Finally! I Applaud a Journo for once.

[ivorya]

http://www.carpoint.com.au/news/2010...-of-2010-22888


Ken Gratton - News Editor

I'm going to make myself unpopular with members of the brotherhood here, but my gripe is the constant fixation of journalists with Ford's local manufacturing/indigenous Falcon design future. We just go round and round in circles with sections of the press beating the same drum over and over again.

If even Ford Australia doesn't yet know how the post-2015 Falcon will look, why bother with ill-informed speculation -- and yes, some of it is certainly ill-informed and misreported, as we know from the Detroit show early in the year.

The parochial syndrome is now well-known among Ford's higher-placed executives too, with Alan Mulally telling one Aussie journalist at the Paris Motor Show that he wouldn't discuss Falcon -- since he would be just repeating the same thing he has told this journalist for the past 18 months to two years.

While I don't subscribe to the view that negative reporting is necessarily a self-fulfilling prophecy as then-CEO Rob McEniry suggested of the ABC's coverage when Mitsubishi's local manufacturing was looking less sustainable, I'm sure that Holden and Toyota would be pleased not to be in Ford's shoes at the present.

[csv8]

2015..Taurus??????

[mik]

the dipstick knocks his fellow journo`s for negative reporting and then the last line has a swipe at ford ? gee what a surprise.

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by mik

the dipstick knocks his fellow journo`s for negative reporting and then the last line has a swipe at ford ? gee what a surprise.

was thinking the same thing

[4Vman]

Had me till the last paragraph... Backhanded compliment?

[Mechz]

Not really a swipe so much as telling it like it is. Ford Au is between a rock and a hard place, no one can deny that.

[GTP-03]

Originally Posted by Mechz

Not really a swipe so much as telling it like it is. Ford Au is between a rock and a hard place, no one can deny that.

I disagree, Falcon was the best selling 6 cylinder sedan last month, Ford didnt get bailed out by the US government like Holdens parent company did.
Ford has got a new deisel territory and petrol model coming out soon aswell as ecoboost 4 cylinder technology and a new generation 6 cylinder lpg motor and some pretty hot turbo sixes and blown v8s that kick the crap out there competitors product.

Not to mention eco boost 6 cylinder v6 technology which is very impressive in the US aswell as winning the v8 supercar championship the last three years running despite Holdens attempt to monopolise the series, its not all doom and gloom for Ford Aus.

[jpd80]

I subscribe to the belief that the local industry needs all three of the remaining manufacturers to
maintain the necessary parts supplier base in this country and while we may slag off at Holden
and Toyota, our local industry would be imperiled by the loss of any one of them.

Later this year, both Holden and Ford will make decisions on replacement vehicles beyond 2015
yet there were (ughhh...) journalists pronouncing all kinds of decisions this year, to me that is highly
reprehensible and stinks of desperation due to complete lack of information - fabricated nonsense.

We still have five more years on this product cycle and much to accomplish in that time
so I doubt that many would know what vehicles wil be needed by then or what technology
will be available. so it's quite improper to say this or that car must be built.

Enjoy and support the cars we have now or else they might just go away.....

[GS608]

Must have realised he was not being negative enough towards Ford so had to throw in that last unnecessary line

Edit: actually re reading that, it seems like he is saying that Holden and Toyota would be glad to not have the media report on them like they are Ford.

[sxckevo]

Originally Posted by 5.0

Must have realised he was not being negative enough towards Ford so had to throw in that last unnecessary line

Edit: actually re reading that, it seems like he is saying that Holden and Toyota would be glad to not have the media report on them like they are Ford.

Thats exactly what i read the first time.
Seems pretty positive to me

EDIT: very well said JPD80 spoken like a professional

[BAxtER]

Originally Posted by 5.0

Must have realised he was not being negative enough towards Ford so had to throw in that last unnecessary line

Edit: actually re reading that, it seems like he is saying that Holden and Toyota would be glad to not have the media report on them like they are Ford.

+2 pretty sure thats what he was trying to imply...the other 2 are lucky not to have negative news brought onto them by the media over and over again.

[Dave R]

Harden up people, he is just telling the truth.

[Kryton]

The only issue Ford have is that there are more Holden bogans than there are Ford bogans.

[csv8]

Ford Australia's problem is getting product to the market. They seem to be 18-24 months behind their competitors. New Tezza should have been here 18 months ago, same with Focus. Supply issues with Europe etc. This needs to be correcting. No point having a car and telling a customer "it will be here in 6 months" Customers will go elsewhere. Ford need to get their act together.

[chevypower]

I think he is talking about the misreported journalism and he is not attacking Ford, actually it is to the contrary, he seems to be saying that Ford is under constant attack from the Australian motoring media, and he is sticking up for Ford. In fact, that is so clear to me (and 5.0), I can't see why people here are accusing him of "taking a swipe at Ford." Must be very sensitive people?

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by chevypower

I think he is talking about the misreported journalism and he is not attacking Ford, actually it is to the contrary, he seems to be saying that Ford is under constant attack from the Australian motoring media, and he is sticking up for Ford. In fact, that is so clear to me (and 5.0), I can't see why people here are accusing him of "taking a swipe at Ford." Must be very sensitive people?

Exactly....

Everything he has writen in that short statement is pro Ford, ease up on the Xmas/New years guy's, it's bringing out the paranoia in ya....

[The Snout]

A few people need a concrete milkshake.

[saber]

Originally Posted by The Snout

A few people need a concrete milkshake.

+1

The last paragraph (in my opinon) was not a backhand comment at Ford. Rather it acknowledges Ford is in a difficult position, a position neither Holden or Toyota would like to find themselves in.

[GTpilot]

Id suggest you read only the first paragraph and take note of that. This I base off his reaction when I told him of the drivel article RE: Falcon being sold in the USA.