Falcon is dead...long live the focus?

[Swordsman88]

While the FG may be the best falcon ever produced in this country, it doesn't mean it will equate to sufficient sales to keep production in broadmeadows going into the future. Even if the FG (or at least its platform) is very competitive worldwide, one can't be sure there is a sufficient market for large RWD cars around the world to make future development worth it. Ford aren't sure, as noted by Mullaly himself on a recent trip here. While it would seem logical the Mustang and other lincoln models could use a Falcon platform (and the integration of the US Duratec V6 fits in well here) the trend in the US RE emission regulatoins, the europeans general aversion to high volume RWD cars and the continual decline of the large car in Australia makes this increasingly unlikley IMO.

I'm a huge Falcon fan, my family has a big falcon history and for my sake, i hope the falcon lives on as an aussie produced (and largely designed) vehicle. The FG is a staggeringly good vehicle, built on a miniscule developmental budget, and it is literally the best truly affordable large RWD vehicle on the planet. I also think that is has a role to play in the aussie, and world market .

But i don't think it is wise for people to denigrate Ford for 'moving away' from the Falcon to the Focus size platform. It is exactly what the business requires....the market wants smaller size, FWD cars. At the very least, environmental/economic/legislative factors favour FWD. If Ford can make a business case for exports (and local sales) of FWD C1 platform cars out of broadmeadows we should be happy. After all, the C max, Kuga SUV, focus, mondeo etc. are all on this platform.

Holden's gamble on the US market has (and will continue) to deliver squat.....exports to China/Mid East are ok for now, but many other people are/will gunning for those markets too. Local Holden sales are on the back of huge discounting too.... Toyota Aus is already under huge pressure RE its export programs, and in recent years has gone heavilly to fleets to move cars - e.g camry/corolla. Mazda (and honda/VW etc.) has been very successful, selling to private buyers in large numbers - BUT has anyone noticed it has largely been on the back of FWD, small/mid size vehicles.

Ford can and do produce great vehicles, but where they are designed or built shouldn't matter as much as getting people to actually buy these great cars. Don't get me wrong, i want to preserve aussie jobs in car manufacturing, but as much as i love the Falcon, if that has to be done with FWD Fords then so be it. If Ford needs a large car platform, then IMO it should be designed here and based on a global falcon....as for if and where it is built....i fear the aussie market is far to small to have any say in that.....Alot of people on here abuse Tom Gorman, but in a way he was just making the hard call. He started a shift in Ford Aus attention from falcon, to a more balanced line up with small euro designed fords at its core. Osbourne has cointinued this.....you'd be a silly man to rule out Kuga SUV exports out of broadmeadow by 2015....