Major Ford announcement

[DRU842]

Like a few here I've waited to post, to allow some of the emotion to die down. I too received the email from Ford Australia:
"Hi Andrew
Today Ford has announced a plan to transform its business. Firstly, we wanted to inform you directly that there will be no changes to the way our customers buy and service our cars.
We are committed to our long history of serving Australian customers with the very best vehicles that deliver cutting edge technology at an affordable price. Unfortunately, due to challenging market conditions, we are unable to do that longer-term while continuing to manufacture locally. As a result, local manufacturing operations will cease in October 2016.
We remain committed to the launch of new versions of the Falcon, Falcon Ute and Territory in 2014. We will stand behind these products, offering service, parts and technical support through to at least 2026.
Whilst we are changing our structure, our commitment to Australia remains strong. We will continue to offer a full range of great vehicles with affordable technology and a great driving experience. We also remain a significant employer in the Australian market, with more than 1500 team members, and our 200-strong dealer network. Our local team’s role as a global centre of excellence for vehicle development will continue to be an important focus for our business.
For more information on today’s announcement, please visit www.ford.com.au/about/newsroom.
If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Relationship Centre at customers@fordcrc.com.au or via phone at 133 673. Alternatively, please speak to your local Ford Dealer.
Regards"
Thoughts to those & their families directly affected.
I don't think this is a real surprise to anyone. The One Ford program has been well established and the only questions were when & what for this would take in Australia.
The Falcon & Territory were only going to survive as part of this global program & never as truly 'Australian' vehicles.
The 1500 local employees referred to above would include a substantial number involved in global engineering. This is the future for the automotive industry in Australia. What contribution of this type is larger among the remaining so called local manufacturers?
To those criticising the closure of the manufacturing, please note its in 3 years; a lot longer 'support' than those who have closed up before and honouring the commitments made to Government.
Again thoughts to those directly affected, you should should be proud of the history you have created & the future ahead, while cloudy', can be planned and faced with some sense of certainty now.

[LeadFoot81]

Originally Posted by landau460

Like I said "they don't have the bloody choice"

If it wasn't for price of fuel, and I have not read up about this euro 5 / 6 sounds like crap compliance we are not part of euro ,the flood of oversees appealinog stuff crap or not crap we are dealing with countries that pay wages probly a tenth of ours thats what they have worked out as pay not here in Australia the cost of living with there wages we would be a third world country living in poverty , and a bloody government/s that can't get the important stuff right.

No choice

People would still have a choice of a falcon even at the price. Still not sure why we need all these things to play with ( i still dont know all the stuff in my gt does i just get in it hit the traction control off open window check tyre pressures and feel good instantly) rather than getting into it and either driving with purpose of a destination or driving for the sake of enjoyment!
I am lucky enough like a lot here of having both but it is getting harder and harder to do that.
There is probly a lot of merit to Ford HO and Foa allowing territory and falcon keeping productions up and exporting, and I thought for a bit that the way fg falcon, g6e, and territory would be favourable in U.S being rear wheel drive with a big six or an 8 cyl as an option hell in the end they tried in vain with the tree hugging Eco 4 even boss saw and liked. But the powers that be not allowing that to happen so Ford go down as in production....
They are tipping holden goingsame way don't know how that will pan out then
what?
Technology is everywhere we make a lot of it but for how long before everything we produce is not cost effective cause some company will produce it overseas for a fifth of the price!

Like I said NO CHOICE

Mate, go check out the Focus ST info thread (on these very forums)

Heaps of ex-Falcon owners jumping ship to a 'wrong wheel drive buzz box with too much technology that they dont need'

The problem isn't 'no choice' its 'so much choice' and as others have stated, in the 21st century the people buying small/medium hatches/sedans/crossovers are having their cake and eating it too.

I think Falcon deserved an influx of global cash to become a truly global model, but that just doesn't fit with Fomoco's plans unfortunately. I'm disappointed, but I don't think the general public are being forced to drive cars they dont want.

[DavoFX]

Hmmm, I don't know about that. I was looking for a plain family station wagon and couldn't really find anything new with the boot space of the BA wagon that I finally got. Virtually anything new is smaller, or hilariously expensive, or an SUV gay farmer thingy thing I don't need. I'd bet that a lot of people are driving LandCruisers around because it's the modern station wagon without looking like their parents. And happily for Toyota they cost a lot more.

