Falcon has a future with us, says Ford - Page 7

JPFS1 · 29-12-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

However these were quite clearly in the company of a commercial vehicle test mule. Benchmarking for something?

Nope..

Road_Warrior · 29-12-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPFS1

Nope..

Well...why on Earth would they be hanging out with some T6 mules in the Arizona desert then? The crash lab in Dearborn is miles away! And I don't think the PAG test ground in AZ has a crash facility does it?

Paxton · 29-12-2009, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Well...why on Earth would they be hanging out with some T6 mules in the Arizona desert then? The crash lab in Dearborn is miles away! And I don't think the PAG test ground in AZ has a crash facility does it?

What does PAG and Territory have in common?

Road_Warrior · 29-12-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paxton

What does PAG and Territory have in common?

The diesel engine? Although I shouldn't have mentioned PAG because I thought that 'company' was now defunct.

Ohio XB · 29-12-2009, 02:10 PM

There is no PAG. That was basically broken up with the sales of Jag and Land Rover.

The testing grounds in Arizona is rather heavily used by Ford for extreme hot weather testing. I think some people even go golfing out there.

:

Steve

phillyc · 29-12-2009, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

The diesel engine?

Hot weather testing the 2.7L TD is the most obvious thought. Arizona is damn hot.

irlewy86 · 29-12-2009, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillyc

Hot weather testing the 2.7L TD is the most obvious thought. Arizona is damn hot.

Generally FoA just do their hot weather testing in the NT though?

Ghiadude · 04-01-2010, 12:27 PM

it was near enough to 50 degrees ambient in parts of WA yesterday...if that isnt hot enough then what?? I still wish they would put it in the falc as well

imagine
I4t
I6
I6LPG
I6t
V6d
v8
V8sc
v8t
v8tt

thats alot of engine options
lets see gmh
v6 3.0
v6 3.6
v6 lpg
v8
v8hsv spec
v8hsv spec duel fuel

FPV GTHO · 04-01-2010, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghiadude

V8sc
v8t
v8tt

Thats 3 products vying for the same market, and something Ford US probably wouldnt even bankroll.

Nikked · 04-01-2010, 07:31 PM

yeah, i don't see the point of having a turbo, a twin turbo, and a supercharger. Too much cost, hassle and confusion, all to sell to the same number of customers.

Ghiadude · 04-01-2010, 08:12 PM

allright then - take them(the turbo varients) out as they are only rumour at the moment

Road_Warrior · 04-01-2010, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikked

yeah, i don't see the point of having a turbo, a twin turbo, and a supercharger. Too much cost, hassle and confusion, all to sell to the same number of customers.

Not to mention production line complexities and sequencing, it would be just silly.

Ohio XB · 05-01-2010, 09:36 AM

Ok, I am wrong.

It would seem a comment by a UAW VP that was made in a meeting I attended was made with a misunderstanding by the VP of just what a "Global Rear Wheel Drive" platform is. It would seem he took it to mean "any" rear wheel drive vehicle would be part of a GRWD platform, which is not accurate.

His statement was the glue to my suspicion of what was going to happen at our plant, as well as the GRWD platform.

It would seem that the GRWD Platform is still shelved.

Bummer.

Anyways, when Ford announces the vehicle we are getting at our plant (Fortunate for us) I will lay out all the pieces of my puzzle, which either are all pieces of separate puzzles, or are not puzzle pieces at all.

Sorry to get everyone's hopes up, but this is why I kept clarifying that these were only my suspicions. When I lay out the puzzle for everyone I think you will see how I arrived at the obvious conclusion, if that one puzzle piece by the VP had been accurate.

Steve

Road_Warrior · 05-01-2010, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohio XB

Ok, I am wrong.

It would seem a comment by a UAW VP that was made in a meeting I attended was made with a misunderstanding by the VP of just what a "Global Rear Wheel Drive" platform is. It would seem he took it to mean "any" rear wheel drive vehicle would be part of a GRWD platform, which is not accurate.

His statement was the glue to my suspicion of what was going to happen at our plant, as well as the GRWD platform.

It would seem that the GRWD Platform is still shelved.

Bummer.

Anyways, when Ford announces the vehicle we are getting at our plant (Fortunate for us) I will lay out all the pieces of my puzzle, which either are all pieces of separate puzzles, or are not puzzle pieces at all.

Sorry to get everyone's hopes up, but this is why I kept clarifying that these were only my suspicions. When I lay out the puzzle for everyone I think you will see how I arrived at the obvious conclusion, if that one puzzle piece by the VP had been accurate.

Steve

Well I think we all knew that GRWD was still on the back burner, simply because Ford's financials are still debt-laden and it is going to take more than one half-yearly profit to get an indicator of whether luxury niche items like GRWD will be back on the table. The global economy is still in too much of a state of flux at the moment to entertain anything other than profit making essentials. Not to mention Ford are obviously still in the process of restructuring.

I think you will find that a final decision on GRWD will be made in the next 12 months which coincides with the timeframe on having to make a decision on the next generation Falcon platform (and the Mustang, coincidentally). Dearborn will be acutely aware of the timelines and cutoff dates that are being talked of down here.

