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Hello Ford People. Just seen an article how the Ford Mustang is making a comeback after 50 years. It would be nice to see the return of the Ford Fairlane. It would even nice for Ford to return to the Glory Days. Even would be a sad day for Bathurst. http://www.news.com.au/b...-fnda1bsz-1226679407966
Cheers Edited by user Saturday, 20 July 2013 2:54:51 AM(UTC)
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That's nice but selling an Aussie built LHD Falcon in the USA as well would have been a better idea than closing the factories in Victoria.
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100% agree Jim. The falcon in many ways is a better car. They are tossing out one of the last rear wheel drive sedans. And its a bloody awesome car. If we could have just got more people to test drive one before buying that import.
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Short-sighted fleet buyers (including the govt) are also to blame. The "4 cylinder" was OK when they were buying Australian assembled Camrys, but once the floodgates opened to imports, all manner of Korean & Thai assembled crap literally exploded into government & private fleets.
If Ford could have promoted the LPi a lot better, people would wake up to the fact that it actually costs less than a Corolla to run in real-life running costs, and on a Syd-Melb return trip, actually cost less in real $ than a Prius that travelled with us.
Extrememly low running costs, with more power & torque than the petrol Falcon, all the space & comfort of a large car, with excellent long-distance comfort, and less emissions than most of the 4cyl trash on the market.
I've had a G6 LPi for almost 2 years now (70K on it) and it's a fantastic car. When the lease is up on it, I'll be getting another one.
People are amazed when you tell them you can do Syd-Melb return (southern outskirts of Syd) on $99 of LPG (when it was 64.9 in Syd & 55.9 in Melb) - and I have the receipts to prove it! Even at the higher price of LPG today, it would work out to $112 for the same trip.
Same distance (1600km) in a cramped-up little 7L/100km 4-cylinder s***-box @ 145.9 (price I saw yesterday) is $162!
Trouble is, the fleet accountants are too short-sighted to realise the benefits not only to the cost of the fuel, but also the servicing and environmental cost advantages.
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Cheers,
Mick
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Ford Australia didn't market the falcon like they could have. It was as if Ford US wanted it dead or someone inside Ford did. There's a lot of people in this country, pollies, Ford execs, Fleet buyers and the new think they know it all but don't general public latte sippers that should take a good hard look at their near sighted selves. Falcon is dead, yet so many crap cars are selling. There's nothing that can be done I know. I'm just sad and bitter. If the Falcon had been a POS it wouldn't hurt so much. But it is truly a great road car and cheaper to maintain than so many of these 4 cyls and never been off road SUVs. I'll shut up now, preaching to guys who know this anyway.
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Yes it's pretty obvious that Ford Management wanted the Falcon dead. No export markets WTF?
Even the announcement speech said that the Falcon costs twice as much as a Euro Ford to produce and four times as much as an Asian Ford (Which means that the similarly sized and priced to the Falcon Mondeo should cost 2/3 the price of a Falcon if Euro built or 1/3 the price if Thailand built but no Ford Australia gouge it's buyers big time with that model alone).
Honestly if I were to purchase a new car from an importing scab then I'd buy a Subaru. This will not happen while Holden and even Toyota can supply me with an Australian car. Yes I would rather drive an Aussie built (4 wheeled white good) Camry/Aurion over an import.
Yes Ford Australia if you are listening a locally built Camry will be in my garage before an imported Mustang will be. |
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quote:
Originally posted by Jim5.0
Yes it's pretty obvious that Ford Management wanted the Falcon dead. No export markets WTF?
Even the announcement speech said that the Falcon costs twice as much as a Euro Ford to produce and four times as much as an Asian Ford (Which means that the similarly sized and priced to the Falcon Mondeo should cost 2/3 the price of a Falcon if Euro built or 1/3 the price if Thailand built but no Ford Australia gouge it's buyers big time with that model alone).
Honestly if I were to purchase a new car from an importing scab then I'd buy a Subaru. This will not happen while Holden and even Toyota can supply me with an Australian car. Yes I would rather drive an Aussie built (4 wheeled white good) Camry/Aurion over an import.
Yes Ford Australia if you are listening a locally built Camry will be in my garage before an imported Mustang will be.
Aurion don't ya mean. My wife bought a Aurion and i wanted the falcon XR6. the Aurion is ok but on dirt roads it's rubbish. She could see better out of the Aurion and that's why she bought it. If and when the ausie doller drops right off and the asian go up and their workers get payed better, where will us aussies be ? A 3rd world with no hope at all. The new Mustang looks fine but it's backwards rubbish with leaf springs. The only thing austraila is set for is a dumping ground for low life no hopers if Rudd has his way.
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For Detroit should have looked at the Falcon's platform for future Mustangs including the inline 6's if they were not so inward thinking.
Look at the "all New" model Exploder (Explorer), They could have just re skinned the Territory it looks that similar but no they had to waste millions on re inventing the wheel.
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They had considered the Falcon's IRS platform, but I think the bean counters were the problem.
The 4.0L has been on borrowed time for several years now. Remember when the talk was all about fitting the D35 V6 into the Falcon? That was because the 4.0L wasn't going to pass the tighter emissions laws that came in some 3 years ago. Luckily, the boys in Geelong persevered, and with clever engineering, managed to get the ONLY cast-iron block passenger car engine, in the world, to meet those standards (only just!).
Cast iron simply can't warm up quick enough - this is the problem - but the low volume of production, and sheer cost of a new block design, testing & tooling for a cast alloy version of the block makes that avenue unviable.
The next round of tighter laws kick in on Nov 1, 2016. The 4.0L has no hope of meeting them. It's no coincidence they chose October 31, 2016 as D-day.
In saying that, I've had several yanks over (work) and driven them around. They love the G6, and wished they could have it over there instead of the rubbish they have now. The best part was the look on their faces when I planted it - first off they asked how the hell I got a V8 as a company car - it shocked them when I told them it was an inline 6, and the shock was even greater when they realised "you get this sort of power out of propane??"
I also had the opportunity to test drive an FPV GT-E around the time of the launch (work related....) with several of them, and they all wanted to buy one & take it back home.
While it may only be 2 Americans in their early 50s, how many more of the 200 million yanks would have also liked a Falcon or FPV? Holden/Chev seem to think the VF SS is worthy, why not the Ford? |
Cheers,
Mick
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Quite a lot Mick. When Ford Australia sent over the BA XR6 ute and sedan to the US for Fords 100th anniversary the cars were a hit. Apparently many a family man was heard to ask why they couldn't get them there. Ford US answer to the falcon at the time was the crown Victoria!! Now they have Taurus.
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if all the aussie manufacturers pull out it could blow up right in their faces, with no local manufacturing to protect there is no valid reason for the 25 year rule and anybody should logically will be able to import anything they want.
who is going to buy a new car with all those delicious second hand cars available so cheap from o/s?
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Good point John. Even Toyota in NZ went "if you can't beat them join them" and started to import their own pre owned Toyota's |
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just had a quick look at ebay for cars bids expiring in next couple of hours...
2004 Audi A4 1.8t $9995
2006 Corvette 24000miles $25900
2006 Cadillac sedan $14500
2001 Lincoln $6999
2006 Mustang $22000
2004 Rav4 $6200
2004 Ford Crown victoria police interceptor (whatever that means) $3500
what chance your Hyundai or Renault now?
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