Could The GT-HO save Ford?

[Serial_Fool]

Remember back to the 90's when Tickford made small amounts of GTs in 1992 and 1998 to keep the GT enthusiasts and investors on their toes and which eventually lead to the formation of the GT as a continuous model in 2003 that provided a extra shot in the arm to the release of the BA Falcon.

The GT-HO could be used similarly like the GT nameplate to boost the awareness of the Falcon brand. It worked with the BA GT (which originally basically was a 302/351 Fairmont) and the BA went on to become a resounding success. The GT-HO is the only nameplate Ford Australia has up its sleeve to bring back a influx of sales all across the board.

So it begs the question, if GTHO was bought back to a regular model run would it reinvigorate the FALCON nameplate in general?

[4Vman]

I doubt if there could be a worse time for Ford to release a model like that....
99.9% of consumers have no interest in such a product..

[Serial_Fool]

I don't think that is true. Look at the abortion HSV just released and all the media attention it got.

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

I doubt if there could be a worse time for Ford to release a model like that....
99.9% of consumers have no interest in such a product..

Agree. Won't result in extra sales. News ? yes, sales ? No.

[T3man]

OK then ... maybe it's only 99.8%.

I'd love to see a GTHO. With no less than 351kW. And I think we will, as a last hurrah for the BOSS before we get the new engine range. But I don't think it will "save" the Falcon as Ford have already committed to downsizing to Mondeo as their mainstream model. It will simply be a marketing "centrepiece" as you have suggested with possibly 351 being built. And all that depends on whether Ford can actually afford to build them - with the current trend they are losing money hand over fist on large cars. And they will not be a money earner because the cost to produce them will be extreme. So it all comes back to how "flush" Ford are in 18 months and whether they will see it prudent to spend a few million on a limited run car.

[Auslandau]

But will it help Ford to sell there bread and butter or be just be a shot in the arm for FPV with an extra 200 odd sales in the first year and 1/2 that the following? How much will the W427 effect the profitabilty and help the sales race overall? Considering that sales of about 3500 Falcons per month at the moment, how much is 16 or so HO's a month going to help the coffers?

BUT, I want one anyways ..... if they dont do it, I will still buy an FPV of some description so either way they still have a sale.



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[Full Noise]

Originally Posted by Serial_Fool

I don't think that is true. Look at the abortion HSV just released and all the media attention it got.

HSV could release a polished t*rd and it would still get media attention.

[Rock ape]

HSV could release a polished t*rd and it would still get media attention.

They did.

[Whitey-AMG]

A GTHO may only serve FPV in their fight for survival against the HSV juggernaut. It will do nothing for Falcon sales in general.

If better fuel economy than the previous model, a more intuitive HMI better road dynamics and a 5 star safety rating can't shift em of the floor fast enough........then how the hell will an overpriced gas guzzling bespoilered road missile with no commercial advertising do any good ?????????

[Serial_Fool]

Maybe its to do with brand image. Holden has been doing it for more than a decade, that is, promoting its performance to get away from the Poverty Pack fleet car image and recently have been talking about hybirds, diesel and future fuel savings by stripping weight to increase its "green" image. Thats why the Commodore has maintained its sales lead over the Falcon even if the Falcon was a superior machine (remember the final days of the VZ Commodore and it still was outselling the BF?).

What did the people in the 70's do when they couldn't buy a GTHO? They bought a GT. What did the people in the 70's do when they couldn't buy a GT? They bought a Fairmont/ GS.

The same priciple applies to most sales in Australia today, even if many of the Japanese cars are clouding it abit.

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Serial_Fool

Maybe its to do with brand image. Holden has been doing it for more than a decade, that is, promoting its performance to get away from the Poverty Pack fleet car image and recently have been talking about hybirds, diesel and future fuel savings by stripping weight to increase its "green" image. Thats why the Commodore has maintained its sales lead over the Falcon even if the Falcon was a superior machine (remember the final days of the VZ Commodore and it still was outselling the BF?).

