Ford Announces $103 Million Investment in Local Vehicle Upgrade

[Road_Warrior]

Jay-zus! And Saab is still going under.

[Luke Plaizier]

We should take that little bit of info and post it everywhere there is someone whinging about government support to the car industry.

Sounds like a good call-to-arms. I'll be right back.....


Lukeyson

[Luke Plaizier]

...back.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...34#post4082734



Lukeyson

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Luke Plaizier

Yay Julia.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2579890016122A

Per-Country Per-Capita government assistance to the car industry:


Australia $17.80
Canada $96.39,
France $147.38,
Germany $90.37,
Sweden $334
UK $27
US $264.


Lukeyson

No wonder we can't compete.

[Bossxr8]

Hows the moron commenting - Ford is the new SAAB. Is that the stupidist comment you've ever heard. I'll love to track that guy down and punch him in the face for being so dumb.

Do any of these people know its cheaper to give the manufacturers money to stay open than it is too pay the tens of thousands of workers dole money for a few months. At least a working auto industry provides the government with millions in income and sales tax.

[jpd80]

FoA might actually be providing financial stability to FAPA

[stang65]

Excuse me for sounding stupid but whats FAPA again?, in greek it`s a slap to the back of the head

[Road_Warrior]

Ford Asia Pacific-Africa

Consider yourself slapped

[stang65]

lol, Thank you.

[Luke Plaizier]

Originally Posted by jpd80

FoA might actually be providing financial stability to FAPA

How do you come to that conclusion?

Financial stability by always generating profits? I thought the last 12 months would be questionable.

Or financial stability in some other way?


Lukeyson

[Falc'man]

It's not just to protect jobs...

The government is well ahead - they certainly aren't out of pocket - they pay the auto industry to keep making cars for people to speed in to pay more fines

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Luke Plaizier

How do you come to that conclusion?

Financial stability by always generating profits? I thought the last 12 months would be questionable.

Or financial stability in some other way?


Lukeyson

I'm suggesting Financial stability and positive numbers to the Ford Asia Pacific Africa region,
did it occur to anyone that FAPA members mightn't be doing so well either and that Australia is stability?

Remembering that China isn't part of FAPA.....

[Gobes32]

I believe Thailand will be negative for a few more years yet as they write off the costs of setting up new factories all over the country. Never underestimate just how much it costs to build a factory from scratch to produce cars, it's probably one of the reasons Oz's car plants have lasted this long.

[Luke Plaizier]

It's not? Er, I was just about to take your comment on face value, but whenever I look up references to Ford Asia Pacific and Africa I tend to always see mention of China and India (For example). It would be good to get some definitive answer I guess, especially as Ford is hoping that FAPA would make up 33% of it's revenue by 2020 - and it would need India at least included to get those volumes. So is China in or out? Gosh, you've made me question that now JPD.

To be honest, I'm skeptical about a positive result from Ford Oz in 2011, but am open to positive news.

Has FAPA announced it's 2011 results yet? I thought I had seen something about a loss overall for the whole region because of the Thailand floods, but I don't recall seeing the Australian component of that. If you've got numbers I'm all ears.


Lukeyson

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

I believe Thailand will be negative for a few more years yet as they write off the costs of setting up new factories all over the country. Never underestimate just how much it costs to build a factory from scratch to produce cars, it's probably one of the reasons Oz's car plants have lasted this long.

Bingo.
Thailand plant is still a very real threat to Broadmeadows but having an existing product line and vehicles down the line keeps it safe for now.

It's really a credit to FoA how they managed costs last year by having 3- day week for the first half and then
responding when Territory hit, changing the build ratio to 1:1 to get the best effect from the new diesel.
And then a gain, chewing down that stockpile of XR6s, originally intended for Fleets and some retail specials,
they relly held their discipline and got rid of the lot, so much so that broady now just replaces what is sold each month.

