Territory displayed at Bangkok Int. Show

[Dr Smith]

Ford press release:
http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=36230

All-New Ford Focus To Make its ASEAN Debut at the 33rd Bangkok International Motor Show

• The all-new Ford Focus is the next of eight all-new global One Ford vehicles to be introduced in ASEAN by mid-decade
• Ford stand at the ASEAN region's premiere auto show will feature an array of interactive displays and full range of Ford vehicles, including the expanded lineup of the class-leading Ford Fiesta and class-defining All-New Ford Ranger
• The Bangkok Show will serve as the ASEAN preview for the new Ford Territory premium SUV to gauge public interest

Ford will also use the Bangkok Show for the ASEAN preview of the Australian-built Ford Territory premium SUV to gauge customer interest and the feasibility of a local market introduction.

The new Ford Territory is a seven-seat crossover, equipped with a 2.7L TDCi V6 turbo-diesel engine with six-speed automatic transmission.

I wish they included an Ecoboost Falcon just for the hell of it, bugger it, I would have chipped in for the freight costs, lol.

[jpd80]

Excellent, I hope Ford Australia get positive feed back and start exports to RHD Asian countries, India and South Africa..

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Excellent, I hope Ford Australia get positive feed back and start exports to RHD Asian countries, India and South Africa..

jpd80 would say 2000+ exports a month of combined Falcon & Terry make much diff?

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

jpd80 would say 2000+ exports a month of combined Falcon & Terry make much diff?

Ok yeah, I think FoA would be happy with 500-800/mth for a start
and being RHD, minimal development cost....

NOTE: Holden can't follow - No diesel, No SUV and cars are over capacity for Thai tax limit.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Ok yeah, I think FoA would be happy with 500-800/mth for a start
and being RHD, minimal development cost....

NOTE: Holden can't follow - No diesel, No SUV and cars are over capacity for Thai tax limit.

I really believe that FoA won't get much Fed assistance without an export plan, maybe this is the start.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

I really believe that FoA won't get much Fed assistance without an export plan, maybe this is the start.

Exporting within our region using vehicles and engines that stand a chance of selling well is a great start.
It depends if funding ismade conditional on LHD exports or whether Ford showing that the bulk of FAPA is RHD will carry weight.

[Nikked]

Brilliant news!

[4.0i OHC]

I'm thrilled to see that Ford is considering exports of the Territory. It's truly a standout vehicle.

[EL Lupo]

As much as I'd love to see Territory exported , and therefore have a better shot at surviving in the long run.... I wouldn't count on it. FoA has a long history of recognising market opportunities..... then completely ignoring them.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by EL Lupo

As much as I'd love to see Territory exported , and therefore have a better shot at surviving in the long run.... I wouldn't count on it. FoA has a long history of recognising market opportunities..... then completely ignoring them.

However, when your back's up against the wall maybe that drive is more intense and has sharper focus. I would also like to believe that maybe some frankness from FoA could have been delivered to the parent company about past constraints and this time the parent has said, well OK do it uninhibited but it's your last roll of the dice.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

However, when your back's up against the wall maybe that drive is more intense and has sharper focus. I would also like to believe that maybe some frankness from FoA could have been delivered to the parent company about past constraints and this time the parent has said, well OK do it uninhibited but it's your last roll of the dice.

Let's not forget that not so long ago, there wasn't just one ford, there was six or seven of them each
operating pretty much independently but now FoA is an integral part of the Asia pacific and Africa region,
that gives them a much stronger voice and more friends willing to assist..

[GhiaEB]

High Aussie doller will hurt any exports that Ford could muster. It would fantastic if they could export the Tez and a massive bonus for Aussie manufacturing.

[Road_Warrior]

O rly

Hopefully this will also pave the way for Ecoboost Falcon exports in the region, should give FoA a nice little bit of incremental business.

[Luke Plaizier]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Ford press release:
http://media.ford.com/article_displa...ticle_id=36230


I wish they included an Ecoboost Falcon just for the hell of it, bugger it, I would have chipped in for the freight costs, lol.

Dude, I'd have joined in on the crowd-fund to help out too.

I'd have been MOST keen on a Diesel Falcon being trialled for export. But the EcoBoost would be the major option, especially since I get the feeling we're going to see a barrage of Ecoboost advertising soon. It seems like Ford has been banking up on the advertising waiting for the Ecoboost release.

