Falcon is saved!

[Nikked]

Misleading title, but everything about the falcon has over the past year.

So, this is my all-conquering theory on the falcon, mustang and Taurus post 2016


Ok...

*sips water

The Falcon and "one ford", what does it mean?


One Ford

To start, "One ford" is an umbrella plan in that the various ford outpost work together in a bit to cut costs and deliver quality products that the customer wants. A lot the focus has been on One Ford being a platform sharing system, true, but its deeper. The plan allows any component to be common across the world; this can mean anything from Engines and transmissions, to window switches and interior materials.
The current theory is that the Falcon is not seen as part of One Ford, (understandable, as little has been said) but i come to the conclusion that it may be more then we think. The common thought is that the Falcon simply becomes any CKD Australian assembled Taurus due to the fact that the Falcon is a unique product, and not worth development money on
Under One Ford, one of the key factors is to give the customer what it wants, given that the Taurus has not had a good name for its self here, and the fact that it is a large car anyway highlights to factors.
One. A Falcon branded Taurus might be to transparent, and even calling it a Taurus here has some bad memories.
Two. Its still a large car, what’s it got to offer over the Falcon? Can a US market product do well here?
No doubt the Falcon and Taurus are going to share some components, but it may not be just a re-badged or face lift job.

Sharing of platforms

So, we have a Taurus, Mustang and falcon all due for replacement soon...what to do. These 3 models are all unique, only sold in there respective countries. Under one ford, the aim is to eliminate unique components, yet maintain a car suitable for a market. A car is 4 major things, body, drive train, interior and safety and electrical systems.

One Ford will mean that, most likely, these will all be shared across all there models. With modern CAD and superpower computers, the ability is there to develop modular platforms that can cater for many applications. Most of the suspension and drive line components can be shared, and the actually sheet metal body/chassis components designed around them.

Then interior switchgear, electronics seats etc can all be designed with all 3 in mind. Things like dashboard and trim styles will be unique, but things like , say a door handle, will be common across the 3. Same with the body, major shell structure common around the 3, but tweaks made to cater for the different focus of the vehicle.

While this all seems a bit basic, I see it as the answer to the Falcon post 2016

[jpd80]

^^^^^^^ Nikked gets it.

One Ford:
* Common supplier network
*Common Engineering modules including , Power trains, Electrical systems, frames and suspensions.
* Corporate platforms for high volume products
* Allowance for regional Large vehicles like taurus, Falcon, Mustang, F150...Ect

Anything is possible when the whole of Ford is behind FoA and they don't
have to pay for everything themselves, a lot more becomes available..

[P6LTD351]

Yes! It makes sense!

[burnz]

computers have superpowers,,now??

[phillyc]

Nikked, I love the thread title.

I also like the fact you have far more appreciation about what One Ford means than virtually all Australian professional writers. It is exceptionally hard to call them journalists, that is for sure.

FoA has already forged itself a very good name in the design and engineering roles and many within Ford know the Falcon/Territory and just how good it is.

FoA are seen as the 'go to guys' for value engineering. The work done on T6 Ranger is first rate.

In the EcoBoost Falcon we have the first RWD application of the 2.0L motor. That will be in next years Mustang, certainly no later than 2014. Much of the groundwork done right here in Australia.

The next Mustang will have almost certainly a version of the Virtual Pivot alloy front suspension seen in the SZ Territory and FG Falcon.

The FG has some of the best doors in the Ford world. A reason why the FG is rated the safest car ever sold in Australia by Monash University last year after studying 30 years of crash data involving several million accidents.

The Territory mated the corporate 6R80 6 speed auto to the 2.7L V6TD. The knowledge gained there is valuable, but the NVH suppression schemes have gone into the 'silo' or 'vault' as Heinrichs (IIRC) was stated as saying.

The big dollars are tied into body architecture/crash systems, electrical systems, drivetrains/suspension and interior. Huge economies of scale can be gained through those common suppliers supplying common parts.

