Ford Australia Prepares For Global Role

[f-wolf]

The Sydney Morning Herald, 20/07/07

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. By RICHARD BLACKBURN and CHRISTOPHER JENSEN.

Flying the flag ... the next Mustang may have an Aussie flavour

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.

It says Ford insiders believe the new limousines will draw styling inspiration from the Ford Interceptor concept that made its debut at this year's Detroit motor show. The website also speculates there may be a rear-drive version of the Explorer based on Ford Australia's locally developed Territory off-roader.

Tom Gorman, Ford Australia boss, says talk of a deal being done is premature. "We have a fantastic rear-wheel-drive product. The product development team globally understands how strong our product is. We are actively in discussions about that but it is still very, very early days. There have been no decisions made whatsoever."

But Gorman says the axing of Ford's in-line six could strengthen the local operation's global position: "It brings us one step closer to better integrating with Ford's global product development. The longer that we remain an 'orphan' in terms of our technologies in Australia, the less likely we are to fully participate in all the activity that's under way in rear-wheel-drive."

The appointment of Ford president Allan Mullaly in September last year is believed to have cleared the way for Australia to take on a more prominent role in the global organisation.

Until recently, internal politics has worked against Australian involvement, with US engineers jealously guarding their interests. But it is believed former Boeing boss Mullaly has a far more global view of the business and has been given the green light by Ford powerbrokers to dismantle any entrenched barriers to progress.

He also knows about Australia. As part of the B787 aircraft project, he oversaw the outsourcing of engineering development to overseas suppliers, including Hawker de Havilland in Australia, which won a $4 billion design contract for the plane.

"What is really important," Gorman says, "is that as part of Allan's strategy we now have a centralised product development person and once you get that, that individual is going to look for the best capability around the world. We're really proud of the capability we have here so, yeah, I do think that gives us a stronger opportunity to participate globally.

"I think Ford recognises the strength of our platform, it recognises the strength of our rear-wheel-drive capability and I think we are improving our position vis-a-vis global rear-wheel-drive."

The Inside Line report says the Australian option has the backing of "top executives" in Detroit.

Gorman says the global Ford 3.5-litre V6 will be introduced on the Falcon in 2010.

In base form, the engine produces roughly 196kW of power but a twin-turbo performance version could produce 309kW of power and 542Nm of torque. Ford says the twin-turbo can combine V8 performance with V6 fuel consumption.

The V6 is now built in Ohio and used in Ford's Edge soft-roader and Taurus, as well as the Mazda CX-9.

A higher-output 3.7-litre version of the engine is already being built in Japan and this may make its way into the Falcon, although that appears less likely given the recent focus on fuel efficiency.

[mbjunior99]

Interesting ...

[Dagabond]

Damage control.....

[seventytwo]

The only problem with going global is losing the local flavor.

If falcon is sold in America, Then the Americans will want a say in its design and development and the falcon will just end up like all the other US cr@p.

[Flukey]

V6??? WTF

You cant buy a Mustang with a V6!

[LUMO]

Ford should keep the inline 6 not have a V6 that's wrong but I like the idea of the twin turbo and Mustang with a V6 is wrong again it should be a V8 twin turbo

Edited 21/07/07 03:34 PM by LUMO

[caspertt]

An australian designed mustang??? wonder how much it'll wiegh???

[Guest newl]

You cant buy a Mustang with a V6!

Yes you can. They come in 4, 6, and 8 cyl variants. The models have typically been GL, LX, GT and Cobra respectively.

[f-wolf]

Ford?s Focus on Australia

23 Jul, 2007

After making 600 workers redundant as a result of closing down the Geelong plant , the future looked bleak for Ford Australia. However only a few days later speculation had been aroused that - not unlike GM - Ford would rely on its Australian arm to produce the new global platform . Well the first results of these speculations have arisen today with Ford announcing that they will manufacture the Ford Focus locally in Australia by 2011.

Currently manufactured internationally in countries ranging from Germany to the Philippines to China, the small-hatch will be the only current locally manufactured small car on the market. Continuing the Australian firsts, it will also be most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vehicle produced in Australia, with the current manual diesel model offering fuel economy levels of 5.6 litres/100 km and CO2 emission levels of 148g/km. Both petrol and diesel Focus variants will be manufactured in Australia.

In the wake of the Geelong plant closure, Ford Australia is preparing for an annual production of 40,000 Focus vehicles, which will add approximately 300 new jobs across Ford?s operations, returning the Campbellfield manufacturing assembly plant to full capacity utilisation. In addition, the company?s Stamping Plant in Geelong will stamp a significant number of panels for the new vehicle.

Beginning in 2011, the locally made Focus will be sold in Australia as well as exported to regional markets, including New Zealand and South Africa. Significant additional export markets will be announced closer to the due date.

Rising fuel costs and changing consumer lifestyles have created a dramatic shift in customer buying preferences with small cars accounting for 21.7 per cent of all new cars sold in Australia year-to-date, up from 15.4 per cent in 1998. By manufacturing the European designed and engineered Focus in Australia, Ford will be able to enhance the vehicle?s key product attributes by enabling further consideration of Australian-specific customer demands.

?With the support of the Federal Government and Victorian State Government, Ford Australia will be the first local car manufacturer to respond to these changing market dynamics in this manner. We look forward to offering Australians their first locally produced small car in more than a decade.?

Ford Australia President, Mr Tom Gorman.

Edited 23/07/07 02:31 AM by f-wolf

[Dagabond]

Alarm bells are ringing loud and clear now arent they Tom....