Pete A Member 442 Member For: 16y 2m 12d Gender: Male Location: Castle Hill NSW Posted 15/07/10 02:43 AM Share Posted 15/07/10 02:43 AM I for one will have to see what they bring out IF they eventually stop building teh Falcon in OZ.The second they go to a front wheel drive platform they will lose my dollars that's for sure.A Focus would be a far better car to buy if you want a front wheel drive (small to mid sized euro built).A front wheel drive US built, large car? Not thanks FORD OZ.FORD should avoid anything designed in the US like the plague and work with their EURO designers to come up with teh next Falcon if its going to be a new global platform.USA designed cars are in general Horrible with only a few stand out exceptions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunna Donating Members 813 Member For: 18y 5m 21d Posted 15/07/10 09:13 AM Share Posted 15/07/10 09:13 AM Does he 'need' to actually work directly for Ford, when he sits in the ivory tower every time he is there? I would take a stab and think that the 'critical' suppliers that have been so for years and years and years, know the inventory levels, planed builds and near every details of the production line... hhhmmm Futuris, Venture, Dana, Acument, Autoliv? Throw us a bone!Inventory levels and build schedules for 6 years away? Certainly not. Suppliers don't even get build schedules for new programs that are months out, let alone 5 years. Concepts are discussed of course, but not planning for something that hasn't even been designed yet. Our timeframes are much shorter than what we're talking about here, so the whole process won't kick off for some time yet (if it does).Not trying to be a c*** just trying to sort out fact from fiction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smicky Go Pies!!! Donating Members 2,852 Member For: 16y 11m 29d Gender: Male Location: Vic Somewhere - Sometimes NSW Posted 16/07/10 10:10 AM Author Share Posted 16/07/10 10:10 AM (edited) bunna - you are correct.So I will point you back to the orignal comment and additional comments I made, and have mentioned he said in passing."I dont know if there will be another aussie falcon as it currently stands" (or whatever it was I said earlier).The puropse of the thread was "what if there is not another aussie falcon"...As for planning and concepts - big business does this until the day funding, it the powers at be say - lock the doors!Regardless of profits v's other companies in the same field - this is not a bullet proof/sure sign that a company wont make changes or cut a product line for other reasons, be that profits or other.So - again I say, this was a 'what if' my friend, therefore please calm and dont stress... Im sure you still have a job for sometime to come... (btw - nope not telling who it is or what company... but ill say this - he did take some door shells out of ford a few years back for a trade show... "Smicky (well my real name anyways) amazing - its harder to smuggle doors back into ford then it was to simply walk out with them... that's why they are sitting in our office still"... Edited 16/07/10 10:12 AM by smicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunna Donating Members 813 Member For: 18y 5m 21d Posted 16/07/10 10:45 AM Share Posted 16/07/10 10:45 AM lol I understand (longstanding supplier, notoriously f***ed, friendly banter, etc)If only purchasing would grow some balls and drop em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smicky Go Pies!!! Donating Members 2,852 Member For: 16y 11m 29d Gender: Male Location: Vic Somewhere - Sometimes NSW Posted 16/07/10 12:25 PM Author Share Posted 16/07/10 12:25 PM Huh?now im lost - never said who the supplier was, or what they actually supply...but anyways... this has kinda become a waste now - so anyways, back to the orignal post...If - what would you all do...?And yes - anything is possible as they say... so 'it could be the last'.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobramad Member 824 Member For: 19y 6m 28d Gender: Male Location: Perth Posted 19/07/10 03:10 PM Share Posted 19/07/10 03:10 PM If the Top Gear article is anything to go by, the SHO Taurus or whatever you chose to call it may actually be a decent thing, by their account displaying levels of fit, finish and refinement that are probably as good or even better that what we are currently enjoying (enduring). A kerb weight of just over 1900kg for an AWD sedan that supposedly towers over FG in all dimensions isnt fantastic but by the same token, aint too bad and if it can get to 100 ks under 6secs and dispatch the quartermile in 13's, well than, you must be a hard crowd to please.. Face it, after FG, Falcons will be fully imported...and while its a sad fact, business is after all, business. If I have some spare coin, the last FG F6 is still my pick for a keeper.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aiboart Member 665 Member For: 20y 1m Posted 19/07/10 09:22 PM Share Posted 19/07/10 09:22 PM (edited) It is not that the AWD Taurus SHO it is not a good thing, rather, it is about ensuring that Ford gets the $$$ and that Ford clients get value,1- In the era where (fleet) fuel consumption is a stay in business case for the vehicle manufacturer one questions the wisdom associated with installing a high mass high drag AWD driveline configuration into the mass market fleet.2- In the era when DSC is a legislated standard and when Agility Control is rolling out across the market, the safety and stability formerly offered by an AWD driveline is no longer relevant.3 - In an era when product differentiation and margin (not volume alone) is the key to profitability, RWD chassis dynamics offers a significant point of product differentiation, namely, the highest level of driving engagement and satisfaction (now with the safety of DSC modulated control). (For Example. Porsche was involved in a reverse takeover when their attempt to take over the VW-Audi-Lambo-Bentley-Bugatti group was outflanked. The original Porsche takeover was driven by the immense margin driven profitability of the Porsche group.) RWD is also considerably cheaper than high end AWD to design and manufacture. RWD is no longer a commodity product, it is a premium product. Edited 19/07/10 09:23 PM by aiboart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tab Sucker Moderating Team 32,303 Member For: 20y 9m 21d Gender: Male Location: Brisbane Posted 19/07/10 11:23 PM Share Posted 19/07/10 11:23 PM ...and while its a sad fact, business is after all, business. Exactly At the end of the day (hate that line...almost like moving forward) the beancounters will win. Just because an enthusiast may not like it will not necessarily deter them from actually doing it.A re-badged Taurus will happen, it's simply a matter of when. And if the current model is anything to go by then the next model (or the one after possibly) should be even better so I'm not sure why we're all running scared? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smicky Go Pies!!! Donating Members 2,852 Member For: 16y 11m 29d Gender: Male Location: Vic Somewhere - Sometimes NSW Posted 20/07/10 10:29 AM Author Share Posted 20/07/10 10:29 AM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobramad Member 824 Member For: 19y 6m 28d Gender: Male Location: Perth Posted 21/07/10 02:14 PM Share Posted 21/07/10 02:14 PM For me, the biggest question is whether the buying public, or more specifically, the fleet managers will spring for front wheel drive for the bulk of their fleet purchase, which will almost certainly be most of Falcon/Taurus sales.I reckon they will, given the immense popularity of those most cardigan of cars, the Camry/Aurion..Total cost to the business over 3/4yrs will be their criteria, and the majority of that will be depreciation. For them, it will matter little that the vehicle is RWD or an arse-dragger.. The fact is that few Aussies are plonking their hard-earned cash down for a Falcodore any more.. We are now spoiled for choice.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now