My instinct tells me the result for 2011 won't be a profit but it won't be the awful loss some think it is...
I'm hedging here as I think the result will be close to break even, particularly with $3 Billion odd revenue.
Considering what happened in 2010 (goauto):

Ford’s $24.9 million profit was made on improved revenue of $3.3 billion – up from $3.1 billion in 2009 – but slightly fewer retail sales, with Ford volumes falling in 2010 to 98,941 vehicles across Australia and New Zealand – down from 99,941 a year earlier.

The company cut its debt from $525 million in 2009 to $475 million, while also improving is cash position to $232 million (up from $221 million).

The company tipped $307 million into research, development and facilities. Among to projects to benefit from that spending were the new Ford Ranger ute and an SUV built off the same T6 platform that is under development by Ford Australia engineers for international markets.

^^^^^^^ When is a profit not a profit, look above....... It's something our negative brethren should consider


Of course, i could be just making those figures up and I guess so too are the press..

[Bossxr8]

I think it will be a big loss. Lots of redundancies, and bugger all cars built and sold.

It would be a miracle if they came out of 2011 without being well into the red.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I think it will be a big loss. Lots of redundancies, and bugger all cars built and sold.

It would be a miracle if they came out of 2011 without being well into the red.

Ford still sold over 91,000 vehicles last year, a drop of 4.5% compared to 2010 but
even though the first half was slow, they managed costs well with 3-day weeks and
then when Territory hit, that seemed to carry Ford thanks to those 80% diesel sales.
And they did manage to sell everyone of those XR6s, so that stockpile of cars is no more...

2012 will be much better with a Fresh falcon and Territory along with interest in Fusion,
a full line of Ranger wouldn't hurt and the little Figo will also be on sale this year.

I wouldn't be too morose until we see the numbers, it's funny that Ford seems to be
running its business with low numbers in mind, so I think they are controlling it.

[Wretched]

If they can keep the Territory fresh it'll keep selling well.
It is a big market that one with a lot of players.
if Ford don't drop the ball like they did with the previous model (Waiting too long for updates) then I don't see a problem. Falcon will sell ok but it won't be the big fish in the Ford family.

[Luke Plaizier]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Ford still sold over 91,000 vehicles last year, a drop of 4.5% compared to 2010 but
even though the first half was slow, they managed costs well with 3-day weeks and
then when Territory hit, that seemed to carry Ford thanks to those 80% diesel sales.
And they did manage to sell everyone of those XR6s, so that stockpile of cars is no more...

2012 will be much better with a Fresh falcon and Territory along with interest in Fusion,
a full line of Ranger wouldn't hurt and the little Figo will also be on sale this year.

I wouldn't be too morose until we see the numbers, it's funny that Ford seems to be
running its business with low numbers in mind, so I think they are controlling it.

OK, that's in total I take it, and not just off the Falcon/Territory line. It's a pity to see a drop in total when Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo all saw an increase in numbers.

Still, that paints a better picture than I was thinking, and certainly a much better picture than the media likes to paint.


Lukeyson

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Ford still sold over 91,000 vehicles last year, a drop of 4.5% compared to 2010 but
even though the first half was slow, they managed costs well with 3-day weeks and
then when Territory hit, that seemed to carry Ford thanks to those 80% diesel sales.
And they did manage to sell everyone of those XR6s, so that stockpile of cars is no more...

2012 will be much better with a Fresh falcon and Territory along with interest in Fusion,
a full line of Ranger wouldn't hurt and the little Figo will also be on sale this year.

I wouldn't be too morose until we see the numbers, it's funny that Ford seems to be
running its business with low numbers in mind, so I think they are controlling it.

2012 will definately be an improvement over 2011. LPi numbers are going great guns for starters.

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by Luke Plaizier

OK, that's in total I take it, and not just off the Falcon/Territory line. It's a pity to see a drop in total when Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo all saw an increase in numbers.

