Should Ford bring back the single-piece body ute?

Brazen · 28-10-2012, 02:20 PM

What we often forget when we look at the monthly sales for Falcon and Commodore is the effect of the ute sales.

Holden sell around 800 utes a month which are mostly sporty private sales. With the current ute almost 7 years old, we could easily see sales once again go over 1000 units a month once VF is released.

Ford with a cab chassis ute should be the darling of the workhorse market, but with the lack of diesel and ground clearance Ford are more focusing on Ranger for those tool of trade purchases.

Could Ford bring back the traditonal monocoque Falcon ute body and chase sporty private sales and leave Ranger for the rest of the market? A one piece body may just be what Falcon ute needs to justify the return of the XR8 as well as justify the existence of RWD.

Traditional ute body

Nikked · 28-10-2012, 02:24 PM

No.

Having a one piece body just for a sporty or XR8 verison would be a waste of development money.

Kryton · 28-10-2012, 02:29 PM

People arent buying VE utes because they are one piece, they are buying them because they have Holden written on them - something Ford will never have no matter what it does.

FPV GTHO · 28-10-2012, 02:34 PM

You couldn't do both cab chassis and coupe ute on current sales, so the only logical alternative would be to do only the coupe ute body style. Who's to say the likely sales from that model alone could justify development costs, of which would be significant given they would likely drop the hybrid frame they've used since '99 and with it the leaf sprung live axle.

Brazen · 28-10-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kryton

People arent buying VE utes because they are one piece, they are buying them because they have Holden written on them - something Ford will never have no matter what it does.

Ford up until a few years ago used to thrash Commodore ute sales. Tradies and fleets have moved to diesel and Ford don't offer anything people want for those that are remaining in the sporty ute market.

robbyj · 28-10-2012, 02:53 PM

I use to think some holden utes looked better because the single body, til i could open my eyes a bit more

GhiaEB · 28-10-2012, 03:02 PM

Ford need a v8 ute! Not everybody wants a turbo 6 or an FPV as a workhorse.

jpd80 · 28-10-2012, 03:11 PM

There's no money and no Business plan justification to make expensive changes to a vehicle running at 500 sales a month.

**DJM83** · 28-10-2012, 03:20 PM

15 years ago yeah. Not now, not in the economic climate. Perhaps someone could photoshop an FG into a coupe/ute like VE?

**supershifty** · 28-10-2012, 03:28 PM

I say no. I hear the OP's reasoning, but as Nikked said "it's a waste of development money". I own an Xh ute and I love it, I would love it even more if it had an alloy tray option.

From Fords point of view in manufacturing costs and options the alternative of a styleside or alloy tray is easily accomodated for the end user.

I agree that the monocoque ute body looks better, but it just isn't as practical for a tradies use - isn't that what utes are primarily designed for?

A ute is as close as I'm going to get as far as owning an Aussie two door.

Falcman0o7 · 28-10-2012, 03:33 PM

No....

Joe5619 · 28-10-2012, 03:44 PM

Holden only sell more utes becuase they have a V8.. End of story!!

nstg8a · 28-10-2012, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Holden only sell more utes becuase they have a V8.. End of story!!

So the ford 6 Ute outsells the Holden 6 Ute does it?

If I wanted a Ute it would be Holden for sure, imho the Holden is a much better looker than the ford. Plus from the back the ford has hardly changed since the au days, except for lights and those awkward flared rear guards.
6 of one half a dozen of the others really. If you want a workhorse buy the ford, if you want a showpony get the Holden.
An ssv manual Ute would make me pretty happy.

Brazen · 28-10-2012, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

There's no money and no Business plan justification to make expensive changes to a vehicle running at 500 sales a month.

With the LCV market over 90% diesel, I can't see how they justify a cab chassis Falcon. Next Falcon ute I'm betting won't be cab chassis, unless they add diesel.

pottery beige · 28-10-2012, 04:39 PM

no...

Ford_The_Win · 28-10-2012, 05:03 PM

Ford shouldn't be bringing anything back. They should be innovating and creating new products (like a smaller Falcon with hatchback option).

buggo · 28-10-2012, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

Ford shouldn't be bringing anything back. They should be innovating and creating new products (like a smaller Falcon with hatchback option).

Wouldn't that be exactly a mondeo?

The Yeti · 28-10-2012, 05:16 PM

I think ford need to bring back the coupe ute

For no other reason than so people stop calling it the single body ute

FGII-XR6 · 28-10-2012, 05:22 PM

I think no but here is a quick mock up of one

Smoke Pursuit · 28-10-2012, 05:27 PM

No...

