aussie coupes - will we ever see one again? - Page 2

**DJM83** · 29-01-2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

If half the members here on this forum signalled a real desire to actually purchase oa NEW FORD every year for the next 5 or 10 years, then they would be the largest car company in Australia....

Valid point Norm but i have no intention of buying a NEW ford in the near future. Id rather someone take the 'big hit' when purchasing to allow me to buy it a little cheaper. Also i have the Ford i want why buy another.

Back to the coupe, your right it will never happen. As ford are trying to stay alive with the 4 door versions. If you want a 2 door sports car buy a V8 ute IMO.
The monaro was/is the ONLY coupe to ever catch my eye and id own one in a heart beat i think to this day they still have that wow factor.

BOSHOG · 29-01-2010, 12:05 PM

i remember reading somewhere holden were thinking of bringing out a new coupe, not a monaro but more along the lines of a torana SS..... this was a few years ago, around the same time they were talking about re-releasing the "sandman" panelvan

4Vman · 29-01-2010, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJM83

Valid point Norm but i have no intention of buying a NEW ford in the near future. Id rather someone take the 'big hit' when purchasing to allow me to buy it a little cheaper. Also i have the Ford i want why buy another.

Back to the coupe, your right it will never happen. As ford are trying to stay alive with the 4 door versions. If you want a 2 door sports car buy a V8 ute IMO.
The monaro was/is the ONLY coupe to ever catch my eye and id own one in a heart beat i think to this day they still have that wow factor.

Fair points, i just find it amazing the amount of people who claim Ford will sell heaps of (insert obscure niche' model here) yet have neither the means nor the intent on ever actually buying (insert obscure niche' model here).....

**DJM83** · 29-01-2010, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Fair points, i just find it amazing the amount of people who claim Ford will sell heaps of (insert obscure niche' model here) yet have neither the means nor the intent on ever actually buying (insert obscure niche' model here).....

Also they have no idea what it takes to make an (insert obscure niche' model here)..... either.
As much as id like to see a coupe or the likes. Im sure there are more 'profitable' (and i use that term loosely) that Ford can/will put money into.

LOCO XP · 29-01-2010, 12:34 PM

[QUOTE=PANELCORP]

The commodore missing a few doors was not really a coupe and only proved the stupidity of Holden owners as they queued up to buy them !!!

QUOTE]

Again, I can't see by that kind of thinking that there has really been that many "real coupes" made in Australia, other than the XA-XC's and perhaps Chargers. If you lop the roofs off and close the door gaps on say an XM/XP Falcon coupe, VF/VG 2 door, HK-T-G Monaro lined them up to the respective 4 door equivalents with the same treatment etc etc, how are they any more of a coupe than the CV8's etc? Yeah, slight variations, but you get what I'm saying. I have a lot of respect for the latest Monaros, and to Holden for having the guts to have a go. They're holding their value well, and are a nice package. My mate has a HT Monaro that made Top 60 the last 2 years at the 'Nats, has owned plenty of Falcons, a WRX, wild LH Torana, but he says his mildly tweaked CV8 is the best car he has owned and probably would never sell it.

jphanna · 29-01-2010, 01:07 PM

i know the motoring landscape has changed since 1999, but at that time, (May99), i was test driving a secondhand car from metro holden in adelaide, and the concept monaro coupe was the talk of the motoring world.

i brought up the subject of it, and asked if holden were going to bring it out. im not sure if he said defiantely or not....but i distinctly remember him saying that they had several (well over 10) deposits paid up including one guy who paid 2 deposits.

now at the time holden were flogging VT/VX at around 7,000 a month and the AU was probably 5,000?, but it was heady days compared to sales figures now....but the point is

if ford were 'able' to make a decent go of it....then it will be snapped up fast, just like the monaro.

trippytaka · 29-01-2010, 02:06 PM

If they can figure out how to get it on the universal platforms I don't see why there can't be something.

Bossxr8 · 30-01-2010, 11:01 AM

Never, never, never.

