Falcon bad news.

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by martyk54

I've just pulled the order of my XR6T Ute and will be buying something else (non-Ford). I've been stuffed around no end since November last year when I ordered it, in-turn the company has lost all of my respect. Note that myself and family have also purchased 8 Fords new in the last 20 years.

I was promised the car 2 weeks ago, and made the necessary requirements in preparation for it... so I've basically ended up without a car at all, and an 'indefinite' status of it's delivery. I could write a book about the other examples of incompetence I've had to deal with in the process of ordering this particular car.

I call Ford (not the dealer) to voice my concerns, they say they'll have someone call be back about the car... no call, no surprise! I call back again and they don't even try to answer my questions with anything credible so when I threaten to pull the order, all they say it's got nothing to do with them, they sell the car wholesale to the dealer and that's it. In other words, the bloke couldn't give a ****... so goodbye sale, goodbye Ford from a loyal customer and family.

Those who are saying that Ford seemingly don't care is consistent with what I've witnessed. They are a changed company, an absolute rabble of an outfit, which is headed in one direction. Now to decide on my replacement car...

That's not good in this day and age. If they don't wan't to take your money I'm sure another car company will..........

[Pepscobra]

Originally Posted by martyk54

Unfortunately my gripes are just as much aimed at Ford itself as the dealer. You're right, the XR6T is brilliant, I've owned a BA and FG.. both sedans. WRX, Golf GTI and Megane RS are also brilliant though... too much choice to commit 40k+ to a company who couldn't give a damn.

Mate, I hear what you're saying. It's very disappointing to hear this happening.
I've never been one to tolerate bad service... one chance and then I'm gone... But for the future of the falcon, have a word to another dealer before turning ya back?

[Pepscobra]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

That's not good in this day and age. If they don't wan't to take your money I'm sure another car company will..........

This exactly...!
Are they really making so much money that they can afford to lose sales, even just one??
Ford need to recruit Richard Branson to teach them about customer service i reckon.

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Admittedly not for a while, I seriously looked at one of the limited few that Ford/Tickford flogged here. That was maybe 6 years ago, and it was couple of years old, but minimal k’s. IIRC these were American Mustangs, converted locally to RHD by Tickford (or maybe it was FPV by then???)
I think these were still based on the “Fox” platform, and had the 4.6 modular V8. Good engine, beautiful noise, and went like a rocket in a straight line.
Car wasn’t bad looking, still had good presence, but nothing like the current model.’
Inside was tacky, like something from the 70’s. Ride was both uncomfortable and yet sloppy, and the steering was just plain scary.

Just as I suspected. It sounds like you drove a '99–'04 model. That was on the New Edge SN95 chassis, which was an update of the Fox chassis. Starting in '05—with an all-new chassis (road to roof)—Mustang got a brand new suspension design. These S197 Mustangs ride NOTHING like earlier Mustangs. They have a Panhard bar and a much better control arm setup than earlier Mustangs did. Axle windup is not an issue.

So many people (including every car magazine) are so hung up on the idea of a live axle rear suspension being primitive that they cannot gt past it. Yes, a live axle does not give as comfortable a ride in all conditions as an independent rear suspension, but that doesn't necessarily mean it can't handle.

The S197 Mustangs handed Porsches and BMWs their Teutonic asses on race tracks from the beginning. The 2011 Mustang GT outhandles a BMW M3.

The most popular form of amateur racing in the US is drag racing. Independent rear suspension costs more, adds weight (albeit in a good place), and is of no benefit on a drag strip. A large part of the fun in driving a Mustang is its crudeness. (I've actually been a little disappointed in driving S197 Mustangs because of their increased size, heft, and refinement—driving one feels more like driving my 2-ton Crown Vic than like driving my '95 Mustang GTS.)

The interiors actually got worse (in terms of hard, cheap plastic) when the 2005 Mustang debuted, but so what? If you want a fast car for $30K, where do you want the manufacturer to spend money? I enjoy a powerful engine more than a hard plastic dash pains me.

Starting with the 2010 model year, Mustang interiors got nice. And then the Coyote 5.0 appeared for the 2011 model year. These are the best Mustangs ever.