What did the people in the 70's do when they couldn't buy a GTHO? They bought a GT. What did the people in the 70's do when they couldn't buy a GT? They bought a Fairmont/ GS.

The same priciple applies to most sales in Australia today, even if many of the Japanese cars are clouding it abit.

Nah........I can't see how that is relevant in todays market with so much competition and so much more choice. The average buyer was so much more limited back in the 70's than they are today. The average Falc and Commodore was everyone's bread and butter transport............today you have 10 fold the choice.

Brand image today has more to do with what the car actually offers, dealer service and aftersales service warranty reputation. RESALE and general desirability / practicality. The Falcon no longer has the monopoly on any of those criteria.

How will a GTHO release solve the numerous after sales dealer issues, Rust in the boot of new cars, Poor resale and petrol thirst of the average Falc.......??

IMHO..........a companys reputation should be based on its bread and butter product NOT on the remote premise of selling a dozen HiPo cars that are screwed together by one of its smaller divisions.

The next time you have a major issue with your Falc and you get the bum's rush from your dealer..........I wonder if it will warm your heart to know that it really doesnt matter because at least they build a HO ???????????

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by Serial_Fool

Maybe its to do with brand image. Holden has been doing it for more than a decade, that is, promoting its performance to get away from the Poverty Pack fleet car image and recently have been talking about hybirds, diesel and future fuel savings by stripping weight to increase its "green" image. Thats why the Commodore has maintained its sales lead over the Falcon even if the Falcon was a superior machine (remember the final days of the VZ Commodore and it still was outselling the BF?).

What did the people in the 70's do when they couldn't buy a GTHO? They bought a GT. What did the people in the 70's do when they couldn't buy a GT? They bought a Fairmont/ GS.

The same priciple applies to most sales in Australia today, even if many of the Japanese cars are clouding it abit.

You're making the assumption that everyone is a performance car enthusiast, which is not the case... in fact the vast majority of new car buyers are not, so it could be argued that an "obscure" expensive low production niche market performance product would be seen as a waste of R+D money in the recent climate....
I doubt HSV would undertake the W427 project today, we're just lucky its been done a while ago, allot has changed in the past 3-6 months.....

[T3man]

Yes exactly, probably about 99.8 or 99.9% of them in fact. LOL.

[ED Classic]

As much as I want a HO....NO..... A Diesel Terri is whats been needed for ages. Falcon sales are almost reasonable but Terri's have dropped of....A Diesel will probly add 800-1000 pm

As for some of Falcon models they are dealing directly with their opposite Holden number discounting to rack up more sales just to sell cars and help keep jobs flowing through the tuff time and atleast keeping their dealerships busy with cars for servicing. Wouldnt hurt Ford to have a hard thought strategy through hard times.

[bathurst77]

Falcon already has a (Undeserved) public image as big thirsty fast and a bit of a dinosaur. Bringing in a limited edition expensive, big fast thirsty V8 with aname linked back to the 1960s isnt gunna help one bit.

THey have to make it seem modern and economical. It has to make sense in the 21st Century

[Tickford Kid]

Do we have 351 people out there that would pay $90k-$100k for a FALCON?

[PepeLePew]

Im not sure a diesel Terri is an answer anymore...as a Terri owner we lusted for one when we bought petrol, but with payback being what it is these days I'd go LPG anyday.

Now a PROPER factory backed injected LPG option, I'd be there in a flash.

As for the original question...GTHO IMHO would be irrelevant to survival. Im not sure what is anymore....how quickly could the Titanic turn?

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by TS 50

Do we have 351 people out there that would pay $90k-$100k for a FALCON?

Yeah, they bought BF Cobras... a fully optioned GT-P is near on $90K on the road anyway.

[Jeeepers]

Originally Posted by Full Noise

HSV could release a polished t*rd and it would still get media attention.

They did.

[TurboUteris]

A complete rethink of the marketing strategy for the Ford brand is the only thing that will save Ford,here in Australia.
Similar to what they have done in the UK.
For some reason anything Australian at the moment carries a "bogan" tag.WTF is going on.

