December 2011 Sales

[csv8]

On the 11 o'clock news tonight, Mazda 3 is the top selling car for 2011. Beating the Commodore by 600 sales. Official figures will be released thursday

[Falc'man]

I wonder if this means Holden will now focus their efforts on making a profit instead of just the no1 position.

[Pepscobra]

Is this the first time an Aussie made car hasn't been the best seller for the year?

[Dave R]

To be fair Holden made $112 million in 2010, vs Ford's $24 million.

And this was always going to happen, Commodore was never going to hang on forever. Although I'm surprised it's the Mazda3 and not the Corolla. They must be spewing with only 600 sales in it.

[zoomie]

The thing is the mazda3 sales are nearly all to private buyers unlike the commodore and corolla whos majority of sales are to fleets and rental companies.

If they could actually seperate the sales charts to show sales to private buyers only, it would be interesting,

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

To be fair Holden made $112 million in 2010, vs Ford's $24 million.

To be even fairer, lets compare all the years prior to that.

Tomorrow, 9pm. Be there or we'll start without you

[Sprint XR8]

Originally Posted by Pepscobra

Is this the first time an Aussie made car hasn't been the best seller for the year?

First time since the Austin A40 in 1950.

[Pepscobra]

Originally Posted by CoupeXB

First time since the Austin A40 in 1950.

No kidding!?
Quite a big deal then really.

[prydey]

and i doubt it will be back. large car sales are a much smaller market now and the fact that commodore can't afford to release a new commodore in the near future, means there are many people who won't see the point in upgrading to a car that is essentially the same as the one they are selling.

commodore will no doubt continue to win its class but the overall lead may be a tough ask from here on in.

[BroadyFord]

Very worrying figures for Ford Australia:

Holden Commodore loses its crown


http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...103-1pjpx.html

For the first time since World War I an imported vehicle has outsold a locally-assembled car.

The Holden Commodore has lost its title as Australia's top-selling new car after its record 15-year winning streak was brought to an end by a Japanese Mazda.

According to preliminary figures obtained by The Age, the Mazda3's victory was sealed in December 2011 when it edged further ahead of the Commodore by about 600 sales after swapping position six times and being separated by just 20 transactions at the end of June.

As a further sign of the swing to smaller cars, Toyota's Corolla also won on six individual months in 2011, including the last five in a row.

Ten years ago large cars such as the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon accounted for more than one-third of the new-vehicle market, now small cars outsell them by more than three-to-one.

Last year was the most hotly contested battle for top-seller status since new-vehicle sales records were kept and marks the end of an era for Holden.

No other automotive nameplate has had such a long winning streak in Australia; the closest was the Ford Falcon's seven-year dominance over the Commodore between 1982 and 1988.

Meanwhile, a long line of General Motors-Holden vehicles were top sellers between 1950 and 1981.

The British-designed Austin A40 was the top-seller in 1948 and 1949 (while the original Holden was gaining momentum) but it was assembled locally, as were most cars in the post-war era, to avoid high imposts designed to protect local industry.

"A fully imported car hasn't led the Australian new-car market for as far back as I can remember," veteran automotive journalist, historian and author, Pedr Davis, 82, told The Age.

"Of course the records are gone but I would say you'd have to go back to pre World War I. Even Model T Fords were assembled in Australia."

Official sales figures for 2011 due to be released at midday on Thursday are also expected to show the worst year on record for the Ford Falcon, dipping below 20,000 after hovering around 30,000 per annum for the past four years – a dramatic fall from its peak of 81,000 in 1995.

The Falcon's weakening sales will prompt further speculation about the future of local production of Australia's oldest continuous automotive nameplate – sales of locally-made Mitsubishi cars dipped below 20,000 just four years before its Adelaide factory shut.

The Falcon has been outside the top-two sellers for the past five years and has since struggled to stay inside the top 10.

The Commodore fared little better than the Falcon last year, posting about 40,000 sales – less than half its peak of 94,000 in 1998 and its worst result since 1983.

Mazda sold more than 41,000 Mazda3 small cars last year after smashing its own records in June and August, despite earlier interruptions to Japanese parts supply in the wake of the tsunami.

While Holden remains committed to future Commodore models it is now putting its weight behind its new small car, the Cruze, which is now made in Australia instead of being imported from Korea.

Holden executives told dealers in a confidential briefing last month that it will build 5000 fewer Commodores next year and instead ramp-up production of the Cruze.

