Dowling reckons End of road for Falcon and Commodore in 2016

[Bobman]

Dowling at it again.

http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and...modore_in_2016

* Holden will continue to manufacture cars to at least 2022
* Ford likely to shut its factories by the end of 2016
* Holden reviewing small- and medium-car plans, considering SUV

Australia's big car icons almost certain to be phased out.
The two icons of the Australian car industry – the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore – are almost certain to be phased out within months of each other at the end of 2016, marking the end of a battle that has lasted more than half a century.

[flappist]

This is a another dowl-ribble so do not take it as factual.

Remember in the 1980s when "there will be no V8 falcons or commodores in the future"........

[Kryton]

Originally Posted by flappist

This is a another dowl-ribble so do not take it as factual.

Remember in the 1980s when "there will be no V8 falcons or commodores in the future"........

And remind us again how long you couldnt buy a V8 Falcon for...........

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Kryton

And remind us again how long you couldnt buy a V8 Falcon for...........

Two models XF & EA until they realised that the market was not going in the direction they thought. But they did not go away for ever and I suspect Ford learned a lesson from it.

[BLU-220]

Wonder if Mr. Dowling knows my boss

[BroadyFord]

Mid-January... it's that time of the year again when we see these doom and gloom stories.

[TC200six]

At least he isn't singling out the Falcon.

[tweeked]

If he wasn't right, all Ford would have to release is "we will be producing out of Broady after 2016 - exactly what we will confirm at a later date"

But they keep running the "we have not decided" line. WHich make me think they have, and he is right. Sad.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by tweeked

If he wasn't right, all Ford would have to release is "we will be producing out of Broady after 2016 - exactly what we will confirm at a later date"

But they keep running the "we have not decided" line. WHich make me think they have, and he is right. Sad.

Just wondering, when you play cards do you show the other players what you are holding just in case some random passer by thinks you may lose the hand?

[tweeked]

Originally Posted by flappist

Just wondering, when you play cards do you show the other players what you are holding just in case some random passer by thinks you may lose the hand?

no, But if I am thinking of cashing in I dont let everyone know either.

I am not saying they are doing the wrong thing, they are doing what they have to do to get the best commercial result.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by tweeked

no, But if I am thinking of cashing in I dont let everyone know either.

I am not saying they are doing the wrong thing, they are doing what they have to do to get the best commercial result.

Correct. But you don't always cash in just because you are thinking about it either.

In the big picture, Falcon will stop in 2016 or it will not. Even if it does you can still buy a new Falcon right now, next year, the year after and the year after that.

You can also buy a 10 year old second hand falcon right up until 2026.

Rather than constantly worrying about an event that may or may not happen and even if it does will not affect the majority here for a decade just go with the flow and see what happens.

If you ARE really worried about the future of Falcon there is really only one thing you can do, BUY A NEW FALCON.
If all the members of AFF bought a new Falcon every 5 years instead an old one it would make a HUGE difference to the market.
Constant whinging will make NO difference whatsoever.

Yes new Falcons are expensive, you would pay about the same for a new XT as you would for a 5 year old GT or F6 or the same for a new XR6/G6 as a 3 year old GT or F6.
But are you trully interested in the future of Falcon or do you just want to buy a cheap second hand one at the lowest possible price and let others buy new ones?

Dowling is a harbinger of doom. If, rather than going off like a pork chop in the sun crying "the sky is falling", everyone just disputed and lampooned him whenever possible his editors would push him in other directions.

Of course this would also reduce the bandwith needed for the forum and remove the major reason why some are members here........

[stevz]

Originally Posted by flappist

Just wondering, when you play cards do you show the other players what you are holding just in case some random passer by thinks you may lose the hand?

As tweeked said, they don't have to release detailed product plans, all they have to do is state that they will be continuing production at Broadmeadows post 2016, in the same way that Holden have committed to 2022. IMO they are causing far more damage to the brand by keeping quiet and all they are doing is giving the media articles credibility.

[DanielXR8]

Originally Posted by flappist

Just wondering, when you play cards do you show the other players what you are holding just in case some random passer by thinks you may lose the hand?

The major players in this card game analogy, being Holden and Toyota have already played their hands and moved on. The only one being hurt at the moment by this is Ford, unless the play is to say Ford is out come 2016.

Really this complete silence makes no sense if Ford is aiming for a post 2016 production cycle of any vehicle in Australia. Even if Ford do not wish to commit or even comment on what comes down the line post 2016, a simple comment to the media that there will be something, definitely a car of some sort post 2016, would kill or at last reduce the harm of a lot of media stories.

Ford Australia are either going to kill local production and are trying to minimise the damage to sales in the meantime or are still fighting with Ford US to keep the doors open. That is the only logical conclusions I can make of it.

If you are arguing that this is some kind of smart strategy that results in slower sales, bad news stories, but somehow will work out better for Ford in the end. I think there would be a ton of suppliers, dealers and potential buyers who would beg to differ.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

The major players in this card game analogy, being Holden and Toyota have already played their hands and moved on. The only one being hurt at the moment by this is Ford, unless the play is to say Ford is out come 2016.

Really this complete silence makes no sense if Ford is aiming for a post 2016 production cycle of any vehicle in Australia. Even if Ford do not wish to commit or even comment on what comes down the line post 2016, a simple comment to the media that there will be something, definitely a car of some sort post 2016, would kill or at last reduce the harm of a lot of media stories.