When the 2014 Mustang debuts, it will no doubt have IRS for the full lineup. I'm sure it will have something to criticize, however.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

The interiors actually got worse (in terms of hard, cheap plastic) when the 2005 Mustang debuted, but so what? If you want a fast car for $30K, where do you want the manufacturer to spend money? I enjoy a powerful engine more than a hard plastic dash pains me.

Starting with the 2010 model year, Mustang interiors got nice. And then the Coyote 5.0 appeared for the 2011 model year. These are the best Mustangs ever.

When the 2014 Mustang debuts, it will no doubt have IRS for the full lineup. I'm sure it will have something to criticize, however.

............ could replace the words Mustang with GT 335 and all sounds very familiar. That's why so many just do not get it when they compare HSV with the GT. (except the 30k bit but then you pay here to have more fun!)

Anyway ...... People who join the "Handling is more important than power" bandwagon only say it cos theirs is underpowered.

Good post

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by Auslandau

Anyway ...... People who join the "Handling is more important than power" bandwagon only say it cos theirs are underpowered.

Good post

This sounds all too familiar from back in the AU days. Now the shoes on the other foot & people still complain.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by jpd80

The decision to import the V6 was not based on it being half the price...not at all.
It was based on the very false premise that the I-6 could not be made Euro 4 withput significant upgrades.

Yes, it was based on the assumption that producing a Euro 5 compliant I6 would cost $X, when at the time they could buy the V6 for half the cost.

Originally Posted by jpd80

Only if the US pays off it's $15 Trillion debt, believe me they have no idea where to begin.
There is every likelihood that their debt ceiling will have to be increased several times more
before they even get a handle on paying back the interest on the loan..

Of course the debt ceiling will increase, it's called inflation.
The US economy has for a very long time been based on a debt-funded model, although in reality it is more like equity. Essentially this is because with the biggest most dominate economy, and the most powerful and historically stable, the world wants to invest in the USA. The big surplus economies all hold trillions in USD and treasury bills.
In contrast, the AUD is basically a commodity based currency.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Just as I suspected. It sounds like you drove a '99–'04 model. That was on the New Edge SN95 chassis, which was an update of the Fox chassis. Starting in '05—with an all-new chassis (road to roof)—Mustang got a brand new suspension design. These S197 Mustangs ride NOTHING like earlier Mustangs. They have a Panhard bar and a much better control arm setup than earlier Mustangs did. Axle windup is not an issue.

So many people (including every car magazine) are so hung up on the idea of a live axle rear suspension being primitive that they cannot gt past it. Yes, a live axle does not give as comfortable a ride in all conditions as an independent rear suspension, but that doesn't necessarily mean it can't handle.

The S197 Mustangs handed Porsches and BMWs their Teutonic asses on race tracks from the beginning. The 2011 Mustang GT outhandles a BMW M3.

The most popular form of amateur racing in the US is drag racing. Independent rear suspension costs more, adds weight (albeit in a good place), and is of no benefit on a drag strip. A large part of the fun in driving a Mustang is its crudeness. (I've actually been a little disappointed in driving S197 Mustangs because of their increased size, heft, and refinement—driving one feels more like driving my 2-ton Crown Vic than like driving my '95 Mustang GTS.)

The interiors actually got worse (in terms of hard, cheap plastic) when the 2005 Mustang debuted, but so what? If you want a fast car for $30K, where do you want the manufacturer to spend money? I enjoy a powerful engine more than a hard plastic dash pains me.

Starting with the 2010 model year, Mustang interiors got nice. And then the Coyote 5.0 appeared for the 2011 model year. These are the best Mustangs ever.

When the 2014 Mustang debuts, it will no doubt have IRS for the full lineup. I'm sure it will have something to criticize, however.

I actually agree with what you’re saying, but you’re missing the point.
As I said elsewhere, Ford aren’t dummies, they make the Mustang the way they do because it’s affordable and basically what their market wants.
As I said, they deliberately dumbed down the DEW platform for the Mustang
They don’t sell them in France or Sweden (as far as I know ) because they’re not what the Eurosnob market wants.

