The Age: End of the road nears for Falcon

[Nikked]

Silly news is Silly.

Considering ford Au has had a good peformance lately with the FG, getting praise from some media for it, it would be silly to simply can the falcon and replace it with the taurus. Taurus and mondeo are fairly similer, so the mondeo would have to go then, but its a good seller for FAU anyway.

The only thing i can see happening is that someway, somehow, the Falcon will have a platform common with an oversees platform, but with local engines and body etc.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Last year Ford sold 32,000 Falcons!

And the small car segment has a huge private buyer base. The Mazda 3 is the biggest selling privately bought car in Australia which means more profits than the fleet driven large car segment.

Also small cars are becoming more and more premium. Buyers are willing to sacrifice size for economy and features. And buyers are willing to buy the more expensive trims. The Focus with its advanced petrol, diesel engines and upcoming hybrid and electric versions would have plugged right into Australian government policies.

Factories are about reducing fixed costs through economies of scale, an extra 40,000 units pumping through Broadmeadows a year would help the amortize production over a greater amount of cars which would help the Falcon.

I still would have fought tooth and nail for the Focus production, if only just to help secure Fords manufacturing future in Australia.

Profit margins on small cars are nowhere near as much on large cars. Especially if those cars are manufactured domestically.

Have a look at the number of competitors the Focus is up against in its segment and the cut throat price wars that erupt from time to time - Falcon only has 1 or two direct competitors.

[g220ba]

Originally Posted by XCPWSF

Dad just came in the door and goes to me "They're cutting the Falcon". The problem is pretty much everyone here believes the media.

exactly no-one in the ford world has said the falcon has no future, it's all media speculation designed to get peoples attention. It seems to have worked because joe public eats it up as gospel.

[FlipXW]

Its on the 6:00 news. Australian media wont stop 'till it brings the death of Ford aust just as it did to MMAL. Dissapointing, have already had 2 holden loving mates ring me today and tell me how much better Commores are cause the Falcon is getting canned :togo: .

[GT69]

Originally Posted by 84ltd

exactly no-one in the ford world has said the falcon has no future, it's all media speculation designed to get peoples attention. It seems to have worked because joe public eats it up as gospel.

And if they keep it up the Falcon will be dead long before its replacement is due. The speculation will get to people (think mitsubishi) the falcon is the only large car PICKING UP market share. So FORD executives need to STFU and stop putting the doubt cloud over the product.

reporter - 'and what about the future plans for the falcon'

Ford executives - 'the falcon is selling well, Its got a strong future'

End of interview.

If something concrete hasn't been reached, or the replacement isn't already on the production floor, I dont see why they keep putting speculation out there.

[Joe5619]

It is the LEAD & ONLY story nine news just had on the update to the 6pm news... This as really gotten out of hand... Ford Australia really, really, really need to come out & say soemtime... They are reporting as a GIVEN & a DONE DEAL...

[DJL351]

Oh no - the sky is falling.

This is most likely what really happened.

Some jurno muppet was talking to his/her Ford insider 'contact' - asked about something to do with the new V8 motor.
Ford contact says that they can not confirm anything...
Not day jurno recycles the same junk from 12 months ago; changes the models and the names to suit - and everyone takes it a gossipl.

[FPV70]

If ford Aus don't get off their backside and say something here, then it's their own fault for letting such a great car with 60 years of history in Australia go down the drain.
Us as relatively loyal customers that do speak about what we want in car have every right to say stuff it, goin to GM now.
Time after time we have heard this kind of thing and lets face it, everytime we hear it, it CAN be a reality. They have tried to replace the Falcon before with the old crappy Taurus, Tried to replace the Falcon Wagon with the Teritory but the old girl keeps fighting back.

When are they going to realize that Aussies and probably most Americans and Brittish actually like Rear Wheel Drive.

Aston Martin, RWD. Ferrari, RWD. Porsche, RWD. Decent Mercs, RWD. Must I say more!?!

Ford, If you don't pull your finger out, then kiss your market share good bye as you know from the past that we don't want FWD. Keep what we have, Give it to the seppo's and push like a freight train. Our Falcon shouldn't go that easy.


My 2c

[g220ba]

Lets all suppose for a second that no decision has yet been made. Now if this is the case then how can ford confirm things one way or another. The problem here is journalists out to earn their dollars by getting ratings, now that may be papers sold, or veiwers/listeners.

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by FPV70

If ford Aus don't get off their backside and say something here, then it's their own fault for letting such a great car with 60 years of history in Australia go down the drain.

