Mullaly confirms Falcon and Mustang to share platform from 2016

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by Ghiadude

Im sorry - but I wont stand for it and in this modern era of the internet it would be easy to unite for a common cause ESPECIALLY ONE THIS POPULAR.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOUR OF BANNING LOW PERFORMANCE DRIVERS AND NOT HIGH PERFORMANCE CARS SAY 'I' -

I agree. Although.
I don't think we need to go off topic.

[morak001]

I was wandering how much of the platform/structure could actually be shared between a soft top mustang and a four door hard top falcon?
For strength I would expect that the soft top would require almost a completly different structure to hold together without the roof, dunno???

[FPV GTHO]

Mustang isnt exclusively soft top though. There were plans for a soft top Monaro once as well. More often than not though, soft tops are done as an afterthought to the coupe. An exception would be the Boxter/Cayman.

[chevypower]

The next gen Mustang (GRWD) could include a convertible hard top for all we know.

[R-Design]

Wheels take on the situation, no new quotes from what I can see, and the door has been left wide open....

Originally Posted by Sean Poppitt January 1, 2010

Next-gen Aussie icon won't be Australia's own


"Ford Australia will never again go it alone." And so Ford Australia president Marin Burela confirmed that the FG will be the last Falcon designed, engineered and built exclusively for Australia.

The Falcon will live on, but not as we know it.

Under FoMoCo’s ‘One Ford’ strategy - which is focussed on developing global platforms which are then tailored for different markets around the world – pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into developing a stand-alone Falcon for Australia “makes no sense”, according to Burela. Instead, it’s likely a single large-car platform will be developed and farmed out across the sprawling Blue Oval empire.

Speaking to Wheels in a snow-blanketed and arctic-cold Detroit, Ford’s CEO Alan Mullaly echoed Burela’s words. “Would we [build a car just for Australia]? No, I don’t think so. [Car manufacturers] who make one vehicle - a different vehicle – for just one country, I think those days are gone, because you can't compete with the global companies.”

So the question is: what becomes of Falcon? Burela confirmed the next all-new Falcon will surface in 2015 and that the nameplate will live on in Australia. The next-gen Falcon will also retain the current car’s basic size and dimensions, but because the Falcon needs to integrate into the global Ford community, and potentially become just one variant built on a platform sold in several world markets, the DNA of the next Falcon is unclear. According to Ford, not even they know. But the glory days of rear-wheel drive are looking shaky.

“We have several options,” said Burela. “The new car won’t arrive until 2015 and we don’t have to make a decision on Falcon until 2011. Do we go front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or stick with rear drive? These are the questions we’re asking and we’re in the early stages of intensive market research into those questions. But let me say this: Ford Australia will have extensive input into whatever car is choosen and we will deliver the car that Australians want and need.”

But RWD isn’t off the table just yet. Alan Mullaly also outlined the possibility of twinning development of the next Falcon with Ford’s rear drive muscle car: the Mustang. "You know, we’ve got some really good RWDs, too, like the Mustang. Can you imagine another new platform, just like the Falcon, that's going to be RWD for Mustang? So you can imagine driving One Ford we're going to have one of those, and there's no reason why we can't have it in Australia."

But uncertainty over Falcon’s future also casts a shadow over the future of Ford Australia continuing to build cars in this country. Ford has done much to strengthen its position since 2008, having streamlined local production and purchasing and taking into account the additional volume that will be created by the four-cylinder Falcon and diesel-powered Territory in 2011. But despite Falcon’s overall sales and market share actually growing during last year’s GFC-savaged roller-coaster ride, there can be no guarantee that the next Falcon will be built in Australia.

It will require a huge investment from Ford HQ to re-tool Australian factories for the next-generation Falcon, and with a low-cost manufacturing base in Thailand available to FoMoCo, questions marks linger over Broadmeadows. Building around 55,000 cars last year, volumes for Ford Oz are low and Australia is a relatively high-cost manufacturing base. It must be proven that the Falcon can be built profitably and that Ford Australia itself can return to profitability. The company posted a $274 loss in 2008, although Burela is confident of returning to profitability within the next three years. Ultimately, however, the decision will be made in the boardrooms of Ford HQ in Detroit.