Ford Australia are either going to kill local production and are trying to minimise the damage to sales in the meantime or are still fighting with Ford US to keep the doors open. That is the only logical conclusions I can make of it.

If you are arguing that this is some kind of smart strategy that results in slower sales, bad news stories, but somehow will work out better for Ford in the end. I think there would be a ton of suppliers, dealers and potential buyers who would beg to differ.

With a large cars like Falcon or even Commodore, Ford and GM would be loathe to plan too far ahead,
I recon four years in front is about right, so the decision on post 2016/17 is probably only just being decided now...

So why would Ford or GM openly commit to a post 2016/17 large car when they don't know themselves..

[jpblue1000]

I would have thought the grants, subsidies and other ongoing benefits to business provided by the taxpayers of our country would demand some form of long term commitment to the community, further than just 2016. we pay they stay!
But I guess we the taxpayer don't deserve value for our money...Not just the car manufacturing industry guilty here either.
JP

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by tweeked

If he wasn't right, all Ford would have to release is "we will be producing out of Broady after 2016 - exactly what we will confirm at a later date"

But they keep running the "we have not decided" line. WHich make me think they have, and he is right. Sad.

HAve they done anything different over the past? its still 4-5 years away...they ain't going to come out now with a public plan.


The "we have not decided" line is just that...they'll have a better idea come the end of 2014...

[tezxr8man]

Originally Posted by tweeked

If he wasn't right, all Ford would have to release is "we will be producing out of Broady after 2016 - exactly what we will confirm at a later date"

But they keep running the "we have not decided" line. WHich make me think they have, and he is right. Sad.

am pretty sure they confirmed they were alligning the Mustang and Falcon and others under a global platform and they were keeping the plant goin about halfway through last year???
Can't be too sure when s*!t like this pops up pops up every 5 mins tho maybe old mate should take the "if you haven't got anything good to say, SHUTUP" route and stop being Unastralian with stupid coments that are all over the news now!!
Comments like that are making the situation worse for our homegrown stuff Mitsubishi is a perfect example

[GTP534]

A friend sent me 2 photos of the Daily Telegraph of Saturday 5th January yesterday. They're too big to post here but Dowling tests the HSV GTS and the R-Spec. Interesting read and at the end he gives a narrow victory to the R-Spec. Might be in Carsguide.

Back on topic, I don't think too much about what Ford might do, no point in worrying about it. A change of government might have more influence.

[BroadyFord]

I reckon that if they don't say anything about Broady by the end of the year, then it's all over for Ford's Aussie manufacturing ops.

[Road_Warrior]

Why would Ford spend all this money and engineering effort for the 2014 Falcon to stop making it after only 2 years? Stupid Dowlface needs some more Twitter bombs.

[Bobman]

I'm happy to put money on Falcon still being around after 2016 in one way or another.

[turbodewd]

I believe Australia can definitely support one large car. Falcon and Commo sales combined for Fed govt, private punters, police, etc

[Kable72]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm sick and tired of this **** coming up over and over again. The only reason that this gets published all the time is because people read it. Boycott it and don't read it.

[Rodge]

I think its worth highlighting that Ford have confirmed production through to the end of 2016, i.e. 31 December 2016, that's just on four years confirmed. What business outlines their plans further out than that ?

[Sioso]

When and if they do cease production Joshua Dowling will have nothing to write about.
He will be looking for a new job also.

[turbodewd]

Originally Posted by BLOWN.GTP

When and if they do cease production Joshua Dowling will have nothing to write about.
He will be looking for a new job also.

Well newspapers are going the way of the dodo and the digital media for News Ltd and Fairfax isnt as lucrative, esp with competition. JDowling may not have a job in a few yrs and probably is on very unremarkable salary. Hes bitter against Ford n Holden coz he cant buy a new one!

[ltd]

Joshua Dowling is the quintessential Tim Flannery of the automotive world.

[roushfenway]

Fair enough Joshua Dowling making some prognostications about Holden - as the boss was interviewed and quoted in Detroit. But there's nothing new or revelationary about anything from the Ford perspective. Nothing's been said - nothing's changed since yesterday or last week - so it's a beat-up. He's taken some quotes from the Holden boss and concocted a story that will grab headlines at a slow news time of the year.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Its amazing some of the comments left.... People are so ill informed about both the Commodore and Falcon... World class cars that have been left behind simply because neither (more so Ford) know how to market a car.

Falcon Ecoboost is the greatest example, no one knows about a 4 cylinder Falcon, all they go on about is bogan petrol drinking bombs...

Time the manufacturers started to give some real world examples / comparisons. I know Ford did a commercial on the LPI LPG Falcon when it came out comparing it to Corolla, time they did that again and perhaps with Ecoboost... do a 0 - 100 comparison, fuel usage comparison, and spare part comparison and we will see which car wins overall.

[EVLKNEVL]

I remember this article from not very long ago:

http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and...uring_not_dead

It's amusing to watch. Ford Australia (understandably) does and says nothing to hint at their plans, and this completely befuddles Joshua Dowling to the extent that he writes two completely contradictory articles which are derived from the same set of facts and presumptions.

I don't know of any other job you could have and be that fecklessly awful at it and still be expected to come back the following Monday. We should all be grateful that he's not a heart surgeon or something.