Confirmed: Fairlane Dead & Buried

[MadFairlane]

Ah but mine is the orginal... It all helps when you've got a 1967 model

[GasoLane]

I think Ford was pushing it uphill in the 'Luxury' market when you can now park a Jag in your driveway for $49,000 instead of a Ford for $58,000

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I think Ford was pushing it uphill in the 'Luxury' market when you can now park a Jag in your driveway for $49,000 instead of a Ford for $58,000

what the luxury-ised mondeo? i'd rather a fairlane

[Elks]

Fairlanes like all up spec cars will rise in value, the problem is the the 30 year wait.

If you want and investment buy a flat, wait 10 years and buy 2 fairlanes, If you want a cool car, buy a fairlane. You had to buy a car anyway didn't you?

[ltd]

This has just made me decide to do a reconditioning job on the AU2 LTD. Methinks I'll start with the front of the car and work my way back. A head shave job is in order for the 5 litre, new injectors, new hoses and some major work etc have now been scheduled. As for the rest of the car, piece by piece I think I'll slowly redo it.

[LeadFoot81]

So are a lot of Forums members angry/disappointed over the loss of the nameplate, or the less of top of the tree luxury model?

Im lamenting the end of Fairlane, but I don't think this is a short sighted bean counting decision by Ford. This is the same company that dreamed up Territory which has been a runaway success.

I think it costs somewhere bewteen 175-200 million to make a modern (somewhat half arsed) Fairlane. Ford can now spend half that making a true luxury car out of the Fairmont Ghia, or create a new Super Luxurious Fairmont. Being based on Falcon Ford could do alot more with the RRP.

[Paull]

A little dis-appointed yes. The only thing I am struggling with is whether or not to buy a new LTD before they stop making them???????

[Bossxr8]

Something Tom Gorman said makes an excellent point. At its peak in the 70's Ford sold over 10,000 Fairlane/LTD's in a year. Last year they only sold around 1000. Those are pretty telling numbers.

I think they will a small rush on them now so limo business's can buy them before they are finished.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Doubt it, the Limo guys usually dont buy new, they prefer low kay ex government ones.

[RPO83]

Originally Posted by LSTerritoryGhia

Doubt it, the Limo guys usually dont buy new, they prefer low kay ex government ones.

I think this is a totally different buying situation though.

[jimmy_c]

Ok so I have been through a period of time when ford A. Dropped the V8 in the 80s and in 2007 drop a long living name plate such as the LTD and Fairlane.

Next I will hear that the Falcon will be chineese

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by RPO83

I think this is a totally different buying situation though.

Not really,

Dealers arent going to discount them as they will be order supply only, and at close to 60 grand retail for a Ghia full decked out i cant see too many limo guys (who buy them at the auctions for 34 grand 12 months old) are going to pay that.

[ltd]

I dunno about that. When our old limo company bought 16 (8 white, 8 black) AU2 LTD's we paid a little over 40 thousand each for them. Back then they retailed at just over 72 thousand, and we got this lot in february 2001 when the AU2 model was only 6 months since its release. Of course, these were the LTD, not the fairlane. Ford have been forced to heavily discount their cars to fleets, especially when Holden upped their discounts.

[steel_dot]

Don't assume that the money that Ford save in developing a new fairlane/ltd will be spent on the new falcon. For example if fairlane/ltd costed 200 million for arguments sake, i reckon they would only spend a fraction of the money that they saved on falcon.

[Smoke Pursuit]

I think from memory the BA Fairlane development cost was 20 Million, that was just for the *** end, as everything else was basically the same as Fairmont Ghia.

[Fordmeister]

Just joined up the forum after a hiatus from the car world (after selling my beloved XBGT Coupe I just lost interest....haha) BUT I was totally dark when I heard they canned them.............having been a Ford man my whole life and currently driving a BA Fairlane these cars are great. Maybe not the coolest looking car ever but hell the room and the smooth ride of them is awesome and more fruit than you can poke a stick at. I dunno why everyone wants an SUV

[Falcon Freak]

1967 -1995 : Ford owned the LWB market which it created
1995 -1999 : Ford's position as leader is challenged for the first time
1999 - 2007: The AU based LWB gets trounced by the competition

Just goes to show how one bad model can kill you. I said many times that at least the styling of the SWB AU models was cohesive. Th LWB AU models were an absolute mess as they were a combination of curves from the Falcon combined with squared of corners at the front and rear.