Holden would not comment until official sales figures are released on Thursday.

But Holden's director of sales Philip Brook told media last month it would not slash the price of the Commodore in a last-ditch effort for number-one status.

"It's nice bragging rights to say '16 years in a row' ... but Commodore's a brand we're very proud of and also very protective of. And it's got a longer-term future than just December [2011] ... it's got to keep going for many years to come.

"We've got to do what's right and we're very focused on profitability as well. You're not going to blow huge amounts of money just to be number one.

"Given our recent history, our profitability is our highest priority and that's what we're really focused on. Do we want to sell lot of cars? Yes. Will we do it at any cost? Absolutely no way.

"The [Commodore's] got a future and we've got to make sure it has a future. It's probably the most precious thing we have, the Commodore brand, and we're very conscious of that.

[MethodX]

Well thats bad luck, hopefully it can bounce back next year.
And Ford too of course.

[BroadyFord]

Under 20k for Falcon is absolutely woeful. Any company that makes cars would close the operation down immediately with those numbers.

Plain and simple, the only people buying Falcons are fleet buyers and enthusiasts.

There's no more sugar-coating this. Falcon is STUFFED, as is Ford local manufacturing.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

Under 20k for Falcon is absolutely woeful. Any company that makes cars would close the operation down immediately with those numbers.

Plain and simple, the only people buying Falcons are fleet buyers and enthusiasts.

There's no more sugar-coating this. Falcon is STUFFED, as is Ford local manufacturing.

Taurus time? or just be an importer?

[BroadyFord]

Originally Posted by MethodX

Taurus time? or just be an importer?

Unless Kim Carr can work some serious magic in Detroit, my bet is they will become a full importer.

[jpd80]

Ford fans have the world's biggest rear vision mirror.
Sure sales of Falcon are low, that is bound to happen when Falcon's main fleet LPG engine runs late,
so everyone, take a breath, be positive in 2012, we have EcoLPI, we have Ecoboost we have diesel Territory.
Ford is also adding Figo, Ecosport, Kuga later in the year so sales will increase in other directions too..

I guarantee you that Ford will have a surprising turnaround in fortunes this year, they now have
the vehicles to take on Holden and Toyota in fleets and retail, things are going to change big time....

[P6LTD351]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Ford fans have the world's biggest rear vision mirror.
Sure sales of Falcon are low, that is bound to happen when Falcon's main fleet LPG engine runs late,
so everyone, take a breath, be positive in 2012, we have EcoLPI, we have Ecoboost we have diesel Territory.
Ford is also adding Figo, Ecosport, Kuga later in the year so sales will increase in other directions too..

I guarantee you that Ford will have a surprising turnaround in fortunes this year, they now have
the vehicles to take on Holden and Toyota in fleets and retail, things are going to change big time....

I sure hope you're right. But I've been hearing the same things for the past few years -"next year will be better" etc. Time is running out. Falcon has an image problem and no amount of Ecoboost or EcoLPI thingamygiggys will change that.

[XRSIKS]

Hate to sound rude, but in Canberra, Mazda drivers are the worst on the road. Scary to think there are so many of them....

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by eb2monty

I sure hope you're right. But I've been hearing the same things for the past few years -"next year will be better" etc. Time is running out. Falcon has an image problem and no amount of Ecoboost or EcoLPI thingamygiggys will change that.

The big difference is that there is actual new product, as in never sold here before, to grow sales and not just a reliance on updates of the same models. From Figo to Transit and everything in between by late this year Ford will have a car in almost every segment apart from a large car wagon and a V8 model (although I still hold out for a G8E but will most likely go FGII G6ET/Terry in the next month or two). Ford will then be judged on overall market share and not just Falcon-only sales.

[dimka100]

Just like the Falcon, the Commodore is becoming irrelevant ...

While model updates will temporarily boost sales, they will no longer reverse the downward trend which has been consistently demonstrated over the last 10 years ...

The days of the Falcon and Commodore are numbered, Holden has invested into the locally manufactured Cruize, Ford will probably end up as an importer/engineering only ...

[flappist]

Originally Posted by dimka100

Just like the Falcon, the Commodore is becoming irrelevant ...

While model updates will temporarily boost sales, they will no longer reverse the downward trend which has been consistently demonstrated over the last 10 years ...

