Anyone heard anything on the Falcon wagon yet? - Page 2

outback_ute · 19-03-2010, 02:43 PM

I wonder why Telstra has dropped the wagon?

A couple of telling comments here I think - the carry-over rear end from the AU contained the inner structure from the EA... no wonder it forced styling compromises on the AU-BF wagons.

I agree with OZQUAD44 - if Ford keep walking away from niches, the viability of the Falcon has to be questioned. Unfortunately.

music189 · 19-03-2010, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordOwner

Imagine if they unveiled an FG wagon and RTV ute. Nothing fancy just "Built Ford Tough" with a massive advertising campaign directed towards fleet and the younger market.
I reckon they could just sit back and watch the vehicles roll out of the factory.

Well I know off 1 companythat would order 60 RTV's if they would bring them back

FPV GTHO · 19-03-2010, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wally

I seem to recall emphatic posts from one half of a famous couple here, that the VE Sportswagon was infact a hatch, even though it doesn't qualify as one in the historical sense.

You need to add a "E" pillar to swing the back door on, if it's going to pass the AFF new wagon definition.

An E pillar would give a split cargo area. The D pillar is the one at the back.

Chopped · 19-03-2010, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrford

T SERIES 5.6 STROKER AND RUNNING GEAR:

That looks tough, the T series kit looks great on there.

There is a V8 Calais V Sportswagon (lowered) parked near work and I have to admit it looks very nice for a wagon.

Grobbo · 19-03-2010, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

Because culturally Ford US has always resisted better products from other Ford outposts. Remember Euro Fords are only now making it into the US market and then only after Ford was looking at the abyss.

GM resisted too, but Bob Lutz, drove the Commodore, liked it and pushed GM to make the Commodore happen stateside. He is a persistant bastard who never took no for an answer. That and Holden employees seem very good at turning their US bosses into fans, when they are based out here.

No one in Ford has ever done the same for Ford Australia and Ford Australia often undermines its own success as well. Culturally Ford Aust just isn't geared up to be the best at anything. They can't promote, support or build markets for their cars. Success stories like the Territory turn into disasters for them, because they just don't get what it takes to be the best car company in this market. How can people like that sell a car to the US that doesn't want it? The answer is they can't and they haven't.

Dam shame for Falcon which in FG guise deserves better, than the last chapter in a book on "History of the Ford Falcon".

I think you've nailed it right there.

I once heard a brand guru say: "Ford are the best at being 2nd best"

Shame coz they do some good stuff - even got voted 'the company who made the most best cars ever' on Top Gear the other night...

irlewy86 · 19-03-2010, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grobbo

.....

Shame coz they do some good stuff - even got voted 'the company who made the most best cars ever' on Top Gear the other night...

Yeah, but that was in Britain where they love the Sierra/Escorts/Caprice and thats reflected by the success of Fiesta/Focus/Mondeo/C Max

xrford · 19-03-2010, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielXR8

Ford Australia often undermines its own success as well. Culturally Ford Aust just isn't geared up to be the best at anything. They can't promote, support or build markets for their cars. Success stories like the Territory turn into disasters for them, because they just don't get what it takes to be the best car company in this market. How can people like that sell a car to the US that doesn't want it? The answer is they can't and they haven't.

too right especially with promoting......I remember when the BA XR's were first advertised on telly during the V8 supercars and when tv adds were at a certain prime time during the evening, used to always turn it up a bit more for this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeKFX...1&feature=fvwp

Bossxr8 · 21-03-2010, 01:10 PM

Ute will be next. Ford will keep killing off variants until there are none left, basically handing the market to Holden and reducing volumes until they are so low they will have to shut the place down.

In saying that though the loss of wagon volume will be made up pretty easily by filling the pent up demand for ute and Territory, and by the new LI and V8 engines later in the year, and by new Territory and 4 cylinder Falcon next year. So overall volumes will probably stay the same even with 400 or so less wagons a month.

bernadette86 · 21-03-2010, 02:38 PM

whoah now thats one good looking wagon. i love wagons weird but so practical. little bit of work and they can look great.

i drive a zl fairlane. im saving for a ba RTV ute. by atleast october. does anyone read australian muscle car magazine.
a bloke had an rtv loves it everyone who owns loves it. he had a problem he had a family he couldnt take them with him on trips through the scrub. had a brain storm he asked questions he bought a ba wagon and the rtv parts a wollah a rtv wagon for his family WHY CANT FORD HAVE DONE THIS TO COMPETE AGAINST THE AWD COMMODORES PEOPLE WOULD BUY THEM

WAKE UP FORD.....................4CYL FALCON....tisk tisk tisk

Road_Warrior · 21-03-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Ute will be next. Ford will keep killing off variants until there are none left, basically handing the market to Holden and reducing volumes until they are so low they will have to shut the place down.