We will not see an aussie made 2 door again.

It's been proven everytime when Holden or Ford make a 2 door coupe it sells pretty well in the first year or 2 then totally dies off. They are fashion statements that get old very quickly. The manufacturers are well aware of this, one of the reasons why Holden never did a VE Monaro.

The previous Monaro was only saved from a total financial disaster by the export of them as GTO's, but even then it would not have made Holden much money as they just did not sell over there, and they sold them for a hell of a lot less money than what the Monaro was worth over here, meaning even if they did sell well they would have made very little profit on them.

Scott · 30-01-2010, 11:22 AM

It is far more likely that there WILL be another Aussie built coupe than not. Forever and never are both a very long time - we may not see it, our kids may not see it but maybe theirs will? At some point Australia will be big enough to support a full blown auto industry and choice will come for the ride.

We will build another coupe one day.

jpd80 · 30-01-2010, 12:05 PM

If Falcon pairs with Lincoln, there may be a chance of a two door sedan but a coupe is out of the question,
Ford will not recreate a Mustang styled car when they have a Mustang.......

4Vman · 30-01-2010, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Never, never, never.

We will not see an aussie made 2 door again.

It's been proven everytime when Holden or Ford make a 2 door coupe it sells pretty well in the first year or 2 then totally dies off. They are fashion statements that get old very quickly. The manufacturers are well aware of this, one of the reasons why Holden never did a VE Monaro.

The previous Monaro was only saved from a total financial disaster by the export of them as GTO's, but even then it would not have made Holden much money as they just did not sell over there, and they sold them for a hell of a lot less money than what the Monaro was worth over here, meaning even if they did sell well they would have made very little profit on them.

Yes... i think its also the total impracticality of coupes that hurts appeal too... very few repeat coupe buyers after the they realise they're basically a ute with limited cargo space...

Bossxr8 · 30-01-2010, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP006

It is far more likely that there WILL be another Aussie built coupe than not. Forever and never are both a very long time - we may not see it, our kids may not see it but maybe theirs will? At some point Australia will be big enough to support a full blown auto industry and choice will come for the ride.

We will build another coupe one day.

The large car segment is a hell of a lot smaller than it ever was, and that will be permanent. It won't go back to the way it was when large cars dominated the market. If coupes didn't sell that well back then how would they ever be finacially viable in the future. The lessons have been learnt.

Scott · 30-01-2010, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

The large car segment is a hell of a lot smaller than it ever was, and that will be permanent. It won't go back to the way it was when large cars dominated the market. If coupes didn't sell that well back then how would they ever be finacially viable in the future. The lessons have been learnt.

The future is a long time and the past [auto industry] really is still in it's infancy. I didn't suggest that an Australian Coupe would be a large car but it is absolutely possible that large coupes could be made again too.

When in 50 years my great grandkids laugh at the pre-historic, black and white GT-P I used to drive and think was cool - anything is possible.

Bossxr8 · 30-01-2010, 12:34 PM

Genuinely good cars and SUV's aren't going away. They have become an alternative to large cars for most of the population. Large cars are now just getting by. Sales will never return to levels high enough to support local 2 door niche vehicles, even when the VT was going gangbusters the Monaro never sold well enough in Australia to make Holden any money.

Ford can't even justify spending any money on the wagon that sells a solid 400+ per month, and Holden can't even afford to put any new sheetmetal on a car that sell in excess of 4000 per month.

Scott · 30-01-2010, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Sales will never return to levels high enough to support local 2 door niche vehicles, even when the VT was going gangbusters the Monaro never sold well enough in Australia to make Holden any money.

How about when we have a population of 150m?

Nikked · 30-01-2010, 02:47 PM

I think the only way we would see a Falcon coupe is if there is a GRWD platform, and america desides to build a new Thunder bird or Torino. Then you might see a falcon coupe, but it would probaly be the american car with a falcon front on it....

capri280 · 30-01-2010, 04:11 PM

sorry guys but the falcon has /is going the way of the capri
great cars but left in the past....

