Export Falcon fails to fly

DanielXR8 · 23-10-2007, 03:26 PM

*sigh* The US management never learn...

Wings clipped: Falcon exports will be limited to neighbouring right-hand drive countries.

Ford Australia reveals 2008 Falcon will not be built in left-hand drive for export

By JAMES STANFORD 23 October 2007
FORD Australia has revealed that the next-generation Falcon will not be built in left-hand drive for export.

Despite developing the 2008 “Orion” Falcon with the ability to be built in left-hand drive, Ford Australia’s proposal for the export vehicle has been knocked back by Ford Motor Company senior executives in the United States.

Ford Australia president Tom Gorman told GoAuto last week that the company would now concentrate on producing the Focus small car locally from 2011 after the large-car export program fell through.

“We went and market-tested a vehicle that looked good and we thought would do well, but as an organisation and a corporation we decided that the right path for us is to fill our capacity and the best way we could do that is a big chunk of volume and that is where Focus comes in,” he said.

Mr Gorman said that whilst Ford Australia was no longer pushing for a large car export program, production levels would not be diminished at Ford Australia’s Campbellfield and Geelong plants.

“We have cast our lot with Focus and in the short to medium term, the Focus program comes in 2011 and, based on our forward plans, our capacity will be fully subscribed.”

Left: Current South African-built Focus.

In May last year, Ford Australia announced it would invest in left-hand drive engineering capacity for the Orion Falcon which Mr Gorman said would “assist us to develop a viable export program for our world class rear-wheel drive architecture”.

Part of the announced Federal and Victorian government grants, totalling $105 million, was earmarked for the development of the left-hand drive Falcon-based model.

Ford Australia spokeswoman Sinead McAlary told GoAuto this week that both governments had agreed that part of the funding would be redirected to the Focus production program as it also included significant export volumes. Mr Gorman said the (right-hand drive) Focus would now be Ford Australia’s major export model.

“The export business that we found is associated with the Focus so when we build Focus here, we do 40,000 – 15,000 will be exported,” he said. Mr Gorman said that when added to the existing Falcon and Territory export programs, Focus exports would lift the rate of Ford Australia models headed overseas.

“You add that 15,000 (Focus) plus 8000 to 10,000 of Falcon and Territory, lets say 20,000 to 25,000, which is about 20 per cent of our build capacity and is up from where we are today,” he said.

Mr Gorman indicated a left-hand drive Falcon would not have delivered a huge increase in volume. “Even when we looked at (new) export opportunities, those volumes did not match what Focus does for us domestically and export,” he said.

“Ten years ago the Focus segment was less than 100,000. This year it will be close to 225,000, so if we can get our fair share of that segment… If you only assumed a 10 per cent share, that is 20,000 to 25,000 right there, and we think that with our products we can do better than that.”

The Orion export Falcon program is the not the first left-hand drive Ford Australia program to be knocked back by Ford in Detroit. The company had worked on plans for at least three previous-generation Falcons to be built in left-hand drive, but all were canned.

While exporting left-hand drive Falcons to US, in a move that would have mimicked Holden’s export of Commodores as Pontiac G8 models, was a potential, it is believed the Middle East was of particular interest to Ford Australia.

Also an export destination for Holden cars, the Ford Australia model could have replaced the ancient Crown Victoria which struggles against the latest-generation Holdens that are sold as Buicks.

Ford Australia’s role in the development of a future Ford global large rear-drive architecture, which is due to debut on US models as early as 2011, remains unclear.

The new global platform, expected to form the base of the all-new Falcon due some time around 2013, could be developed by Ford Australia or by another Ford arm with at least some input from the Australian team.

Ford Australia has already announced it will import a US-sourced V6 engine for its Falcon and Territory models from 2010, ending production of the locally-made inline-six powerplant.

apolloxbgt · 23-10-2007, 03:41 PM

So it looks like they've buttered us up with promises of exports,so they could kill of the i6,then shaft us once the deal is done.

Well done FoNA,I hope this bites you on the .

Dilan · 23-10-2007, 04:12 PM

This is also being discussed in the Orion Knowledge Hub

GSfalcon500 · 23-10-2007, 06:55 PM

The Falcon is to small to replace the Crown vic anyway ,thats why they dont want it.They already got the taurus, whats the diff between that and the falcon ,RWD.

Bucket · 23-10-2007, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSfalcon500

They already got the taurus, whats the diff between that and the falcon ,RWD.

Refinement

ef_classic · 23-10-2007, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GSfalcon500

The Falcon is to small to replace the Crown vic anyway

What rubbish, the Falcon is 10 times better than the 50 year old crown vic.

perthxr6t · 23-10-2007, 07:17 PM

Looks like our ford friends over in the states will miss out again on a great car and engine.

