Orion: Learning From VE's Mistakes

[Phoon Hoon]

Not everything went to plan for Holden with the launch of the VE. Much of the media questioned a larger, heavier, more powerful car in this age of high fuel prices and falling sales of traditional family sedans.

This has made me think about how Ford should learn from this in the two years they have before Orion is released. Here's some suggestions:

1. Lose some weight. Lighter car = more fuel efficient.
2. Alloy blocks on engines (see point 1).
3. Further develop the outstanding turbo engines as an alternative to a V8.
4. Make the Egas engine direct injection and offer it on more models.
5. Beg/borrow/steel a turbo diesel engine from somewhere in the Ford world and offer it on the range.
6. More fuel friendly 5 speed auto an option on base models - even better would be the 6 speed ZF.

My two cents.