Is The Falcon Going The Way Of The Dodo?

[PookeyMaster]

As per the title, I saw this article in the news paper today.

http://m.smh.com.au/drive/motor-news/is-the-falcon-going-the-way-of-the-dodo-20110304-1bh3k.html

Talks about the declining sales of large cars but in particular the Ford Falcon.

[revhead_71]

Seems to me like someone at Fairfax has a vendetta against Ford. They keep on reinforcing this same crap every 2 weeks spooking would be buyers.

This was the same kind of media negativity that killed off Mitsubishi local production.

[PookeyMaster]

Well I hope it's all wrong. I don't want to get to the end of the year looking at buying the T and find they don't sell them anymore.

Hopefully the launch of the EcoBoost, Liquid Injection LPG and Coyote V8 will push sales up in the second half of the year.

[RIP_HSV]

Didn't ford out sell Expensive Daewoo by a mile last year????

[Bomber]

Ford don't help themselves either. My mate was nearly over the line on a 50th anniversary T ute but they wouldn't move $500 on the deal. Why? Because the factory cut into the dealer's margin on all 50th anniversary models. My dealer manager mate hated them for this reason and couldn't wait until his allocations ran out. They just sat on stock until it sold for RRP. Just as well I wasn't looking then as I've never paid list price and never will. On top of that, we've now got no entry level V8. Together with the recent VE upgrade, this will drive more people away from the brand.

I suspect when you read about the 'green' bullsh*t and the wonderful 4cyl Falcon to come that the XR8 is dead. Again Expensive Daewoo were smarter. They kept the old clunker but tweaked it so you can run E85 without a tune. We can bag the old pushrod dinosaur but at least you can buy an entry level V8 Commodore.

Nobody wants an import front wheel drive rebadged Tauras as a Falcon. If you think that can't or won't happen well, we're getting a 4cyl Falcon already. Those hanging onto their B series need to think about it. If you can afford an upgrade, do it now.

By the way, my mate ended up buying a 55K listed GXP Maloo for 46K driveaway. At that money it was too good to knock back.

[Guest XR09]

The Late model camira has flogged the Falcon in sales two to one for years. Last year was three to one. Expensive Daewoo has run at a loss every year for the last four years. The Falcon at a profit.

Both would cost the same amount to land on the dealers floor.

I went and looked at the new GT. Absolutely shat when I saw the trade in price I was offered. And sorry, it's still thrown together with little care, and the finish of the car is as bad as anything on the market. The majority of Ford dealers are a joke and as rude and uncompromising as they come.

I seriously doubt I will be buying another Ford when my lease is up in August.

They try and fool us it's an Aussie car. Fark all is manufactured here. It's bolted together here and the profits sent home to the states. If any.

I'd rather give my money to the Japs or Germans. Least they don't turn the world to sh*t for no reason.

[PookeyMaster]

Ford don't help themselves either. My mate was nearly over the line on a 50th anniversary T ute but they wouldn't move $500 on the deal. Why? Because the factory cut into the dealer's margin on all 50th anniversary models. My dealer manager mate hated them for this reason and couldn't wait until his allocations ran out. They just sat on stock until it sold for RRP. Just as well I wasn't looking then as I've never paid list price and never will. On top of that, we've now got no entry level V8. Together with the recent VE upgrade, this will drive more people away from the brand.

I suspect when you read about the 'green' bullsh*t and the wonderful 4cyl Falcon to come that the XR8 is dead. Again Expensive Daewoo were smarter. They kept the old clunker but tweaked it so you can run E85 without a tune. We can bag the old pushrod dinosaur but at least you can buy an entry level V8 Commodore.

Nobody wants an import front wheel drive rebadged Tauras as a Falcon. If you think that can't or won't happen well, we're getting a 4cyl Falcon already. Those hanging onto their B series need to think about it. If you can afford an upgrade, do it now.

By the way, my mate ended up buying a 55K listed GXP Maloo for 46K driveaway. At that money it was too good to knock back.

Yeah, I agree. I see way more Expensive Daewoo ads than Ford. The ones I do see for Ford are all about running out the 50th Ann models where as Expensive Daewoo are advertising about how good their Series II is. I also had a friend who was looking at the XR50T and the dealer only budged $500 of the RRP. In Drive, Expensive Daewoo almost always have double page ads at the front and Ford have a single page in the last half of Drive that half the readers probably don't get to.

I'm personally not too fussed if the XR8 doesn't come back as I would never have bought one, but I would be annoyed if I was after one. As long as they keep the I6T for at least another 12 months, I'm happy

I'll never buy a front wheel drive Falcon "Tauras". I'd buy a Late model camira before I bought one of them. Hopefully Ford don't need to male a mistake twice to learn a lesson. If the keep it as rear wheel drive based on the Mustang I'm fine with that.

Edited 06/03/11 02:19 AM by PookeyMaster

[bunna]

Just thought I'd point out (based on the tone of comments here) that the 4 cylinder is not replacing the I6.

[Pazzo]

the smartest thing Expensive Daewoo did, was stop selling cars to taxi companys. the amount of times my mates say im driving a glorified taxi, I have lost count. my missus has a Bogan special for a company car, drives great and hate to say it better looking aswell. yeah not as quick as a T, but sometimes I would give away the speed difference for a car that drives great. when her lease comes up we are paying out the balloon payment and keeping it. then she will get her new company car, she is going for a Bogan special wagon, and how good do they look. when we take possesion of the ve my T will be up for sale. all im going to do is a set of 22s and full exhaust and tune, like I said will take a great driving car over speed any day. so in 11 months car will be up for sale. have my R1 for speed and the rx3 we are building for the drags and weekend cruise.

[Bomber]

It's funny how history repeats. They dropped the V8 Falcon once before. Dick Johnson was forced to peddle around a slow as fark import Mustang, then stepped into a '4cyl' Sierra. They were fantastic (had a turbo - so what else would you expect) but not the point. Now we're getting a '4cyl' Falcon. Hmmm. Can understand why some will return to the 'dark side'. Perhaps I should save my coin for the 'last' I6 Turbo? They won't listen to consumers and never have - that's the Ford way. Look at the other mob. They bring out a prototype VT coupe; call it a Monaro and hey presto. Then flog it not only here, but overseas. Ford Australia have never been that bold. Hang on I forgot. Remember the export capri convertible - OMG!

I truly hope sales improve. I think the FG is a good car. As I've said before, I stacked it up against the VE SS and wanted to like the Expensive Daewoo more. It was just before series 2 so didn't want the old cheese. It nearly got down to a coin toss however. I ended up buying an auto demo T (under 100k) but had crunched a deal on a spanker SS sedan (ordered in whatever color) for 40k driveaway! Yep, 40k. The FG had better performance of course and I hated the way the Expensive Daewoo only has only a 'ski hatch' entry into the boot, not fold downs. The manual in the SS was sh*t also and they power down the donk for the auto - fark that. They are the main reasons why I chose Falcon; that and I love Turbos.

Edited 06/03/11 07:50 AM by bomber