UKXR8 · 24-10-2007, 07:45 AM

We'll take some over here in the UK then!!!!!
Its bloody annoying seeing Vauxhall badged Monaros and Commodores but no Falcons.

Molloy · 24-10-2007, 07:58 AM

Yanks..............

AussieJason · 24-10-2007, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ef_classic

What rubbish, the Falcon is 10 times better than the 50 year old crown vic.

That's right, I think this decision has more to do with Ford's American pride over business sense.

The Falcon is miles ahead of the Crown Vic, Taurus / 500. The Ford NA employees that currently build those could instead convert Falcons and Territory's to left hand drive, saving Ford Aus the job of doing it.

Oh well, at least we still have a Falcon here for the near future.

LeadFoot81 · 24-10-2007, 10:00 AM

Waste of money converting a platfrom at the end of its development to LHD, when a new LHD/RHD global platform is on its ways with the next all new Falcon in 2012. The money is better spent on the new 2010 Focus. They made the right decision, irrespective of our bruised egos.

TheDutchGun · 24-10-2007, 10:24 AM

I want that Falcon over here. You guys don't understand the complete and utter rubbish the Crown Vic and Taurus both are. Ford hasn't made a quality sedan here in North America in years.

Thank god for Mustangs!

Kryton · 24-10-2007, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDutchGun

You guys don't understand the complete and utter rubbish the Crown Vic and Taurus both are.

yeah we do.
you guys unloaded your rubbish on us a few years ago.
it was the almighty TAURUS.

LeadFoot81 · 24-10-2007, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDutchGun

I want that Falcon over here. You guys don't understand the complete and utter rubbish the Crown Vic and Taurus both are. Ford hasn't made a quality sedan here in North America in years.

Thank god for Mustangs!

Do you mean the old Taurus or the 'new' renamed 500? The old droopy Taurus WAS somewhat...rubbish-y. lol

TheDutchGun · 24-10-2007, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Fantastic_Ford

Do you mean the old Taurus or the 'new' renamed 500? The old droopy Taurus WAS somewhat...rubbish-y. lol

The renamed 500 is junk too. Honestly the only Fords worth buying over here are Mustangs and Pickup Trucks.

The euros get the awesome Focus RS and the Aussies get that Falcon. I guess the Mustang is ours...

TruBlu351 · 24-10-2007, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davway

yeah we do.
you guys unloaded your rubbish on us a few years ago.
it was the almighty TAURUS.

The Cockroach?

WHO the hell designed that thing!!

: Can't tell if it's going forwards or backwards!!

apolloxbgt · 24-10-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDutchGun

The renamed 500 is junk too. Honestly the only Fords worth buying over here are Mustangs and Pickup Trucks.

The euros get the awesome Focus RS and the Aussies get that Falcon. I guess the Mustang is ours...

We get the Focus too,it's called the xr5 here.

LeadFoot81 · 24-10-2007, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDutchGun

The renamed 500 is junk too. Honestly the only Fords worth buying over here are Mustangs and Pickup Trucks.

The euros get the awesome Focus RS and the Aussies get that Falcon. I guess the Mustang is ours...

In a perfect world the Aussies, Euros and Yanks would share their cars so you could walk into a Ford dealership on any continent and be able to choose between a Falcon, a Mustang, a Focus, an F-Truck, Fiesta, Mondeo etc etc
Maybe one day?

Bucknaked · 24-10-2007, 12:31 PM

:

sprjenkins · 24-10-2007, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apolloxbgt

We get the Focus too,it's called the xr5 here.

Isn't the XR5 and the RS two different models. I remember reading somewhere that the RS is a lot more sporty and we won't get it

TheDutchGun · 24-10-2007, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Fantastic_Ford

In a perfect world the Aussies, Euros and Yanks would share their cars so you could walk into a Ford dealership on any continent and be able to choose between a Falcon, a Mustang, a Focus, an F-Truck, Fiesta, Mondeo etc etc
Maybe one day?

They should just take the best models from every market and sell them everywhere. Get rid of all the dead weight.

The euros can keep all their diesels though.

Smoke Pursuit · 24-10-2007, 01:55 PM

There loss, not ours.. Their sedans are crap.

broken_suave · 24-10-2007, 02:19 PM

Maybe its not our loss, but we could definately have benefit from exporting the falcon to the US and the Middle East.
I agree that its just American national pride that is stopping it, but also on a related note, sales may not be that great if the yanks knew it wasnt american built.
Mind you, they tried to claim the GTO was all american when it was first introduced, to the point where they made it sound like it was developed and built in america, but fell short of actually saying it. They slowly worked away from that but fell short of mentioning it was aussie built. Most of the yanks in the car scene knew anyway.
Its a shame, I would have liked to have seen aussie fords getting around in america, seeing them in movies and tv.