Burela, on the other hand, was quick to hose down speculation: “You’re asking me to guarantee something that’s five years away. Frankly, that’s impossible, but the ‘One Ford’ strategy doesn’t include any immediate plans to stop building cars in Australia. We invested $230 million into our local operations last year and we have the Ecoboost Falcon and diesel Territory coming on-stream in 2011 - does that sound like the actions of a company that’s getting ready to turn off the lights?”

http://www.wheelsmag.com.au/wheels/s...ullarticle=yes

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by Boss315

Wheels take on the situation, no new quotes from what I can see, and the door has been left wide open....



http://www.wheelsmag.com.au/wheels/s...ullarticle=yes

Would any one expect Wheels to write any thing else?

[Chopped]

Unwarranted early media speculation killed the 380.

Let's not worry about the "all new Falcon" until at least 2014 !! (that's 3 or 4 more years to praise the FG)

[R-Design]

Originally Posted by cosmo20btt

Would any one expect Wheels to write any thing else?

If Ford isn't going to commit to anything, I don't see why Wheels should.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by cosmo20btt

Would any one expect Wheels to write any thing else?

There is nothing wrong with the article. Ford put themselves into this situation, what do they expect really?

[Nikked]

That article wasn't too bad, sorta had some positive bits in it. The Australian production has been proven viable at 55k odd units, and given that our factories are tailored to build large cars, i can see Australia being the center for the Australasia Large car production. They also talk about market research, and i think that a large majority of people would say... RWD or Nothing

[Swordsman88]

Originally Posted by Wretched

There is nothing wrong with the article. Ford put themselves into this situation, what do they expect really?

please explain..... If you mean ford's decisions globally re product development...no they did not do this to themselves. Media wise they may not have handled it very well, but the main people to blame are those sections of the media who partake in rampant speculation. Which, i might ad are not based in fact since at no point did ford say they were canning falcon, or it was going FWD or any of the other rubbish. In fact they repeatedly said 'wait till 2011'.

Whether you believe in media bias or not, fact is that truth never got in teh way of a good story. They attacked mistsubishi to the point of total capitulation despite sinking god knows how much coin into the aussie market, and now they are trying to do teh same thing to ford. Note how not one of these articles atcually espouses the quality of the ford aus product as it is now. Would this not be an issue RE the suitability of ford aus for the GRWD development centre, or for its profitabiliy generally. They note that ford aus has no export program, yet don't point out that its hasn't helped holden much lately Re profitability and toyota aus is constantly complaining about making no money on its export too. Basically, all the evidence shows ford is doomed, yet IN EXACTLY THE SAME MARKET, with near identical spec cars toyota and holden are fine. Not a problem. Never mind GM is bankrupt while you are at it and cruze will never turn a profit for holden (if its ever built).

Ford may not have helped the situation but they have been forced into this mess largely becaue the media harangued them into it. Just like it did mitsubishi. FFS we are talking 2015 here....what a crock of .....!!!

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by Swordsman88

please explain..... If you mean ford's decisions globally re product development...no they did not do this to themselves. Media wise they may not have handled it very well, but the main people to blame are those sections of the media who partake in rampant speculation. Which, i might ad are not based in fact since at no point did ford say they were canning falcon, or it was going FWD or any of the other rubbish. In fact they repeatedly said 'wait till 2011'.

Whether you believe in media bias or not, fact is that truth never got in teh way of a good story. They attacked mistsubishi to the point of total capitulation despite sinking god knows how much coin into the aussie market, and now they are trying to do teh same thing to ford. Note how not one of these articles atcually espouses the quality of the ford aus product as it is now. Would this not be an issue RE the suitability of ford aus for the GRWD development centre, or for its profitabiliy generally. They note that ford aus has no export program, yet don't point out that its hasn't helped holden much lately Re profitability and toyota aus is constantly complaining about making no money on its export too. Basically, all the evidence shows ford is doomed, yet IN EXACTLY THE SAME MARKET, with near identical spec cars toyota and holden are fine. Not a problem. Never mind GM is bankrupt while you are at it and cruze will never turn a profit for holden (if its ever built).