Still, that paints a better picture than I was thinking, and certainly a much better picture than the media likes to paint.


Lukeyson

dont tell me your another aussie who thinks ford just sells falcons....

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

2012 will definately be an improvement over 2011. LPi numbers are going great guns for starters.

Boss. Whatever happened to the Hydrogen powered barra 6 that FoA was working on in conjunction with Melbourne Uni?

[Luke Plaizier]

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

dont tell me your another aussie who thinks ford just sells falcons....

Well they certainly don't sell anything of value to me until the Fiesta ST and Focus ST arrives. While they have no performance option, they may as well not exist to me, yeah.


Lukeyson

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Luke Plaizier

OK, that's in total I take it, and not just off the Falcon/Territory line. It's a pity to see a drop in total when Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo all saw an increase in numbers.

Still, that paints a better picture than I was thinking, and certainly a much better picture than the media likes to paint.


Lukeyson

That's my point exactly Luke, Ford's business is much wider than Falcon, the term "Falcon Motor Company" is often
thrown at FoA yet when other products emerge and Falcon recedes, the apocalypse is upon us all...

The combined drop in sales in Australia was 4.5 %, it was a bad year but not the end of the world.
A lot of good things happened that set Ford up for a much better 2012 including SZ territory, FG Falcon,
and elimination of a mountain of XR6s that kept production on three days a week for the first 6 months.

I'm tipping revenue will be around $3 billion, a small profit to squeak by and more internal debt paid off

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

Boss. Whatever happened to the Hydrogen powered barra 6 that FoA was working on in conjunction with Melbourne Uni?

It was a long term development project. They got it running on hydrogen and working like it should. I don't know if they are still working on it or not though. It was just a learning tool really, I don't know if they intended it to go any further, not at least until hydrogen becomes viable.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

It was a long term development project. They got it running on hydrogen and working like it should. I don't know if they are still working on it or not though. It was just a learning tool really, I don't know if they intended it to go any further, not at least until hydrogen becomes viable.

Correction. Not till Hydrogen is made viable.

[Franco Cozzo]

There was a 20 page thread on guys running small amounts of hydrogen on their E series I6s on FordMods, might be some interesting reading for you.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

There was a 20 page thread on guys running small amounts of hydrogen on their E series I6s on FordMods, might be some interesting reading for you.

Nah... I'm only really interested in production hydrogen engines.

Time more was spent on running hydrogen gas as our replacement to fossil fuel. but the system is too greedy to spend money on the infrastructure. They want to see what happens when the fuel runs out I guess.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Luke Plaizier

To be honest, I'm skeptical about a positive result from Ford Oz in 2011, but am open to positive news.

Has FAPA announced it's 2011 results yet? I thought I had seen something about a loss overall for the whole region because of the Thailand floods, but I don't recall seeing the Australian component of that. If you've got numbers I'm all ears.


Lukeyson

Sorry Luke, I meant to answer your question but obviously forgot, 2011 results are normally announced early February.
Ford gives results for each automotive region as well as other automotive and Ford Credit,
announcing after tax profit, debt level and cash flow.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

Nah... I'm only really interested in production hydrogen engines.

Time more was spent on running hydrogen gas as our replacement to fossil fuel. but the system is too greedy to spend money on the infrastructure. They want to see what happens when the fuel runs out I guess.

Getting hydrogen out of water needs a LOT of electricity to get a lot of it, so we'd be firing up the coal power plants, then use that hydrogen in a car, which has to be stored in a tank (and people complain about "bombs" being in the back of their cars, LPG tanks), then the engine burns it and emits water vapour, which holds a lot more heat in than carbon dioxide when it comes to "global warming".

Long story short, hydrogen sucks to power vehicles, its dangerous to store unless its stored at a very cold temperature, needs a lot of electricity to produce, better off putting money into LPG development and more efficient petrol engines.

I think this is an interesting concept:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Nucleon