Has AU Falcon scared off Ford from ever doing another BOLD Falcon

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by b0son

That explains why it crashed and burned :P

Did it?

Evidence?

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by b0son

That explains why it crashed and burned :P

Did it?

Evidence?

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by b0son

Look again. Commodore sales static (or even rending slightly up) while AU fell.

If the trend was purely an economic one, the AU would have maintained the same share of the market relative to Commodore. Clearly, it did not.

The fact that with the BA, Ford immediately regained market share, then trended the same as Commodore, indicates the BA was a better accepted product.

The Commodore platform offered more variants/options then the AU... of course it will yield more sales.


Plus, Au sales were hampered buy the "buy one, get two" El deal...

[SVR73]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

Does anyone else think that the very unpopular AU Falcon styling has scared Ford Australia from ever doing a radical styling update of the Falcon. I followed an FG Falcon and a VE2 Commodore today driving side by side and i hate to admit it but the commodore still looks good and its lack of styling changes since 2006 has probably done it more good than harm. I think Holden would have trouble doing an update that didn't look worse than what they have hence why they have left it alone. The FG shape in comparsion is very soft in the styling stakes mainly from the rear view. My question is has unpopular AU Falcon styling still being felt today in the design we see with the FG due to FORD AUS being very aware of what one more unpopular Falcon would do to the future of FORD AUS manufacturering. I know we can all be a bit one eyed on this forum regarding the Falcon but the VE Commodore has proven the test of time and will probably go down as one of the best commodores in there history for numerous reasons. FG while a great car and probably the the Best Falcon to date i dont think it went forward with its design over BF. I would have liked to see Ford AUS have had the guts to do a completely new and BOLD design for FG to truely blow us away. They proved they could do it with the BA in 2002. I have trouble telling a BF2 and FG from the front as they both had the same style front lights. I really believe the AU Falcon still has the guys at Ford too scared to really depart from what they know and put it out there.

VE one of the best commodores in there history - probably yes in terms of comparing it to a VN, VP and VR. Still cant stand the way the VE looks wise

The FG really is too soft on the styling, the rear especially
The problem is that the general population worldwide are quite conservative whereas I am fairly radical and want the falcon to have that swoopy racey look and handle like one

Very few people are radical in their styling tastes so why make a car for just a few.

The AU XR aint bad at all in both counts but its got its flaws, still love it anyway

Too much is sedate and dull these days, its the 21st century. we should by now be doing the car stuff we saw in back to the future II.

Ford stop being mediocre and design a Falcon thats drives and handles like a go kart, stops on a dime, still comfortable for the wife and kids and looks so damn racy that it gives us car people a hard on every time we see one

[jpd80]

Holden really tried to differentiate the new VE from the preceding VT-VZ product cycle
while Ford clearly saw a need to link their restyled Kinetic FG to previous BA-BF Product cycle.
Therefore the styling and proportions of FG over BA-BF is evolutionary, not revolutionary like VE over VT-VZ...

I think this is why the VE has remained fresh in buyers eyes while FG seems aged to some,
it's as though buyers still view FG as an extension of BA-BF which in some respects it is..

Hard one but, you could make all the changes under the sun with falcon and still not improve sales.
It's down to choosing which changes buyers really want and which give bang for bucks.....

Given the same circumstances as Holden, a fully redesigned Falcon could achieve similar
waistline, and overhang proportions but on the existing wheelbase making it look much smaller.
Increasing the waistline also raises the boot lid enabling the boot to be shortened by around 50mm.
Substitution of a Corporate V6 would then be possible without bonnet bulge and since the V8 then
becomes the longest engine, a further 100 mm could be trimmed from Falcon's front.

So what does that leave us with?
A new Falcon with similar proportions to VE but significantly shorter, by around 150 mm which makes it
much more appealing as both an I-4 mid sized car alternative and as V6/V8 large car version.
In essence, you end up with two that look the same size as Mondeo but still have Falcons generous
interior room and best of all, both versions can be built locally as RWDs

[falconnut]

Originally Posted by SVR73

Ford stop being mediocre and design a Falcon thats drives and handles like a go kart, stops on a dime, still comfortable for the wife and kids and looks so damn racy that it gives us car people a hard on every time we see one

I agree completely.

