very well. Now lets get some fair reviews, and this might even be a hit...
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Leo 6:47PM (9/19/2006)
the green house design is the worst part of this car not the front and rear
untill they replace it, it will always be ugly fugly
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PJ 4:42PM (9/18/2006)
It seems that Ford chose the three-bar design because it works so well on edgy, angular vehicles like the Fusion and Explorer.
Apply that theme to an ovoid vehicle with a pseudo-Passat roofline, and to me, the grille looks out of place. Spy shots of the '08 Focus left a similar impression.
Then again, you can only tell so much with a bag over its face.
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Calibe 4:37PM (9/18/2006)
Wow, they put the ugly part of the fusion on the five hundred. Clueless.
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Nick 4:44PM (9/18/2006)
I agree with the comments of posts #4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
I don't think that folks give the car enough credit. The mechanicals are incredibly sound (as they are Volvo based) and the car drives very well. I've driven my boss' Five Hundred a few times and I have to say that it's a very comfortable and capable car. It's spacious and it even handles rather well for such a large vehicle.
One of the previous poster's comments hit the nail on the head --- it's NOT a Porsche and some folks just want a good car with some added room. Nothing wrong with that.
I think that the new engine will work well to cure the most glaring shortcoming in the power department.
Stylistically, the interior is un-offense and the current exterior is a conservatively handsome, if a bit too plain-Jane. The new front end should help alleviate this problem. I don't doubt the 3-bar grille will do well to spice up the front end.
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rick 6:32PM (9/18/2006)
i think the new nose and new powertrain elevate the 500 to worthy contender status. seems just like what the doctor ordered. the new v6 and 6 speed is world class. i'm no ford guy but even i have to admit these improvements make the car relevant again.
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Pete 6:31PM (9/18/2006)
Three bar grill looks weird on this car. V-8 would be very nice and they have a small one in the 4.6, but the 3.5 V-6 will be very, very nice. Have driven a 500 and it is a very well built car and rides very decent. Handles well and drives well in the corners as well as highway.
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SherbornSean 7:12PM (9/18/2006)
Good to see a rational discussion of the 500, rather than the usual "all GM/Ford cars are cr@p" assault.
Every time I see one, I think to myself what great presence the 500 has, especially in black. With a 3.5, 6 speed and AWD, this is a real winner, and a great antidote to SUV madness.
I would love to see Ford sell a boatload of 500's to happy customers. Freestyles too.
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Apollo Two 8:05PM (9/18/2006)
Presence? The 500 is one of the most painfully average cars ever. The Taurus is always compared to the Audi 5000, but that's not really accurate. They don't look anything alike now, but back then it was the only car with a sleek enough shape to refer to. Considering it came out two years after the Audi it was clearly independently created.
My parents bought a new Mercury Sable when they first came out 20 years ago(!) - that and the Taurus were so far ahead of every other family car. I was a gearhead (at 13) but I thought it was a cool car. For the first few weeks until they were everywhere people would actually stare at it when we parked!
That's what Ford needs - not a dull car with an awkward grill. J Mays and Ford's management blunders have destroyed the company. The constant facelifts on an aging lineup are pathetic when what they need are cars that are more than just average.
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Andrew 8:33PM (9/18/2006)
I like it. I am also tall, so I like big cars. Also a big fan of Ford interiors as of late. I think it's a stylish American alternative to the Avalon.
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Keith 8:51PM (9/18/2006)
I love the Ford 500, and I'm even under 30!
The previous comparisons of the 500 to the Passat are spot on. I don't remember the Passat being the target of so much ire, so why the hate for the 500? It's not meant to be a BMW 5 series competitor as some might say the 300C is. It's a thoroughly competent, incredibly safe, well built family sedan that handles far better than it's appearance would suggest.
I rented one with the 6 speed auto a few months back and had no complaints regarding acceleration. The 6 speed is matched wonderfully to the 3.0L engine.
The 500 SEL in black with tinted windows looks stellar.
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