I've had a suspicion for a long time that manufacturers don't want to be involved with plain bread-and-butter boring cars. There's no "lifestyle" to sell, and a fancier car can cost a lot more because of what it appears to be. Back when credit was harder to get, people tended to buy a practical car instead of now when credit is just another bill to pay.

I wonder if eventually the world economy will slow down enough in the next decade that people will start buying simpler cars again?

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by DavoFX

I've had a suspicion ... people will start buying simpler cars again?

I agree, 4 wheels, a steering wheel, comfortable seats and enough dynamics to make driving on our roads fun yet safe! That is all I want and need. Oh I like a good stereo and good headlights and wipers, all pretty basic stuff. I dont care if the car doesn't recognise me when I approach, or if it can teach me german/italian/chinese while I drive. Nor do I need multi zone heated seats 24 cameras and a snooze function. To be honest I don't care for ABS or self starting headlights, nor do I need 4 bazillion Hp (thats a lot by the way).
Daily I drive a 875Kg, 166Hp AWD 3 door buz box in matte black, no airconditioning but two airbags, but a whole lot of fun, everytime I get into it, everytime I look at it it has character and is fun to drive. Bring back simpler cars, cars where we are conneted to the road and outside environment so we are aware of whats going on.

JP

[JG34JA]

Me too - a simple station wagon with vinyl bench seats, good foot heater, rubber floor mats and room for surfboards.

Check this out, the demand is there in Western countries for simple, reliable transport:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacia_Logan

"The Logan was designed from the outset as an affordable car, and has many simplified features to keep costs down. It replaces many older cars in production, including the Romanian Dacia 1310 series of Renault 12-based cars.

It was officially launched in September 2004. Renault originally had no plans to sell the Logan in Western Europe, but in June 2005, began importing a more expensive version of the car, starting at around €7,500.[2] It was an unexpected success with people wanting an inexpensive, no-frills car they could repair themselves."

[2011G6E]

Love the colour of that Mustang in that article about "what's next for Ford"...

Wages are relative, and can't really be compared between radically different economies.

In Asia, getting paid a couple of hundred bucks a month in most places is a fantastic wage, when you look at what they pay for stuff. Why do you think so many Aussies retire to Thailand or Bali or where ever, and live like a king on a tenth of the money it would cost them here? In countries where the cost of living is so much lower, of course the wages will be lower.

It's like myself looking back to 18 year old me in 1983 when petrol in my area had just crossed the 35 cents a liter barrier, and saying how "dirt cheap" it was...yes it seems that way now, but back then I was working in a good full time job and taking home "only" $200 a week...it's all relative.

If companies move thier factories to Asia or Mexico or India, they do it for the cheap labour costs, because even if they pay what is considered a "good wage" in those countries, they are still miles ahead of where they'd be if they were paying workers to make the same product in a western country like Australia.

I think the reason Europe is so cheap is one of a few things...factories in eastern European countries where production is cheap, or high technology factories employing far less humans and far more robots...that would keep production prices down, not to mention the sheer volume of people they have to sell to.

[GTP534]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

That's a veiled swipe at Mr Dowling and the goons at Drivel.com.au

Thanks for that take on it. Must admit, I read it once and rushed to judgement!

[CyberWasp]

Typical Australian response to this situation.
Everyone just bends over and takes their decision as final.
We put up with crap governments and companies doing their best to stuff this country and everyone just takes it and sticks their heads in the sand.
You don't know what you've got until it is gone.

From reading the previous 30+ pages you know what I see.
I see True Blue Australians with Blue Blood pumping through their veins. They have all been united by a car that is a part of this great nations automotive heritage, and has been the source or many great memories.

We are consumers.
Consumers dictate to a company what they want made, not the other way around.
Ford Australia has been to gutless to push Ford USA to make a RWD platform that can be made in Australia exported world wide, but Falcon owners are not gutless.
The Falcon owners of Australia can do something that no other car owners of any other now extinct car have done.
They can show their passion and create world headlines buy getting in their Falcon and driving down to Ford HQ and park their Falcons all around it until they change their decision. A few thousand Falcons all ages and models parked around HQ will bring publicity to the car that no one else wants to give. Show the world that this car is worth saving.

Fact #1 Any Car that is made in Austraila will be better Made and Engineered that any car in the USA.
Fact #2 Falcon sales have slowed as it is basically the same car since the AU in 98 which was a redesign of an existing platform, hence why would someone upgrade. It has been an orphan in the Ford world that receives hardly any of the technology of the Ford Universe.
Fact #3 Our dollar is too high....Bull ******.
In the UK 80% of the cars produced are exported. Their car manufacturing is in huge resurgence. 11% of all Exports are from cars.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21015767
Last time I checked our dollar was less than the UK. We can learn from what they have been through.

