Ford boss promises Falcon will continue in local production beyond 2016

[GTENVY]

Sorry if it's a repost. Good article.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...257750001FBFCD

FORD Australia president and CEO Marin Burela says he is confident the company’s Falcon range will continue to be made in Australia after the current seventh-generation car is retired in 2016.

Speaking at celebrations marking Ford Australia’s 85th anniversary and Falcon’s 50th, Mr Burela said Ford had no plans to change the company’s current operating structure and that head office in Detroit was delighted with the company’s current performance.

“We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in our Australian facilities at Geelong and Broadmeadows, and our view on that is that those facilities are there, we have invested in them, they are state of the art, we’ve got a great workforce building wonderful cars with great quality. “We will continue to do so.”

As GoAuto has reported, Ford’s ‘One Ford’ global model strategy dictates that the current Falcon will be the last to be designed and engineered exclusively in and for Australia, which means the next all-new Falcon is likely to be based on Ford’s next-generation front/all-wheel-drive Taurus.

Federal industry minister Senator Kim Carr said today he was optimistic about the future for the Broadmeadows assembly plant.

“I believe there will be a Falcon made here after 2016,” he said. “The substantive issue will be how much of it is made locally, and that is what we are talking through.”

Senator Carr also indicated that Ford might be reconsidering its no-export policy (excepting New Zealand).

“We are working with all three companies to ensure that we have growth in the industry’s volumes, and the way to do that is to grow domestic demand and international demand through exports,” he said.

“We want all three companies to grow their export capacity, and the component manufacturers, too.”

Mr Burela said the Broadmeadows operations were working overtime to meet the rising demand for the Falcon sedan.

“The great news is the Falcon in the last few months has been travelling in uncharted waters,” he said.

“It is taking 41 per cent of the large sedan market. Only 18 months ago it was taking a 25 or 26 per cent share.

“We are regularly working overtime since June/July last year to meet demand. We are very happy with where we are and where we are going.”

Mr Burela confirmed that Ford would freshen the FG Falcon, but said that no final decision had been made about the eighth-generation Falcon due for 2016.

“2016 is the natural break point of this (model) cycle," he said.

"The work we are doing and the plan we are on says we don’t have to make a decision on all the aspects of the new Falcon until we get to the early part of 2012. So, we are in a good position.”

He dismissed a suggestion that Detroit wanted to close Broadmeadows and supply Australia with imported large cars.

“No. Head office is absolutely delighted for us and what we have achieved over many years,” he said.

“They were particularly delighted when we brought Ford Australia back to profit in 2009, and they know we are performing well in 2010.”

Back in May, Ford reported its first positive result since 2005, a breakeven profit of $13 million earned on revenues of $3.14 billion.

Asked if he saw a long-term future for Broadmeadows, Senator Carr said Ford in Detroit placed great value on its local operations.

“I was in Detroit in May, and Alan Mulally made it very clear the value to Ford company leadership places on Australia. Ford values Australia as much as Australia values Ford.”

He said both parties recognised the industry was going through a transition and this would involve the whole Australian automotive sector, assemblers and parts-makers.

“We are driving change in partnership with the companies, and I am absolutely confident Ford has a strong future in this country, as has the Australian automotive industry.”

Senator Carr said the fuel economy of large cars made here had improved 20 per cent in the past two and a half years.

“What we are seeing is the transformation of the Australian automotive industry,” he said.

These changes included new fuel systems, turbo-charging or, at Toyota, the introduction of Australian-made hybrid technology.

“We are in the business of making sure the Australian industry adapts to the new circumstances the industry finds itself in.”

Senator Carr said he believed Ford Australia would become more closely linked into the Ford group’s overseas production and supply network.

“All motor companies today make global platforms. The question is how much will be locally made and that is what we are talking through.”

Senator Carr dismissed a suggestion that the opening of a new Ford group plant in Thailand – on the same day Ford Australia was celebrating half a century of Falcon production – represented a threat to future Falcon production in Australia.

“We have rear- and all-wheel drive capability that few countries in the world can replicate. There is a particular part of the market for that product.

“Big cars are popular in Australia for a reason: people want them.

“The biggest seller for the last 12 years has been a large car. Ford has a very important role to play in that sector.”

[Brazen]

Andrew Mckeller of Goauto I have a huge amount of respect for, he also is the president of FCAI and knows whats happening in the industry. Whatever he says, I take it as gospel. If Goauto thinks Falcon will be FWD Taurus based then it will happen.

The great thing is that it will be built here, and Australia could be the RHD global production base for it to be sold in Europe and other countries.

Very interesting to see what happens, if Falcon is based on Taurus then it will be based on a world class platform. If it is based on a new GRWD then it will also be a fantastic car. Win-win.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Andrew Mckeller of Goauto I have a huge amount of respect for, he also is the president of FCAI and knows whats happening in the industry. Whatever he says, I take it as gospel. If Goauto thinks Falcon will be FWD Taurus based then it will happen.

The great thing is that it will be built here, and Australia could be the RHD global production base for it to be sold in Europe and other countries.

Very interesting to see what happens, if Falcon is based on Taurus then it will be based on a world class platform. If it is based on a new GRWD then it will also be a fantastic car. Win-win.

I'm also very up beat about FoA's future, this little snippet is interesting:

[Senator Carr also indicated that Ford might be reconsidering its no-export policy (excepting New Zealand).

Whoooo Hooooo Hooooo......