Certainly based on current production numbers, but you've also got to look at the amount of marketing they are carrying out for this car - none at all. If they actually marketed the car instead of expecting people to just buy it, then the ute would never be under a cloud.

Bringing back dealer specials like the 'Tradesman' package would be a good start.

Bossxr8 · 21-03-2010, 03:08 PM

Its got nothing to do with sales volumes, the Falcon was the highest selling car based ute last year.

Its more that the ute doesn't fit in the One Ford policy. Detroit probably think the T6 is basically the same thing, and making a ute version of GRWD is wasteful. Either that or you can't have a FWD ute if thats the way they will go.

FGX-351 · 21-03-2010, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernadette86

whoah now thats one good looking wagon. i love wagons weird but so practical. little bit of work and they can look great.

i drive a zl fairlane. im saving for a ba RTV ute. by atleast october. does anyone read australian muscle car magazine.
a bloke had an rtv loves it everyone who owns loves it. he had a problem he had a family he couldnt take them with him on trips through the scrub. had a brain storm he asked questions he bought a ba wagon and the rtv parts a wollah a rtv wagon for his family WHY CANT FORD HAVE DONE THIS TO COMPETE AGAINST THE AWD COMMODORES PEOPLE WOULD BUY THEM

WAKE UP FORD.....................4CYL FALCON....tisk tisk tisk

Yes! I re-read that issue again the otherday, unreal project.

jpd80 · 21-03-2010, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernadette86

WHY CANT FORD HAVE DONE THIS TO COMPETE AGAINST THE AWD COMMODORES PEOPLE WOULD BUY THEM

What AWD Commodore?

Buyers chose the Territory over the Adventra....

**Fordman1** · 21-03-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

What AWD Commodore?

Massive FAIL !!

jpd80 · 21-03-2010, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

Massive FAIL !!

Holden's version of Sudden Unexplained Assembly.....

bernadette86 · 21-03-2010, 04:36 PM

the cross8 utes and wagons. cross6's they're okay but not strong enough.

vztrt · 21-03-2010, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernadette86

the cross8 utes and wagons. cross6's they're okay but not strong enough.

It didn't sell so it was a pointless model and Ford building one would be a complete waste of time and money.

A regular wagon would make more sense.

jpd80 · 21-03-2010, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernadette86

the cross8 utes and wagons. cross6's they're okay but not strong enough.

Hey why not throw that other failure, the Crewman on the bonfire of dumb GM ideas.
Business plan for all of the above vehicles was shaky enough on the old V-car platform
but thankfully no place for them on Zeta, amazing how Ute and Sportwagon
sneeked through with failed US commitments.....

g220ba · 21-03-2010, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernadette86

whoah now thats one good looking wagon. i love wagons weird but so practical. little bit of work and they can look great.

i drive a zl fairlane. im saving for a ba RTV ute. by atleast october. does anyone read australian muscle car magazine.
a bloke had an rtv loves it everyone who owns loves it. he had a problem he had a family he couldnt take them with him on trips through the scrub. had a brain storm he asked questions he bought a ba wagon and the rtv parts a wollah a rtv wagon for his family WHY CANT FORD HAVE DONE THIS TO COMPETE AGAINST THE AWD COMMODORES PEOPLE WOULD BUY THEM

WAKE UP FORD.....................4CYL FALCON....tisk tisk tisk

I'm pretty sure ford do make an AWD wagon, it's called the territory. Why would they make a niche vehicle for a small consumer base when they have a volume selling vehicle in the territory.

Also you know nothing about the 4cyl falcon so why show dissapointment, there's just as much chance it could be a ripsnorter of a car.

**Fordman1** · 21-03-2010, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernadette86

the cross8 utes and wagons. cross6's they're okay but not strong enough.

One word for those :

FAIL

Windsor220 · 21-03-2010, 10:18 PM

I think you can safely say, apart from a couple of people, the Falcon wagon has never been a crowd favourite. They've looked terrible ever since the XD wagon. Its been a fleet hack for years so its no big loss.

