Slow news day? Let's stick the boot into Ford again

[ltd]

Ford will be next to quit Australia, predicts analyst John Wormald
Source: Philip King From: The Australian March 18, 2010 4:34AM

FORD will be the next carmaker to quit manufacturing in Australia because "throwing money" at the industry can only work in the short term, a government adviser has claimed.

Subsidies were doomed to fail because the industry lacked a vision for the future and Ford was most vulnerable because it was isolated from its parent's global operations.

"As soon as choices have to be made, Ford is the next Mitsubishi," said John Wormald, principal of international consultant Autopolis, referring to the Japanese company's decision to shut down its Adelaide factory two years ago.

Mr Wormald, who is in Australia to advise the Victorian Government, said the replacement for the Falcon, due in about five years, could be imported cheaply and the carmaker did not need its Melbourne plant.

"Ford isn't short of assembly capacity in other places," he said. "Where's the plan to integrate Australia?"

Has this guy been paying any attention at all to what the USA has had to say? Or is he just another uphill gardener type Holden lackey who's paid to put cats amongst pigeons?

[sgt_doofey]

Ford haven't really taken too many subsidies, have they? If that's the case then FoA is surviving quite well in the current economic climate without too much in handouts.

[BigAL_250]

Shouldn't there be a law against this **********.

[DJM83]

Clown

[Bud Bud]

I wouldn't get too excited, it is maybe at worst a wake up call for Ford Aus to push even harder for its fair share of any future GRWD program. L/H drive and exports need to be given as much priority as anything else on the table atm.

Flame me if you want but I am also a firm believer that the I6 (as good as it is) is the handicap of the current Falcon to. The sooner the Duratec V6 comes to the Falcon, the sooner it will have a greater international appeal as well imho. I fear that if Ford Aus cannot crack this nut then the Falcon could easily still go the same way as Magna/380 purely because of numbers. I think that that’s what the author John Wormald is alluding to and it would be fool hardy to pretend otherwise.

[irlewy86]

Dear F*&%wit,

Ford recently invested over 1 Billion dollars in their engineering operation. They are not going anywhere anytime soon.

Yours Sincerely,
Common Bloody Sense

[Dave_au]

There are no global economies of scale of manufacturing cars in Australia, and demand for the product is sliding thanks to the shift to smaller cars and issues with the perception of quality of Australian built cars.

Dare I say, I would be suprised if any of the big three remain in Australia by 2030.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Dave_au

There are no global economies of scale of manufacturing cars in Australia, and demand for the product is sliding thanks to the shift to smaller cars and issues with the perception of quality of Australian built cars.

Dare I say, I would be suprised if any of the big three remain in Australia by 2030.

2020....

We know Falcons good till 2015... After that is anyones guess.

Regardless of what Ford invest in Australia they can still move that investment offshore... Sadly Ford Australia dont push the Falcon / Territory hard enough, and dont have a LHD program, these cars would go gangbusters in the likes of the US... But no one seems to want to know about them.

More cars, better quality = bigger market share...

[cosmo20btt]

I hope Ford marketing are reading these articles, as they are aimed squarely at them, We have one of the best sixes built in Australia and yet marketing can't seem to get this message across. I have read some of the blogs to the article and some people think they are a gas guzzler, when they are a cheaper alternative to it's nearest rival. Marin Burela should be kicking their butt for letting this happen.

[Wretched]

Ford do get subsidies, just like Toyota and Holden.
Ford AU is a little unique in terms of manufacturing compared to Toyota and Holden where none of the cars produced here are exported on mass to any other country (NZ and SA do not count as I said on mass).
Together with the slide in sales of the cars produced here and it doesn't look good.
Ford AU need to if they can quash these rumors some how without revealing confidential product plans. If they don't these articles are only going to multiply and without any concrete word from Ford, what are people expected to believe? The media feed off rumors and "information" so why not pass them some good "news" to publish?

[Brazen]

Marin Burela came here, stopped Focus production, stopped the introduction of a global V6, is getting rid of the wagon, has not authorised LHD exports to the US or middle east or RHD exports to Europe and keeps saying that Aussies prefer FWD, and is running very low production.

Of course people are going to start jumping to conclusions.

[Luke Plaizier]

But he was also the guy that built the business case for Fiesta, had it developed, brought it to market, came to Australia, gave local engine manufacture a stay of execution (and who knows, maybe even a future), secured corporate investment into the EB4, Diesel Territory and LiLPG, returned V8 Supercars to the Ford Oz marketting strategy, hired a motorsport manager, and is bringing the Coyote V8 here in partnership with Prodrive when a V8 Falcon could just as easily have been cancelled altogether.

I believe, as an Australian, that he has the same affinity with Australian tastes and needs as Geoff Polites who many here regard with fond memories. Burela is not the scapegoat you're looking for....


Lukeyson

[SB076]

This is a problem why does the government waste our money on employing these so called experts.

