May V-Facts

[Tles]

Time for factory dual fuel Territories and Falcons, even if limited to the 5 speed auto only they would double the G6 numbers and keep Territory afloat till the v6.

Alternatively, if dealers could order them with LPG seated heads and then offer a conversion on demos to give the 2G rebate - maybe that would work too.

Also time for the 2.2TDCi Mondeo Estate. Especially with the new Powershift autoboxes like Focus titanium, although there is 12 week wait in UK, and delayed orders. Mondeo numbers would have almost doubled but who nows now diesel is so high.

[phillyc]

Ratt, I always look forward to the monthly sales updates, just not always the figures!!

Good to see the FG provding a solid lift so far.

What I just don't understand is why Ford is promoting the economy & performance benefits over the Commodore, or the performance & handling benefits over the Aurion...

Consider that MOTOR magazine wrote "Seriously why any MOTOR reader would buy a dull sounding, ill geared Commodore SV6 or an uninspired, personality deprived Aurion Sportivo over the new Falcon XR6 is purely down to brand bias."

Maybe Peter Warren can incorporate that into the Ford advertising. Ahem, I just remembered, you guys sell Toyota's too? Used or New? or Both?

[phillyc]

Tom Gorman did say that the Aurion was a Camry V6, so maybe we should be counting them together...

NB Still cannot believe he (Gorman) approved the Turbo Petrol Territory over the Turbo Diesel... The Terri would have that already & the FG would have it too. The sales would be massively better for each.

[cycle myth]

.... don't know whether a turbo diesel Territory and or Falcon would make such a difference -

It would depend on the what the price walk is for that engine

How much extra would you pay for a diesel version before the value proposition doesn't work?

[Falc'man]

Thanks Deano.

Sad to see Holden is down 13%... not good for them... not good for them at all... hehe.

[marcosambrose]

Originally Posted by Need_a_V8

If you combine Aurion/Camry, they're outselling the Commodore and the Falcon :(

I wouldnt combine them, the aurion is the direct competior to commodore and falcon.

i would compare the camry to the mondeo, its officially the same segment.

but still puttin that into context the camry is smashing it 4 to 1.

amazing how dull and uninspring cars sell so well in australia, just like in the states.

at least the europeans buy decent cars when they see one and ignore the rubbish.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by marcosambrose

I wouldnt combine them, the aurion is the direct competior to commodore and falcon.

i would compare the camry to the mondeo, its officially the same segment.

but still puttin that into context the camry is smashing it 4 to 1.

amazing how dull and uninspring cars sell so well in australia, just like in the states.

at least the europeans buy decent cars when they see one and ignore the rubbish.

I'd combine them.

At the end of the day it's the same car with a different motor and cosmetics, where the difference between them isn't greater than Falcon XT is to the G6ET/XR8/XR6Turbo... "different" motors and different front end. Or look at it a simpler way, it's like having a 6cyl Falcon, and a V8 Falcon (but the V8 having a different name) and with different styling. For Toyota, it's just a marketing stunt which has worked quite well, getting people to believe they're different.

[NITEWING]

MY 2c worth ,Holden is in more trouble than they let on, their employee lease plan had a huge drop in the price of aussie built cars and rise on the imports.*(Viva/Barina $75pw-Omega $86pw)*.So draw your own conclusions about the may sales

[RATT]

Mazda

Mazda BT-50 4X2 475
Mazda BT-50 4X4 574
Mazda CX-7 351 601
Mazda CX-9 410
Mazda MX5 48
Mazda RX8 17
Mazda2 1,080
Mazda3 2,582
Mazda6 993
TOTAL 6,530 (up 2.9%)


Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi 380 418
Mitsubishi Colt 336
Mitsubishi Colt Cabriolet 1
Mitsubishi Express 326
Mitsubishi Grandis 48
Mitsubishi Lancer 1,520
Mitsubishi Outlander 658
Mitsubishi Pajero 516
Mitsubishi Triton 4X2 633
Mitsubishi Triton 4X4 678
TOTAL 5,134 (down 3.2%)


Subaru

Subaru Forester 1,423
Subaru Impreza 788
Subaru Liberty 541
Subaru Outback 320
Subaru Tribeca 145
TOTAL 3,217 (up 0.4%)

[phillyc]

Thanks for the additional marques Ratt!

The Mazda 2 has been a big hit. Hopefully when the Verve / Fiesta comes to Australia later next year it will be a big hit for Ford too.

I really see Ford getting on a roll in the next 18mths or so.
With the facelifted Focus, then the locally built Focus.
We will also have the facelifted Territory with a diesel available by 2010.
The new Fiesta with its great styling & availability of 3dr/5dr & sedan.
Plus the Mondeo will have been re-established & acknowledged as a great car.

I hope that Ford Aus consider either importing or locally manufacturing the Kuga (Focus based SUV) as it looks like a category winner!

After seeing the S-Max again Top Gear (rated it better than a far more expensive B series Merc & a Vauxhall), I can't help but wish it was released here. I know compact people movers havent really fired in Australia in the past, but geez, petrol has never been $1.50 a litre before either... It's also based on the Focus platform.

NB It's also pleasing to see, that although the North American vehicle sales have dropped this year for Ford (less than the other big 3 i might add) it has returned to profitability and in Europe it is solidly profitable. Allan Mullaly is taking the hard decisions and forcing changes from the top down. These are promising times!

