The AU series.

[chief]

I love driving my AUII Forte Wagon and have been pondering over this. If the AUI didn't exist and the AUII was the first release of the AU, do you reckon the image of the AU would of been better. There were a lot of people who turned away from the AUI to buy other options and left the sales down low, mainly because of the styling The AUII was a much better car overall and was more successful.

Do you think it was neccassary to have the AUI? being the new platform it was never going to be perfect off the bat. I wonder what would it be like (sales wise, overall opinion ect)if there was no AUI.

Dont get me wrong there are some fine example of AUI's out here, Casper's for one, but as a base model falcon, the platform for all the models except the Fairlane, what do you think.

So anyway what do you think????

[b2tf]

Interesting thread - I think AUI Had to happen and in some ways it was good, it developed a lot of new technology for your average Falcon, it just looked a bit off. That said, some AU1's are damn nice!

To be honest though I think if AUII had have been the first of the AU series (if that makes sense), public reaction would have been a little better.

[Sunburst50]

The base models (Forte and Futura)in the AU really did let the Falcon down . The styling with the grill and bonnet made them look cheap and nasty. I have an AUII and I still look at it as being an ugly car but I still love it as only a parent could love a butt ugly child.

If only the AU was skipped and the BA was released it sure would have blown the VY Commodore out of the ball park.

Sorry if I have offended anyone with my commments about the AU . Too many beers!

[Bucknaked]

I'm beginning to feel the same way about my ugly child. It was sitting parked next to James Super Pursuit in Dubbo. It looks smaller and a looks like an ugly duckling compared to the BA. I love my AU, sometimes I think its one of the ugliest cars Ford ever produced. Well that is until I see it parked next to a model earlier than the AU. : Maybe the newer models have improved on their looks

[Casper]

I personally think the AU looks better now than when it was released. At the time I loved the XR's but the rest left me pretty cold. Now,with a few years of acceptance under its belt, it has grown on me that even the base models look good to me.

Either way, AU1 or AU2, it was far too over the top for the population to accept at the time, I doubt it would have made any difference to the end result.

[cArSiK]

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

I'm beginning to feel the same way about my ugly child. It was sitting parked next to James Super Pursuit in Dubbo. It looks smaller and a looks like an ugly duckling compared to the BA. I love my AU, sometimes I think its one of the ugliest cars Ford ever produced. Well that is until I see it parked next to a model earlier than the AU. : Maybe the newer models have improved on their looks

I really dont agree with the ugly duckling statement , certainly not your XR bucky. The thing i love about the AUI/II/III XR's is that the front end is so distinctively different from the base medels , this is sort of toned down with the BA's , from a distance you could mistake an XR6 for an XT (from the front) until it gets closer , same goes for the EB XR's.But dont get me wrong BA's look fantastic.

[jonbays]

Ford stuffed up big time with the direction being given to have a clear differentiation between the low and high series cars. This was the mistake. they tried to make the forte & futuras look different and they looked cheaper and ugly.

The competitive VT even in the excecutive with the right colour and alloy wheels was as good a looking car as any Calais. It was also a damn fine design too let down by some ordinary engineering.

Ford need to clean up and made a clear strategic error that they corrected in AUII which was too little too late. They should have done more with the VCT making it an optional high performance engine and told the yanks to shove the old windsors and brought in the 4.6 mustang engine for the XR8's.

Hindsight of course. I might not have seen it at the time myself.

It's a bit like the new Mitsubishi 380. I just feel like ringing Tom and telling him you are looking at the biggest failure of your life here. Lose the mitsubishi and go back to Chyrsler badging them and you would be on a winner. share the shine from the 300C on the little Australian 380.

[seano14]

i think any standard AU is well.. quite plain indeed. when i look at one.. there is nothing particuly bad about the front end IMO, but the rear!!!!! it just looks too soft, and the rounded edge window just looks totally out of place.. like they somehow had a surplus of this weird window and they had to somehow stick it on there.

having said that, throw a bodykit on them ala TS50 and i reckon they look amazing

[JC]

The waterfall design grille was the biggest problem, IMO. Look at how the egg crate/hawke grilles transform the Ugly AU1s into something a little more acceptable - sporty, even. The waterfall design was chosen by a Yank. Just goes to show what happens when you try to shove American tastes down Aussie throats.

