Rear-wheel drive Falcon gets five-year committment from Ford
01-12-12, 09:29 PM
#1
Rear-wheel drive Falcon gets five-year committment from Ford
Rear-wheel drive Falcon gets five-year committment from Ford
Fans of the rear-wheel drive Ford Falcon can breath easy, at least until 2016. According to Australia's CarAdvice.com, Ford has announced that automaker will invest $103 million to sustain both the Falcon and Territory SUV through the next five years. The news came courtesy of Ford Australia president Bo Graziano and Ford Asia Pacific president Joe Hinrichs at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Ford is expected to unveil refreshed versions of both the Falcon and the Territory in 2014. The automaker is expected to use the investment to improve the vehicles' efficiency and safety. The cash injection should add around 300 jobs, as well.
Ford Australia will likely focus on aerodynamics, tire adjustments and transmission improvements to eke out better fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions. A new six-speed automatic gearbox is expected to debut with the new models.
And what happens after 2016? Ford isn't saying, though the company has made it clear Australia will receive a new large car based on a global platform. That vehicle will likely offer buyers both front and all-wheel drive configurations, thereby putting an end to the long-standing rear-wheel drive Falcon lineage.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/12/r...ent-from-ford/
01-12-12, 09:55 PM
#3
I like it. My first car was a Falcon, but it didn't look like that.
Terry in Sunnyvale
___________________________________________________
2003 LS430 UL (aka Betty)
2011 IS F ML (aka Jail Bait)
Terry in Sunnyvale
___________________________________________________
2003 LS430 UL (aka Betty)
2011 IS F ML (aka Jail Bait)
01-12-12, 10:55 PM
#5
I wouldn't bet on it. This is a large sedan, and with the Fusion and Taurus already here there's not much room left unless the Falcon were a replacement. Then again the platform the new one will ride on will be global so it is possible the chassis and or underpinnings are the same. I'd be willing to bet they keep the Taurus moniker here in the States and the Falcon down under. Of course this is 5 years from now, so who knows, speculation is fun
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07-17-13, 10:36 AM
#9
Ford Australia to kill off FPV by 2014 in advance of Mustang return
Ford Australia to kill off FPV by 2014 in advance of Mustang return
Ford seems to be having a good time yanking our friends in Australia about. First, there was the news that after 90 years, the Blue Oval would be ending Australian production, effectively killing the legendary Falcon sedan. Then, yesterday came the announcement that Oz would be getting the next-generation, global Ford Mustang in 2016. And now, we have news regarding Ford's Australian tuning partner, FPV.
The group responsible for hot Falcons will be disbanded in 2014, according to Aussie newspaper The Age. FPV's most recent creation, the GT Falcon, will be discontinued. This news isn't a tremendous shock, as FPV was recently taken in-house by Ford. The tuning house's death will not lead to any job loss.
Ford will reportedly continue building Falcons with the GT's mechanicals, though. That means its 449-horsepower, supercharged V8 will live to fight another Holden. Along with the GT's upgraded suspension and brakes, the new model will wear the unused XR8 badge, allowing Ford to continue building cars for enthusiasts without spending extra on the pricey styling bits of the GT Falcon.
The XR8 Falcon's days will still be numbered, though. Falcon production is still on track to end, at which point the Mustang will look to take over the XR8's performance reins. The Falcon will well and truly die when the Mustang takes over for it in the V8 Supercars series, and the US-built Taurus arrives to handle the sedan's more domestic duties.
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/17/f...f-mustang-ret/
07-22-13, 08:59 AM
#10
meanwhile at GM...
Holden SS V Redline a sales smash
Holden has a hit on its hands. That wouldn't be much of a surprise were the hit a small, affordable, fuel-efficient car that everyone thought looked like Kate Upton in car form. It's surprising because said hit has a 6.0-liter V8 with 351 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque, sends its power to the rear wheels, and costs 51,490 Australian dollars ($47,365 at today's rates). And it doesn't look anything like the lovely Ms. Upton.
Yes, we're talking about the new VF Commodore SS V, and in particular, the Redline models. According to Aussie car site Motoring, Holden can't build the darn things fast enough, with wait lists going into 2014.
This news tells us something about Australian motorists. There's still a market for big, powerful sedans in Oz, which is a fact that Ford has seemingly forgotten. The VF Commodore, particularly the SS V Redline, is a vehicle that people want, rather than one they need. It's a shame Ford doesn't see such a market for its Falcon, rather than killing the historic nameplate. We wonder if Ford could have taken Holden's approach - rather than killing a big sedan, export it to America. We'd much rather have a rear-drive Falcon than the Taurus. Instead, Ford is basically giving away sales to Holden.
Want further proof that Holden is making the Commodore work? The SS V trim is handily outdoing the standard SS, making up 80 percent of SS sales. People aren't only buying these big sedans, they're actively buying the very best versions. We can only hope Chevrolet's new SS sedan, which is essentially a more powerful Commodore SS V, receives such a warm reception.
