Ford 500 SEL $21,995, as shown in the March 9th "The News Times". The Ford 500 was anticipated to be Fords golden child. Ford really needed a top notch draft pick to repair a failing team that had once risen to such prominence. The 500 resurrected a once hallowed nameplate and was sent out onto the field for glory. To Fords surprise it's golden child fouled out of the game. Now to be fair it seems as if Ford, these day's, has been caught between a rock and a hard place. It's once number one place Taurus had fallen down as critics and customers alike criticised it's outlandish styling, which in earlier Mercury Sable form looked like a smiling dolphin from the rear. So Ford built a conservative replacement only to have it's offering panned for blandness, what is a car company to do? Well Ford has decided to pump up the 500 with some much needed muscle, although still far from industry best, (why can't Ford just drop a V-8 under that massive hood!!!), and while they are at it it is being renamed Taurus. Now the 500 has been selling slower than O.J's Bronco at state auction so what makes things even worse, news that these upgrades will be coming soon with a minimal price difference. Poor 500, it just sits there waiting for the prodigal son Taurus to return. Now on paper it makes little sense to buy a left over 500, but in reality it makes perfect sense. If this was a nationally published car magazine I could not waver from MSRP, but this is Automotive Declassified, we are not bound by such parameters. In real life Colonial Ford of Danbury recently advertised a $27,035 500 SEL for a savings of $5040, bringing it's price to $21,995. For nearly 30 grand the 500 is ridiculous, but for around 22 big ones with leather and AWD the 500 becomes a wonderful choice. $22,000 can easily show up on the "old car dealer checkout" for some much lesser vehicles. I once new a person who paid about that for a loaded Honda Civic, highway robbery! The 500 is not a good value on price alone. First of all reliability has risen to allow it to be recommended by Consumer Reports. Secondly it has won numerous awards for safety, and finally it handles with the finesse befitting it's Volvo underpinnings. Yes it will not snap your neck off at the turn of a green light, but it will embarrass a Chrysler 300, or a Toyota Avalon on a twisty road. The fact of the matter is that most of the sedans it competes with are never optioned with the large V-8 engines that make auto journalists drool. For the most part competitors smaller engine offerings are just as underpowered if not more so. In conclusion the 500 is a phenomenal deal at this moment as dealers try to clear lots for the 500-Taurus. It is safe, limo large inside, with wonderful grownup road manors. Yes it lacks horsepower on paper but for confident individuals who want a surprising pleasant automobile for everyday driving and who don't need to get caught up in locker-room horsepower one-up-man -ship with fellow acquaintances will not need worry about adding this one to their home team!