Ford soon to highlight local 'Vision'

[jpd80]

So Ford is losing it way because it's finally getting all the missing vehicles in its showroom that people want to buy?

I know lots of people are steamed over Falcon's demise but that's no reason to decry all the good moves Ford is making
and sure, none of those vehicles will probably interest the falcon faithful in the slightest but it's what Ford should have
been doing years ago, it's why every other car maker has made gains on Ford and Holden over the past decade.

And if Ford had been given access to those sorts of vehicles years ago, maybe pressure would have been off Falcon and Territory
so that they could be all they could have been with styling changes and what not.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Buntz

Ford has lost it's way, and is now only interested in a streamlined, uniform design of bland, FWD, volume money makers. The company may have been in the best position it ever has been in since One Ford, but at least the cars weren't trading in soul and character for it.

No offence but isnt that the point of being in business? No point in making something that most people dont want like the car that will stop being made soon.
As for bland FWD i wont touch that, bit of a generalisation there.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by RedHotGT

Time for some facts and figures - just to give you some perspective... And this goes back to my first RANT about people not caring about $XX per week for something.... you can justify small amounts of money being spent for your own personal satisfaction....

2013 Focus Ambiente (4cyl auto petrol) FG XR6 (6cyl auto petrol) vs FG GT-P (8cyl auto petrol)
6.5lt per 100km (combined economy) vs 9.9lt per 100km (combined economy) vs 13.7lt per 100km (combined economy)

Now - lets say on average you're gonna do 35,000km in a year...
And lets say the average petrol price is $1.40 per litre...
The Focus is going to use: 2275 litres (which is $3185.00 of fuel)
The XR6 is going to use : 3465 litres (which is $4851.00 of fuel)
The GT-P is going to use : 4795 litres (which is $6713.00 of fuel)

So - here is where the big costs really stand out.

$61.00 a week to fuel the Focus
$93.00 a week to fuel the XR6
$130.00 a week to fuel the GT-P

Now - given the Focus costs approx $20k, double that for the XR6 ($40k) and then double that again for the GT-P ($80k) and it all starts adding up doesn't it....

And - just quickly while i'm spitting out FACTS.... If we were doing this on FINANCE: (Based on a 5 year loan, 9% interest, weekly repayments)

Focus $20k loan = $95.00 per week (and total interest of $4,825)
XR6 $40k loan = $190.00 per week (and total interest of $9,650)
GT-P $80k loan = $380.00 per week (and total interest of $19,298)

So really what I'm saying is - if you can afford to drive around in a GT-P... you could alternatively afford to drive around in a Focus and also own an investment property instead.......

........

You have presented a fleet managers view of the world....( no offence intended )

What throws all those numbers out?

(a) some people just buy with cash, not finance
(b) depreciation for some people is a good thing, means less tax paid
(c) some people get the depreciation and never drive their GTP so it's value is more than the depreciated sum
(d) for some people if they don't spend it then the tax man gets half the money.

How does an 80k car for 40k sound?
What about 10% discount from every litre you buy at the pump?
Then 50% discount on the rest?

It's called a company car...bought outright NOT leased by a business owner on 150k a year or better...

Never assume that the people who buy expensive cars are on 30 bucks an hour.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by zilo

You have presented a fleet managers view of the world....( no offence intended )

What throws all those numbers out?

(a) some people just buy with cash, not finance
(b) depreciation for some people is a good thing, means less tax paid
(c) some people get the depreciation and never drive their GTP so it's value is more than the depreciated sum
(d) for some people if they don't spend it then the tax man gets half the money.

How does an 80k car for 40k sound?
What about 10% discount from every litre you buy at the pump?
Then 50% discount on the rest?

It's called a company car...bought outright NOT leased by a business owner on 150k a year or better...

Never assume that the people who buy expensive cars are on 30 bucks an hour.

You still get hit with fringe benefit tax each year and IIRC, it's now 20% of the purchase price recurring for the first four years
So on an 80K car even if fully owned and run as a company car you will pay $64K in FBT over four years...

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by DJM83

No offence but isnt that the point of being in business? No point in making something that most people dont want like the car that will stop being made soon.
As for bland FWD i wont touch that, bit of a generalisation there.

I do tend to make generalisations... I can admit that. I am also at times hypocritical.

But you can still make money and keep dignity by making cars with some flair and motoring enthusiasm. GM and Chrysler seem to be doing it.

Ford used to be renowned for the great driving cars it used to make. Now the Mustang will probably be the last truly enthusiastic Ford. I don't rate FWD performance cars as motoring enthusiasm, and if that makes me some dying breed from a bygone era, then I'm extremely proud of that.

Originally Posted by jpd80

So Ford is losing it way because it's finally getting all the missing vehicles in its showroom that people want to buy?

