Is Ford's Future RWD Program To Become FWD?

[JoeT]

Ford Puts Front Foot Forward

James Stanford
26 August 2008
www.goauto.com.au

Ford Motor Company president and chief executive officer Alan Mulally has confirmed the long-term production future of the Falcon large car in Australia, but has signalled that the next-generation model could be very different to the current one.

Speaking to a select group of media in Melbourne today after meeting with prime minister Kevin Rudd and industry minister Kim Carr yesterday, Mr Mulally said Ford had not yet decided whether its next large-car architecture, upon which the Falcon will be based, would be rear-wheel drive.

Ford is committed to developing one global platform for its large sedans, such as the Falcon in Australia and the Taurus in the US, and earlier this year global product chief Derrick Kuzak confirmed that a RWD large-car development plan was underway.

However, Mr Mulally yesterday revealed that the RWD program was in doubt when he was asked whether fuel economy concerns could see it be replaced with a front-drive or all-wheel drive architecture.

“We haven’t decided that yet, but you are absolutely touching on the essence of it,” he said.

“Rear-wheel drive has some unique capabilities, but it will be yet to be determined whether we keep our unique rear-wheel drive or whether the bigger sedans will need to (be) all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive.”

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Ford Shelves FG Export Plans

Bruce Newton
26 August 2008
www.wheelsmag.com.au

As Ford Australia's boss prepares to leave the company and the country, he reveals that the FG Falcon will not follow in his footsteps.

A plan to export the FG Falcon to lucrative left-hand drive markets in China and the Middle East has been shelved.

Outgoing Ford Australia president Bill Osborne enthusiastically endorsed the idea during the launch of the FG Falcon last April, and declared his intention to campaign for it at the highest level in the company.

But at a media conference in Melbourne today Osborne – who departs Ford in September for a job outside the auto industry - confirmed that the plan had foundered.

“Frankly, we just couldn’t get there in time,” said Osborne. “It was about a three year program for us to get there.”

Back in April Osborne estimated the export potential of both FG and its locally-built technical close relation, the Territory SUV, was beyond 20,000 sales per annum.

With local large car sales slumping, Osborne saw export as a vital way to sustain Ford as a local manufacturer. Both Toyota and Holden have substantial export programs.

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Is Huntsman Dead? Ford Rethinking It's RWD Future (July 2008)

[kenman923]

If the Lincoln MKS is going AWD and the Ford Taurus is taking the full size title and is offered in either FWD or AWD, I see a trend toward FWD autos.

[Greg Burr]

I love those cars as they are but you do what you gotta do. At least you get AWD and the styling is going in the right direction.

[GMusa]

well.. RWD would be best.. but if they wont do RWD.. at least give me an advanced full-time AWD system!

[chris442]

With no exports coming and the future of Ford RWD in Australia in doubt, I have to wonder about the future of manufacturing Fords down under.

What would the Aussie market think of a FWD big Ford with AWD optional? Would this car offer a V8, or have to do with a turbo V6 as the top dog?

[SpaceCowboy]

It's a shame to see the Falcon moving to a potentially FWD platform, but this poses some other interesting questions, for example the Mustang was supposed to platform share with the Falcon, will it go FWD too? That could be quite a costly decision. For many buyers though I don't think a FWD Falcon will matter, and considering large car sales are in decline it makes sense to platform share where possible. The new Accord is almost falcon sized and it doesn't suffer for being FWD. AWD is a reasonably popular option and has benefits for Australia (gravel roads in regional areas) but also adds to fuel consumption, weight and complexity, but honestly it is just too far out to know for certain. I for one hope it stays RWD, however it has been mentioned that with the next Focus to be built in Aus, a production line building both FWD and RWD does not work well, for the sake of simplicity a FWD Falcon makes sense. Scary thought!

[SpaceCowboy]

Chris442, already the Falcon V8 program looks to be in doubt, as it stands the only way to buy a V8 falcon is in an XR8 or the FPV cars, I'd expect that the turbo six will take the place of the V8 option by 2010 when Ford's global V6 comes online.

[Extreme4x4]

The Mustang is Bill Ford Jr's personal baby. Thus, I doubt you will ever see a FWD Mustang. They know that would kill it.

[big swede]

Originally Posted by chris442

With no exports coming and the future of Ford RWD in Australia in doubt, I have to wonder about the future of manufacturing Fords down under.