[Fairlane]

I didnt like the AU look then and I still dont really like the AU look now. At least it doesn't have the shock value it used to. By the way I actually prefered the waterfall grill to the futura.

As for the engineering, there was some really good stuff there, VCT, IRS etc, but it just didnt fly, probably due to the styling (both exterior and interior) and the fact that holden bambozeled the public with it's IRS (if you could call it that) on all models, when Ford's watts links was probably superior.

[aimzes]

If the AUI didn't exist and the AUII was the first release of the AU, do you reckon the image of the AU would of been better.

yes. i dont doubt that for a second.

[buickman]

The AU either 1, 2 or 3 were to much of a styling change over the E series.So I don't really think it would have mattered that much as the VT was killing the EL's in sales so Ford had to rush the AU out as quick as they could & really their a better car than the VT's .

Also the AU had some better engineering advances over the E models.

The Australian car buyers are cautious over something that is differenet in looks. Look no futher than the TL magnas fronts & they were the last of that shape & they are a good reliable car but appearance was the major obsetical for slow sales.
No I think the AU2 would have suffered just the same.

Has anyone got any figs on sales of the AU1,2 &3

buickman

[BuuBox]

The base model AU1 with "that grill" was the major problem. I still think that the T3 is one of the best looking Fords, more agressive than the current crop. Would love on sitting in my garage...

But as someone said, the AU was too big a difference from the E-series, which were fairly conservative, but attractive enough cars. The BA went back to the squarer style, and it definatly looks a hell of a lot better.

[XLS99 Ute man]

without the AU there would be no BA

[vztrt]

The AU was a big mistake by ford it almost sent ford australia broke. I was at a job interview at ford and was told by them that they all new that the ford wasn't going to sell. He quoted that the AU was a "pig ugly' car, and that when that no one wanted to drive the car as a company car.
Where did Ford go wrong in the AU? The fact that it was styled off the american Mondeo (that sold really well in the states). The BA is a much better looking car and the XR's are fantastic they look like a muscle car, which is where Ford is now heading.

If you look at the numbers in cars sold (commodore V falcon) The commodore destroyed the AU and Holden decided to start a third shift in Adelaide. Now that the BA is doing well, holden is quitting the third shift and is going to sack 1400 people. This is what a poor styled car can do to a car company, especially in one of the most competitive markets in the world.

[GlennBA]

I'm not sure on that one chief. I love them all, i would take an AU1 over the rival VT. I prefer them to the E series very much too.

[BA GT-HO]

AU 1 Forte

Could you really imagine waking up to that every morning?




AU 3 Forte

I don't mind the AU3 Forte, and for what they are worth these days you get a fair bit of car for your money. Having said that I would only buy one as a run around, not something I could be proud of sadly..

I think if Ford had the AU3 Forte straight up instead of the AU1 they would have sold a lot more of them..

[vztrt]

I'm just telling you what happened.

Everyone has different tastes. But the AU didn't do well. Holden at one stage was outselling Ford 22:1. Holden was having record sales. It all stopped when the BA came out. Now Holden are meant to be in trouble. (i'm not surprised seeing the back end on the VY and VZ are ugly). Bad styling also affected mitsubishi.

Ford sells well when it keeps the design how the majority of the market want it. The AU was influenced by the American Mondeo. "This is from the engineers at Ford" There was nothing wrong with the E series styling of the ford. You look at the VN and that was a bland ugly car (the EA was better personally)

[GlennBA]

Originally Posted by vztrt

The BA is a much better looking car and the XR's are fantastic

probelms with my AU Forte in 5 years:
1. broken door lock
2. stuffed locking remote
3. rough idle at new
All were fixed when the car was new.

