Confirmed: Ford Oz To Help Develope Next-Generation Global RWD Platform

[JoeT]

Ford Confirms Global Falcon Link

Bruce Newton
16 January 2007
www.drive.com.au

Senior Ford executives have confirmed that Ford Australia and the new Falcon will play a key role in a new large, rear-wheel drive architecture.

The most senior executives in Ford Motor Company including president Alan Mulally have confirmed a key role for the company’s Australian division in the development of a new global rear-wheel drive architecture that will underpin Falcon and Territory as well as various North American vehicles.

However, they have stopped short of guaranteeing the local manufacture of Falcon once it moves from its unique Australian-developed current underpinnings to the new architecture early next decade.

“In the near term and the mid term we are very committed to Falcon that is clear,” said Ford’s global product development chief Derrik Kuzak at the Detroit auto show this week. “In the long term rear-wheel drive is in our plans. It is in our plans globally

“We are not ready to be announcing where we will be manufacturing the rear-wheel drive platform.”

Mulally also refused to be drawn on Falcon’s future once it is integrated into the global program: “I am not going to give you that headline,” he said.

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Ford Australia Prepares For Global Role

Richard Blackburn & Christopher Jensen
20 July 2007
www.drive.com.au

The next-generation Mustang may be engineered and sold locally as Ford plans to follow General Motors’ global RWD strategy by using its Australian outpost.

Ford Australia is to play a key role in developing the rear-wheel-drive underpinnings for a range of Ford vehicles due to start appearing on roads around the world in 2011. At this stage, the plan, which is gaining momentum among senior Ford executives in Detroit, is to involve engineering input only from Ford Australia.

Drive understands there is potential for a right-hand-drive version of the iconic Mustang to be engineered and sold in this country. If it goes ahead, the car is likely to be the fastest car Ford Australia has released, powered by a 309kW twin-turbo V6.

Ford is also looking at Australia developing a range of Fairlane-sized long-wheelbase limousines for the United States and Middle East, as well as a flagship sedan for Europe.

Engineering development work is expected to start soon, providing a much-needed boost to Ford's struggling local operation, which this week announced plans to end production of its long-running in-line six-cylinder engine.

The move could also lead to export opportunities in the Middle East, where Ford sells US-built limousines in competition with Holden's Statesman and Caprice.

Ford's new Falcon, due in March next year, has been engineered so that it can be built in both left- and right-hand-drive.

US industry website Inside Line says Australia is favourite to develop a new platform that will underpin a wide range of vehicles, including the Mustang coupe and the Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car.

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GMI's 2008 Ford Falcon News & Spy Pictures Thread
Ford Opens New Research & Development Centre In Australia
Ford Australia To Replace Falcon's Iconic I6 With A New V6 By 2010
Ford's New Global RWD Range Aimed At GM's Zeta Program

Current generation Ford Mustang (left) and Crown Victoria (right), plus the 2008 Ford Falcon (below)

[hq308]

Australia - land of the RWD

This seems potentially like good news is coming for Ford Aus, although it's also good news for Ford NA too. It's good news alround I guess, it's going to allow Ford Aus to continue building better cars which in turn forces Holden to lift it's game and NA starts getting some good RWD products from both the General and Henry!

[BBDOS CV8]

Someone's got their info wrong. Gorman already said Orion has no LHD engineering - they couldn't get the budget and didn't have time. If it is to be LHD it would have to be in 'Huntsman' if that's what the next gen is. Couldn't see them attempting to fit it into a chassis which is designed for the current 16, then having to re-engineer it for the next version with the V6.

That would make sense- Orion if intro'd in 2008 would effectively be only a transitional version until 2011.

[miami-k9]

Its about time. My C-Vic needs replacing soon and those chargers just dont work so hot as police vehicles.

[jbernie]

A common platform with some potentially market unique sheet metal can only be good for Ford, the more GM & Ford use their global resources and make common vehicles through out all regions the easier it is for them to spend the $$ in continually upgrading the product and doing it with the effort requirted, not just a change of grill here, a different interior color there.

As much as losing the I6 engine in Aust is unfortunate it only helps to make Ford as a whole stronger, if Ford Aust does become the rwd platform development center for Ford worldwide then they certainly will gain in the long run.