[burnz]

ford in oz need to drop the i6 and make v6's for export.

[Road_Warrior]

Why would Detroit give FoA $231 Million for EcoBoost and other projects, in the middle of the Global Financial Crisis, if they were going to be closing the joint? Wormald, you're a ********.

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Marin Burela came here, stopped Focus production, stopped the introduction of a global V6, is getting rid of the wagon, has not authorised LHD exports to the US or middle east or RHD exports to Europe and keeps saying that Aussies prefer FWD, and is running very low production.

Of course people are going to start jumping to conclusions.

Good thing we did not build it if the sales of Focus continue to go the way they have.

[ltd]

Originally Posted by cosmo20btt

Good thing we did not build it if the sales of Focus continue to go the way they have.

That'll all change when the new focus gets here. It looks 1000 times better than the outgoing model.

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Marin Burela came here, stopped Focus production, stopped the introduction of a global V6, is getting rid of the wagon, has not authorised LHD exports to the US or middle east or RHD exports to Europe and keeps saying that Aussies prefer FWD, and is running very low production.

Of course people are going to start jumping to conclusions.

His also the only one in 3-4 years to turn a profit!!

[just_pazz]

Can't believe some of the comments I'm reading on that news.com article.... wow with the general public's attitude towards Ford and its products, and the Australian auto industry in general doesn't give me much hope for it survival...

[imugli]

Just sent a comment kindly advising that the only reason Holden isn't owned by the Chinese these days is the fact that the govt. gave GM $200million to keep it.

Clowns.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by bfiipursuit

these cars would go gangbusters in the likes of the US... But no one seems to want to know about them.

They might also go well in the UK, where they don't have any 'unsophisticated' v8s other than the vauxhall vxr (ie commodore)

[roughnecks]

He's talking in Oz not global.

Anyway, why should we trust quality from our local brands when all we do is bag them both out for quality. Why would you ever buy one?.

[FG XR]

Originally Posted by irlewy86

Dear F*&%wit,

Ford recently invested over 1 Billion dollars in their engineering operation. They are not going anywhere anytime soon.

Yours Sincerely,
Common Bloody Sense

hahahhahahahhaha

[SB076]

Originally Posted by roughnecks

He's talking in Oz not global.

Anyway, why should we trust quality from our local brands when all we do is bag them both out for quality. Why would you ever buy one?.

I think a lot of people on this forum have bought locally produced Fords and some have had issues, but a lot havent - I have been happy with quality of the Fords I have purchased. Would a buy another one yep - I think the G6ET is a winner - a great quality car at an impressive price. I also think Holden Sports Wagons do particularly well catering to a specific market.

[roughnecks]

Originally Posted by SB076

I think a lot of people on this forum have bought locally produced Fords and some have had issues, but a lot havent - I have been happy with quality of the Fords I have purchased. Would a buy another one yep - I think the G6ET is a winner - a great quality car at an impressive price. I also think Holden Sports Wagons do particularly well catering to a specific market.

We as owners tell it like it is good or bad. However others don't.

Those looking for a family car hear to much rubbish in and out of the media. The media are to blame here, they peddle dribble to sell story's like this one - and should be, but wont be ashamed of themselves.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by roughnecks

We as owners tell it like it is good or bad. However others don't.

Those looking for a family car hear to much rubbish in and out of the media. The media are to blame here, they peddle dribble to sell story's like this one - and should be, but wont be ashamed of themselves.

And how many here have a different attitude when it comes to Holden? When articles portraying Holden in bad light appear, many here have a laugh and think it is funny. Not nice when it is on the other foot?

[Wally]

Last week I have the rare ocassion to read the March issue of the Top Gear rag. Not being one to subscribe to motoring gossip columnists I actually read an article by some writer giving a bit of stick to other writers who willingly put their names on Ford/Holden/etc press releases, but at the same time pointing out that he and other like minded were invited to Detroit where the secret squirell stuff was presumably laid out for those who would listen

Please correct me if I'm wrong here as I'm running on on old fart memory. He points out that the softening up exercise is in play, with a careful and orchestrated campaign to get the loyals onside and comfortable with FWD and therefore the Taurus import.

As far as Burella goes, heading up a program for a small car with a big corporate support system in place to grow market share is far different from running a small operation with instructions to stop the bleed and hold on.

[roughnecks]

Originally Posted by Wretched

And how many here have a different attitude when it comes to Holden? When articles portraying Holden in bad light appear, many here have a laugh and think it is funny. Not nice when it is on the other foot?

Very true, but i would like to assume we have a better sense of humor.

[greens_tuf]

I can't believe how many idiots there are in this world. Read some of the comments to the article, what mis-informed fools...

[Brazen]

Surely he has breached a government employee code of conduct for airing negative remarks about a private company.

I mean even if he is right, he has no right to talk like this to the media and inflict the level of damage it does. Even though I do think Ford AU has no one to blame but themselves for people thinking these things.