I dont understand the ute comments here. The ute has always been a strong model for Ford I couldnt see them dropping it. Maybe the FPV versions but not the others.

bigdude1011 · 22-03-2010, 12:01 AM

Perhaps Ford should build the RWD Territory with less ground clearance. It could be a good seller for the fleet market, especially with diesel or (aftermarket) LPG. Unfortunately, I doubt this would ever happen.

bobthebilda · 22-03-2010, 12:18 AM

DanielXR8, Yes Bob (C)lutz did so much for Holdens and the G8. Holdens spent alot of money developing the G8, Holdens never made a profit selling them to the USA (infact, I am pretty sure all australians paid extra on their imported cars, so the government could subsidize Holdens to sell the G8 to the americans at less than production cost), and in the end, the project died from poor sales. Leaving Holdens with so many parts, they had to release special edition commodores onto the australian market. Some australian cars are probably OK, the only problem is, the manufacturers are being subsidized to the tune of $600 million per year, to make 223000 cars (2009 figure), and Ford or Holdens (and alot of their suppliers), are still losing buckets of money.

At no point will the decreasing Sales of Commodores or Falcons, trigger a point when they cease production. The trigger point will come like any normal business function, when the company runs out of money, and the head company sees that investing new money just means throwing good money after bad. Both Ford OZ and Holdens are currently at the stage where they have zero net assets, and zero profits.

Bossxr8 · 22-03-2010, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windsor220

I think you can safely say, apart from a couple of people, the Falcon wagon has never been a crowd favourite. They've looked terrible ever since the XD wagon. Its been a fleet hack for years so its no big loss.

I dont understand the ute comments here. The ute has always been a strong model for Ford I couldnt see them dropping it. Maybe the FPV versions but not the others.

It might not fit anywhere under One Ford. Detroit probably believe a 2WD T6 (ranger) ute will do the same job a Falcon ute does.

Maybe as a 1 tonne base model maybe, but could never replace any XR ute.

Maybe Detroit can't see the value in making a ute version of the new Falcon platform. It requires pretty extensive chassis changes compared to sedan, and sales aren't real high, around 12-13,000 a year.

All these things will come under scrutiny.

Ryano · 23-03-2010, 08:34 PM

not a bad artistic impression
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/135...spotted-at-tmr

TheInterceptor · 23-03-2010, 09:32 PM

Looks a bit like a hatch to me but yeh, not that bad

Falc'man · 23-03-2010, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdude1011

Perhaps Ford should build the RWD Territory with less ground clearance. It could be a good seller for the fleet market, especially with diesel or (aftermarket) LPG. Unfortunately, I doubt this would ever happen.

Therein lies the answer.
New, good looking, diesel/I6T options. More space, versatility, and better handling than VE hatch. New ball-joints, no rust.
Falcon Wagon dies, Territory reborn.

Ute? It's only till 2015 before people should worry about that, I would think?

bernadette86 · 23-03-2010, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 84ltd

I'm pretty sure ford do make an AWD wagon, it's called the territory. Why would they make a niche vehicle for a small consumer base when they have a volume selling vehicle in the territory.

Also you know nothing about the 4cyl falcon so why show dissapointment, there's just as much chance it could be a ripsnorter of a car.

the motor thats going into the falcon sounds like a great little motor turbo 4 making 200kw awesome! just not in a falcon. falcon has had its straight six for a long time. im not implying its a bad idea because of the power plant. nothing like the little piece of engine, it doesnt deserve to be named what holden put in its commo's back in the 80's. i just dont want a 4cyl in a falcon.

irish2 · 23-03-2010, 10:51 PM

I think there is a simple answer as to why Ford is not producing a new wagon. Cost vs benefit is nil.

bernadette86 · 23-03-2010, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

One word for those :

FAIL

FAIL OH YES. i read not that long ago in amc mag not sure if your familiar with it. had a write up about the coupe4 i actually like it. not a bad idea. thing that always stumped me was with the cross6's cross8's is they come standard with highway traction tires whats the point of saying they can go off road if they dont have the tires to suit the application they are designed to do. from memory 2255517's find a 4x4 tire to suit without throwing out the speedo until you change rims hmmm another cost. on the other hand rtv 2156516's many tire manufacturers make a tire to suit, i think go figure a falcon of rtv should be made for fg ute and wagons. people would rather a car that actually has offroad capabilities at the flick of a switch.