[marcosambrose]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

I'd combine them.

At the end of the day it's the same car with a different motor and cosmetics, where the difference between them isn't greater than Falcon XT is to the G6ET/XR8/XR6Turbo... "different" motors and different front end. Or look at it a simpler way, it's like having a 6cyl Falcon, and a V8 Falcon (but the V8 having a different name) and with different styling. For Toyota, it's just a marketing stunt which has worked quite well, getting people to believe they're different.

I understand where your coming from falcman but i have to completely disagree because they are in entirely different segments.

Falcon, Commodore, Aurion, all in the large 6cyl segmant, all comparible.

Mazda 6, Mondeo, Accord Euro, Camry, all base 4 cyl, are in the official 'Medium sedan over 28k' segment

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by phillyc

NB It's also pleasing to see, that although the North American vehicle sales have dropped this year for Ford (less than the other big 3 i might add) it has returned to profitability and in Europe it is solidly profitable. Allan Mullaly is taking the hard decisions and forcing changes from the top down. These are promising times!

These aren't promising times, Ford Nth America has announced another 2000 job cuts and have now downgraded their prediction of making a profit next year, to making a loss, solely because of oil prices and Americans turning away from pickups and SUV's. If Nth America loss money it will probably wipe out Europes profits and result in another global loss.

[ECOJET]

mazda 2 is the future, lancer e.t.c same with mondeo... those medium cars are definitely where the popularity will be going. FG is a great car probably the best aussie car made but its been launched in a time when big cars are dying.

[JPFS1]

Originally Posted by ECOJET

mazda 2 is the future, lancer e.t.c same with mondeo... those medium cars are definitely where the popularity will be going. FG is a great car probably the best aussie car made but its been launched in a time when big cars are dying.

Big cars don't need to die!

The government also has a responsibility to provide alternative fuel projects (form an infrastructure point of view) but they are sitting on their hands enjoying revenue from Crude based petrol excise.

How many people here know about the CNG program that the government was going to fund in the late 90's... but then they decided to kill it... and Ford's involvement... providing purpose built CNG only Falcon wagons...?? 4Ltr iL6, new pistons, shaved head, new cam profile and compression ratio of 13+:1... were getting 500Km's a tank.

This would have seen government funded CNG stations sprawled up the East Coast... Now imagine if they went through with this... things could have been quite different..

[russellw]

The usual graphical views and commentary are up now and can be found HERE

Cheers
Russ

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

These aren't promising times, Ford Nth America has announced another 2000 job cuts and have now downgraded their prediction of making a profit next year, to making a loss, solely because of oil prices and Americans turning away from pickups and SUV's. If Nth America loss money it will probably wipe out Europes profits and result in another global loss.

Okay, Bossxr8, I think we'll have to agree to disagree with each other. You seem to be glass half empty, I would rather be glass half full. For the sake of Ford I hope I am right.

Ford North America has occurred a large portion of the restructure costs. They are continuing to drop truck capacity whilst expanding their car & crossover production.

Importantly they are reducing sales to fleets, so the profit per vehicles is much higher.

Ford NA split of business is:
* Trucks & SUVs 65%
* Trucks & SUV sales have declined by a 15% YTD
* Car & Crossover 35%
* Car & Crossover sales are up 3% YTD

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by russellw

The usual graphical views and commentary are up now and can be found HERE

Cheers
Russ

Russ, I always enjoy reading these reports. That is alot of work. MUCH appreciated. Thanks.

[MAGPIE]

Originally Posted by RATT

Subaru

Subaru Forester 1,423
Subaru Impreza 788
Subaru Liberty 541
Subaru Outback 320
Subaru Tribeca 145
TOTAL 3,217 (up 0.4%)

Impressive figures for the new Forester

[Cuey]

Originally Posted by Grunter

Falcon
Jan - 1252
Feb - 2520
Mar - 2322
Apr - 1884
May - 3320

Commodore
Jan - 3210
Feb - 4313
Mar - 3998
Apr - 3324
May - 4215

And Falcon sales as a percentage of Commodores sales:
Jan - 39%
Feb - 58%
Mar - 58%
Apr - 56%
May - 78%

So some inroads made there based on May alone.

These are probably the most effective stats to look at when comparing the Commodore and Falcon, great work!

[HSVKILLA]

Give the fg a chance FFS its only just popped out of the womb and we have doom slayers NEGATIVE NEGATIVE NEGATIVE.Some of the posts on here are just pathetic and need a bit more thought than just typing them out for the hell of it,actually keep them to yourself if its any more crap like i've read. :

[irlewy86]

Originally Posted by JPFS1

Big cars don't need to die!

The government also has a responsibility to provide alternative fuel projects (form an infrastructure point of view) but they are sitting on their hands enjoying revenue from Crude based petrol excise.

How many people here know about the CNG program that the government was going to fund in the late 90's... but then they decided to kill it... and Ford's involvement... providing purpose built CNG only Falcon wagons...?? 4Ltr iL6, new pistons, shaved head, new cam profile and compression ratio of 13+:1... were getting 500Km's a tank.

This would have seen government funded CNG stations sprawled up the East Coast... Now imagine if they went through with this... things could have been quite different..

Can see a CNG pipeline just down the road, god I wish that plan had of gone ahead.