Must admit is kinda amusing that development teams for the global rwd platforms of Ford & GM could potentially exist within 50-100 miles of each other at what would be a rather remote location relative to the global market.

[MN12Fan]

No surprise on the development end but what about actual production? Between the Mustang and a Crown Vic replacement alone you're talking about a quarter million cars a year. Where would they all be made?

[Univex]

The Orion raplacement in 2011 is the one they are talking about. Orion is just a rehash of the current Falcon. 2011 will be a whole new platform ala VE. At this stage this could be developed in the US or Aus and will be similar to GM in many ways. It seems there is a greater resource of RWD skills in Aus due to the fact they never abandoned RWD mainstream vehicles as per the US. This is referring to engineering only and does not indicate manufacturing locations. Engineering is a truly global computer driven process now and uses things like virtual reality that eliminates the problems of distance.

[mikmak]

So, 4-5 years before the LTD comes back. I hope the Statesman doesn't get complacent.

[Bravada]

I sincerely hope they will call it (the large sedan to replace the CV) Ford Fairlane.

[Aych Es Vee]

I think the Falcon and Fairlane/LTD badges should be worn AROUND THE WORLD.
Seriously, these names are iconic Ford names.
And they are continued models too, not modern re makes.
Ford could just see it as though America missed out on the Falcon for the last 40 years, but it was still around, and now its about the come back.

replace the Taurus with the Falcon, and replace the Crown Victoria with the Fairlane/LTD.
Give USA the FPV models too. And if they really have to, re-badge them as SVT Falcons. Ooooooh, but but it would be so cool to have FPVs in the USA.



Anyways, is it just me, or does that article say the Mustang will have a 309kw TT V6????

[JoeT]

I here you mate. I think FoMoCo has an opportunity here to create some real 'world' cars with Falcon and Fairlane.

[Zomsky]

I really hope that Ford Aus can maintain their strong engineering department, which is an area that Australia can be competitive; more so than a place of cheap production.

When 2011 rolls around, and it is time for the "Huntsman" series, hopefully Ford will be able to afford the massive re-development that Broadmeadows need as a manufacturing facility.
Or maybe Aus will just end up as a Development centre for Ford????????

[RedVee8]

I think it is a disgrace.
Where is the blue steel?
What about the bland styling?

[wescoent]

There's some truth to it.

This month, Alan Mullally approved a plan to develop a common worldwide RWD architecture, known as "Huntsman", which we will start seeing on the roads in about 3 years time. It will underpin all Ford, Merc, and Lincoln RWD vehicles worldwide.

However, development in Australia will be somewhat limited. Ford is eliminating the localized nature of Ford's operations, so it will be a joint effort between the US and Australia, with the intent of having as many people work on it as possible to get a quality product from approval to the road in a short period of time. Once the basic engineering is done, then Australians will design their Falcon, and the US will develop our Mustang, CV, GM, and TC seperately. Twin Turbo Duratecs and diesels will be a BIG part of this vehicle program, given the imminent CAFE changes, although the Boss will be available as well for those who want it.

This is in contrast to GM, who from what I understand, foisted development of the Camaro and Impala from start to finish solely on Holden, hence the delays.

The Mustang is getting a substantial refresh for MY2009 to put the Camaro and Challenger back on the trailer where they belong. Given the CV, GM, and TC WILL survive into the next product cycle, they will also probably get a moderate refresh for 2008/2009 to bring them up to date with the rest of Ford's line, with replacement scheduled whenever Huntsman is finished.

[Caleb02]

Originally Posted by Aych Es Vee

I think the Falcon and Fairlane/LTD badges should be worn AROUND THE WORLD.
Seriously, these names are iconic Ford names.
And they are continued models too, not modern re makes.
Ford could just see it as though America missed out on the Falcon for the last 40 years, but it was still around, and now its about the come back.

replace the Taurus with the Falcon, and replace the Crown Victoria with the Fairlane/LTD.
Give USA the FPV models too. And if they really have to, re-badge them as SVT Falcons. Ooooooh, but but it would be so cool to have FPVs in the USA.



Anyways, is it just me, or does that article say the Mustang will have a 309kw TT V6????

Why would ford rename the Taurus right after they renamed it from 500.