It's funny that the tophats / exteriors which differentiates the various models from one another and would seem the most expensive is one of the least! Explains why you can end up with so many variations of a C Class / Focus product.

So, yes I agree it is the positive answer to the post 2016 Falcon.

[CAMS290]

Manufacturing as we know it today is all but finished in Australia, the high AUD, un competitive labour rates, lack of govt incentives, lower import tarrifs, free trade agreements, un realistic union demands and wage increases are slowly killing it.

When some resource rich African nations get their internal affairs sorted out and some infrastructure in place, China and India will drop Australia like hot potatoes, you better believe it !

There are huge reserves of iron ore just waiting to be dug up, I have shares in exploration companies that are there now.

We will be left a economic back water with no manufacturing industry, and big holes in the ground.

[G6ET8U]

Great posts and ideas above!

CAMS290 I agree with you to certain extent but with regard to Africa... they are years, actually decades away from any type of reform. An internal tribal mentality unfortunately will do them no favours in a world they have no idea about.

Great work nikked, jpd, EB and phillyc.

Jack

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by CAMS290

Manufacturing as we know it today is all but finished in Australia, the high AUD, un competitive labour rates, lack of govt incentives, lower import tarrifs, free trade agreements, un realistic union demands and wage increases are slowly killing it.

When some resource rich African nations get their internal affairs sorted out and some infrastructure in place, China and India will drop Australia like hot potatoes, you better believe it !

There are huge reserves of iron ore just waiting to be dug up, I have shares in exploration companies that are there now.

We will be left a economic back water with no manufacturing industry, and big holes in the ground.

But not today.

Those fears have been expressed for the past 20 years by people saying that China/Japan would
develop competing resource supplies but it hasn't happened for the very reasons you stated, continuing instability..

Labor costs in cars these days are a fraction of what they used to be due to automation and better build techniques.
It's more about choosing the correct types of vehicles to build rather than making the price fit...

Proper research tells Ford which vehicles to build and "One Ford" makes it happen...

[stang65]

good work Nikked, now I might be able to finally sleep tonight.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Anything is possible when the whole of Ford is behind FoA

The realm of possibility is increasingly small given current sales volumes, even with the cost savings courtesy of the One Ford approach.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Nikked

The plan allows any component to be common across the world; this can mean anything from Engines and transmissions, to window switches and interior materials.

Makes sense, why did it take over 100 years to think about it though? Obviously before information and communication was so free and easy as it is today would make it not worth bothering about, but they could have been doing this through the 90s right?

[davenl5l]

remember the model T any colour you want as long as its black 100 years full circle lol

[Chilliman]

Mustang-Falcon tie-up is logical and doable, its a matter of wether its politically palatable for head office.

As for Taurus, I'm almost certain that will be based on a 'stretched' EUCD2 platform.

I still think a medium-large Lincoln RWD is the Falcon platform's best shot - again a matter of it being politically palatable for head office.

[SPArKy_Dave]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

remember the model T any colour you want as long as its black 100 years full circle lol

...........so you can have any ford.......... as long as it's a 'one ford'.

[OZQUAD44]

GO Nikked, Go Ford AU.

Falcon not dead yet.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by SPArKy_Dave

...........so you can have any ford.......... as long as it's a 'one ford'.

Why smack your head?

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Chilliman

I still think a medium-large Lincoln RWD is the Falcon platform's best shot - again a matter of it being politically palatable for head office.

while i can't see it happening, it'd be a good day for falcon if it was available in a bigger market, like usa. think of the aftermarket stuff that would be made to hot up a lincoln falcon. not to mention the factory lincoln upgrades. FOA could bring back the Fairlane using lincoln parts bin.

of course, without someone in it's corner, it won't make inroads at detroit.

[aussie muscle]

either way, i'll probably buy a new falcon when my loan is up in 4 months. will one ute save falcon?

[csv8]

Badge the Falcon as a Holden and it will fly out the door!!

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by Chilliman

Mustang-Falcon tie-up is logical and doable, its a matter of wether its politically palatable for head office.

