What do designers do at Ford?

[ehast13]

I just had a drive of an fg falcon yesterday. As expected they drive really well. Had a good look at xt, g6, g6e and Xr's. I really like the look of all of them but it seemed to me that on the G6's stood apart from the BF2.

If you had one of these in you rear vision mirror, could you tell them apart from the old model without a second glance?

As a big Ford Fan I can pick them apart relatively quickly but my wife can't.

I know the fg is a better drive than the VE and Aurion but if people always bought the best car they could for the money then why were any VY/VZ six cylinders ever sold?

I hope potential buyers can see past the same'ol same'ol looks on the xt's and xr's.

I reckon a new bumper design would neaten up the xt front and make it more appealing. They should remove the crease that starts above the number plate and down the sides of the air intake. Perhaps they could produce a bettter blank for the 'foglight holes' or brake ducts (perhaps an inverted conical insert so they actually look like brake ducts) in the bumper. A full chrome outline on the grill. Perhaps square up the air intake. I know it wont have the kinetic design or whatever design they call it, but it would look different to the BF2 and still be separate to the G6's.

[HLC]

BF2, was more of a way of edging us into Fords new design language.

i think you'll find, BF2 looks more like FG, than FG like BF2.

unfortunately, it seems ford have eased us in a little too much and everyone is saying they all look the same.

[ehast13]

Whether the BF2 intro'd us to the new look or not the fact remains BF2 came first. By definition the product that was initially released cannot look like a later product. The later product mimics the original. Looks like a taxi.
Wheel trims, lots of plastic, ugh

XT looks like a BF2. I would have to spend the extra 3 grand and get the g6

[Dauphin]

I believe it's a marketing strategy to "prepare" the public for the new design by bringing the old one close so it's not so much of a drastic change when it comes out.

The EL vs. AU situation was a good example of when they did the opposite! Maybe they are too shy to try it again.

I remember reading that someone said the VE looks different to a VZ but it still looks like a Commodore.

I myself are quite disappointed with the FG. It looks like a fridge on wheels in most photos that show its side, like when the last gen Camry came out. Those huge doors and wheels too far inside the body, etc and there's not enough going on to get excited about until you get up to the GT and 6.

They should have given it a more aggressive hip line (I think that's what it's called) and chunkier side skirts at least, and they've forgotten to catch up with everyone else regarding wheel flares.

I do like the Fairmont replacements but it's just the prominant mesh that makes it stand out to me. I'm glad they didn't do a Fairlane.

[exrtnz]

Also a bit off subject , but what do the designers at FPV do and who decided on that front bar eg. F6?

[uranium_death]

Designers at Ford design cars.

As stated, there was a complete and utter body change from the EL to the AU, and we all know how successful that turned out to be.

[EgoFG]

As a BFII Fairmont Ghia Owner - I like the identifiability - I am not left too far behind !
Very good, as I like to keep a good car for 10 years/250,000

[Dauphin]

These books about the history of the cars and their design and engineering give a great insight into the decisions that are made and what factors contribute to the cars that end up on the road:

Lion King (about the Holden Commodore)

and

True Blue (about the Ford cars)

Both quite revealing.

You can find True Blue at libraries around Victoria but Lion King is a little more harder to come by.

Edit: There's also a Tickford book about the Ford cars, can't remember the name. It was very interesting also. Did you know that turbos were considered for the AU i6s but we got VCT instead?

[red_hotxr6]

So any one able to tell what the difference is yet in the fuel consumption between the 2 identical vehicles yet, u know with all the new stuff on the FG..??

[Wally]

Originally Posted by HLC

BF2, was more of a way of edging us into Fords new design .............

A little too seamlessly it appears, more like a Commodore series 2 upgrade at first glance.

I have to question the wisdom of making a car that looks so much like the import Mondeo. Is it a way of edging the Mondeo in and edging the Falcon out?

[ehast13]

No one is suggesting another Au, but the xt looks like the old one. It might have worked for Volvo - 740, 940, 850, etc but c'mon.

You don't have to be radical to give it a new appearance. A new bumper design on the XT and the XR6/8 would do wonders.

ugh. what a let down.

[Aaron_EF8]

Ever compared the front end of an XP/XR, XY/XA, or XF/EA?

[satria]

if they change it too much people whinge (EL->AU)

if they dont change it enough people whinge (BF->FG)

ffs people just stop whinging. I think the FG looks great, in pics and in the flesh. I love how there is a choice for everyone in the range too. I just wish i had the money to go out and choose between an F6,GT or G6ET. All damn fine cars if you ask me!

[Lab_Boy]

They also design cars.. but inside budget constraints.. making things look like last years models no doubt reduces the need to change the process thereby bringing down the cost.

I wouldn't be surprised if every designer they have has plans for a facking awesome car in their heads. but they would have more luck making it in ther garage than getting Ford to make it.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Wally

I have to question the wisdom of making a car that looks so much like the import Mondeo. Is it a way of edging the Mondeo in and edging the Falcon out?

I dont think it needs questioning at all! Its about time they had a 'look' and for the first time in FORD history a theme is appearing world wide and about time. Could you please let the designers at Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, AUDI, VW, Volvo, Saab blah blah ....... they are doing something wrong?



