Ford assumes sole responsibility for FPV

[Rodge]

Originally Posted by Elks

It's good news, and it's a face saving decision at the same time. Ford want FPV to continue as there halo models, Prodrive want out and they are losing stacks of money in there overseas operations and have bigger problems so to speak.

There are definite manufacting advantages less double handling etc. The concern is that the general conservatism at FoA will take the sparkle out of the range..

My concern is that Ford will simply be a caretaker of the brand and after picking up Prodrives share for peanuts will simply bank the extra mnaufacturing efficiencies, keep FPV vehicle prices the same, make little or no further investment in the brand and milk the remaining four years out of it.

On the other hand if they grabbed the ball and ran with it, fitted new technology and greater kit to differentiate FPV cars further from regular Falcon cars and expanded the brand to include for example a 2013/4 FPV Fusion / Mondeo (whatever they want to call it) they could build it into something better than its been.

Glass half full or half empty...

[Polyal]

I hope they bring the price down on the GS/XR8 and take a hit on the profit to move more units, then keep the GT basically as is. Also can the F6 and turn the XR6T into a monster as another performance entry level.

Hopefully they will allow such additions as brembos etc on these cars too. Fords number one priority should be selling more cars...the notion of hunting higher profits is really nice but in order to show the US the Falcon is still viable they need numbers.

I really dont see this changing much at all, as there is no long term plan most of the work and direction would be half set. I think you will find that there may be a better chance of Ford global stuff being integrated but that happens at the Ford plant anyway.

Its just a bigger reshuffle than before..same (but less) people doing the work because the Ford engineers will pick up some extra work which is good because they need it anyway.

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Rodge

On the other hand if they grabbed the ball and ran with it, fitted new technology and greater kit to differentiate FPV cars further from regular Falcon cars and expanded the brand to include for example a 2013/4 FPV Fusion / Mondeo (whatever they want to call it) they could build it into something better than its been.

Glass half full or half empty...

FOA have not demonstrated the ability to do such amazing things........
What makes anyone think that they will do it now ....especially when they are under the pump with Falcon and R & D $$$ are few and far between.
They were already 1/2 owners of FPV ...so the fire sale of the other 50% from Prodrive probably cost them a few pennies. They need to see out the FG FPV range - its already invested in and it will bring in a return.....it will be business as usual in terms of what the FPV range looks like.
IMHO - when FG goes.......so will the FPV "brand" as we know it.
If they continue on with it after that- it will likely be sold through Autobarn and REPCO as "add on " performance parts.....................( joke )

MAybe we should keep using this reverse psychology to urge FOA on to do something amazing !!!!!.......

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by ESP

FOA have not demonstrated the ability to do such amazing things........
What makes anyone think that they will do it now ....especially when they are under the pump with Falcon and R & D $$$ are few and far between.

I take it you're talking solely about the Falcon and performance cars there, because the comment that "FOA have not demonstrated the ability to do such amazing things" and R&D dollars are few and far between is fundamentally wrong. They've just had a $200 Million renovation of their design centre!

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Polyal

I hope they bring the price down on the GS/XR8 and take a hit on the profit to move more units, then keep the GT basically as is. Also can the F6 and turn the XR6T into a monster as another performance entry level.

Hopefully they will allow such additions as brembos etc on these cars too. Fords number one priority should be selling more cars...the notion of hunting higher profits is really nice but in order to show the US the Falcon is still viable they need numbers.

I really dont see this changing much at all, as there is no long term plan most of the work and direction would be half set. I think you will find that there may be a better chance of Ford global stuff being integrated but that happens at the Ford plant anyway.

Its just a bigger reshuffle than before..same (but less) people doing the work because the Ford engineers will pick up some extra work which is good because they need it anyway.

Was thinking the same hoverer FPV's can now be sold without the profit margins Prodrive needed, so either Ford can increase features/standard specs keeping prices the same and actually make MORE money then when the did selling to FPV or they can "adjust" prices and lift sales volume aswell. Will be interesting to see what happens. Maybe the GS can be dropped, better featured GT to justify it's price over a ford branded model, say the chance to create room for an XR8 sedan and ute....maybe even a G8E...either way it will be wholley and solely Ford's decision now.

