where did the "Falcon being replaced by the Taurus rumour start from??? - Page 3

**DJM83** · 17-06-2012, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

I get the impression a lot of Australians don't know what a large car is.

Australian version of large and American version of large seem pretty different. Its not universal between countries.

barra T · 17-06-2012, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

So what killed the Australian Fairlane?

Ford Australia.

jpd80 · 17-06-2012, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

So what killed the Australian Fairlane?

Quite a few Fairlanes and LTDs were sold to wealthy farmers in rural areas but as SUVs started to become popular,
those sales started to drop and then CEO Geoff Polites instigated a cunning plan to migrate as many of the
Luxury and station wagon sales as possible onto an Aussie SUV which would replace the US supplied Explorer.

So when people look around today and see no Fairlane-LTD-Stationwagon, a conscientious decision was made
all those years ago to give those buyers a product more suited to their needs. The Luxury twins and S/W
lived on but sales were much lower as Fairmont Ghia (now G6E) and Territory Ghia took over the mantle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJM83

Australian version of large and American version of large seem pretty different. Its not universal between countries.

Exactly, Americans go on exterior dimension but our local large cars are the same size internally as the now defunct Crown Victoria.
To Americans, Commodore and Falcon are fence sitters stuck between mid sizers andl full sized cars.

Moby Vic,
Caprice PPV will give you an idea of what our large luxury cars were like..

Joe5619 · 17-06-2012, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

So what killed the Australian Fairlane?

Why do people keep asking this question?? Just look how CRAP Holde caprice sales are (even without Ford in the market) & you'd know the choice not to make Fairlan is totally & completely the right one!!

jpd80 · 17-06-2012, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Why do people keep asking this question?? !

Because Moby Vic is based in the USA...

TC200six · 17-06-2012, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Has an American full-size car ever been available new in Australia?

I know Holden assembled Chevrolets up until the late '60s and Ford assembled the 1959 Fairlane before the Australian model started in 1967. Were the '59 Fairlane and Chevy Bel Air considered full-size in America?

Nikked · 17-06-2012, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC200six

I know Holden assembled Chevrolets up until the late '60s and Ford assembled the 1959 Fairlane before the Australian model started in 1967. Were the '59 Fairlane and Chevy Bel Air considered full-size in America?

No, i don't think so...

The galaxy would be the American full sizer?

TC200six · 17-06-2012, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikked

No, i don't think so...

The galaxy would be the American full sizer?

The Fairlane and Galaxy were the same car in the '59 model year. But yeah, after that it the Galaxy would have been Ford's full size car. BTW, Ford did sell Galaxys in Australia in the '60s

Moby Vic · 17-06-2012, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtxb67

lack of sales

Whose fault is that?

jpd80 · 17-06-2012, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Whose fault is that?

Changing market.
Ford shifted it's development funding onto Territory before the rot really set in.

Moby Vic · 17-06-2012, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

Quite a few Fairlanes and LTDs were sold to wealthy farmers in rural areas but as SUVs started to become popular,
those sales started to drop and then CEO Geoff Polites instigated a cunning plan to migrate as many of the
Luxury and station wagon sales as possible onto an Aussie SUV which would replace the US supplied Explorer.

So when people look around today and see no Fairlane-LTD-Stationwagon, a conscientious decision was made
all those years ago to give those buyers a product more suited to their needs. The Luxury twins and S/W
lived on but sales were much lower as Fairmont Ghia (now G6E) and Territory Ghia took over the mantle.

Exactly, Americans go on exterior dimension but our local large cars are the same size internally as the now defunct Crown Victoria.
To Americans, Commodore and Falcon are fence sitters stuck between mid sizers andl full sized cars.

Moby Vic,
Caprice PPV will give you an idea of what our large luxury cars were like..

Sounds like the same thing that happened here in the '90s. Station wagons and hatchbacks disappeared (supposedly due to lack of buy interest) and SUVs and crossovers became more prominent.

I saw my first new Caprice PPV a week ago while driving to work! I wasn't sure what it was at first (it was an unmarked car), but then I saw the "hidden" LED lights in the grille. It looks better in person than in pictures, but it's still pretty bland. I haven't seen the interior yet. I just know that I did not fit comfortably in the Pontiac G8 driver's seat (not enough legroom), and that was based on the Commodore rather than the Statesman.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

Because Moby Vic is based in the USA...

Thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC200six

I know Holden assembled Chevrolets up until the late '60s and Ford assembled the 1959 Fairlane before the Australian model started in 1967. Were the '59 Fairlane and Chevy Bel Air considered full-size in America?

Ford only had one size (not counting the Thunderbird) until the 1960 model year, when the Falcon debuted. Then the Fairlane debuted for 1962 as the country's first midsize. Chevy was the same way (not counting the Corvette) until the debut of the Corvair, followed by the Chevy II and Chevelle.

Chrysler downsized Dodge and Plymouth radically for 1962 (but not Chrysler itself) due to a senior executive overhearing a senior GM executive talking about the Chevy II, and not understanding that the car was not going to replace the full-size Chevrolet.

Ramblers were already smaller cars than those of the Big Three. The Studebaker Lark was also a small car.

FPV GTHO · 17-06-2012, 03:45 PM

Ford possibly could've done an FG Fairlane, but they would've needed to match Holdens significant effort to differentiate WM Statesman from VE Commodore, which was never going to happen with Territory and no export markets.

TMC · 17-06-2012, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Chrysler downsized Dodge and Plymouth radically for 1962 (but not Chrysler itself) due to a senior executive overhearing a senior GM executive talking about the Chevy II, and not understanding that the car was not going to replace the full-size Chevrolet.

That would have been the birth of the Valiant wouldn't it. When they came out in Australia in 62 they had double the power of the Ford Falcon and even more again than the Holden. First production family car which could do 100mph in this country.

dom_105 · 17-06-2012, 06:29 PM

I don't envy the task ahead of the marketing whiz kids at FoA head office trying to sell Taurus's to people with long memories.

Bossxr8 · 17-06-2012, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Why do people keep asking this question?? Just look how CRAP Holde caprice sales are (even without Ford in the market) & you'd know the choice not to make Fairlan is totally & completely the right one!!

Exactly right, as much as we all loved Fairlane/LTD it just wasn't selling, the whole LWB market is dead.

I think last month Caprice sold 91. If you add that to the Caprice PPV then Holden are probably building about the same amount of LWB cars Ford were selling of Fairlane/LTD when it was axed.

Do they still export LWB to the Middle East?

FPV GTHO · 17-06-2012, 10:03 PM

Ford didnt drop Fairlane yesterday though, and Caprice sales didnt die in the **** yesterday either. 2006-7-8 Holden LWB sales were ALOT higher.

Bossxr8 · 17-06-2012, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

Ford didnt drop Fairlane yesterday though, and Caprice sales didnt die in the **** yesterday either. 2006-7-8 Holden LWB sales were ALOT higher.

So it took a bit longer for Holdens LWB models to get to the point of being unviable, what does that matter.

The LWB market is still dead. Fairlane, LTD and Statesman are gone, how long till Caprice is?

jpd80 · 17-06-2012, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Exactly right, as much as we all loved Fairlane/LTD it just wasn't selling, the whole LWB market is dead.

I think last month Caprice sold 91. If you add that to the Caprice PPV then Holden are probably building about the same amount of LWB cars Ford were selling of Fairlane/LTD when it was axed.

Do they still export LWB to the Middle East?

Yes, the Lumina was axed but Caprice continues for now at about 200/mth.

Moby Vic · 18-06-2012, 03:15 AM

The Valiant was designed as a compact. I was talking about the full-size '62 Plymouths and Dodges.

1961 Plymouth Fury:

1962 Plymouth Fury:

1961 Dodge Polara:

1962 Dodge Polara (one of the most freakish American cars ever):

And the current Taurus only shares its name with the Taurus of the '90s. They're completely different cars.

MethodX · 18-06-2012, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dom_105

I don't envy the task ahead of the marketing whiz kids at FoA head office trying to sell Taurus's to people with long memories.

Put a Falcon badge on it and roberts your fathers brother.
I doubt they would sell it, its way too big and heavy.

MethodX · 18-06-2012, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

So it took a bit longer for Holdens LWB models to get to the point of being unviable, what does that matter.

The LWB market is still dead. Fairlane, LTD and Statesman are gone, how long till Caprice is?

Shame, the Caprice has quite a presence to it.
What will future prime ministers ride around in if it goes? A Calais or G6 perhaps?

Moby Vic · 18-06-2012, 08:45 AM

How about a Taurus?