Ford may not have helped the situation but they have been forced into this mess largely becaue the media harangued them into it. Just like it did mitsubishi. FFS we are talking 2015 here....what a crock of .....!!!

+1 You put it like I should have said it. :evil3:

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Swordsman88

please explain..... If you mean ford's decisions globally re product development...no they did not do this to themselves. Media wise they may not have handled it very well, but the main people to blame are those sections of the media who partake in rampant speculation. Which, i might ad are not based in fact since at no point did ford say they were canning falcon, or it was going FWD or any of the other rubbish. In fact they repeatedly said 'wait till 2011'.

Whether you believe in media bias or not, fact is that truth never got in teh way of a good story. They attacked mistsubishi to the point of total capitulation despite sinking god knows how much coin into the aussie market, and now they are trying to do teh same thing to ford. Note how not one of these articles atcually espouses the quality of the ford aus product as it is now. Would this not be an issue RE the suitability of ford aus for the GRWD development centre, or for its profitabiliy generally. They note that ford aus has no export program, yet don't point out that its hasn't helped holden much lately Re profitability and toyota aus is constantly complaining about making no money on its export too. Basically, all the evidence shows ford is doomed, yet IN EXACTLY THE SAME MARKET, with near identical spec cars toyota and holden are fine. Not a problem. Never mind GM is bankrupt while you are at it and cruze will never turn a profit for holden (if its ever built).

Ford may not have helped the situation but they have been forced into this mess largely becaue the media harangued them into it. Just like it did mitsubishi. FFS we are talking 2015 here....what a crock of .....!!!

The back story to this was that the media was invited to a dinner at the Detroit Auto Show where
Ford Australia officials asked the media not to pester senior US Ford officials but this had the opposite effect
and the media thought officials were hiding something. After Mulally's confusing thee minutes of double speak,
a lot of the "Holden press" went off the deep end and started printing up baseless works of fiction.

Had Ford taken the time to realise just how interested the media was in this story, I'm sure they would have handled discussions much more like the one on the following day, that did a lot to hose down suspicion and allay fears of an imminent decision.....

As one journalist quipped, the whole presentation of One Ford sure had plenty of American
and European Fords but not one photograph of a Falcon or Territory to be seen anywhere.

[Swordsman88]

Originally Posted by jpd80

The back story to this was that the media was invited to a dinner at the Detroit Auto Show where
Ford Australia officials asked the media not to pester senior US Ford officials but this had the opposite effect
and the media thought officials were hiding something. After Mulally's confusing thee minutes of double speak,
a lot of the "Holden press" went off the deep end and started printing up baseless works of fiction.

Had Ford taken the time to realise just how interested the media was in this story, I'm sure they would have handled discussions much more like the one on the following day,
that did a lot to hose down suspicion and allay fears of an imminent decision.....

As i said, that ford did not handle the inital media group well. But, that media group new damn well it was spinning trollop when it wrote those articles...or at the very least was editorialising based on bias enduced speculation. If they want to have a bit of speculation then fine, but most of those articles did so with an inherently negative tone and were very much lacking in any FACT. We know there was no fact because there can't be...ford hansn't made their final decision and they never said anything to imply they had.

Moreover, some of the 'falcon is still alive' stories came out BEFORE the second clarifying media conference, and were based on EXACTLY THE SAME quotes. How the hell can this be?? Simple, one group of media in what was probably a 'access to big wigs' craze of excitement 'group thinked'' their way into some sensational stories. The other group, reading some transcripts in the cool of their hotel rooms, saw the same thing that most of use who can read did. NOTHING. If anything, there were hints to the contrary.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Swordsman88

As i said, that ford did not handle the inital media group well. But, that media group new damn well it was spinning trollop when it wrote those articles...or at the very least was editorialising based on bias enduced speculation. If they want to have a bit of speculation then fine, but most of those articles did so with an inherently negative tone and were very much lacking in any FACT. We know there was no fact because there can't be...ford hansn't made their final decision and they never said anything to imply they had.

