The Age: End of the road nears for Falcon

[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.

[JPFS1]

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.

How was 40,000 odd small cars with very little profit going to help secure Ford AUS manufacturing?

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by JPFS1

How was 40,000 odd small cars with very little profit going to help secure Ford AUS manufacturing?

Last year Ford sold 32,000 Falcons!

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 consumer tastes and also complement 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 Ford's manufacturing future in Australia and thus secure the Falcon's future.

[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]

While a decision may have been made or they may be a long way into the process no one on here or in any media outlet in the world has any idea what that may be. It's all speculation based on what we knew months ago, the falcon will not be a stand alone vehicle. As i said earlier there are many options they would/will consider and only people within the organisation are qualified to give definite answers. They have said within 12-18 months we will see what decision has been made.

The media really have way too much control on the general population. Doom and gloom gets peoples attention, when in reality we see nothing different to what we already knew.

[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).