It is not too late. Lets make some headlines.

[Auslandau]

I agree with some of what you said but with this bit .......

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

We are consumers.
Consumers dictate to a company what they want made, not the other way around..

.... the consumer has dictated what the company had to do? They didn't buy them new. Many (most?) are disappointed that they cannot buy another Falcon in the future ...... but buying second hand wasn't going to keep the Falcon viable. (Not bagging out those who didn't as not everyone can or wants to. Its their decision or circumstances)

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

From reading the previous 30+ pages you know what I see.
I see True Blue Australians with Blue Blood pumping through their veins.

We are consumers.
Consumers dictate to a company what they want made, not the other way around.


Fact #2 Falcon sales have slowed as it is basically the same car since the AU in 98 which was a redesign of an existing platform, hence why would someone upgrade. It has been an orphan in the Ford world that receives hardly any of the technology of the Ford Universe.
Fact #3 Our dollar is too high....Bull ******.
In the UK 80% of the cars produced are exported. Their car manufacturing is in huge resurgence. 11% of all Exports are from cars.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21015767
Last time I checked our dollar was less than the UK. We can learn from what they have been through.

Plenty of Nostalgia, but not a lot of Loyalty for the Falcon

What makes you think that Dearborn will firstly listen to 1000 old falcon owners parked around and insignificant soon to be closed manufacturing plant that has lost them 600 Million dollars.
Then given such poor sales figures what makes you think they will commit to spending a billion dollars + redesigning another orphan against their plans of a one ford global platform.
and Finally Wages in the Uk are substantially lower than what they are here for the same Job. Trust me Lived there for 6 years recently. Even the Ford Boss pointed it out its more profitable to make cars in Europe and Asia compared to Australia, Wages make a significant part of the cost to any business and there is no denying they are high here, to match our high cost of living.
Let it go, the falcon is to be no more, was good while it lasted, but move on
JP

[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Typical Australian response to this situation.
Everyone just bends over and takes their decision as final.
We put up with crap governments and companies doing their best to stuff this country and everyone just takes it and sticks their heads in the sand.
You don't know what you've got until it is gone.

From reading the previous 30+ pages you know what I see.
I see True Blue Australians with Blue Blood pumping through their veins. They have all been united by a car that is a part of this great nations automotive heritage, and has been the source or many great memories.

We are consumers.
Consumers dictate to a company what they want made, not the other way around.
Ford Australia has been to gutless to push Ford USA to make a RWD platform that can be made in Australia exported world wide, but Falcon owners are not gutless.
The Falcon owners of Australia can do something that no other car owners of any other now extinct car have done.
They can show their passion and create world headlines buy getting in their Falcon and driving down to Ford HQ and park their Falcons all around it until they change their decision. A few thousand Falcons all ages and models parked around HQ will bring publicity to the car that no one else wants to give. Show the world that this car is worth saving.

Fact #1 Any Car that is made in Austraila will be better Made and Engineered that any car in the USA.
Fact #2 Falcon sales have slowed as it is basically the same car since the AU in 98 which was a redesign of an existing platform, hence why would someone upgrade. It has been an orphan in the Ford world that receives hardly any of the technology of the Ford Universe.
Fact #3 Our dollar is too high....Bull ******.
In the UK 80% of the cars produced are exported. Their car manufacturing is in huge resurgence. 11% of all Exports are from cars.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21015767
Last time I checked our dollar was less than the UK. We can learn from what they have been through.

It is not too late. Lets make some headlines.

Are you going to organise this?
Or is this what WE SHOULD be doing??
I can help with the soapbox...
Mate, I love the passion. I love the concept... But, really I think the consumer has ALREADY voted with their lack of appearance in Ford showrooms.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

Plenty of Nostalgia, but not a lot of Loyalty for the Falcon

What makes you think that Dearborn will firstly listen to 1000 old falcon owners parked around and insignificant soon to be closed manufacturing plant that has lost them 600 Million dollars.
Then given such poor sales figures what makes you think they will commit to spending a billion dollars + redesigning another orphan against their plans of a one ford global platform.
and Finally Wages in the Uk are substantially lower than what they are here for the same Job. Trust me Lived there for 6 years recently. Even the Ford Boss pointed it out its more profitable to make cars in Europe and Asia compared to Australia, Wages make a significant part of the cost to any business and there is no denying they are high here, to match our high cost of living.
Let it go, the falcon is to be no more, was good while it lasted, but move on
JP

There's six hundred million reasons that the big bad company isn't listening to a small band of die-hard enthusiasts interested in only one model from a vast line up.