I really dont like their "Big Mouth" front redesign at all, it just makes all their cars look the same like a bloody Aston Martin.

That said i really like the FG's, if i had the money i would buy one in a heartbeat.

Besides the FPV and XR6T's the Falcons have been really boring since the Tickfords.

[jpd80]

I guess that's the point, Ford has to build cars for right-now-buyers and
sadly, if you don't buy new Fords, Ford can't hear your opinion..


Mind you, releasing a desirable car today, could provide buyers with
the initiative to go save and buy one new in 12 -18 months..

[falconnut]

Truer words are rarely spoken jpd.

i just wish i could afford a new one :(

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by falconnut

So the AU outsold the BA.

HAHhahahahahaah take that haters.

What it should have sold in that market it struggled. If it was so great they wouldn't have rushed BA in.

Originally Posted by jpd80

Holden really tried to differentiate the new VE from the preceding VT-VZ product cycle

I really don't see how when it just looks like a fat version of the VZ.

[falconnut]

They didnt rush the BA in, god.

[Nikked]

AU had a comparitive model cycle...with the BA timed at that platforms Mid life update...

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by mik

it reminds me of a P76, but P76 was better looking,
the current henri looks better balanced imo.

I saw a P76 in a movie the other day, boy are they ugly (aged poorly)

[daddy0]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Just imagine if FoA had the cash to do a Fusion nose and tail on FG II, that would have knocked the socks off the press..

image

Saw Fusion in Honolulu great looking car

[Brazen]

The 'out-there' AU was a success, the VT drove better at the time and was targetted heavily at fleets yet outsold the AU by only 20%.

The conservative FG drives better than the VE, is cheaper to private buyers and is targetted heavily at the fleets, yet the VE still outsells FG by 105%.

You know why the AU did better? It looked like a new car. The most conservative and elderly people in my town still bought the AU, as it showed to the world they had bought a brand new Falcon. The only people who really panned the looks were the media - but its easy for them as they arnt copping a 20 grand changeover from their EF and EL Falcons. People when spending big money on a new car, want to at least show that they have spent the money on a new car.

As soon as I saw the FG I knew it would be a sales disaster, it looked 5 years old on release- it did not progress the Falcon enough, so quickly became irrelevant in the market.

[daddy0]

I drive a 5.0 litre AU3 and i love it. If people think it was a designing disaster, look at latest Passat and Mercedes. Then put an AU alongside.

[Rodp]

I don't know if 'bold' and 'ugly' are synonyms. It wasn't a popular look. I opted for the LS1 VT though I did highly consider a S2 Silver V8 Fairmont and a S2 TE50 that was highly warmed over (felt quicker than my current F6).. and it was based largely on looks.

For me, the only car that overcame the ugly stick in the AU range was the T3's. The kit they put on it squared up the squatting dog rear, IMO. I'd proudly only one.

[Nikked]

An the AU T3 have not aged as good as the normal au...


But that could be because of all the fiberglass replicas...

The T1 and T2 are so subtle in style, yet still look nice and fresh.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Just imagine if FoA had the cash to do a Fusion nose and tail on FG II, that would have knocked the socks off the press..

image

They will do that for 2014 won't they?

[falconnut]

Ironically its more popular now than it ever was.

[daddy0]

Our AU3 5.0 Has full Tickford body kit, Sports Susp. Factory IRS, Tickford fitted S/roof,Momo Wheel and & gear knob, 5 17 in. Alloys. Headers, 2.5 stainless exhaust has travelled 130ks goes like the clappers. Averages 12.1 l/k can travel from Batemans Bay to Melbourne on a tank. Did i mention it is a F/mont with full books. And looks great.

[falconnut]

Yeaaah boi!

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Substitution of a Corporate V6 would then be possible without bonnet bulge and since the V8 then
becomes the longest engine, a further 100 mm could be trimmed from Falcon's front.

So what does that leave us with?
A new Falcon with similar proportions to VE but significantly shorter, by around 150 mm which makes it
much more appealing as both an I-4 mid sized car alternative and as V6/V8 large car version.

Put 50mm back into the boot and I'm loving it.