The only reason Holden sell more utes is because Ford don't make an XR8 ute anymore and their base model ute looks like crap!! (saving $200 by not colour coding the skirs / rear tub skirt).

flappist · 28-10-2012, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Holden only sell more utes becuase they have a V8.. End of story!!

Ford have a V8 ute.

Ford have the fastest V8 ute ever sold in Australia.

Ford also have the fastest 6 cylinder ute, the fastest LPG ute the only car based trayback ute, the only car based 1 tonne ute but unfortunately holden have fans who show their loyalty by spending money on new utes not complaining on the internet.

FG XR8 ute was quicker and more powerful than Holden SS and was the same price yet I would be very surprised if anyone in this thread bought one new.

FPV GS ute is about the same price a SS-V Redline and again none of you have one.

I bought a XR6T ute after driving several SS utes as it was quicker, used less petrol, was more comfortable and as an added bonus had a Ford badge.....

Now on the actual topic of 1 piece body. I believe it is not the 1 piece that is the perceived problem it is the lack of IRS which is the result of designing a chassis that would work for wagon, ute, and 1 tonne ute in all forms which has kept the price down.

Basing a ute on the sedan chassis would be an expensive exercise with doubtful return although basing one on Territory may do better.

One last point, these incredibly well selling V8 utes aren't the ones currently being discounted by up to 30% because no one was buying them are they?

Pepscobra · 28-10-2012, 05:39 PM

I think we'll be lucky to see the Falcon ute continue in its current configuration, let alone expect Ford to invest further on a new body style.

The current split-body ute looks great anyways and offers plenty of flexibility.
I image the utes biggest threat is the Ranger anyways, not commodore ute.

FGII-XR6 · 28-10-2012, 05:40 PM

adding to flappist's post utes and wagons used as intended ( to carry loads ) are far better with the old leaf springs. leaf springs are far better for carrying loads than coils thats one reason for has stayed with leaf springs

jpd80 · 28-10-2012, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

One last point, these incredibly well selling V8 utes aren't the ones currently being discounted by up to 30% because no one was buying them are they?

The killer blow in a top post.

duaned · 28-10-2012, 06:02 PM

I don't see the point in these utes from Ford & Holden. They are only half of a good ute when compared to real ones such as the Ranger, Amarok, Hilux etc. They go places the Falcon & Commowhore utes will fear to tread.

Joe5619 · 28-10-2012, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

Ford have a V8 ute.

Ford have the fastest V8 ute ever sold in Australia.

Ford also have the fastest 6 cylinder ute, the fastest LPG ute the only car based trayback ute, the only car based 1 tonne ute but unfortunately holden have fans who show their loyalty by spending money on new utes not complaining on the internet.

FG XR8 ute was quicker and more powerful than Holden SS and was the same price yet I would be very surprised if anyone in this thread bought one new.

FPV GS ute is about the same price a SS-V Redline and again none of you have one.

I bought a XR6T ute after driving several SS utes as it was quicker, used less petrol, was more comfortable and as an added bonus had a Ford badge.....

Now on the actual topic of 1 piece body. I believe it is not the 1 piece that is the perceived problem it is the lack of IRS which is the result of designing a chassis that would work for wagon, ute, and 1 tonne ute in all forms which has kept the price down.

Basing a ute on the sedan chassis would be an expensive exercise with doubtful return although basing one on Territory may do better.

One last point, these incredibly well selling V8 utes aren't the ones currently being discounted by up to 30% because no one was buying them are they?

funny that falcon Ute sales dropped 300ish sales per month when the xr8 was stop....

The Snout · 28-10-2012, 06:16 PM

I'd rather Ford drop the sedan and build utes, panelvans and wagons. 3 box is about the most useless variation of the lot.

Auslandau · 28-10-2012, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe5619

funny that falcon Ute sales dropped 300ish sales per month when the xr8 was stop....

So there was 300ish Ford V8 utes selling per month? Didn't know that

jpd80 · 28-10-2012, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe5619

funny that falcon Ute sales dropped 300ish sales per month when the xr8 was stop....

Pfft, More like 50 a month if you ask me.....
The last year of XR8 Ute was 2010 and only 291 were sold in the whole year even though the car was stopped at June 30.

Jim Goose · 28-10-2012, 06:30 PM

No... waste of development money as said.

And also there was a thread about the commodore ute being expensive if not uneconomical to repair because the side panel is one piece.

Cab chassis is more useful to tradies, I see a lot more alloy trayed Falcon Utes being used by traides then I do commodore utes around here.