And since Bangkok generates it's own LPG and has it's own plants, I reckon even the ECOLPi would be viable too.


Lukeyson

[Road_Warrior]

Interesting that that is a US Ford media release - nothing about it on the FoA website.

Further interesting that the release refers to the Territory as a "premium SUV".

[Joe5619]

Great news, I hope the get a great reaction & let the exports begin. As mentioned above, the high AUD will hurt though..

Why isn't this all over local motor media news's?

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Great news, I hope the get a great reaction & let the exports begin. As mentioned above, the high AUD will hurt though..

Why isn't this all over local motor media news's?

Because holden are borrowing money again, so they don't leave Australia...

[FPV8U]

Fantastic news, lets hope they get an export program off the ground.

[sgt_doofey]

What's the bet it'll be engineered here in Australia, but manufactured over in Thailand if it goes ahead? Solves the problem of the high Aussie dollar and wages.
The tooling has already been made, would just have to ship it over there from Geelong...

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

What's the bet it'll be engineered here in Australia, but manufactured over in Thailand if it goes ahead? Solves the problem of the high Aussie dollar and wages.
The tooling has already been made, would just have to ship it over there from Geelong...

A few more floods and disasters in Thailand might put an end to those ideas too..
Money talks and if the government offers a couple hundred million, I'm sure Ford will listen..

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by jpd80

A few more floods and disasters in Thailand might put an end to those ideas too..
Money talks and if the government offers a couple hundred million, I'm sure Ford will listen..

Don't get me wrong, it would be great for FoA if it's manufactured here, but there is a lot against that happening. It may be they manufacture the Terri in two (or more) countries?
All we need is the mining industry to tank so the bottom to fall out of the AU$ and Aussie manufacturing will be right again!

[malazn mafia]

I can see a lot of potential for FG falcon/SZ territory in Malaysia. The 2.0 ecoboost motor has around the same capacity as the equivalent Camry in Malaysia (Camry is considered a premium car, sells for $120,000RM=$40,000aud, go figure..). Road tax is quite low for a 2.0 litre engine. There is high demand for premium sedans and I believe that a mid-range model FG could very well compete with the 5-series/E-class (which are actually quite common over there), which have higher capacity motors and hence higher road tax than the 2.0 EB. SZ territory could also fare well, as diesel engines come under a different road tax bracket, and 2.7 is quite a small size for a diesel motor. Exported in kit form and assembled by a local Malaysian firm, a large portion of tariffs could be reduced...

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

Don't get me wrong, it would be great for FoA if it's manufactured here, but there is a lot against that happening. It may be they manufacture the Terri in two (or more) countries?
All we need is the mining industry to tank so the bottom to fall out of the AU$ and Aussie manufacturing will be right again!

I'd say, stop looking at it in terms of a greenfield project and more like an evolution of existing
architecture that rolls in more of Ford's global mechanical and electrical packages. Couple that with
existing infrastructure that's already built and paid for with continued funding and I think we're good to go.
Look at Holden, one minute we're pulling out but... $275 million later we're investing a billion over ten years..

What impresses the American execs is that 25% cofunding from the Aussie government,
that gives them great cause to rejoice and not want to pull out, the right vehicles are the key to this...

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

What's the bet it'll be engineered here in Australia, but manufactured over in Thailand if it goes ahead? Solves the problem of the high Aussie dollar and wages.
The tooling has already been made, would just have to ship it over there from Geelong...

Uh, no. The Thai plants arent configured to manufacture the Territory, and the costs to establish the capacity to make them there would be offset by the relatively low sales volume...it would take years to amortise thhose costs. We're probably talking as many sold in the ASEAN market as in Australia.

If Ford goes ahead with this (and that's a big if, but my beer is half full at the moment), this could potentially double the number of Terri's cranked out of Broadmeadows and could open the door for Ecoboost Falcons to go there to go head to head with the 'premium' Camry (think our Aurion but with a 4cyl). It would be a massive win for Ford Australia and cement it as the 'head' of Ford's Asia Pacific-Africa portfolio.

[Rockape]

I would love to see this happen. Fingers crossed.

[Bossxr8]

If Ford say they will do it, just watch the Thai government introduce a new 30% sales tax on SUV's with engine sizes bigger than 2.6 litres.