They won’t even go to the expense of compliancing an XR8 because they believe (rightly or wrongly) that the market isn’t there.
Similarly (whether you like it or not) there isn’t enough market in Australia for a USA spec Mustang.
I would assume that in the last 10 years they have modernised the Mustang platform, but so has every other car.
The current Falcon (like many of its predecessors) is a brilliant balance between American size/power and Euro Handling and Driveability. At best, that is what the Australian market wants, although it seems we’ve now been brainwashed into wanting smaller supposedly “greener” versions.
Either way, a Stang rolled off the boat from the US just won’t sell enough to make LHD production viable.
Yes, one with an FG equivalent platform and a better interior would be a desirable product, but it ain gonna cost $30k

Is the current Stang built in LHD versions anywhere? Cos that would be the biggest hurdle. I think a large part of the problem with the previous attempt was that it had to be converted locally, which probably contributed to the OTT price and diabolical steering.
IF there was factory somewhere that could build them LHD at the same starting price, and upgrade the suspension & interior (similar to what I think Roush does) then maybe FPV could put a few tweaks on it and sell it here as the replacement for the GT. And IF (assuming the AUD doesn’t drop back against the greenback) they could sell it for around the same price as the GT/E/P then they might have a product. But that’s a lot of ifs.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by martyk54

I've just pulled the order of my XR6T Ute and will be buying something else (non-Ford). I've been stuffed around no end since November last year when I ordered it, in-turn the company has lost all of my respect. Note that myself and family have also purchased 8 Fords new in the last 20 years.

I was promised the car 2 weeks ago, and made the necessary requirements in preparation for it... so I've basically ended up without a car at all, and an 'indefinite' status of it's delivery. I could write a book about the other examples of incompetence I've had to deal with in the process of ordering this particular car.

I call Ford (not the dealer) to voice my concerns, they say they'll have someone call be back about the car... no call, no surprise! I call back again and they don't even try to answer my questions with anything credible so when I threaten to pull the order, all they say it's got nothing to do with them, they sell the car wholesale to the dealer and that's it. In other words, the bloke couldn't give a ****... so goodbye sale, goodbye Ford from a loyal customer and family.

Those who are saying that Ford seemingly don't care is consistent with what I've witnessed. They are a changed company, an absolute rabble of an outfit, which is headed in one direction. Now to decide on my replacement car...

Right,
And if you decided that (like some in this thread) you wanted to buy a Mustang, would you be dissuaded by the fact that Ford Australia doesn’t sell them, and Ford America couldn’t give a rats ****? Not comparing apples with apples, but the point is that you’re allowing customer service levels to dictate what car you buy.
So if you end up driving something other than what you initially wanted, who’s going to suffer? Certainly not the guy at Ford, and in reality probably not the Dealer either.

I notice you didn’t mention in your post, but what is so special about your order that it has taken them this long and they still haven’t built it?

[Pepscobra]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I actually agree with what you’re saying, but you’re missing the point.
As I said elsewhere, Ford aren’t dummies, they make the Mustang the way they do because it’s affordable and basically what their market wants.
As I said, they deliberately dumbed down the DEW platform for the Mustang
They don’t sell them in France or Sweden (as far as I know ) because they’re not what the Eurosnob market wants.

They won’t even go to the expense of compliancing an XR8 because they believe (rightly or wrongly) that the market isn’t there.
Similarly (whether you like it or not) there isn’t enough market in Australia for a USA spec Mustang.
I would assume that in the last 10 years they have modernised the Mustang platform, but so has every other car.
The current Falcon (like many of its predecessors) is a brilliant balance between American size/power and Euro Handling and Driveability. At best, that is what the Australian market wants, although it seems we’ve now been brainwashed into wanting smaller supposedly “greener” versions.
Either way, a Stang rolled off the boat from the US just won’t sell enough to make LHD production viable.
Yes, one with an FG equivalent platform and a better interior would be a desirable product, but it ain gonna cost $30k

Is the current Stang built in LHD versions anywhere? Cos that would be the biggest hurdle. I think a large part of the problem with the previous attempt was that it had to be converted locally, which probably contributed to the OTT price and diabolical steering.
IF there was factory somewhere that could build them LHD at the same starting price, and upgrade the suspension & interior (similar to what I think Roush does) then maybe FPV could put a few tweaks on it and sell it here as the replacement for the GT. And IF (assuming the AUD doesn’t drop back against the greenback) they could sell it for around the same price as the GT/E/P then they might have a product. But that’s a lot of ifs.