What would the Aussie market think of a FWD big Ford with AWD optional? Would this car offer a V8, or have to do with a turbo V6 as the top dog?

I cannot imagine wanting anything other than RWD in such a warm climate.

[BBDOS CV8]

If they're floating it, they're breaking it to us gently - the deal is done. Don't blame Rudd or Howard, or even Ogden or Osborn or any other locals, the decisions that precursed this are down to Blue Oval HQ and date back years.

Bye bye RWD Falcon. Hate to say I told you so, I tipped in 2005 the inline six was toast and keeping it and the platform based around it was a tactical short-term success but strategic suicide. I said a year or eighteen months back a RWD Falcon is questionable past Orion. Losing the local engine plant was the straw that broke the camel's back. No exports is the last nail in the coffin. No wonder Osborn is buggering off. He doesn't want to be known as the guy who killed the Falcon.

Mullaly is the guy who bought Boeing from more than a dozen planes down to a handful, and he stated from day one all Ford platforms would be intercontinental, no more 4-5 versions around the world or unique marsupial throwbacks like the Falcon. So because the US is stuck in cheap FWD mediocrity, we're all going to cop it - eventually if you want a RWD car you'll have to buy premium Euro or pocket-rocket Japanese.

I don't think the AU Falcon was the killer although that last piece of meddling ten years ago by Dearborn probably gave Ford Oz the cancer: and the same is now even more likely to happen to Holden. Once Ford goes imported FWD, that's it. It'll be cheaper once tariffs come down to import (certainly cheaper than importing a driveline to assemble locally) and GM will have no alternative but to compete.

So the world will be filled with bland, under-handling, low-capability nose-tuggers. No more utes, no more tyre-toasting in a straight line without having the wheel tugged out of your hands.

And no, in Oz FWD-based AWD is not a replacement for RWD except for those very few people who go to the snow or occasionally head off the beaten track. It's bloody hopeless up hills with curves, or for towing which many people still do with their passenger cars.

Watch Ford slip to 4th or 5th or lower in the market if they do away with the Falcon and Territory. Nothing else they are likely to bring in will make up for losing those 3-5,000 sales a month.

[MN12Fan]

I don't buy it. One, for the Australian market, there's no fundamental advantage that FWD offers in terms of driveability in a larger sedan that isn't surpassed by RWD. Two, from a fuel efficiency standpoint, there are some advantages that FWD packaging has with the potential of lighter overall weight, but is RWD such a fuel inefficient setup that it cannot compete? I think not. Three, with cars like the Mustang requiring a RWD platform and Lincoln in need of at least one or two RWD models as well, why must the Falcon be exempted from RWD?

[FunkyPig]

While the FWD argument does make sense, RWD can also be made to make sense. Yes RWD weighs a little more than FWD, but only a little more, all the same economy solutions still apply, and what about the marketing benefits, and the Mustang? Long term Mustang will die if RWD Falcon dies.

Think very very carefully about what you're saying Ford, and how history will judge a decision to can the very platform that can give you such a portfolio of aspirational vehicles.

Look at how the G8 and 300C are loved like a Camry, Impala or Taurus could never be.

[Aych Es Vee]

If that happens ...... DO NOT call it a Falcon..... There will be a MASS exodus of Ford Australia loyalists no doubt.

But tell me, how would this happen? FPV and XR models (ie, all the sports models), are BIG sellers.
Making the next large car a FWD, you can say goodbye to ALL those customers. No doubt they'll move to Holden as they'll be the only ones producing large cheap powerful RWDs.
The type of people that buy those cars are frankly, stubborn powerful-rwd fanatics....


Ford HQ will be slowly digging Ford Australias grave if this happens.

[Aych Es Vee]

Also, I'd like to add .... The Falcon and Mustang would just be built on the same platform, and I dont think Ford is sill enough to do that to the Mustang...

[wescoent]

The GRWD program is still going full steam ahead. There is no delay.

The Ford Mustang is a sacred cow, and will never be FWD.

But is it worth it to develop a flexible global RWD architecture versus further developing D3? Which will sell more? Which will generate more profit?

The answer will almost certainly turn out in GRWD's favor, but right now, market realities have changed. The assessment they made in 2007 before GRWD's approval is no longer valid. They need to look at it again to see if the numbers still add up.

That's all Mulally's saying.