Elks · 30-01-2010, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

That's what they did last time.... The converted stangs had mediocre performance, poor build quality and price of around 85K...

Almost correct. Poor build quality, and the interior packing and fit and finish was real 80's american (not good). And I priced a convertible at $75k plus on roads. So dear and poor is correct.

But the little 4.6 was a cracker and even Wheels ran 13.6 or something in it. Performance was something it didn't lack.

Bossxr8 · 30-01-2010, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP006

How about when we have a population of 150m?

How much has our population increased since the 70's, and how much lower have the sales of locally made vehicles got to.

jpd80 · 30-01-2010, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

How much has our population increased since the 70's, and how much lower have the sales of locally made vehicles got to.

Actually, Burela was prediction that annual sales would be be up around 1.2 million by 2015
so Falcon could see an increase of 20% production due to natural growth but I'm not so sure
about that because all the growth has been occurring in light and small cars.

Even if he's half right, stabilised large cars sales is a start for manufacturers planning future products.
Maybe it's what can be done now that's important, the Ecoboost Falcon being a step forward and
telling the mid sized buyers there's something better on offer than a fridge magnet.

banarcus · 30-01-2010, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

If half the members here on this forum signalled a real desire to actually purchase oa NEW FORD every year for the next 5 or 10 years, then they would be the largest car company in Australia....

Thanks, my point exactly

Coupes, Falcon coupes will never again be built in this country again.

jpd80 · 30-01-2010, 06:15 PM

The only reason we had the XA/B/C Falcon coupes is because Edsel Ford II pushed for it whilst stationed here.
A vehicle which incidentally, was canceled by Geoff Polites in his earlier career at Ford.

The only RWd coupe we may ever see here would be a fully imported factory RWD Mustang.
I wouldn't hold my breath on that one........

bigdude1011 · 30-01-2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

How much has our population increased since the 70's, and how much lower have the sales of locally made vehicles got to.

Don't forget, back then, people were able to buy smaller, Australian-built cars. Cars like the Golf, Beetle, Escort, Gemini Cortina, Torana, Corolla, Colt, Corona and Sigma, as well as the many pathetic British-designed cars, were all built, or at least assembled here. Now, we can't even count the Camry as a smaller car.

XR6_190 · 30-01-2010, 09:01 PM

We will never again see the likes of an Australian Designed and built Falcon Coupe, or Monaro Coupe. When you think of all of the coupes that have gone by the wayside in previous years, Celica, Supra, Impreza, Silvia (200SX), Prelude, Integra, etc. They were all world cars built by some of the most efficiently run organizations in the world, If they couldn't get it to work, then what hope have the small local arms of struggling companys got. Come to think of it, the only companys that currently have proper 4 seater sedan based coupes on the market are, Peugeot, Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Bentley, Audi and Alfa Romeo. That's it, remember, there was a time, not that long ago, when every manufacturer just about had a coupe, now they just aren't viable as mainstream models.

Bossxr8 · 30-01-2010, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdude1011

Don't forget, back then, people were able to buy smaller, Australian-built cars. Cars like the Golf, Beetle, Escort, Gemini Cortina, Torana, Corolla, Colt, Corona and Sigma, as well as the many pathetic British-designed cars, were all built, or at least assembled here. Now, we can't even count the Camry as a smaller car.

Thats because high tariffs and local content quotas made it so attractive to manufacturer here. Everyone was getting in on it because it was so much cheaper to manufacture here than import.

Sprint XR8 · 31-01-2010, 01:09 AM

There were also import quota's that restricted imports to no more than 20% of the market.

US kills Falcon · 31-01-2010, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jphanna

With the aussie designed an built cars looking shaky in the future, could the recent (99-06) Monaro be the last ever production coupe ever made by an aussie company

Ford can no longer justify building Falcon wagons or Fairlanes/LTDs so the chance of a Falcon coupe being built locally is buckleys!