I know you meant to say RHD...

[buickman]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Right,
And if you decided that (like some in this thread) you wanted to buy a Mustang, would you be dissuaded by the fact that Ford Australia doesn’t sell them, and Ford America couldn’t give a rats ****? Not comparing apples with apples, but the point is that you’re allowing customer service levels to dictate what car you buy.
So if you end up driving something other than what you initially wanted, who’s going to suffer? Certainly not the guy at Ford, and in reality probably not the Dealer either.

I notice you didn’t mention in your post, but what is so special about your order that it has taken them this long and they still haven’t built it?

I ordered a 50th XR6 in early July 2010 and it has a late August 2010 build date and I picked it up 5th September 2010 with towbar and reverse sensors with 4kms on clock. So I find it hard that it would take that long from deposit down to delivery of the car.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by martyk54

I've just pulled the order of my XR6T Ute and will be buying something else (non-Ford). I've been stuffed around no end since November last year when I ordered it, in-turn the company has lost all of my respect. Note that myself and family have also purchased 8 Fords new in the last 20 years.

I was promised the car 2 weeks ago, and made the necessary requirements in preparation for it... so I've basically ended up without a car at all, and an 'indefinite' status of it's delivery. I could write a book about the other examples of incompetence I've had to deal with in the process of ordering this particular car.

I call Ford (not the dealer) to voice my concerns, they say they'll have someone call be back about the car... no call, no surprise! I call back again and they don't even try to answer my questions with anything credible so when I threaten to pull the order, all they say it's got nothing to do with them, they sell the car wholesale to the dealer and that's it. In other words, the bloke couldn't give a ****... so goodbye sale, goodbye Ford from a loyal customer and family.

Those who are saying that Ford seemingly don't care is consistent with what I've witnessed. They are a changed company, an absolute rabble of an outfit, which is headed in one direction. Now to decide on my replacement car...

I remember when i was looking to buy my XR5, i went to a decent sized dealer here in Brisbane and they had an EO XR5 there, i wasnt even allowed to sit in it let alone drive it. (he wouldnt even unlock it!)
Dealers have a lot to do with why it is always bad news at Ford.

[4.0i OHC]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

So many people (including every car magazine) are so hung up on the idea of a live axle rear suspension being primitive that they cannot gt past it. Yes, a live axle does not give as comfortable a ride in all conditions as an independent rear suspension, but that doesn't necessarily mean it can't handle.

I agree wholeheartedly. Comparing the handling of the AU XR6 HP to the later XR6 variants is a testament to that.

[fte50]

To think that so many good folks will be out of a job due to all this globalisation crap is a damn shame.
Call me communist i dont give a hoot, bring back tarrif protection & protect "OUR AUSTRALIA" jobs & skills if not for us for our kids.
Hell knows we will never ever be able to compete with these other countries at anything when it only concerns the $.
Truth is despite its flaws as with any mass manufactured item, Falcon IS worldclass.

[jpd80]

Edit,

Off topic and not worth the effort

[jpd80]

Back on topic,
Something not picked up in reporting in January was that up until about August last year, Ford was not committed to
doing the 2014 update and was considering a RHD version of the next GEN Taurus called CD4+3. About late November,
rumors started to spread that CD4+3 RHD had been halted but no one could confirm although , certain people were
indicating that Taurus had been looked at and discounted for Australia....


What we were then told in the press in January was that last August, Senator Carr flew to Shanghai
and had a meeting with senior Ford Execs there, flying back to stitch up the deal we heard regarding the 2014 update..

Just take the time to absorb and understand what is being said or More correctly how it's being said:

LINK-DRIVE
Hinrichs admitted the future of Ford's Broadmeadows and Geelong factories had been under scrutiny; output dropped to just 45,000 vehicles last year (when Falcon, Territory and ute are combined). Most car factories need to run at a minimum of 100,000 vehicles per year to remain viable.