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

I take it you're talking solely about the Falcon and performance cars there, because the comment that "FOA have not demonstrated the ability to do such amazing things" and R&D dollars are few and far between is fundamentally wrong. They've just had a $200 Million renovation of their design centre!

What has that translated to for the punter buying a Ford product in Australia ?
Whilst FOA are painting and decorating their bedroom - other marques like KIA and Hyuandai are streaming ahead with a plethora of new small cars and options with fresh new designs that has people en masse at their showrooms forking out their coin for their products..........

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by ESP

What has that translated to for the punter buying a Ford product in Australia ?
Whilst FOA are painting and decorating their bedroom - other marques like KIA and Hyuandai are streaming ahead with a plethora of new small cars and options with fresh new designs that has people en masse at their showrooms forking out their coin for their products..........

Maybe the fact they can develop a new car in a much shorter time, allow other design units to "sit" in a car being worked on here and co-develop could have more postives for future manufacturing here as costs can be spread internationally.

[BLU-DVL]

or was this all by agreement.. FoA wont commit to an Australian donor Car after 2015/16.. so Prodrive says.. 'you take it all, here's my price!'..
Ford dont do 'niche ' markets very well.. **WORLD CAR CONCEPT**
Everyone drive one of the 9 models we recommend, in the 9 colours we recommend (red, white, blue, black and 5 shades of grey!).. we'll even throw in some plugin techie goodies on some!

A bad day indeed for FPV both in name and brand!..
At least as one of the last models made, mine might be worth something in years to come now!

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by BLU-DVL

or was this all by agreement.. FoA wont commit to an Australian donor Car after 2015/16.. so Prodrive says.. 'you take it all, here's my price!'..

This was my first thought.....

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by ESP

What has that translated to for the punter buying a Ford product in Australia ?
Whilst FOA are painting and decorating their bedroom - other marques like KIA and Hyuandai are streaming ahead with a plethora of new small cars and options with fresh new designs that has people en masse at their showrooms forking out their coin for their products..........

The new global Ranger that was designed, engineered and tested by Ford Australia and sold in 180 countries must be a figment of my imagination.

[GT450]

Turning into another speculation thread without any true knowledge of what Fords plans may be....too much negativity as usual. how about being positive for a change .. the glass is half full.
Apparently the rumour is ALL ford dealer principals are required to attend a meeting at Rydges in Melbourne on monday. Now I wonder what that could be about. Rather than speculate I would rather wait and see as there is nothing any of us can do about it.
GT450

[Quicksand]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Unfortunately this means Prodrives services will no longer be required and this makes it easier for FoA to dismantle this operation post 2016 when there will be no donor car for FPV to modify.

To those who don't agree with me, bookmark this post and contact me in 2017.

A sad day.

Exactly my first thought. Long wheel base, wagon, XR8........FPV?

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

The new global Ranger that was designed, engineered and tested by Ford Australia and sold in 180 countries must be a figment of my imagination.

Yep - I can see the people lined up outside FOA dealerships to get into one of these...........has caused massive traffic jams outside most dealerships over the last couple of months.....( Joke )

I get your point - and its great for Ford Globally - but at the end of the day - its not a platform that an FPV branding can sell in volumes here to save FOA or save an FPV brand. My point is that the number of options for Ford to use as performance cars to continue to serve the local performance car market are getting very thin......... The falcon worked well because of the scale of economies - while it lasted. Point being here that a locally engineered performance product from FOA going forward may be less likely or even possible at all.

It may be that a fully imported Mustang with FOA doing RHD conversions will be what we end up getting going forward post 2016 ?? Even then - I doubt it would be an FPV Mustang ?

I recall in another thread that Rob Herrod dismissed the Mustang for OZ - he would obviously have more inside info then most..... so who knows what we may be left with.

[Quicksand]

Originally Posted by Luke Plaizier

Wow. Developing the Turbo 6 must have been a figment of my imagination.


Lukeyson

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

I can't agree with that. FPV took Ford's creation and tinkered with it slightly to produce slightly more power. Personally I think giving FPV and the F6 credit for the turbo 6 achieving cult status is a stretch at best- it was the droves of people who bought and modified XR6 Turbos that gave the turbo 6 the status it currently enjoys. Many people I've spoken to don't even know what an F6 is.

