Prodrive Sack FPV Management Team - Ford Australia 'Shocked'

[ford&holden]

Originally Posted by asylum

probably something to do with selling about 6 variants of the same car and being out-sold by HSV that only produce 3!

there is rumours that Prodrive want to start taking FPV's to the UK, so they might be taking a more dominant role.

so far, i think the only place Ford export is to New Zealand (kinda like saying we export to Tasmania) but with the next model, LHD will be a possibility

Not true.
FPV is closing the gap with HSV with less variants on offer, it's only been just recently that more models were introduced to the FPV range.
HSV sales have surged on the back of all new models.

[JoeT]

CarPoint Confidential Extra: The Real FPV Story?

Joe Kenwright
25 January 2007
www.carpoint.com.au

Prodrive's decision to retrench the majority of FPV's senior management last week caught all quarters by surprise.

Hot on the heels of announcements of the hero car arm's best-ever sales performance, it was not only the extent of the sackings that shocked industry observers (and the unsuspecting FPV team), but the way in which 49 per cent minority partner Ford Australia also appeared to be caught off-guard.

When it would have made sense to present the changes as a united and carefully-planned restructure via a joint Prodrive-Ford Oz announcement, CarPoint believes that the sackings are indicative of Prodrive's decision to react decisively and publicly to Ford's Falcon-based new product hiatus and what it sees as an unfair burden of product development cost and responsibility.

Reduced Falcon and Territory production, Ford's 'holding pattern' marketing and systemic delays in getting the critical new Orion [Falcon replacement] into production -- a sequence of events which date back to the unsuccessful AU Falcon -- have not been well received at Prodrive's UK HQ either.

Click here to continue article

[JoeT]

Prodrive Chief Assures Dealers Over FPV's Future

Neil McDonald
7 February 2007
www.goauto.com.au

Prodrive keeping mum, but GT SUV could placate dealers looking for FPV product.

Tht new overseer of Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) has moved to reassure dealers that "steps have been taken" to meet their demands for more performance derivatives from the Blue Oval brand’s stable.

The managing director of Prodrive Asia-Pacific "automotive technology" division Brian Mears told GoAuto last week that he understood that FPV dealers were unhappy with a lack of new model derivatives, and conceded it was a long wait – more than year – until the next-generation Falcon.

"No, they’re not happy with it and why would they be? I wouldn’t be," he admitted.

Click here to continue article



Prodrive's Fast Track Into Asia

Neil McDonald
7 February 2007
www.goauto.com.au

British engineering outfit's Asia-Pacific growth hinges on Toyota and Ford planks.

British-based vehicle-engineering outfit Prodrive intends to increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific region with performance cars currently being developed in partnership with Ford and Toyota.

The Melbourne-based managing director of Prodrive’s automotive technology across Asia-Pacific, Bryan Mears, told GoAuto last week the company’s expansion in the region hinged on the cars it is working on in Australia.

These include high-performance derivatives of Ford’s Australian-built Falcon sedan and Territory SUV, as well as Toyota’s Aurion sedan.

Prodrive is the majority (51 per cent) stakeholder in Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV). It also operates and staffs the Toyota Racing Development (TRD) facility, which will release a TRD-branded Aurion this year.

Click here to continue article

What FPV's Territory could look like. Digital image: Chris Harris

[JoeT]

Internal Study Undertaken Prior To FPV Sackings

Neil McDonald
21 February 2007
www.goauto.com.au

Prodrive undertook a study of its FPV business late last year before axing its top executives last month.

Speaking for the first time since Prodrive took the decision to revamp its business with Ford, Ford Australia president Tom Gorman admitted that he knew a study into the business had been undertaken last year.

"If there was any surprise in the conclusion of the study – which we agreed with by the way – was the speed at which the moves were made (that) I think might have caught some of us by surprise," he said.

Prodrive, which has a 51 per cent stake in FPV, led the study, in conjunction with Ford, looking at opportunities for cost sharing between the two and overall sales and marketing strategies.

The sweeping changes at FPV had full Ford support, despite the fact that Prodrive was largely pushing for change. However, Mr Gorman said it was clear the FPV business needed some intervention.

Click here to continue article

[demonv8]

I love the Typhoon, almost bought one 6 months ago, but the deal (the wife)didn't go through.

[mikmak]

So lower salary costs = bigger development budget. Sound thinking. Now if they just had some talent to utilise all those savings. Oh, that's right, talented people generally like to get paid.

I hate when companies focus on making business sense when their products are supposed to be for the passionate customer. I know that they have to remain commercially viable, but I think there is a direct correlation between a workplace that inspires confidence and a confident product. Massive job cuts are a good way to manufacture "yes" men, too scared to disagree with a beancounting solution because of fear of imminent economic rationalisation.

I would be ensuring that my worplace agreement be absolutely bullet proof, before working under that swinging axe!