"We wouldn't build a new one ... but when you have an existing [factory] that has the current tooling, that's a different equation," Hinrichs said.

The future of the Falcon and Territory took a turn for the better after Senator Carr after met with Ford's regional executives in Shanghai in August last year.

"Five months ago ... Minister Carr came to visit me in Shanghai, and this [continuation of the Falcon and Territory to 2016] wasn't the plan," Hinrichs said.

Mulally added: "Australia is a really important market to us and we're going to continue to invest."

So continuing Falcon and Territory to 2016 wasn't the original plan, I'll leave it to you guys to work out what was averted..

[Bossxr8]

Government paying a big slice of development to keep it going for 2 or so more years it seems.

Still doesn't change the fact that its all over red rover for Ford Australia's manufacturing arm. Maybe even sooner than 2016 if sales keep going the way they are. Falcon will be selling less than 1000 over the next few months IMO. Its toast.

[TMC]

I'd love to buy one of the last GE6T's if I could afford it. They are a great car.

Manufacturing in this country is DEAD. The government just doesn't care. It has signed free trade agreements which basically means other countries have free access to our markets regardless of what it does to local industry. Other countries protect there industries. Not this one.

It wouldn't matter how good the product is, how much quality and high level of design is used, the after sales service, whatever, once the government drops local industry, it's all over.

I used to work in a medical manufacturing business that had been running since 1948. We had to shut down in 2008 because the government allowed overseas manufacturers to buy our clients. We went from record sales in late 2006 to no business in late 2007. Why. The government did not prevent the mass buy up of retailers who were our clients. Our clients said they were more than happy with our service, product, and price, but they couldn't buy from us because they were now owned by the opposition manufacturers. It was soul destroying. We had designed all our own gear in a home grown way and had received some international recognition for our developments, but it all amounted to nothing when we had no sales. In the end I blame the government for selling us all out.

[Pepscobra]

Originally Posted by TMC

Manufacturing in this country is DEAD. The government just doesn't care. It has signed free trade agreements which basically means other countries have free access to our markets regardless of what it does to local industry. Other countries protect there industries. Not this one.

This is it in a nut shell.

But don't blame the government for absolutely everything. Each and every one of us must be held accountable. Some of us think we work hard, but we don't really. We all go to 'work' and expect our wages, but we all have relatively good and easy lives.

People in developing Asian countries, especially China, now have the attitudes that our parents and grandparents once had; hard work, pride in their work, commitment, determination, saving hard, living within your means, sacrafice, buying with cash only, respect for elders, etc, etc.

These people work hard for the chance at a better way of life. Their productivity is much higher than ours and their costs are far far less. I dont need to state the obvious, but Asia is where all these cheaper products are coming from... have you ever really wondered why?? No, its not sweatshop factories at all... its from people actually working hard.

I live in Asia and have experienced this first hand.

Australia was once a great place when these values were 'valued'. Not anymore I'm afraid. We want everything for nothing. We have become a bunch of wingers and do gooders. If we dont change our attitudes soon and rekindle some of these old fashioned values, we as a nation are lost.

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by Pepscobra

I know you meant to say RHD...

No strangely, I always get thsi ****-about, and actually stopped and thought about it, then still got it wrong.
I think its becuase we DRIVE on the left

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I'd vote death to Falcon and Territory if we got Mustang, Explorer and F150 at reasonable prices.

As long as they're built to the standards Australians expect out of their cars, and not the "built down to a price" way that a lot of Yank cars are...

The Mustang wouild sell in droves, PROVIDED they could sell it at close to what Americans buy them for...$20,000 and a bit for the base model V6? Imagine how many of tjem they could sell if they could manage to get it down to $30,000 for an Australian market one...
But please, why do we need to go the "massive under powered ill-handling-cheaply built Yank car" route with things like the Explorer and a truck?