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[Dezza]

Originally Posted by satria

if they change it too much people whinge (EL->AU)

if they dont change it enough people whinge (BF->FG)

ffs people just stop whinging. I think the FG looks great, in pics and in the flesh. I love how there is a choice for everyone in the range too. I just wish i had the money to go out and choose between an F6,GT or G6ET. All damn fine cars if you ask me!

Totally agreed. It's still similar enough to be recognisably a Falcon but different enough to seperate it from the old model. I reckon they did a great job.

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by ehast13

I just had a drive of an fg falcon yesterday. As expected they drive really well. Had a good look at xt, g6, g6e and Xr's. I really like the look of all of them but it seemed to me that on the G6's stood apart from the BF2.

If you had one of these in you rear vision mirror, could you tell them apart from the old model without a second glance?

As a big Ford Fan I can pick them apart relatively quickly but my wife can't.

So stop whining and get another wife! :

If you see an FG next to a BF its very obvious they are two different cars, and regardless of how it looks the FG is the better drive (as you said).

[mik]

Originally Posted by Dezza!

Totally agreed. It's still similar enough to be recognisably a Falcon but different enough to seperate it from the old model. I reckon they did a great job.

i agree and i think the consensus is that most believe the b series is pretty good on the optic nerve, that being the case why would you change it majorly and risk another au sales problem, no doubt there is scope in the series 2 for more changes down the track.

[Nikked]

BF2 was a "vison into the future"

Look at the XF, it's styling for told the EA...

I think fords designers have done an incredibal job on the new falcon, they have visually cutdown the size, and maintained agressivness, through and overall flowing movement,

[ondori]

alot of driving maybe...the FG's do standout on the road, has a familiar modern look.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by EgoFG

As a BFII Fairmont Ghia Owner - I like the identifiability - I am not left too far behind !
Very good, as I like to keep a good car for 10 years/250,000

you would also be pleased to know then that in the latest MOTOR test the journo's commented that the ride of the ba/bf ghia's was still the best riding falcon they'd driven.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by auslandau

I dont think it needs questioning at all! Its about time they had a 'look' and for the first time in FORD history a theme is appearing world wide and about time. Could you please let the designers at Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, AUDI, VW, Volvo, Saab blah blah ....... they are doing something wrong?

Australian falcons have always looked like other cars in fords line up...

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Dauphin

Those huge doors and wheels too far inside the body
...and they've forgotten to catch up with everyone else regarding wheel flares.

The falcon has 'huge' doors to allow easier access, and the falcon has got flares, only they are intergrated into the car instead of having the commys A9X look...

[JMO]

More than the designers at Porsche do :P

[Walkinshaw]

Originally Posted by Aaron_EF8

Ever compared the front end of an XP/XR, XY/XA, or XF/EA?

Bingo.

Funnely enough the XA was critisised for being too similar to XY in the front end......

[Silver Ghia]

I think the designers have done very well and have done heaps of work on the FG.

The body shell structure is totally different, everything under the bonnet looks quite different, seats, trims, steering, suspension, etc.

The FG XR6 front may have similarities to the previous model but people liked that look and its now noticably more rounded and streamlined. The rear end is very much different.

But the FG still looks like a Ford which is important, just like a new model BMW, Audi, SAAB Merc and many other Euros look like late model BMW's Audis, SAAB's Mercs, etc. Its good that Ford has gone away from completely changing looks with new models, which helps devalue previous models.

Please stop the whining that it looks too much like the previous model, especially if you havent seen it or driven it yet.....

[Jayden]

Ive always liked that falcons are different, wide variety. Now they have a new car competing with the old because the differences in styling are fairly minimal. same front lights, same rear. they just fiddled with them a bit and it saddened me to realise that this is it, for the next 5 years or more its a 2002 design update. Missed opportunity for a total change and possible sales domination. I listened to a few comments on the XR8 they had at perths bigpond400 and most said it was boring or somesuch, and it was imo. only people living overseas seem to say wow at it.

I like B series, but 2 variations of them and not seeing something new that could have been phenomenal is a shame. Im not going to bag it too much because it will still be a fine looking car on the street. bring on the low suspension and 19"s

[ehast13]

You may have noticed that I didn't just criticize, I added some suggestions.

The G6/E/T looks great but having seen them side by side with FG's the Xt front bumper design makes the car look like the BF. The BF was a looker but they were also dropping well down the sales charts. Couldn't some of the design of the G6 bumper be intergrated intot the XT?

FG XR's Front looks like BF too, which looks alot like BA (they look good but not new)

I criticize only the front bumper design on these models, not for being ugly but for looking too much like the old one.

Ford needs conquest buyers.

There are some pretty average (average not awful) cars that sell well because they look new. IS a Chrysler 300 better than a BF Fairlane? Is a VE commodore worth twice the sales of a BF?

The Mazda 626 was a very competent car replaced by the Mazda 6 (another competent car - with clear styling similarities) but the six sales took off.

Still, Toyaota trots out corrolas that look like the last model and I guess Ford would be happy if the New Falcon matched the sales of the Rolla.

I hope so