My personal observations and opinions...:
I don't think any viable company is satisfied with operating in the status quo. Taylor, who has surpassed Martin in annual sales over the past few years, has won the hearts of the younger and more modern thinking consumer, but is having difficulty breaking into the more traditional acoustic market - That held firmly by companies such as Martin on the production side, Huss & Dalton, Froggy Bottom, SCGC, etc. on the boutique side. Conversely, Martin holds on tightly to the traditional acoustic buyer where long standing designs, production techniques and processes are felt to make the biggest difference and if it was good 70-100 years ago, then it must still be relevant today. Unfortunately, that market segment is aging, growing smaller and (In my opinion) becoming less influential on future trends as they enter their golden years. They are still very viable and have money to spend, but they are fading.
My personal theory is that the 800 series redesign is a grand experiment to see just how important the "traditional" aspect is to the buyer's decision and how much of it is brand loyalty. Does the use of hide glue, different bracing and a warmer tone make that big of a difference, or does it have everything to do with the name on the headstock and the image that it portrays? Is it really making a big difference in the instrument or does simply telling people about how important the changes are have a larger influence in their decision making process? If the changes are that good and that important, why aren't they also updating the 900 series -- Essentially it's the 800 series with more bling, right?
I've said it before -- I can definitely hear the influence that Andy has had on the tone of Taylor, and I believe it is a very positive change. As much as I enjoy all of my Taylors, my two most recent high end Taylor purchases (2011 and 2012) are also my two favorites. However, I also know that Kurt Listug drives a very savvy sales & marketing team -- Their understanding of the market drivers and how to use that knowledge to their advantage is well documented. I have no doubt this entire product launch has been orchestrated down to the smallest detail. As good as the products are, it is Kurt's sales prowess that makes us pull out our wallets.