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I actually agree with what you’re saying, but you’re missing the point.
As I said elsewhere, Ford aren’t dummies, they make the Mustang the way they do because it’s affordable and basically what their market wants.
As I said, they deliberately dumbed down the DEW platform for the Mustang
They don’t sell them in France or Sweden (as far as I know ) because they’re not what the Eurosnob market wants.

They won’t even go to the expense of compliancing an XR8 because they believe (rightly or wrongly) that the market isn’t there.
Similarly (whether you like it or not) there isn’t enough market in Australia for a USA spec Mustang.
I would assume that in the last 10 years they have modernised the Mustang platform, but so has every other car.
The current Falcon (like many of its predecessors) is a brilliant balance between American size/power and Euro Handling and Driveability. At best, that is what the Australian market wants, although it seems we’ve now been brainwashed into wanting smaller supposedly “greener” versions.
Either way, a Stang rolled off the boat from the US just won’t sell enough to make LHD production viable.
Yes, one with an FG equivalent platform and a better interior would be a desirable product, but it ain gonna cost $30k

Is the current Stang built in LHD versions anywhere? Cos that would be the biggest hurdle. I think a large part of the problem with the previous attempt was that it had to be converted locally, which probably contributed to the OTT price and diabolical steering.
IF there was factory somewhere that could build them LHD at the same starting price, and upgrade the suspension & interior (similar to what I think Roush does) then maybe FPV could put a few tweaks on it and sell it here as the replacement for the GT. And IF (assuming the AUD doesn’t drop back against the greenback) they could sell it for around the same price as the GT/E/P then they might have a product. But that’s a lot of ifs.

I may have been missing your point, but not mine. My post was in defense of the Mustang. I am well aware that it was designed for the American market. For the current Mustang, that's all that matters. When the S197 debuted, it was roundly criticized throughout the media and all over the Internet for the live axle by thousands of people who had never driven the car.

Then when some handling comparisons were done, it was found to handle better than the Holden-sourced Pontiac GTO with IRS.

Yes, Ford "dumbed down" the chassis, but that was clearly a cost-saving measure, and it was clearly the right move at the time. They were looking to re-baseline the Mustang, and it had no competition at the time (Camaro was out of production and Challenger wasn't even a concept yet).

For a few months after its debut, the S197 Mustang outsold something like 13 brands of car in the US. International sales of the Mustang were not needed.

Ford doesn't build any RHD Mustangs currently. All the Mustangs are built in the Flat Rock plant in Romeo, Michigan. I have read that Ford wants to sell the next Mustang in other countries, however, which will necessitate IRS (if for no other reason than to silence the whiners), and what I read said they were considering sales in Japan and Australia.

The 2014 Mustang will be downsized slightly, which is a good idea. The current car is fairly large (not in comparison to a Camaro or Challenger, though).

But I can't see a 2014 Mustang GT selling for $30K.

Whether Falcon would sell here or not, I don't know. Ford fans here would love it. Conspiracy types believe Ford won't sell it here because it would hurt Mustang sales. I think the two cars would find different types of buyers. I would probably choose a Mustang over a Falcon, but I would probably choose a Falcon over a Taurus or Fusion.

[Dr Smith]

And the big problem for Ford (or any car manufacturer) is that they have never publically indicated their long term plans for future models in the past.

Ford is not used to having questions asked on future plans so far ahead of their occurance. In fact decisions may still not be set in stone. It's like talking about what a future FG might be while your building BA's. Has Nokia ever talked about a product 4 years before it plans on selling it? Or BMW?

The press have never had such questions answered before however the doom and gloom they are spreading, on top of Ford's historical position related to future product discussions has compounded this incredibly.

We, as in Ford, need a very decisive, open statement that kills the speculation dead. It needs to be globally adhered to, in that all media comment need to be referred directly and very plainly back to the locals. Period. Don't discuss it any further, just refer it to Campbellfield. Let Campbellfield handle everything and let them state that when in the past have we ever discussed future products so far in advance.

Leak some design sketches of a "future" Falcon, nothing definitive but enough to show that work is still being done here. In fact maybe even let Hagon & Gover see some clay models, lol. We might end up with an imported Falcon post 2016 however if Holden can crap on in the media only to have plans change then god damn it let Ford do it as well.