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/22/h...-selling-well/
08-20-13, 07:56 PM
#12
Alan Mulally talks about why Ford's Falcon had to die
Alan Mulally talks about why Ford's Falcon had to die
When Ford made the decision to end production of the Falcon sedan and Territory CUV in Australia, it wasn't a popular move Down Under. The large, four-door Falcon had been in production for 50 years, and while Ford has reaffirmed its commitment to the Australian market, it's understandable that some people still aren't all that crazy about the Blue Oval's decision.
Speaking to CEO Alan Mulally after Ford's Go Further event in Sydney, Australian site Go Auto reports that the decision was not one made lightly, and that the automaker is doing everything possible to respect the Falcon and Territory's "stakeholders." It's an interesting piece that shows a softer side of a corporation, while demonstrating that Ford is doing everything in its power to make the end of production as smooth as possible for all parties.
Mulally loved the Falcon, but large-car customers have moved on
19 August 2013
By IAN PORTER
KILLING off the Falcon after 50 years of local production was Ford’s only option in the end, according to the car-maker’s global chief executive Alan Mulally.
But the company decided to give three years’ notice of the closure and committed to next year’s late-life makeover of the Falcon “out of respect for all the stakeholders” and to ensure an orderly transition.
“Of course, it is a serious consideration where we decide to make things, but the world is becoming more and more integrated and you have to be competitive,” Mr Mulally saidl while mingling with Ford dealers after last week’s ‘Go Further’ event in Sydney.
“You have to be competitive or you don’t get a chance to stay in business and serve the customer.
“We’re doing the right thing by the consumer in the longer term.”
Closing the Broadmeadows and Geelong plants, he said, was part of the challenge of continually improving quality and productivity so Ford could perform more efficiently in the global market.
He said the decision did not reflect on the quality of the Falcon or the plant that builds it.
“I loved the Falcon the first time I was in it. But (the large car) market is really, really small. The customers have moved on to smaller, more efficient vehicles, and this is exactly what we are going to provide.”
When asked why Ford would continue local production until 2016, he said it was out of respect to “stakeholders”, suggesting Ford was doing the right thing by its suppliers, employees and the government.
“We really want to have an orderly transition, out of respect for all the stakeholders. That’s why we are refreshing the Falcon, because there are a lot of people that love the Falcon. And we will refresh the Territory, too.”
“Absolutely we are doing the right thing for all the stakeholders involved, including employees, the supply base, the industry, we’re doing absolutely the right thing.”
Mr Mulally said there was nothing the government could have done to keep the Ford plants open, and no amount of money that would have swayed Ford’s US-based board of directors.
“We have worked very hard to make a viable business here. We have had a tremendous public/private partnership and we are just not competitive making vehicles here in Australia.
“So we are doing the right thing. Any company needs to be making a reasonable return so they can continue to invest in new products.
“You know, this is the most open market in the world, the most competitive market in the world.
“There are more brands here than anywhere else in the world. There are more marques than in the rest of the world.
“This is a really competitive market and if you are going to get a chance to participate here, you have to be really competitive.”
19 August 2013
By IAN PORTER
KILLING off the Falcon after 50 years of local production was Ford’s only option in the end, according to the car-maker’s global chief executive Alan Mulally.
But the company decided to give three years’ notice of the closure and committed to next year’s late-life makeover of the Falcon “out of respect for all the stakeholders” and to ensure an orderly transition.
“Of course, it is a serious consideration where we decide to make things, but the world is becoming more and more integrated and you have to be competitive,” Mr Mulally saidl while mingling with Ford dealers after last week’s ‘Go Further’ event in Sydney.
“You have to be competitive or you don’t get a chance to stay in business and serve the customer.
“We’re doing the right thing by the consumer in the longer term.”
Closing the Broadmeadows and Geelong plants, he said, was part of the challenge of continually improving quality and productivity so Ford could perform more efficiently in the global market.
He said the decision did not reflect on the quality of the Falcon or the plant that builds it.
“I loved the Falcon the first time I was in it. But (the large car) market is really, really small. The customers have moved on to smaller, more efficient vehicles, and this is exactly what we are going to provide.”
When asked why Ford would continue local production until 2016, he said it was out of respect to “stakeholders”, suggesting Ford was doing the right thing by its suppliers, employees and the government.
“We really want to have an orderly transition, out of respect for all the stakeholders. That’s why we are refreshing the Falcon, because there are a lot of people that love the Falcon. And we will refresh the Territory, too.”
“Absolutely we are doing the right thing for all the stakeholders involved, including employees, the supply base, the industry, we’re doing absolutely the right thing.”
Mr Mulally said there was nothing the government could have done to keep the Ford plants open, and no amount of money that would have swayed Ford’s US-based board of directors.
“We have worked very hard to make a viable business here. We have had a tremendous public/private partnership and we are just not competitive making vehicles here in Australia.
“So we are doing the right thing. Any company needs to be making a reasonable return so they can continue to invest in new products.
“You know, this is the most open market in the world, the most competitive market in the world.
“There are more brands here than anywhere else in the world. There are more marques than in the rest of the world.
“This is a really competitive market and if you are going to get a chance to participate here, you have to be really competitive.”
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