[Tickford Kid]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Yeah, they bought BF Cobras... a fully optioned GT-P is near on $90K on the road anyway.

Maybe the pricing for a GTHO should be more like 110k-120k then if they a truely the jewel in the Ford Australia crown.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by TS 50

Maybe the pricing for a GTHO should be more like 110k-120k then if they a truely the jewel in the Ford Australia crown.

Id say more like $150-160K like the W427.....

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Yeah, they bought BF Cobras... a fully optioned GT-P is near on $90K on the road anyway.

......... 75k actually on the road plus Bembros! ADD 25k for twin turbos and we have a HO



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[4Vman]

Originally Posted by TurboUteris

A complete rethink of the marketing strategy for the Ford brand is the only thing that will save Ford,here in Australia.
Similar to what they have done in the UK.
For some reason anything Australian at the moment carries a "bogan" tag.WTF is going on.

They can spend all the money in the world on marketing but at the end of the day if Ford don't have the products consumers want it wont mean squat.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by auslandau

......... 75k actually on the road plus Bembros! ADD 25k for twin turbos and we have a HO

tick all the boxes including gold plated rims!!

[uranium_death]

The HO will not save Ford, as Ford is not in absolute danger. They're still selling a decent amount of cars, with the Australian models of Ford selling very well in comparison to the AUstralian-made offerings of Holden.

I don't think it's panic mode.

But I agree with the fact that 99.9% of consumers are disinterested in these models.

Ford's Falcon range is fine. It's about changing people's perception. Good marketing may do that...but Ford can't market as well.

[DanielXR8]

In a nutshell no. It won't sell in the tens of thousands of units that Ford needs now and umm for a lot of people, the taxi is already the hero model Falcon unfortunately: a GT-HO won't change their perceptions.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Yeah, they bought BF Cobras... a fully optioned GT-P is near on $90K on the road anyway.

Thats abit of a stupid comment, as if there was a GT-HO it wouldnt be a 'differently striped' GT-P. But i do agree with you that there couldnt be a worse time for Ford/FPV to release a model as such like that as it would do absoulutly nothing for general car sales as most dont buy performance models

[MOTORE]

When I was growing up as a kid in the seventies, Ford was it... they just had so much going for them and everyone loved the Ford GT's and wanted one. I think Ford put a nail in their coffin when they dumped the V8. For a number of years you just couldn't get a Ford Falcon with a V8.

During this time Holden was marketing their HSV range and all the kids of that time just became Holden fans. Holden did a great job marketing their product and when Ford finally decided to get their act together a release a new V8 in the EB, Holden already had a huge headstart.

It's only be the last few years that Ford is making a comeback but I'm not sure it's going to be enough to become king of the hill like they once were.

[galaxy xr8]

Originally Posted by MOTORE

When I was growing up as a kid in the seventies, Ford was it... they just had so much going for them and everyone loved the Ford GT's and wanted one. I think Ford put a nail in their coffin when they dumped the V8. For a number of years you just couldn't get a Ford Falcon with a V8.

During this time Holden was marketing their HSV range and all the kids of that time just became Holden fans. Holden did a great job marketing their product and when Ford finally decided to get their act together a release a new V8 in the EB, Holden already had a huge headstart.

It's only be the last few years that Ford is making a comeback but I'm not sure it's going to be enough to become king of the hill like they once were.

Exactly and in today's economic climate Ford Aus is fighting a losing battle.
Why do people insist's that the performance arm in Ford/FPV need to lift their game to get Ford Aus out of trouble, like has been mentioned that is not where the sale's race is run and won,
I'd be looking at the oposistion that is doing extreamly well in today's climate and focus on their market, ie Toyota.
Here we are whinning and complaining about how we claim the brand image of Toyota is a cardigan wearing old fart, but look at their sales and who is the number 1 manufacturer in Aust right now.
And tell me how their performance arm and sales are going.
We or should I say Ford Aust need to move with the time, small-meduim vehicle's and effecient fuel's like diesel need to be the focus of their attention right now, albeit they have left it to late.