Having FPV under the Ford roof is a step in the right direction. They never did much anyway, besides putting powerful motors in basically standard cars.

IIRC, didn't FPV/Prodrive develop the Turbo 6 for Ford (yes i know Ford have a major stake in FPV...but it was largely Prodrives expertise that made it happen). I remember reading something on here about this...happy to be corrected.

I really wanting this to be a good thing, as some people have described in this thread. Its just hard to be positive when the company itself doesn't give anything away. How long are they going to let this 'Falcon is dead' stigma last? There has been so much negative press in the past few years, and Ford isn't putting any of it to bed. If the forums are negative today, it is stemming from the top, as is often the case.

[GT-GTF]

Ford needs to overcome the negativity and death pall surrounding the Falcon if they are to shift Falcon in sufficient quantities to see it through to 2014.

They should hold a joint press conference with the Federal Trade Minister and announce that:

1. they plan to continue building FPV's and Falcon beyond 2016;
2. They have the financial support of their North American overlord and the Australian Government to continue developing the Falcon.
3. The North Americans are so impressed with the Falcon and the GT performance car they are looking at ways to export the model or a derivative of it overseas.

They don't have to actually do any of the above but it shoould get rid of the naysayers and shut down the negative talk.

If they decide to pull the plug in 2014 or 2016 they can do so suddenly and say that their plans changed etc etc.

If a certain redhead in Canberra who is charged with looking after a nation can tell porkies to advance her position there is no reason a commercial enterprise can't.

[FPV GTHO]

If they make a bunch of hollow false promises now, the backlash in 2016 will be worse than if they come out tomorrow and confirm Falcon is gone post 2016.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by Rodge

My concern is that Ford will simply be a caretaker of the brand and after picking up Prodrives share for peanuts will simply bank the extra mnaufacturing efficiencies, keep FPV vehicle prices the same, make little or no further investment in the brand and milk the remaining four years out of it.

I have a bad feeling that you may be correct. I've been around the traps long enough to know that 'rationalisation' usually means removing choice and modifying a product such that it is more easily fits into a mass production, more efficient business model. Low volume, specialised products (read FPVs) normally don't fit very well into large scale, higher volume businesses (read Ford Aust).

Ford Aust is fighting for its very survival and the last thing the beancounters want to accommodate is extra spending on niche models that otherwise clog-up floorspace and complicate precious production line efficiencies.

Like most people on here it would be great to have a crystal ball to see whats in the pipeline, already signed-off, in terms of future FPV model enhancements, but maybe now all bets are off? The GT R-Spec may be as good as it gets. I hope not, and from a personal perspective I was hoping that something like a GT 351 (kw) would hit the showroom floor in the next 12 months or so in order to give me time to organise the finances, but now I'm not so sure we'll see progressive improvements in the FPV range.

[GT-GTF]

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

If they make a bunch of hollow false promises now, the backlash in 2016 will be worse than if they come out tomorrow and confirm Falcon is gone post 2016.

If they are no longer manufacturing here after 2016 it won't make any difference anyway.

If they are, they have delivered on their promises.

[FPV GTHO]

Your assuming it's Falcon/Territory or nothing post 2016.

[GT-GTF]

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

Your assuming it's Falcon/Territory or nothing post 2016.

It makes no difference. If they make promises and then their plans change I don't think it will affect sales post 2016. Whatever product is brought in to replace the Falcon (be it locally or overseas produed, large rear wheel sedan or otherwise) will be the latest and greatest and spun as being superior to the product it is replacing.

In the meantime, such promises would support the sales momentum of their existing product

[Kieron]

Originally Posted by ESP

What has that translated to for the punter buying a Ford product in Australia ?
Whilst FOA are painting and decorating their bedroom - other marques like KIA and Hyuandai are streaming ahead with a plethora of new small cars and options with fresh new designs that has people en masse at their showrooms forking out their coin for their products..........

To much emphasis on Ford being the Falcon Car Co here.

The large car market is gone, Falcon being an orphan in the Ford model lineup in a market that is rapidly diminishing makes no sense.

