Will The Ford Falcon & Territory Live On?

[JoeT]

Falcon & Territory To Live On?

Joshua Dowling
21 October 2009
www.carspoint.com.au

Ford boss hints local production to continue beyond current lifecycles.

The boss of Ford Australia, Marin Burela, has attempted to quell speculation that local production of the Falcon and Territory may not survive beyond their current model cycles.

With the Falcon poised to record its lowest ever result in the history of the nameplate for the third year in a row, sales of large cars declining at a faster rate than the rest of the new-car market, and Territory sales waning, Mr Burela was asked if local manufacturing of those vehicles was still viable.

"We wouldn't be investing the money that we are, ... the $230 million, unless we were confident that there was opportunity for us as we move forward," he said.

The Territory is due for a major overhaul next year and a new Falcon was released last year, which means both locally-made vehicles would be due for replacement around 2014.

When Ford reversed its decision to shut the Geelong engine plant, some industry observers suspected that meant Ford would shut both the car assembly and the engine factories at the same time at a later date -- once the current models had run their course.

But Burela insists Ford Australia is still continuing on its current path, and its design and engineering departments are planning future models of the Falcon and Territory.

"The reality is those decisions won't be made for another 18 months or so," he said. "So we are still going full steam ahead."

Click here to continue article

FWD Future: Ford To Decide Falcon's Fate In 2011!
Ford Australia Increases Production, But Falcon's Future Is Far From Certain
Is This The End? New Ford Global RWD Program Now "On Hold"

[JoeT]

I think this article has missed the real issue. I don't think local production of the next generation Falcon and Territory is in any danger at all. It's what will be underpinning them and which wheels will be doing the driving that is the big question.

[chinamonty]

The big mystery here is what do people really want and how that gets satisfied. If you decided to make the Falcon FWD then why would you bother -the Mondeo already does that well enough -you would lose the ute and that would be a shame.

[Phoenix]

Ford would really have my attention if they sold the Falcon and Territory here in the US. It would be a shame if they went FWD for the next gen.

Would there be any advantage to Ford going FWD? Is there any reason to believe they would sell at a higher rate if they were FWD-based?

If the large sedan market is shrinking, they could go to a smaller RWD platform similar to the GM Alpha program(?)

[SCCA1995]

Originally Posted by chinamonty

The big mystery here is what do people really want and how that gets satisfied. If you decided to make the Falcon FWD then why would you bother -the Mondeo already does that well enough -you would lose the ute and that would be a shame.

Amen brother.

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Ford would really have my attention if they sold the Falcon and Territory here in the US. It would be a shame if they went FWD for the next gen.

Would there be any advantage to Ford going FWD? Is there any reason to believe they would sell at a higher rate if they were FWD-based?

If the large sedan market is shrinking, they could go to a smaller RWD platform similar to the GM Alpha program(?)

Ford already has a FWD Falcon. We call it Taurus.

[BBDOS CV8]

Originally Posted by SCCA1995

Amen brother.

Ford already has a FWD Falcon. We call it Taurus.

That's the big problem: the only thing stopping the Taurus as an Australian car is the RHD parts-bin is empty. It would cost a lot less to adapt it than engineer a new RWD car. if the Mondeo came in V6, it would almost certainly be the death-knell. Taurus and Mondeo are supposed to be merging in the next gen to some degree. In December, Oz import tariffs come down to 5%, and they don't apply to US-origin vehicles anyway. $Oz dollar is tipped for parity with $US in 2010-2011. And Ford US has plenty of production capability to knock out 20-30,000 'Falruses' as well as developed engines and platforms.

The Falcon has two problems to surmount:
1 The engine has limited development life left. It's too big both in capacity and physical size and it's cast iron. There's no easy fix for it.
2. Even if they retrofit the chassis for smaller, more compact motors, they're left with a car that's evolved around a legacy inline six, and the chassis really needs total re-packaging around a smaller motor to enlarge cabin and luggage space and reduce dimensions slightly. That means the equivalent of a 'VE' Commodore '$Billion Baby' exercise for design and new plant to build a projected 20-30K cars for Oz with no significant export outlet. That's a tough business case to slide past a hard-headed operator like Mullaly.

I hope beyond hope Ford can pull the rabbit out of their hat with this, as does the rest of the Australian auto industry including all the Holden people I've talked to. Their life will get harder, not easier, without the Falcon as a local RWD car.

[SCCA1995]

I thought that the Mondeo & the NA Fusion were supposed to be coming closer together on the next redesign. The smarter thing to do would be for Ford NA to have Ford Aus design a chassis for both LHD & RHD. Ford will know how GM felt after ceasing production of the Caprice when the Crown Vic goes away.

[Quest]

My two cents, I believe what happens with the Falcon depends on what Ford ultimately decides to do with the Mustang and/or they decide to proceed with a NA RWD sedan, either Lincoln or Ford product. The time frame of 18 months seems to coincide with a decision(s) on either of these products.

It's my understanding that the Current Falcon shares the Mustang Front end structure and that both cars were to use the same IRS until it was decided to use a live axle setup for the Mustang. Australians are lucky that they have both the Falcon and Commodore. I would gladly give up a NA FWD Chev/Buick/Ford for either of these cars!

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by SCCA1995

Ford already has a FWD Falcon. We call it Taurus.

I've heard of the Taurus. GM makes large FWD cars too, is the Commodore going away?

[ejfx]

Originally Posted by JoeT

Looks like they used the last generation Mustangs hood

[ford&holden]

Mr Mullaly...

Why haven't you killed of falcon/territory as yet? it's very inefficient.

Why have you invested over $200 million on a DYING RWD platform!?

The GMI experts are confused...

[jbernie]

The other question would be... what happens to motorsport in Australia when the Falcon becomes something other than a RWD Australian car? It might give things like LMS a chance.

[aldw]

Merging the Mustang and Falcon platforms is probably the best and viable way of ensuring product survival considering the costs of dedicated platforms nowadays.

[mkwelbornjr]

Whats wrong with that awesome looking Falcon. Who in their right mind would buy a borin Camry over the Falcon....an icon.

[ford&holden]

Originally Posted by Quest

My two cents, I believe what happens with the Falcon depends on what Ford ultimately decides to do with the Mustang and/or they decide to proceed with a NA RWD sedan, either Lincoln or Ford product. The time frame of 18 months seems to coincide with a decision(s) on either of these products.

It's my understanding that the Current Falcon shares the Mustang Front end structure and that both cars were to use the same IRS until it was decided to use a live axle setup for the Mustang. Australians are lucky that they have both the Falcon and Commodore. I would gladly give up a NA FWD Chev/Buick/Ford for either of these cars!

Tend to agree with you.

Ford put global RWD plans 'on hold' to focus on keeping Ford alive, something GM failed to do.

Imo Ford globally will have a RWD platform, a development of the current falcon platform.

Only time will tell. I can't see Ford Oz walking away from current falcon/territory sales volume.