Marin Burela has been saying things, he has been saying:

Front wheel drives are part of Australian culture now
Most young people have had front wheel drives their whole life
Front wheel drives have a lot benefits from a packaging perspective
The Taurus is a great car
People no longer care whether their car is RWD
People only used to want RWD to tow, but nowadays they used 4wds.

Yet people are blaming are the media??? Mark my words, the Falcon will be Taurus based.

[mikmak]

Originally Posted by Brazen

I honestly think the bigger issue is whether Ford AU will be making cars in Australia Full Stop. To me the Taurus platform is going to happen.

All this talk about a decision on RWD being 12 - 18 months away is rubbish, its already happened, they just need to sign it off and work out funding and other issues which will happen over the coming year.

With ute and wagon out of the picture, the volumes to sustain Taurus based FWD and AWD Falcon production is concerning, I still think that overturning the local Focus decision has made the future difficult for Ford Australia to continue manufacturing cars.

I would totally agree. If the Falcon (in its current form) has a used by date of 2014, they would be in deep engineering development of the replacement, right now.

I only drop in here from time to time (being a biased Holden fan and all : ) but would have to say that, although this happens evertime there is an auto show (journos pester Alan Mulloney about global RWD/future of Falcon then FordAus CEO releases a statement saying there is nothing concrete right now) I would hate to see the Taurus replace the Falcon. Not only is the Falcodore battle a cultural staple of the Australian Autmotive industry, but it is also a source for accessible RWD cars.

Just a side note to that the only current turbo Taurus is the AWD SHO which weighs in at a spritely 1981kgs, so kiss any performance handling aspirations good bye.

I don't know what Ford NA is going to do with respect to a potential RWD Lincoln, but they definitely need a RWD Mustang, and having 1 single vehicle based off its own bespoke platform flies in the face of Mulooney's One Ford Policy. One of our regular Ford Fans on GMInsidenews.com seems pretty confident (without actually saying anything directly) that there is indeed a pretty strong chance that Lincoln WILL go ahead with a RWD sedan.

That will assure a RWD future, but it may not be as attainable as today's Falcon.

Still, I have my fingers crossed, because if the Falcon dies, I'll have no one to pick on (Toyota is just too easy).

[auxr]

This seems to have caused a rather large stir to the mix - public forums are a good way for discussing various issues but if a barrage of emails to Ford AU were to be initiated, then some one may be stung into action with a reply - what the reply may be, though, could be any ones guess.

[Mansal]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

They are reporting as a GIVEN & a DONE DEAL...

...probably because it is. If it weren't you'd think that Ford Australia would have retorted by now.

[SpoolMan]

Front wheel drive is about saving money.
I wouldn't buy a front wheel drive Falcon, couldn't imagine a GT or F6 FRONT WHEEL DRIVE Car.
It appears it will be one car for all regardless of what part of the world.
In the US I believe they will still retain a RWD car or at least we hope so..

[Brazen]

OK I am not thinking this could be a bad thing.

I still think there are so many benefits for going Tauras based.

Imagine all the technology, such as synch and MyFord, radar cruise, bi-xenon headlights, glass roofs, hybrid technology...

This could be the dawn of a new era of Falcon.


Plus three little words...

ALL WHEEL DRIVE

[Cobra]

Why would it be so hard to have Falcon and Mustang sharing the same RWD architecture as Commodore and Camaro do with the Zeta platform? If I could have it my way, Ford AU, Ford NA and Lincoln could all share a GRWD platform with each other. Crown Victoria and a return of the LTD and Fairlane could run on a LWB platform, Faclon and Lincoln could share the "medium" wheel base platform and Mustang on a SWB, all utilising the same RWD architecture, just running on different wheel bases.

[[Tonko]]

FWD Falcon.... No thanks, i'll go somewhere else.



Havent seen this in a while:
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 74 (61 members and 13 guests)

[tapeworm]

what's the status quo with the utes, if the Taurus drops in? Pretty sure the Taurus would be re-named a Falcon over here too.

[My poor XF]

So much despair when nothing really has been said. As for 9 running it up front on the news i wouldn't be too fussed it will probably be followed by a story about Angelina's new haircut and all will be normal again.

If i were a betting man i would put my money on ford AU getting the GRWD work and you will see the falcon, mustang and lincoln all derived from the same platform with local input and the continuation of the I6 etc. As previously mentioned too much R&D (I4T and coyote, territory etc) has gone into the falcon platform for it to disappear in 4-5 yrs.