Moreover, some of the 'falcon is still alive' stories came out BEFORE the second clarifying media conference, and were based on EXACTLY THE SAME quotes. How the hell can this be?? Simple, one group of media in what was probably a 'access to big wigs' craze of excitement 'group thinked'' their way into some sensational stories. The other group, reading some transcripts in the cool of their hotel rooms, saw the same thing that most of use who can read did. NOTHING. If anything, there were hints to the contrary.

The stupid part is these same people were wanting Ford to commit to print their future plans long before
a proper review of the next product cycle had been done. Everyone of those reporters knew that but some
decided to be mischief makers intent on drawing a fierce response from Ford officials. Their attitide was to
present the cynical negative side in the hopes of drawing out an angry uncontrolled quote.
Senior Ford officials are not that stupid.

All I'm saying is that had Ford seen them coming, I'm sure they would have structured the press conference differently

[sxckevo]

well put again swordsman88

[jpd80]

Funny how those same negative reporters went straight off and did stories
extolling the virtues of GM and Holden exports to the USA....

[Chilliman]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Funny how those same negative reporters went straight off and did stories
extolling the virtues of GM and Holden exports to the USA....

Soon they won't be able to hide the ugly truth any longer....if GM don't start turning things around, this year, their 2nd bankruptcy will be permanent! I await GM's fourth quarter results with baited breath - the intial reports; lower revenues, negative cashflow - look ominous. And despite all this the new CEO (Ed Whittacre) still proclaims that GM can make a profit this year :

As for Holden, I have a sneaking suspicion that the success of the Cruze is actually doing alot of damage Commodore and the viability of the Zeta platform!

[jpd80]

Not wishing GM bad luck but I see them continuing to do the traditional GM philosophy of
overproduction to keep factories and order books full while using big discounts to shift excess stock.

Ford on the other hand is reconnecting with private buyers and reaping big benefits through
selling cars at a higher average price and making more profit per car without low profit fleet sales.
I predict Ford will re enter the fleet business with LILPG and Ecoboost I-4 Falcons which will
access certain I-4 only fleet sales.

[Mayhem_07]

Might see the re-birth of a Falcon coupe instead of them selling Mustangs here.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Funny how those same negative reporters went straight off and did stories
extolling the virtues of GM and Holden exports to the USA....

It's nature of the beast. As pointed out in Josh Dowlings "Confidential" article, Holden spoil the local writers, Ford don't. This is a fact that he was more than happy to state. We, the Ford fanatics, always wondered why. There was the answer.

The lines of communication, and this "special" relationship Holden has nurtured over the years has convinced me that a) Ford should take a leaf out of their book, it would put them on an even playing field. And b) without this relationship, Holden would have been knocked out of this game a long time ago.

Originally Posted by Mayhem_07

Might see the re-birth of a Falcon coupe instead of them selling Mustangs here.

Yes, there are plenty of possibilities and new doors that will open with One Ford. This would be one of them.

[gocruzin]

I don't know if this has been said before or if it's in context but I feel the need to say it so here goes.

I feel mixed emotions about the mustang/falcon breeding program, as such. In five years time there wont be a localy designed and built falcon unique to australia. It's just going to be another american vehicle or worse, a bland non specific low fat version of what the yanks think we need in an "aussie" car.
Now I dont doubt this union will have benefits to us, but i think it will have drawbacks too.

Im sure some of you have seen or even driven a late model american domestic car at some point, and no doubt been critical of it's clunky and chunky styling of the interiors, less than stellar handling, or the sometimes missguided exterior style.
I just hope that (when) this goes through, they give some design freedom to our local people.
As much as I like the mustang there are a lot of things I do not like, My Bf ticks a lot of boxes for me personaly.
And just one more thing what of our much loved UTE, are we going to have to drive ranchero's and pickup trucks now or are we going to get a licoln town car with the roof chopped off. I don't know

[Bossxr8]

Would Ford even bother making a new Fairlane, the Statesman/Caprice sells less than approx 300 per month here. That LWB market is dead and gone, Ford bailed at the right time.