FF

[ClevlndStemer]

Maybe Ford need to use this as a hint from the market too, that big cars in this country are not as dominant as they used to be, that they really should be diversifying their efforts among their whole range. Instead of spending their marketing budget flogging a dead horse on the falcon, they should get the fiesta and focus up there, get them in rallys, get them in some circuit racing. Times have changed and they need to adjust, cutting back on the V8 SC funding is a good start.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by ClevlndStemer

Maybe Ford need to use this as a hint from the market too, that big cars in this country are not as dominant as they used to be, that they really should be diversifying their efforts among their whole range. Instead of spending their marketing budget flogging a dead horse on the falcon, they should get the fiesta and focus up there, get them in rallys, get them in some circuit racing. Times have changed and they need to adjust, cutting back on the V8 SC funding is a good start.

Agreed more should be spent on marketing small and medium cars, when the mondeo comes I would expect a massive effort.

But in saying that, the large car market is NOT dead. Yes its smaller at the moment than it used to be, but thats not because people dont want them, its because they are perceived as being to costly to run.

And even then, a 6 speed XT is not that bad on fuel for what it is, if they can bring it down another liter or so it would be a different ball game.

The whole petrol prices thing as been blown out of proportion by the media, yes it is an issue but its not that bad yet. So now people have flocked to smaller cars, it will be interesting to see if this is a small term thing or that people will get used to having smaller cars, with smaller capabilities.

Well IMO anyway. So the way to bring back the people is to have more efficient cars, whether thats gas, hydro, hybrid whatever; people will come back if you can justify the cost.

[outback_ute]

I agree it is the market that has moved and left the Fairlane behind, not helped by uninspiring product of course. Driving a Fairlane around the city is a PITA to find a park for, and most people clearly can live without the legroom in the back. The Fairlane faced the same issue as the Mondeo is in the UK - in that segment people are going to prestige brands including prestige SUVs.

C-S did you see the Wheels magazine Falcon/Commodore/Aurion/380 test where the Falcon (6sp auto) had the lowest fuel consumption of the four? Focussing on the fuel is silly too, it is not that large a part of running costs. I do agree though the change in the market is here, depending on international factors & the fuel price it may stay or evolve back towards big local cars - especially if they can get rid of the quality niggles and improve the resale which would be bigger issues for a private buyer in my opinion.

[Vdouw]

Sorry if this has allready been said but ... the Force 6 & 8 are taking over as they can compete with the Calais alot better and easier and the Fairlane in the AU to B serries was a waste of time an money as i and maybe alot of other people see it. Remember Ford allready has their fans ... their goal is to get more and make more profit

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Vdouw

Sorry if this has allready been said but ... the Force 6 & 8 are taking over as they can compete with the Calais alot better and easier and the Fairlane in the AU to B serries was a waste of time an money as i and maybe alot of other people see it. Remember Ford allready has their fans ... their goal is to get more and make more profit

That would be a negative captain, Force is for the senator etc, but I see your point, a perspective calais buyer might look at a Force. But they are usually the smart type so they will buy a Calais.

The Ghia deserves some new fruit, bells and whistles.

[Gobes32]

Originally Posted by Polyal

The Ghia deserves some new fruit, bells and whistles.

Turbo?
:

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by acosta32

Turbo?
:

Did I say whistles?...my bad, I meant to say pssshht!

[Gobes32]

I really do hope that Fairmont Ghia goes down the same path as the VE Calais, sporty suspension and european elegance. And if Ford offer a turbo Ghia to the buying public then that can only be a good thing. Hopefully Orion?

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by acosta32

I really do hope that Fairmont Ghia goes down the same path as the VE Calais, sporty suspension and european elegance. And if Ford offer a turbo Ghia to the buying public then that can only be a good thing. Hopefully Orion?

Well on looks alone the BF2 Ghia is horn, but I guess its not as flash on the inside as the Calais; and yeah it could do with some better engine options.

There is no reason why you cant put a BOSS 260 in a Ghia aswell, same car as an XR8 other than the trim and cosmetics.

[Zedjay]

i think the limo guys will just start customizing the fairmonts to take the fairlanes place

ive seen what looked like a DL hearse that started life as a EF GLI wagon

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Zedjay

i think the limo guys will just start customizing the fairmonts to take the fairlanes place

ive seen what looked like a DL hearse that started life as a EF GLI wagon

That or everyone will just use statesman's, and so be it, not exactly a crucial market.