The Falcon was OK, but better than anything else Ford makes anywhere in the world? Come on...
Just keep repeating the mantra of "but it's rear wheel drive!", when no one seems to realise that buyers just don't care about that anymore. Look at the list of top ten selling cars in Australia...only one, the Commodore, is rear wheel drive. Ask the average buyer if his car is front or rear wheel drive, and while he might know if it is or not, he obviosuly doesn't see it as an overriding purchase point. The world has moved on, the Falcon hasn't.

I'd agree that we don't see half the great technology that Ford USA puts into its cars, but how much would it have cost to implement that stuff into the Falcon, on top of the massive amount of money they'd already lost?

Our best hope is to get a replacement like the Taurus with all that good technology, with the typically retuned suspension that they always do for cars that come here from other countries.

Companies are there to make money and stay profitable enough to stay open in the long run, not ignore huge losses just to pander to tradition.

[Charliewool]

Speaking of soapboxes.. Dare I suggest that the downfall of the ENTIRE Australian auto manufacturing industry lays square at the feet of union officials standing on their bloody soapboxes with incredilous demands that longterm, were always just hammering another, and another nail in the coffin???
THESE are the institutions the Australian public should be pointing the finger at...

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

Speaking of soapboxes.. Dare I suggest that the downfall of the ENTIRE Australian auto manufacturing industry lays square at the feet of union officials standing on their bloody soapboxes with incredilous demands that longterm, were always just hammering another, and another nail in the coffin???
THESE are the institutions the Australian public should be pointing the finger at...

Partly...but whenever someone complains about our workers making "too much money", they then point to how cheap it is to make stuff overseas...while conveniently ignoring the fact those people live in countries with extremely cheap standards of living on wages for a month that we make in an hour. It's all relative to whatever country you are in.

[UberKnee]

At least we should hopefully get Mustangs sold here in a couple of years time, and maybe even F-Trucks at non extortion prices.

[babyf6]

http://video.carsguide.com.au/238693...ea=videoindex2

was just reminiscing of the days of ford falcon ads

this has to be the top one

[Lotte]

Originally Posted by babyf6

http://video.carsguide.com.au/238693...ea=videoindex2

was just reminiscing of the days of ford falcon ads

this has to be the top one

Who'd have thought advertising sold cars.

The only ad I've seen for a falcon in the last few years was for the R-Spec, at 11pm on a Monday night....

[RHR]

This falcon add FTW

http://video.carsguide.com.au/238693...ea=videoindex3

The BA. One fine looking car

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

There's six hundred million reasons that the big bad company isn't listening to a small band of die-hard enthusiasts interested in only one model from a vast line up.

The Falcon was OK, but better than anything else Ford makes anywhere in the world? Come on...
Just keep repeating the mantra of "but it's rear wheel drive!", when no one seems to realise that buyers just don't care about that anymore. Look at the list of top ten selling cars in Australia...only one, the Commodore, is rear wheel drive. Ask the average buyer if his car is front or rear wheel drive, and while he might know if it is or not, he obviosuly doesn't see it as an overriding purchase point. The world has moved on, the Falcon hasn't.

I'd agree that we don't see half the great technology that Ford USA puts into its cars, but how much would it have cost to implement that stuff into the Falcon, on top of the massive amount of money they'd already lost?

Our best hope is to get a replacement like the Taurus with all that good technology, with the typically retuned suspension that they always do for cars that come here from other countries.

Companies are there to make money and stay profitable enough to stay open in the long run, not ignore huge losses just to pander to tradition.

How many posts are you going to add saying what a great decision it was. I just don't understand why the hell you're even on this forum.

[FalconXV]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Typical Australian response to this situation.
Everyone just bends over and takes their decision as final.
We put up with crap governments and companies doing their best to stuff this country and everyone just takes it and sticks their heads in the sand.
You don't know what you've got until it is gone.

From reading the previous 30+ pages you know what I see.
I see True Blue Australians with Blue Blood pumping through their veins. They have all been united by a car that is a part of this great nations automotive heritage, and has been the source or many great memories.