LWB vehicles used to sell in excess of 1000 per month not that long ago.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by gocruzin

I don't know if this has been said before or if it's in context but I feel the need to say it so here goes.

I feel mixed emotions about the mustang/falcon breeding program, as such. In five years time there wont be a localy designed and built falcon unique to australia. It's just going to be another american vehicle or worse, a bland non specific low fat version of what the yanks think we need in an "aussie" car.
Now I dont doubt this union will have benefits to us, but i think it will have drawbacks too.

Im sure some of you have seen or even driven a late model american domestic car at some point, and no doubt been critical of it's clunky and chunky styling of the interiors, less than stellar handling, or the sometimes missguided exterior style.
I just hope that (when) this goes through, they give some design freedom to our local people.
As much as I like the mustang there are a lot of things I do not like, My Bf ticks a lot of boxes for me personaly.
And just one more thing what of our much loved UTE, are we going to have to drive ranchero's and pickup trucks now or are we going to get a licoln town car with the roof chopped off. I don't know

I drove a Pontiac G8, funny thing was it felt just like a Commodore...:rolleyes:

I suspect that a North American Version of our Falcon would feel similar to our G Series....

[whatever]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Would Ford even bother making a new Fairlane, the Statesman/Caprice sells less than approx 300 per month here. That LWB market is dead and gone, Ford bailed at the right time.

LWB vehicles used to sell in excess of 1000 per month not that long ago.

I think the real ray of hope for falcon is the talk of joining falcon development with Lincoln. Wouldn't it be easier to downsize a proper falcon platform from a LWB Lincoln (i.e. LTD) instead of upsizing a mustang to suit? The volume of the stretched wheelbase would be in Lincoln sales and the cutdown falcon in Australia. Easy enough making a stretched limo off a Falcon.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Would Ford even bother making a new Fairlane, the Statesman/Caprice sells less than approx 300 per month here. That LWB market is dead and gone, Ford bailed at the right time.

LWB vehicles used to sell in excess of 1000 per month not that long ago.

Depends how well the car will sell everywhere else, for a LWB Falcon to be reborn the business case will need to be solid...especially with Ford as they're not gonna take risks.

[JPFS1]

Originally Posted by whatever

I think the real ray of hope for falcon is the talk of joining falcon development with Lincoln. Wouldn't it be easier to downsize a proper falcon platform from a LWB Lincoln (i.e. LTD) instead of upsizing a mustang to suit? The volume of the stretched wheelbase would be in Lincoln sales and the cutdown falcon in Australia. Easy enough making a stretched limo off a Falcon.

You might think that there would be significant differences between Mustang and Falcon.

In fact, they are very similar, particularly front <-> rear track. Nothing in it, literally.

There's 110mm in extra wheelbase for Falcon, 40mm extra in height. Meet half way for wheelbase, a fair compromise.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by JPFS1

You might think that there would be significant differences between Mustang and Falcon.

In fact, they are very similar, particularly front <-> rear track. Nothing in it, literally.

There's 110mm in extra wheelbase for Falcon, 40mm extra in height. Meet half way for wheelbase, a fair compromise.

It's more complex than that, the cabin of the Mustang is about 9" shorter
in the rear foot wells and the front engine rails about 5" longer.

It's not impossible for Falcon framing to do the job but it's almost
impossible for the Mustang's shell to become a sedan.

[gocruzin]

Originally Posted by jpd80

I drove a Pontiac G8, funny thing was it felt just like a Commodore...:rolleyes:

LOL! yeah thats why I think Ford should be exporting LHD falcons, yanks would love em they are always crying out for midsized RWD cars.


Regardless of the outcome I dont think I will feel the same pride in Ford Aust
as I do now. And I'll be holding on to my Bf's for a good while knowing they will be some of the last aussie ford V8's made.
I am aware that the 5.4 is a yank engine but the aussies made that truck motor into somthing much better than it ever would be if it was up to the yanks.
But what do I know.

[fromBAonwards]

some dude told me this : " you Aussies have a great car that the rest of the world does not know about" , so i think its time for us to join the forces and become one with our Ford ingenuity and engineering knowledge in the design area/engine area e.t.c