They will **** this whole thing up to protect there own, and the aussie government will bend over and take it like a pack of little biatchessss.

Free Trade Agreements are great.

Its good to see Ford finally take a little bit of initiative and seek out export markets. I wonder if Detroit will sabotage it though.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

If Ford say they will do it, just watch the Thai government introduce a new 30% sales tax on SUV's with engine sizes bigger than 2.6 litres.

They will **** this whole thing up to protect there own, and the aussie government will bend over and take it like a pack of little biatchessss.

Free Trade Agreements are great.

Its good to see Ford finally take a little bit of initiative and seek out export markets. I wonder if Detroit will sabotage it though.

Considering it's a Ford US press release I'm assuming Ford Aust didn't exactly secretly get a Terry over to Thailand so maybe big brother already has said yes. Plus they don't make a RHD Explorer.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Considering it's a Ford US press release I'm assuming Ford Aust didn't exactly secretly get a Terry over to Thailand so maybe big brother already has said yes. Plus they don't make a RHD Explorer.

It would have been a Ford ASEAN effort though, it would not have been done by Ford HQ. Ford ASEAN has a lot of australians high up. Maybe I should stop being so cynical about Detroits intentions, but they need to start helping FoA get export markets if they are serious about keeping manufacturing in Australia. Surely a healthy and profitable FoA is better than having to shut the place down and spend tens of millions paying out redundancies. They have kept FoA out of exporting for too long now, its about time the penny dropped and they dropped the "not made here" pro Ford North America BS.

As I referred too in the thread I started a few weeks back, Territory should now become Fords No 1 here, its needs more effort put into it because it will soon be their number 1 seller here and potentially their export hope.

Selling Territory in higher numbers and opening up export markets also helps to keep Broadmeadows viable, which in turn could help Falcons prospects for the future because you can't have one without the other, and they need volume to keep the plant viable.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

It would have been a Ford ASEAN effort though, it would not have been done by Ford HQ. Ford ASEAN has a lot of australians high up. Maybe I should stop being so cynical about Detroits intentions, but they need to start helping FoA get export markets if they are serious about keeping manufacturing in Australia. Surely a healthy and profitable FoA is better than having to shut the place down and spend tens of millions paying out redundancies. They have kept FoA out of exporting for too long now, its about time the penny dropped and they dropped the "not made here" pro Ford North America BS.

As I referred too in the thread I started a few weeks back, Territory should now become Fords No 1 here, its needs more effort put into it because it will soon be their number 1 seller here and potentially their export hope.

Selling Territory in higher numbers and opening up export markets also helps to keep Broadmeadows viable, which in turn could help Falcons prospects for the future because you can't have one without the other, and they need volume to keep the plant viable.

Good response Boss, what versions of Territory do you think could be used to expand territory sales?

Should they dry some different engines like I-6T, Ecoboost I-4...maybe 2.5 I-4 from Ranger?
A Titanium plus version with just about every conceivable option known to man?

What about EcoLPI, is that worth a shot?

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Good response Boss, what versions of Territory do you think could be used to expand territory sales?

Should they dry some different engines like I-6T, Ecoboost I-4...maybe 2.5 I-4 from Ranger?
A Titanium plus version with just about every conceivable option known to man?

What about EcoLPI, is that worth a shot?

I've heard EcoLPi is being looked at, and as in the other thread an LTD version above Titanium to tap into the rapidly expanding luxury SUV market could be worth a look in, they seriously looked at it back in 2004 but went turbo petrol instead.

An XR version with the option of a 3 litre TDV6 could be an option too, put this engine in the LTD and maybe optional in Titanium too. Its going to have to get the 3 litre eventually anyway, the 2.7 won't stay in production forever and won't pass future emissions regs either.

Still trying to get a line into when the 2.7 will finish production, someone tried to tell me it wasn't too far away and that Ford would have to look at the 3 litre, but its seemed a bit ill informed. No one I know has been able to determine if the 2.7 is due to finish any time soon. No one seems to know.

One thing I think is a must is bigger wheels, all the others are going 19's and 20's now, 18's just don't cut it on todays SUV's.

Even Toyota have 19's on the daggy Kluger, that's embarrasing for Ford that the cardigan car company fits bigger wheels to their SUV's than Ford do.