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Andrew Mckeller of Goauto I have a huge amount of respect for, he also is the president of FCAI and knows whats happening in the industry. Whatever he says, I take it as gospel. If Goauto thinks Falcon will be FWD Taurus based then it will happen.

The great thing is that it will be built here, and Australia could be the RHD global production base for it to be sold in Europe and other countries.

Very interesting to see what happens, if Falcon is based on Taurus then it will be based on a world class platform. If it is based on a new GRWD then it will also be a fantastic car. Win-win.

I'm sorry but it's not a win if Falcon is FWD. If it's assembled here and people keep their jobs, great news. But will they have jobs in another 5 years after 2016 when no one wants a FWD Falcon?

[sgt_doofey]

Why do they keep saying it might be based on the Taurus FWD/AWD platform, but completely forget to mention the RWD Mustang platform? No doubt, there will be a large RWD global platform to cater for the US market (Mustang and Police Interceptor are two I can think of), why can't they report that the Falcon may use that going forward?

[GS608]

I wish they would stop saying Falcon will be turning into the FWD Torass, it just simply isn't going to happen. Ford need a global RWD platform for their premium products and that is where Ford AU and Falcon comes into play, especially now that Ford is profitable.

Everyone seems to think that One Ford = death of the Falcon, but i think it is the thing that will save it. Kuzak and Mullaly aren't idiot, they know what they have down under and will use it.

[Nikked]

The falcon will be RWD. My guess is the "taurus" platform will be i modular type platform, offering FWD, AWD and RWD. Ford wants 4 basic global platforms (IIRC), and my guess is that this means that they will be enginnered for multiple drivetrain applications.

Im confindent hearing that the Falcon will be Taurus based is not a bad thing, and not to assume that will will have FWD falcons with transverse V6's...

[ebxr8240]

I have driven the new Taurus in U.S ..
It's NOTHING likem the car we had here some time back...
Btw the police car is based on this car in AWD...

[JPFS1]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

I have driven the new Taurus in U.S ..
It's NOTHING likem the car we had here some time back...
Btw the police car is based on this car in AWD...

They are a great improvement for sure, but the evaluation SHO that was here left little reason to drive again compared to XR6T. There's a way to go before many here consider it a viable replacement in that segment at least.

[Fordman]

I would be so disapointed if it was FWD, AWD is a different story as long as it has sufficient power to deal with extra weight, Id always prefer RWD though.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by JPFS1

They are a great improvement for sure, but the evaluation SHO that was here left little reason to drive again compared to XR6T. There's a way to go before many here consider it a viable replacement in that segment at least.

I wonder how our Falcon (I-4EB/I-6/I-6T/V8) would clinic in the USA if you didn't tell people it was a Ford...
Probably Flog Taurus and Fusion handsomely.....

[morak001]

Originally Posted by GTENVY

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...257750001FBFCD

"....FORD Australia president and CEO Marin Burela says he is confident the company’s Falcon range will continue to be made in Australia after the current seventh-generation car is retired in 2016......"

”

But, does this mean Falcon by name or Falcon by Soul?

[FPV GTHO]

Originally Posted by Nikked

The falcon will be RWD. My guess is the "taurus" platform will be i modular type platform, offering FWD, AWD and RWD. Ford wants 4 basic global platforms (IIRC), and my guess is that this means that they will be enginnered for multiple drivetrain applications.

Taurus will probably go to a stretched CD4 platform. A modular FWD/RWD platform would probably have too many compromises of each layout carry between each other without expensive differentiation.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

Taurus will probably go to a stretched CD4 platform. A modular FWD/RWD platform would probably have too many compromises of each layout carry between each other without expensive differentiation.

Agree, the engineering for a shared FWD/RWD chassis is not economically feasible, the crash
properties and energy absorption paths are significantly different. With the engine and transmission
over the front wheels, FWD cars usually have the cabin and firewall moved much further forward than
a comparable Falcon. All you have to do is take a look at Mondeo and Falcon under the bonnet and
see where the firewall is in relation to the suspension towers.

Forget all the double speak, RWD Falcon isn't going anywhere in the next five years.
In that time, Ford will develop Ecoboost I-4 as a fuel efficient car of the future
and prove that large fuel efficient RWD vehicles are possible and economically viable.

A fuel efficient large vehicle is also a valuable product in Asia as well....

[Jason[98.EL]]

I went to the Geelong Jobs Expo yesterday and Ford Au had a site there

They are putting more people on in the casting plant early next year as i was told for the next gen inline 6 as well as a new motor to be cast here

hope the next gen 6 means it will be for the falcon way after 2016

Jason

[Ghiadude]

Originally Posted by Jason[98.EL]

They are putting more people on in the casting plant early next year as i was told for the next gen inline 6 as well as a new motor to be cast here

New motor ??? was it a reputable source.? as far as I knew they were going to do some value adding by doing brake rotors for bosch and so on??

[Jason[98.EL]]

yeh he works at ford and in the casting plant area

i for one dont know the guy at all

I am only going by what he said so dont shoot the mesanger

Jason

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Jason[98.EL]

I went to the Geelong Jobs Expo yesterday and Ford Au had a site there

They are putting more people on in the casting plant early next year as i was told for the next gen inline 6 as well as a new motor to be cast here

hope the next gen 6 means it will be for the falcon way after 2016

Jason

I think any talk of a 'new' engine being cast there is BS. But the comments may give some insight into changes to the I6?

The casting plant will also be taking on new work soon as part of the Bosch contract.