Good luck in your next recruiting drive FPV! idiots.

[Zomsky]

Poor old Ford.............

Ford Aus is having enough trouble as it is trying to stitch (oops i mean sell ) people with their product..........

The holding pattern marketing is a joke..... The whole idea of it, as i gather, is to punch out as many vinyl clad, yellow coloured XT's, and chasers to kep the numbers ticking over..........
Every day the number of Holdens on the police fleets shrink (thanks to minimal fleet discounts from GM), so at least the folk at Broadmeadows will have a job for a bit longer..............

The whole FPV debarcle doesn't exactly instill confidence in the retail buyer..

You know what went wrong at Ford Aus???
They built the AU.......................

[JoeT]

...and it was Ford Corp in the US that cooked that turkey.

[Zomsky]

The AU, was mechanically, a sound car: retaining the core running gear of the EL which was a great car. Powerful, quiet and an excellent workhorse.

But...

Just look at the thing..................

The Egg Shell roofline........... The appaling tapered rear end. The dodgey wheel arch flares. All those curves intertwined with the, um, angular i guess you would say, lightwork front and rear!

And the interior....... Primary grey chinese quality plastic everywhere, and that Baboon's arse centre console!!

Then there is the Buck Toothed/ Grandpa Moustache? Cheese Grater/ Plankton Chomping Front Grille....

I remember at the launch, the design team (all now presumably flipping burgers for a living) commenting on how the "New Edge" styling would look perfectly in place in "seven or eight years time" and that they were "ahead of the game"..........

Bad news, people. Seven or Eight years later, and, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Falcon that almost killed the falcon.

May the earth never see a car like this again

[mikmak]

Maybe we haven't got the right perspective. Behold the internal competition:


The AU is a peach next to this catfish looking nerf ball.

[DanCBJMS1988]

^^

No wonder why Ford Oz was gunshy about the Mondeo!

[Monaro]

Originally Posted by Zomsky

The AU, was mechanically, a sound car: retaining the core running gear of the EL which was a great car. Powerful, quiet and an excellent workhorse.

But...

Just look at the thing..................

The Egg Shell roofline........... The appaling tapered rear end. The dodgey wheel arch flares. All those curves intertwined with the, um, angular i guess you would say, lightwork front and rear!

And the interior....... Primary grey chinese quality plastic everywhere, and that Baboon's arse centre console!!

Then there is the Buck Toothed/ Grandpa Moustache? Cheese Grater/ Plankton Chomping Front Grille....

I remember at the launch, the design team (all now presumably flipping burgers for a living) commenting on how the "New Edge" styling would look perfectly in place in "seven or eight years time" and that they were "ahead of the game"..........

Bad news, people. Seven or Eight years later, and, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Falcon that almost killed the falcon.

May the earth never see a car like this again

It is because I agree with you that I am in shock that maybe they were right about new edge styling....






So, Commodore = BMW and Falcon = Merc?

[Zomsky]

Sadly, your right about the new edge styling.............

Looks like it might be here to stay...

I am not sure which is worse..... new edge, or Toyota's "oops: i left the compressor running too long and overinflated the car" styling (al-la Rav4, new Tundra, Highlander/Kluger.......

[BBDOS CV8]

I remember reading about the AU - they had six designs done, one of which they had to commit to, to create tooling for the car. There was no time to redesign it again, so they put the proposals in front of marketing focus groups.

The AU Falcon was rated as very unattractive. But it was the 'least bad' shape. So they went with it. One can only imagine how horrible the other five designs were.

I remember the Melbourne Herald-Sun leaked the pictures of the Balleen-Whale-teeth Falcon Forte on the front page from the production line and the howls of outrage over the FJ-style 1950s vertical teeth grille!

Although the VR/VS Commodore had been clawing back market share, that just killed Ford stone dead, especially with the VT avalanche descending.

What was otherwise a decent car was crucified for its sad, down-in-the-mouth shape, but if you can put its styling aside you'll find a competent family sedan that's going for a song on the used-car market.

THE AU was doomed from the start when critics jumped all over its radical styling.

Some didn't like the Forte's waterfall grille, others the overuse of oval shapes, but most loathed the way it fell away at the corners, particularly at the rear.

While styling is a matter of taste, there were some practical criticisms of the AU's shape.

Headroom was limited, and it was easy to bang your head as you got in or out of the front or rear. The shape of the rear doors made it difficult to get in to the rear seat.

The AU's interior also came in for some well-deserved criticism. Extensive use of oval shapes and cheap-looking plastics created a dash with a cheap and nasty appearance.

Carsguide Falcon Au article

[Monaro]

With it being the worst external design they ever came up with its really suprising that its one of the longest running designs theve stuck with.

Sorry but I dont consider BA to be a new design, they fixed the interior and externally the front and rear look better- but more out of place with the rest of the car, ditto the VY I guess.