I'm sick of Drive et al repeatedly carrying on. Take the heat out, chop them off at the knees, take control of the topic and remove the cloud of gloom until the decisions are actually made and can be publically shared.

[jpd80]

Ford has confirmed 2014 update and that Falcon will be sold until 2016 but to no Avail, so I doubt that anything
would sate the doom and gloom of the press who want unconditional confirmation and details of the 2016 car...
Something that the press and Ford's competitors are not going to get, in 2004 the 2008 Falcon wasn't confirmed
either, rumors for FWD Fusion replacement swirled until 2006 when FG funding was held up and news hit the press.

We won't be hearing anything either way until after the next Falcon update in 2014 - unless the government
makes a huge hoopla about funding the 2016 car later this year as a boost for the re-election campaign...

[XRtowcar]

My worry is with importing cars from the US and if they can't get a large car here for a reasonable price with the current exchange rate, what will happen when the dollar devalues and the cost of a car goes up by 45% due to the dollar going back to 60c US exchange.
Not looking forward to 2017.
Maybe we'll have to keep making the 2014 model until 2035 like the old Falcon in Argentina.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fa...28Argentina%29

[b0son]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Ford has confirmed 2014 update and that Falcon will be sold until 2016

You know as well as I do, the promises wont be kept if the sales arent there.

[jpd80]

Nor can we make that judgement on just two months which traditionally are low. It may well be that sales stay low,
it may well be that EcoLPI hits and goes in a few months, so too Ecoboost might be a sensation, we just don't know
and I'm not prepared to call Falcon lost until Ford has played all its cards, so excuse me for not giving up.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

And the big problem for Ford (or any car manufacturer) is that they have never publically indicated their long term plans for future models in the past.

Ford is not used to having questions asked on future plans so far ahead of their occurance. In fact decisions may still not be set in stone. It's like talking about what a future FG might be while your building BA's. Has Nokia ever talked about a product 4 years before it plans on selling it? Or BMW?

The press have never had such questions answered before however the doom and gloom they are spreading, on top of Ford's historical position related to future product discussions has compounded this incredibly.

We, as in Ford, need a very decisive, open statement that kills the speculation dead. It needs to be globally adhered to, in that all media comment need to be referred directly and very plainly back to the locals. Period. Don't discuss it any further, just refer it to Campbellfield. Let Campbellfield handle everything and let them state that when in the past have we ever discussed future products so far in advance.

Leak some design sketches of a "future" Falcon, nothing definitive but enough to show that work is still being done here. In fact maybe even let Hagon & Gover see some clay models, lol. We might end up with an imported Falcon post 2016 however if Holden can crap on in the media only to have plans change then god damn it let Ford do it as well.

I'm sick of Drive et al repeatedly carrying on. Take the heat out, chop them off at the knees, take control of the topic and remove the cloud of gloom until the decisions are actually made and can be publically shared.

Ford carn't exactly come out and tell the thruth though can they, because if they come out and say this will be the last Falcon ever coming in 2014 then sales will tank even more than they are now, people aren't going to buy a car thats soon to be dead.

They are damned if they do and damned if they don't. They carn't do what would help bring back buyer confidence by saying it will continue on post 2016, but they can't say they have already planned to kill it either. Its a no win situation. Buyers have no confidence in Falcon now and that will just further dint sales. I can't see a way out now because of this. Once buyer confidence is shot there's really no way back. A big advertising campaign maybe, but Ford couldn't be stuffed doing that, nor do they have the cash.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by jpd80

so too Ecoboost

I cant believe this hasnt been advertised at all. Its a bit of a game-changer in the segment, why arent Ford getting behind it and letting people know its coming??

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by b0son

I cant believe this hasnt been advertised at all. Its a bit of a game-changer in the segment, why arent Ford getting behind it and letting people know its coming??

Because it keeps getting pushed back due to strong demand in Europe and USA,
Europe is now supplying itself as well as USA until their plants are up and running.
The take rate on 2.0 Ecoboost in heavy Explorer last month was 12% (over 1200 units)
and around 18 % in Edge therefore, Australia and its unique RWD set up goes to the end of the list..