Ohio XB · 05-01-2010, 01:55 PM

I was aware of everything you mentioned, but the way things were falling into place, and having been surprised by Ford's actions before, I thought there may have been a change of plans behind closed doors already. Such is not the case.

Steve

Swordsman88 · 05-01-2010, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohio XB

I was aware of everything you mentioned, but the way things were falling into place, and having been surprised by Ford's actions before, I thought there may have been a change of plans behind closed doors already. Such is not the case.

Steve

Unfortunate news Steve but that is why rumours are not the same as fact i suppose. My question is, what are you building at your plant then?? You say it is RWD....ah that makes it F series no?

Ohio XB · 05-01-2010, 09:12 PM

No, it does not. I still cannot say what we are building, but it is not a Falcon based vehicle either.

Steve

Swordsman88 · 05-01-2010, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohio XB

No, it does not. I still cannot say what we are building, but it is not a Falcon based vehicle either.

Steve

T6 Ranger goes global??? Just a thought....

kiwi351 · 05-01-2010, 09:49 PM

i've only been here 3yrs with all resources here and talent aussies can just about build there own empire slap slap wakey wakey lol

Road_Warrior · 05-01-2010, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swordsman88

T6 Ranger goes global??? Just a thought....

Neh the Yanks don't want it. They will probably build a heavily modified variant of it and badge it as an F100 though.

Swordsman88 · 05-01-2010, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Neh the Yanks don't want it. They will probably build a heavily modified variant of it and badge it as an F100 though.

Yeah, that was what i was getting at. We know their current ranger is basically all over. And that there will not be a new Ranger off the F series. They would sooner just built F100s with ecoboost 4pot motors. BUT, if they though there was a market for a downsized truck (not full size) in the US, even as a private vehcile as opposed to work truck, is it not concievable they would have a think about a Ranger?

I'm just clutching at straw here, i'm sure ohioxb will tell us more when the time is right....

Ghiadude · 05-01-2010, 10:56 PM

Crown Vic?

Road_Warrior · 05-01-2010, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghiadude

Crown Vic?

Panther platform cars are being discontinued late this year/early 2011

I still reckon its the Toreass derived Police Interceptor.

kiwi351 · 05-01-2010, 11:35 PM

lol gee i gonna slap myself in the morning good ole platinum 6.5 anyway, 300kw 315kw 340kw 400kw all one year apart, all interchangeable engine components,driveline, suspension,bodykit to standard chassis, worldwide customer service, parts and service 24/7,biggest market usa europe uk and some,
aussie built, enviromently friendly arr ooh umm,the world is watching ....... waiting ....aussies

Ghiadude · 05-01-2010, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Panther platform cars are being discontinued late this year/early 2011

I still reckon its the Toreass derived Police Interceptor.

It would have to be something like that wouldnt it?

Chilliman · 06-01-2010, 12:26 AM

In 2013 the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ, and Ford Taurus, are all scheduled to move to a new front-wheel-drive platform that is shared with the European Ford Mondeo.
Read more: http://forums.motortrend.com/70/7979...#ixzz0bk9WHBGS

I got this from a blog on motortrend.com

It would seem that if Ford are to move all those cars onto the Mondeo platform, effectively 'down sizing' the Taurus, that would leave room for a new 'Falcon' sized car and given that the Panther platform is due to finish in 2011 it would make sense that a new 'Falcon' sized platform would also be RWD?

Tell me if I'm dreaming

Road_Warrior · 06-01-2010, 11:19 AM

Well either that or the C/D cars are going to grow in size to be more Taurus-like. Taurus is a D car which is today's "large" car. I think the only E car in the Ford empire is the Falcon and the Panthers...

Ohio XB · 06-01-2010, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chilliman

In 2013 the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ, and Ford Taurus, are all scheduled to move to a new front-wheel-drive platform that is shared with the European Ford Mondeo.
Read more: http://forums.motortrend.com/70/7979...#ixzz0bk9WHBGS

I got this from a blog on motortrend.com

It would seem that if Ford are to move all those cars onto the Mondeo platform, effectively 'down sizing' the Taurus, that would leave room for a new 'Falcon' sized car and given that the Panther platform is due to finish in 2011 it would make sense that a new 'Falcon' sized platform would also be RWD?

Tell me if I'm dreaming

There you go using common sense to predict what Ford will do. That will usually get you the farthest from their actual actions.

: Good logic though.

No, we won't be building a Ranger replacement. I have no idea what Ford plans to do about a Ranger replacement. They let it die on the vine (no advertising) for years, yet it sells well. However, it has not had any major work or redesign in forever (I can only imagine what the ancient tooling looks like). Only the Crown Vic is older.........maybe the Econoline we are building is. Still, it will be gone (Ranger) and those customers will also be left to rot on the vine. Who knows, maybe they are deemed an acceptable sacrifice for a larger good??

With there being no GRWD platform in the works I would imagine the Taurus will get the PI duty.

I've heard nothing of the T6 and the US.

Steve