We are consumers.
Consumers dictate to a company what they want made, not the other way around.
Ford Australia has been to gutless to push Ford USA to make a RWD platform that can be made in Australia exported world wide, but Falcon owners are not gutless.
The Falcon owners of Australia can do something that no other car owners of any other now extinct car have done.
They can show their passion and create world headlines buy getting in their Falcon and driving down to Ford HQ and park their Falcons all around it until they change their decision. A few thousand Falcons all ages and models parked around HQ will bring publicity to the car that no one else wants to give. Show the world that this car is worth saving.

Fact #1 Any Car that is made in Austraila will be better Made and Engineered that any car in the USA.
Fact #2 Falcon sales have slowed as it is basically the same car since the AU in 98 which was a redesign of an existing platform, hence why would someone upgrade. It has been an orphan in the Ford world that receives hardly any of the technology of the Ford Universe.
Fact #3 Our dollar is too high....Bull ******.
In the UK 80% of the cars produced are exported. Their car manufacturing is in huge resurgence. 11% of all Exports are from cars.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21015767
Last time I checked our dollar was less than the UK. We can learn from what they have been through.

It is not too late. Lets make some headlines.

I'm with you mate, there's a facebook page organising a protest in October, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-F...ocation=stream already has quite a few people wishing to attend. If enough people went, and media got behind it like V8's til 98, it could make some kind of impact. People should email Wheels, TopGear, Street Machine, even international publications like Motor Trend etc. Even if they didn't reverse the decision, Ford would be forced to do something to cater to the remaining enthusiasts, and it could be reflected in future performance products, or ones more tailored to our market with some of the Falcon's soul.
I want to re-iterate that obviously GM and Chrysler still recognise a market for D-segment RWD cars. If the FG wasn't styled so conservatively, it would probably have had more people overseas pining for it.

[Bucknaked]

Originally Posted by RHR

This falcon add FTW

http://video.carsguide.com.au/238693...ea=videoindex3

The BA. One fine looking car

That is a great ad. But this one is pretty cool as well

http://youtu.be/AUbgfWTptoU

[Auslandau]

...... the only way the Falcon will continue to be built is if they double or near on triple sales every month for the next 2 years. No amount of people asking for it to stay without putting their hands in their pocket will help unfortunately.

[stevz]

Originally Posted by RHR

This falcon add FTW

http://video.carsguide.com.au/238693...ea=videoindex3

The BA. One fine looking car

To rub salt into the wounds they have an advertisement for some Hyundai buzz box preceding each of these videos.
Is this carsguide's idea of a sick joke?

[Bucknaked]

They are random banner ads. Considering cars guide is a cars web site, it stands to reason why they would appear. Not everything is a conspiracy.

[FalconXV]

Originally Posted by Auslandau

...... the only way the Falcon will continue to be built is if they double or near on triple sales every month for the next 2 years. No amount of people asking for it to stay without putting their hands in their pocket will help unfortunately.

If PD put all their heart and soul into it, and it's an out-of-the-park knockout (looks wise), stranger things have happened...Won't be hard to improve on VF, with it's derivative GM blue rinse styling cues. Who has seen FU?

[stevz]

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

They are random banner ads. Considering cars guide is a cars web site, it stands to reason why they would appear. Not everything is a conspiracy.

They don't seem very 'random' to me. It is the same ad before each video.

[Lotte]

Originally Posted by stevz

They don't seem very 'random' to me. It is the same ad before each video.

The one I watched had an ambi purr ad.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Auslandau

...... the only way the Falcon will continue to be built is if they double or near on triple sales every month for the next 2 years. No amount of people asking for it to stay without putting their hands in their pocket will help unfortunately.

On a radio program yesterday they said Telstra would order 1200 wagons tomorrow if they were still around, but it goes to show that maybe it is possible to get some fleet momentum behind a keep Falcon production going campaign.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Brazen

On a radio program yesterday they said Telstra would order 1200 wagons tomorrow if they were still around, but it goes to show that maybe it is possible to get some fleet momentum behind a keep Falcon production going campaign.

As much as I live, breathe, and love Falcons, I have to say it is over. Your energy and your fight is better spent convincing the powers that be that keeping the assembly plants open by giving them something else to build is a way forward, is doable, and is viable.

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Partly...but whenever someone complains about our workers making "too much money", they then point to how cheap it is to make stuff overseas...while conveniently ignoring the fact those people live in countries with extremely cheap standards of living on wages for a month that we make in an hour. It's all relative to whatever country you are in.

true, but if we were all making 25% of what we make now
and the cost of living was 25% of what it is now

would we be worse off or would we have a chance to compete with our closest neighbours
it is all relative but unfortunately we have priced ourselves out . . . relatively speaking