I know lots of people are steamed over Falcon's demise but that's no reason to decry all the good moves Ford is making
and sure, none of those vehicles will probably interest the falcon faithful in the slightest but it's what Ford should have
been doing years ago, it's why every other car maker has made gains on Ford and Holden over the past decade.

And if Ford had been given access to those sorts of vehicles years ago, maybe pressure would have been off Falcon and Territory
so that they could be all they could have been with styling changes and what not.

You know what I mean John. Making cars that regular non-car people like. The generic mass market common-drivetrain blandness. I'm sorry what I say is upsetting but it's the fast Falcon's that brought me into the Ford camp, and I'm going out with it.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Buntz

I do tend to make generalisations... I can admit that. I am also at times hypocritical.

But you can still make money and keep dignity by making cars with some flair and motoring enthusiasm. GM and Chrysler seem to be doing it.

Ford used to be renowned for the great driving cars it used to make. Now the Mustang will probably be the last truly enthusiastic Ford. I don't rate FWD performance cars as motoring enthusiasm, and if that makes me some dying breed from a bygone era, then I'm extremely proud of that.

Again I could echo those sentiments about the locally produced product. I have no interest.

As for other other makes doing it and making money? Are they making money, and for how much longer will they be making them here.
Anywho doesn't bother me they will be making cars that I like so I'm happy.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Buntz

You know what I mean John. Making cars that regular non-car people like. The generic mass market common-drivetrain blandness. I'm sorry what I say is upsetting but it's the fast Falcon's that brought me into the Ford camp, and I'm going out with it.

And all I'm saying is that why can't Ford do two things at the one time, fill out it's show room and
continue the upgraded Falcon and Territory for another three years, everyone gets what they want...
I have a feeling that in three years time, Falcon sales may be down to a dribble by then anyway
as it recedes to the high series turbo and V8 cars, making the last of them more exclusive.

There's plenty of opportunity to buy a brand new, fast Ford Falcon before they finish in 2016,
I know that we will have people whining on about the decision for three years with no intention of buying one..

[Kieran]

A second email has come around to ask guests to indicate whether or not they intend to come to this event. I'm not even sure whether I want to take a day off work to attend an event celebrating the future of Ford without locally made cars.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Kieran

A second email has come around to ask guests to indicate whether or not they intend to come to this event. I'm not even sure whether I want to take a day off work to attend an event celebrating the future of Ford without locally made cars.

Read the first email again, look at what they are offering to do to get you there and ask yourself why........
This is a big deal to them and they want people to see the whole story and understand the plan in full....

[RedHotGT]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Read the first email again, look at what they are offering to do to get you there and ask yourself why........
This is a big deal to them and they want people to see the whole story and understand the plan in full....

You don't get opportunities like this often... So you don't say no........

[GTP534]

I'm in Sydney, would love to attend! (Haha!)

If anyone's been invited they'd be crazy not to attend!

[Gadgetman]

I'm going to have a guess here as to what the models are:
P376 Ranger (7seater SUV)
Ford Edge
Ford Mustang

You maybe right.. I maybe crazy or maybe just the kind of lunatic your lookin for.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by jpd80

And all I'm saying is that why can't Ford do two things at the one time, fill out it's show room and
continue the upgraded Falcon and Territory for another three years, everyone gets what they want...
I have a feeling that in three years time, Falcon sales may be down to a dribble by then anyway
as it recedes to the high series turbo and V8 cars, making the last of them more exclusive.

There's plenty of opportunity to buy a brand new, fast Ford Falcon before they finish in 2016,
I know that we will have people whining on about the decision for three years with no intention of buying one..

Well yeah... I'm not talking immediately... but what Ford will be making totally after Falcon goes. Mustang will be the last great.

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by Buntz

Making cars that regular non-car people like. The generic mass market common-drivetrain blandness. I'm sorry what I say is upsetting but it's the fast Falcon's that brought me into the Ford camp, and I'm going out with it.

You realize that to the majority of people Falcons and Commodores are "generic mass market blandness" I copped blank stares and "meh" comments for years when I spoke about my Falcons/Fairmonts. Little did I realize at the time that the this was indicative of the writing being on the wall for the big Aussies.

TBH since BA and VY were launched I've found Falcon and Commodore to be fairly bland (especially interiors) Meanwhile small to medium cars and SUVs have evolved in leaps and bounds.

Falcon and Commodore have remained pretty vanilla over the years to try and appeal to the most people. I look forward to the Mustang coming to Oz, because as a two door 'sports car' it can be unashamedly brash with it's styling inside and out.

Fast Falcons may have brought you into the Ford camp, but Ford's new age 'bland' cars and their sporty variants will usher a lot more people into the brand.