[Wally]

Originally Posted by Mansal

...probably because it is. If it weren't you'd think that Ford Australia would have retorted by now.

It takes time to punctuate quoted sentences, to confuse the meaning.

I tend to share your doubt, because there is a dire shortage of the smirk emoticons from the usual suspects who regularly infer they have the inside barrier on Ford secrets. As litmus tests go this news seems to have taken many by surprise.

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Nope

But I'd love to punch that Jezzadore Spinks ******** in the nurries.

That is quite possibly the funniest post ever! Agree with the sentiment.

[mik]

it would surprise me if they canned the Falcon , its great car, could a tauras, fill the Falcons shoes? i doubt it.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by tapeworm

what's the status quo with the utes, if the Taurus drops in? Pretty sure the Taurus would be re-named a Falcon over here too.

Put simply, from what I have seen in the media Ford will most likely not continue with the Falcon ute. Wagon is dead from July by the looks of things.

From what I can gather, if the Falcon goes FWD/AWD then the utes are finished. If the Falcon goes GRWD then the utes are also finished as its hard to stack up a business case plus it goes against OneFord.

I am very saddened by this, as the utes, wagons and Fairlanes have always been my favourite Falcon derivatives.

[mikmak]

Originally Posted by Brazen

OK I am not thinking this could be a bad thing.

I still think there are so many benefits for going Tauras based.

Imagine all the technology, such as synch and MyFord, radar cruise, bi-xenon headlights, glass roofs, hybrid technology...

This could be the dawn of a new era of Falcon.


Plus three little words...

ALL WHEEL DRIVE

Synch, MyFord, RADAR cruise bi-xenon headlights etc. are not exclusive to the Taurus. Electronic gadgets are merely a plug-in integration issue. I would suspect that the One Ford Concept would include a uniform electronics language across the empire.

There is no Spoon....... I mean Hybrid Taurus.

[auxr]

Originally Posted by My poor XF

So much despair when nothing really has been said. As for 9 running it up front on the news i wouldn't be too fussed it will probably be followed by a story about Angelina's new haircut and all will be normal again.

If i were a betting man i would put my money on ford AU getting the GRWD work and you will see the falcon, mustang and lincoln all derived from the same platform with local input and the continuation of the I6 etc. As previously mentioned too much R&D (I4T and coyote, territory etc) has gone into the falcon platform for it to disappear in 4-5 yrs.

My view entirely - too much work has been initiated for Ford AU to simply throw all away with the bath water.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by mikmak

Synch, MyFord, RADAR cruise bi-xenon headlights etc. are not exclusive to the Taurus. Electronic gadgets are merely a plug-in integration issue. I would suspect that the One Ford Concept would include a uniform electronics language across the empire.

There is no Spoon....... I mean Hybrid Taurus.

It just seems more likely for the Falcon to get new tech if its sharing its development with a North American brother. But I guess there is nothing stopping them shoving in features into the current FG if they can.

I realise currently there is no Hybrid Taurus, I am assuming the next gen Taurus will be the Falcon, and being placed on a similar platform to the Fusion I can see a hybrid being almost a certainty.

[auxr]

Originally Posted by Wally

It takes time to punctuate quoted sentences, to confuse the meaning.

I tend to share your doubt, because there is a dire shortage of the smirk emoticons from the usual suspects who regularly infer they have the inside barrier on Ford secrets. As litmus tests go this news seems to have taken many by surprise.

: : : : : : :

Juvenile I know, but couldn't resist the temptation - 68 members viewing, gotta have something to lighten things up

[greenfoam]

Wouldn't it be better for the Mondeo to fill the role of family car, I read on here from people that have both that the Mondeo is the much better car for normal daily driving. So kill the Falcon and have a lighter more sporty car for rwd enthusiasts. The Falcon (and Commodore) seem to be lost in the middle of nothing at the moment, too big and heavy for a performance car, not effcient enough for a sensible daily. I don't think either would be missed if something better replaced them. I'm interested in seeing what Ford say no after the media have run with this. Or will they say nothing since it's probably helping them soften the blow of what they have wanted to say for a while

[Dr Smith]

Why can't car executives, when discussing future product planning which has 3+ year lead times act more like politicians and give an answer which requires a few minutes to listen to and yet is no real answer and would result in the journalist not bothering to quote it.

[DEVL-XR]

Heard this load of cr@p on the radio today. It wont happen, as people have said we've been hearing these stories for decades. The Falcon is one of the best cars on the market for it's class in the world in my opinion, Ford would be fools to loose it.