problems with dads BA XR6 Turbo in just under 2 years:
1.‘shh shh’ noise coming from wheels, been back to ford 3 times, no fix
2. dented sun visor since brand new (looks like someones punched it hard)
3. audible diff whine at 85-110km/h, diff replaced, the new diff is doing the same thing
4. clunk when changing gears at low speeds (auto)
5. exhaust heat shield rattle
6. paint defect on drivers side rear lower door (splodge mark)
7. paint flaking off intercooler
8. Car stalls often at traffic lights or when coming to a stop
9. Car will idle very roughly and RPM drops like its going to stall
10. Drivers side rear window sill strip jerks out when window is rolled down, and makes shuddering noise
11. Steering wheel shudders and clunks violenty when turning at low speeds
12. rear passenger side window seal is dodgy and creates wind noise
13. Front passenger seat has excessively worn causing the grey material to turn fuzzy (like the soft part of Velcro)
14. Front passenger side arm rest handle feels like it will fall off when you pull the door shut, broken cheap plastic clips.
15. shuddering windscreen wipers
16. windscreen seal is dodgy and causes a lot of wind noise (loud whistling)
17. driveline Clunk from rear when you plant it in 'D'
18. Horn replaced 2 times
19. Another mysterious clunk coming from the back of the car... possibly suspension?
20. Car goes into limp mode occasionally for no reason
21. great loss of power since last reflash
22. Cracks in blue plastic part of ICC
23. Paint wearing off cup holder and gear selector surround and on silver dash inserts
24. Parcel shelf makes creaking noises and clunks over the slightest bump
25. speakers distort in stereo system when not overly loud at all
26. Broken clips on grille
27. broken cup holder
28. pin pricks in paint on some guards
29. roof liner not lined up correctly around sunvisor leaving the cutout exposed slightly.
30. shuddering brakes

I hate how people write the au off so easily. They are great cars. They are well built, reliable and with decent power too. My $30,000 (when new) AU Forte makes my dads $46,000 XR6 Turbo look like a Kia, and thats being generous.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by GlennAUII

I hate how people write the au off so easily. They are great cars. They are well built, reliable and with decent power too. My $30,000 (when new) AU Forte makes my dads $46,000 XR6 Turbo look like a Kia, and thats being generous.

I never said the AU was a poorly made car, i said the AU look was not liked by alot of people. You can make a car bulletproof, but if people dont like the look it's not gonna sell and the company woint make money.
If ford Aust goes under, ford woint design cars here anymore. This woint just effect jobs at ford but there will be a run on effect with component manufactures.

I like Ford becuase it does more for Australia than what Holden does. But if they bring out another AU than i'll go buy a Holden.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by BA GT-HO

[IMG]
I don't mind the AU3 Forte, and for what they are worth these days you get a fair bit of car for your money. Having said that I would only buy one as a run around, not something I could be proud of sadly.

True, its not the most universally accepted car for looks but buying one for a run around might be a good idea considering the amount of time BA's seem to spend in the Ford workshops.
My AU1 may not be a glamour as far as looks.... but I can turn the key and drive it hard all day long. Something that nearly every Ford before and since has had bulk trouble with.
Looks no.... its too contriversial.. but go for a drive out to Echuca and count how many E series and especially AU's you see... it will be at least 5 AU's to every BA... and probably 5 BA's to every VT (or newer).

The AU had its faults looks wise but its almost impossible to fault them mechanically. May not have been a great seller but at this rate they will outlive the XF for reliability.

[HP Dude]

Interesting thread. I absolutely love the look of AU XRs, but looks are a personal thing.

If the AU3 Forte were released in lieu of the AU1 Forte, it might have been more accepted, although I'm guessing this would have manifested itself more as indifference, rather than love or hate. For some reason, your average Aussie loves the jelly bean, aka VT Commodore. I also think the AUs were way ahead of their time... new Mercedes Benz CLS anyone?


As an aside, my manual red AU I XR8 has covered 180,000kms (all country miles) and the thing is as tight as my parents' AU I XR6 HP which has only done 16,000kms. I was shocked. You hit nasty bumps and potholes in the XR8, and you don't hear one rattle. Quite amazing! Even the doors feel solid on their hinges and all the gaps are consistent with our time warp AU XR6.

[12]

I doubt if Ford released the AU2 Forte first instead of the AU1 Forte, that it would have made any difference to the AU sales. The AU, be it series 1, 2 or 3, was too modern, too far ahead of itself in looks for the average Joe. I have to admit the AU1 "waterfall" grill was a let down though, and this was the car everyone in the press industry potrayed as "THE" AU. The rest of the models were totally ignored. The public jumped on the "bag the AU" bandwagon.

The sharp edge styling was bagged by many, including Holden, who said that they would never go the 'sharp edge' direction with their cars. Oh how that comment came around to bite them in the **** when Holden released the VY Commodore. VY took shap edge styling to another level, too far infact. Just have a look at some of the Euro designs that has come out in the last 2 years or so, even the latest Mercedes CLS 500 rear end looks a lot like the AU rear end.