The days of the Falcon and Commodore are numbered, Holden has invested into the locally manufactured Cruize, Ford will probably end up as an importer/engineering only ...

There are a squillion different model cars available in Australia with more and more appearing every year yet both Falcon and Commodore are ALWAYS in the top ten.

So an import topped the sales.......oh no.....

Bradman scored a duck.

Port Adelaide won the premiership.

Steven Bradbury won a gold medal.

Lets see what happens in 2012.......

[Wretched]

it isn't the end for the Falcon, yes the sales are not what they used to be but as long as Ford can keep them consistent (around the 1500-2000 a month) it should be ok. It isn't that Falcon/Commodore are irrelevant it is just for the $$ there is far more competition out there.
The rest of the range is doing well for Ford. Focus needs to pick up and hopefully 2012 sees that. The range that is coming on board should really give Ford the numbers for a good year.

[Brazen]

Not an undeserved winner, the Mazda 3 is a decent car.

The VE Commodore is too old now, one of the oldest Holdens in the history of the company. I doubt it will even be number 2 this year.

[Windsor220]

People forget that Holden only lost the number one spot by 600 units over a whole year with a 6 year old car. Not that bad of a effort.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

Under 20k for Falcon is absolutely woeful. Any company that makes cars would close the operation down immediately with those numbers.

Plain and simple, the only people buying Falcons are fleet buyers and enthusiasts.

There's no more sugar-coating this. Falcon is STUFFED, as is Ford local manufacturing.

been following along well haven't you.

people like you have been making these statements for 20 years. oh dear the sky is falling.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by INTOXIC8D

Hate to sound rude, but in Canberra, Mazda drivers are the worst on the road. Scary to think there are so many of them....

I've driven quite often in Canberra and its outskirts. You're being way too kind. Every driver in Canberra is the worst on the road. Scary to think there's so many of them.

[XRSIKS]

Originally Posted by Rodp

I've driven quite often in Canberra and its outskirts. You're being way too kind. Every driver in Canberra is the worst on the road. Scary to think there's so many of them.

L O L!

[dylancox]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

worst year on record for the Ford Falcon, dipping below 20,000 after hovering around 30,000 per annum for the past four years – a dramatic fall from its peak of 81,000 in 1995.

Ford... re-release the EF or something that looks like it? They must have done something right back in 1995

[R-Design]

Originally Posted by prydey

been following along well haven't you.

people like you have been making these statements for 20 years. oh dear the sky is falling.

Ford has been deliberately weaning us off Falcon derivatives for a while now (LWB & Wagon) so I'd hardly say nothing is in the offing.

Apparently the next generation Fusion/Mondeo will be launched at the American International Motorshow next week so we'll have a better idea of what the future holds. Ford has made it clear that this Falcon is the last Australian model for Australia only so whatever comes will be a radical departure from what we have.

Hopefully the government will come to the party and help keep automotive manufacturing viable in this country, either way Ford has a pretty strong product portfolio at the moment. There's nothing to say they can't perform as strongly as Toyota or Holden in any segment.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Boss315

Ford has been deliberately weaning us off Falcon derivatives for a while now (LWB & Wagon) so I'd hardly say nothing is in the offing.

Apparently the next generation Fusion/Mondeo will be launched at the American International Motorshow next week so we'll have a better idea of what the future holds. Ford has made it clear that this Falcon is the last Australian model for Australia only so whatever comes will be a radical departure from what we have.

Hopefully the government will come to the party and help keep automotive manufacturing viable in this country, either way Ford has a pretty strong product portfolio at the moment. There's nothing to say they can't perform as strongly as Toyota or Holden in any segment.

The strength of the Aussie dollar reduces the cost of imported parts making it cheaper to produce Falcon here..
That 30% change in US and European cross rates may have actually saved Falcon's bacon.....

Be positive people, if Ford had really intended killing the Falcon/Territory, they wouldn't be doing up dates
let alone new engines in Falcon and Territory, people are taking "One Ford" way too literally when
what was really meant was:
FoA using the scales of economy available through Ford Asia Pacific Africa supplier base,
That is where real savings are made, not with changing platforms..

[R-Design]

Originally Posted by flappist

Lets see what happens in 2012.......

The article states that Commodore production to be cut and replaced with extra Cruzes. Thats a pretty clear indication of were Holden is pinning it's hopes. Let's face it they're in the same boat as Ford and still haven't committed to the next generation of Commodore.