Fresh new Ford designs in recent times -
Fiesta,
Focus,
Mondeo,
Territory,
Kuga,
Ranger


FPV should long ago have been using crate engines, $40M for the Miami was extravagant. I suspect that is what FOA will be doing, leaving the relatively inexpensive job of body kits n stickers the guys in the redecorated bedroom, back to what FOA used to do in the GT heyday really.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by Kieron

To much emphasis on Ford being the Falcon Car Co here.

The large car market is gone, Falcon being an orphan in the Ford model lineup in a market that is rapidly diminishing makes no sense.

Fresh new Ford designs in recent times -
Fiesta,
Focus,
Mondeo,
Territory,
Kuga,
Ranger


FPV should long ago have been using crate engines, $40M for the Miami was extravagant. I suspect that is what FOA will be doing, leaving the relatively inexpensive job of body kits n stickers the guys in the redecorated bedroom, back to what FOA used to do in the GT heyday really.

Correct...

Now if only they could supply some of these cars and get them here... e.g my12 Kuga instead of the old outdated *******!

[EgoFG]

Pls remember that holden have just said that there is no commie post 2016

Link comming

[Quicksand]

Originally Posted by EgoFG

Pls remember that holden have just said that there is no commie post 2016

Link comming

By 'just said' do you mean in the last few hours/days, or this:

http://afr.com/p/national/commodore_...sfSWlhyDlpBwXO

[jpd80]

Well after VF next year and Falcon update in 2014, both companies might just be looking at two yearly updates instead of all new models.....

[Whitey-AMG]

Originally Posted by Kieron

To much emphasis on Ford being the Falcon Car Co here.

The large car market is gone, Falcon being an orphan in the Ford model lineup in a market that is rapidly diminishing makes no sense.

Fresh new Ford designs in recent times -
Fiesta,
Focus,
Mondeo,
Territory,
Kuga,
Ranger


FPV should long ago have been using crate engines, $40M for the Miami was extravagant. I suspect that is what FOA will be doing, leaving the relatively inexpensive job of body kits n stickers the guys in the redecorated bedroom, back to what FOA used to do in the GT heyday really.

Falcon is what allowed Tickford / FPV to even exist.....it's the reason we have FOA.....the emphasis of this thread is the speculation on FPV's next direction.

Apart from fitting sunroofs and LPG again....lol- there isn't much in that list that lends itself to a local performance variant that would sell in volumes. ( Focus maybe )

Without the territory ...why even bother with a local operation....just import everything. Sad truth really but FOA as a viable operation really was and may still be Falcon centric.

[Nikked]

Isn't this thread about FPV?


What are we talking about Ford not building cars?

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Isn't this thread about FPV?


What are we talking about Ford not building cars?

Agreeing with this ...... can we please stick with the original discussion? It is actually about Ford assumes sole responsibility for FPV and actually has nothing really to do with:

Fiesta,
Focus,
Mondeo,
Territory,
Kuga,
Ranger

So .... unless FPV have decided to play with these models ..... the discussion IS ALL ABOUT THE FALCON ..... as that is what FPV is all about. FPV can be regarded as the Falcon Car Company ..... and there isnt much wrong with that!

PS: Should be renamed FALCON PERFORMANCE VEHICLE! And yes, they are still making them and will continue to do so for some time yet.

[jpd80]

So, from what's been said in the press, Ford will keep FPV models as they currently are
which means GT and GS stay but I keep wondering about something....

Remembering that FPV would occasionally bring out a Cobra to supplement GT,
how about an occasional short run of XR8 to supplement GS sales?

I know that Ford says there's no place for an XR8 as a full time product but maybe as a special?

[Kieron]

Granted we did stray a little but with all due respect, this discussion should not be limited to the Falcon as we are discussing FORD Performance Vehicles and its future.

Given that the Falcon almost certainly has a limited lifespan, in the near future (if not now) Ford need to plan the medium to longer term future of FPV, it could very well be that the other models in the FOA lineup become integral to FPV.

The Focus ST is an obvious choice to move into the FPV stable, it's been mooted that FPR are looking at a racing version of the Mondeo, and an FPV performance tie in might well be on the cards