Looks do sell, no doubt about it. Even if the car has quality control issues, and faults that should not have even been there in the first place, it'll sell, if marketed well too. As long as it "looks" good, the public will accept it. Sort of like the pretty under qualified lady vs the fat qualified lady, the pretty one will get the job 90% of the time. It's the way of the world. Sad but true.

The BA was riddled with quality control issues, but it sold itself mostly based on it's looks, where the AU would have had less than 25% (if that) of quality issues of the BA at the time of release. But the AU was not as "good looking" as the BA to the majority of the Australian public.

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by Casper

I personally think the AU looks better now than when it was released. .

My thoughts as well, given time people get over most shocks.
AU owners still defend a model that was ugly enough to nearly send Ford Aus broke, nothing wrong with the car mechanicly,it's just ugly, to those that disagree, they sales figures speak for them self.

That said, i don't mind the XR's, and i would own a TE if i wanted one.

[HP Dude]

Originally Posted by 012

The sharp edge styling was bagged by many, including Holden, who said that they would never go the 'sharp edge' direction with their cars. Oh how that comment came around to bite them in the **** when Holden released the VY Commodore. VY took shap edge styling to another level, too far infact. Just have a look at some of the Euro designs that has come out in the last 2 years or so, even the latest Mercedes CLS 500 rear end looks a lot like the AU rear end.

I hate it when I hear the same people (especially certain journalists), who mercilessly bagged the looks of the AU, praise the CLS... it really irks me because it shows just how brainless (incapable of independent thought) they really are. I have more respect for those who bag the AU AND the new designs such as the CLS. At least those people are consistent.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by 012

Just have a look at some of the Euro designs that has come out in the last 2 years or so, even the latest Mercedes CLS 500 rear end looks a lot like the AU rear end.

Mercedes has been dropping in sales, so you would assume that this new model woint improve them.
If there sales go up and this car sells well i guess you can say that the AU has done it's job for every other car manufacturer.

The the last magna (the new magna is now called the 380) went to a kinda AU designed and hasn't done well.

Apparently car manufactures use these headlights because they're much cheaper to produce.

[EL_futuraistic]

Very intersting.

Unfortunatley the AU1 came up agains the VT commodore which isnt a bad looking Vehicle.... but it ends there.

Definatley the AU1 had to happen, otherwise the AU2 and AU3 wouldnt have and like every new model there has the be the 1st series. The series where there is many failures, problems, issues. Then they fix them in the series 2 and by the time you get to series 3 you have the perfect vehicle. (hopefully)

GlenAU11, thats poor about your dads BA. I have read nothing but excellent reports from all BA owners. By the sounds of it he got the Lemon, there is always a couple in every bunch.

[AU-MUSTD]

I think the au as a whole was a problem with styling not just the series 1. But in saying that l dont mind them and think ba's are a bit bland and conservative. Also like a lot are saying the au is far superior to most other makes and models in the mechanical stakes. My au's have never let me down but as for my ba well i just wont go there again.

[HP Dude]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Mercedes has been dropping in sales, so you would assume that this new model woint improve them.

Mercedes has been losing sales (especially repeat sales) because its starting to get a bad reputation for quality amongst current owners. I know of a number of people who won't buy another Merc once they get rid of the ones they have now. A lot of Merc fans are longing for the build quality of the 70s, 80s and early 90s, when Mercs were probably the best built cars on earth.

In regards to looks, I've heard nothing but praise for the CLS, but I have heard some criticism of the new S-Class, which doesn't share any obvious cues with the AU (unlike the CLS).

[12]

Originally Posted by Falcon Coupe

AU owners still defend a model that was ugly enough to nearly send Ford Aus broke, nothing wrong with the car mechanicly,it's just ugly, to those that disagree, they sales figures speak for them self.

Agreed that it almost sent Ford Australia bankrupt. But on the looks, each to their own I say.



Can I ask a couple of question? Ok.. I will anyway :1syellow1 .

1/ If someone walked up and said "BA Falcon" to you, what model do you instantly picture in your mind?
2/ If someone walked up and said "AU Falcon" to you, what model do you instantly picture in your mind?

My answers?? To the first question is a BA GT or XR. And for the second, it's a AU Forte. It's the way both cars have been marketed, very differently. This is exactly how most people see it as well. Tell me something, how many ads did everyone see for AU XR and FTe back in 99-02, and how many ads have people seen for the BA XR and FPV range 02-05?