As for Taurus, I'm almost certain that will be based on a 'stretched' EUCD2 platform.

I still think a medium-large Lincoln RWD is the Falcon platform's best shot - again a matter of it being politically palatable for head office.

That's pretty much my plan, also. Mustang and Falcon unite, and Lincoln gets a longer-wheelbase version of the same chassis.

If you all could just devalue your currency by, say, 25%, it might work!

[Polyal]

I still hold hope for a GWRD..it just makes sense.

Yeap we are going to lose some jobs here, but some is better than all if they fully import.

Im also very interested to see what Holden does, Ill be pretty annoyed if they achieve this goal before FoA.

Also remember FoA get some major brownie points when it comes to the Ford world, we do alot of work here that still largely goes unnoticed. I think Australians would be alot more proud/interested in Ford if they knew what all our smart people to for overseas programs.

Id be over the moon with a GWRD Falcon..stylized for us but powered by globally components. XR8 is back baby (couldnt help myself).

What gets my goat at the moment is that if Ford NA just showed some kind of more positive direction than some cash for a minor update then it would shut the press up, and give more people confidence in the Falcon brand.

The fact that they havent to me shows they quite honestly are still working it out or that its gone. Its going to be a very good or very bad outcome, not much inbetween I am afraid.

[gtfpv]

HMMMMMM falcon being saved eh !!! . we do know that the falcon isnt an american design right? . ....
a wart on your nose isnt the same as a wart on your as s yet both are warts . just sayin !!!!

[trippytaka]

This saga just keeps going and going and going. It can't be good for the brand.

[FPV GTHO]

Any largish DE class car I'd imagine would get the majority of its approval off the back of Chinese sales. I think Taurus and Falcon might get lead around by what Ford desires there.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by b0son

The realm of possibility is increasingly small given current sales volumes, even with the cost savings courtesy of the One Ford approach.

In fact the exact opposite is happening, by embracing the rest of the Ford business, FoA can tap into
a lot more architecture and engineering modules not available to them when developing FG in 2004-08...

The quest is to select products that 1) sell in reasonable volumes and 2) dovetail with engineering from other regions.
That does not mean merely transplanting a car from another region, China has big car needs too...

[mik]

good onya Nikked, nothing is set in concrete but a lot can happen in 4 years, the the good old Falcon might be here for another 20 years.

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by gtfpv

HMMMMMM falcon being saved eh !!! . we do know that the falcon isnt an american design right? . ....
a wart on your nose isnt the same as a wart on your as s yet both are warts . just sayin !!!!

It really amuses me that some of you think American designs prevail at Ford. With the exception of Mustang and Taurus, the entire US Ford car lineup has European roots.

[Kieron]

The componentry, platform etc part of One Ford is nothing new and it didn't stop and re-start with Mulally.

We all know the original Aussie Falcon was a US Falcon and virtually all the components on our Falcon could be replaced with US Falcon parts up to the XY.
That same platform was also used for the Mustang and various Mercury counterparts and as such, you could bolt on XF parts to say a 68 Mustang.

Switches, knobs, door handles, steering wheels, hub caps, ignition barrels, door locks, keys, mirrors, engines, transmissions, diffs where all used across many, many models.

So, to me One Ford is more about one model for all markets, therefore the new large car for FoA will be the Taurus platform, weather it's badged Falcon or Taurus is an interesting question -

Falcon - long history in Aus, but does it have associations with bogans like the Commodore?

Taurus - We got the abortion in the mid 90's but thats long gone and possibly forgotten by the vast majority of Aussies.

So does FoA want a fresh nameplate with the Taurus or would they want to keep the Falcon heritage and possibly the bogan image?

I wouldn't be surprised to see them go the Taurus route.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

That's pretty much my plan, also. Mustang and Falcon unite, and Lincoln gets a longer-wheelbase version of the same chassis.

If you all could just devalue your currency by, say, 25%, it might work!

The Mustang evolved from the Falcon way back in the beginning, and the long wheelbase Falcon was the Fairlane, or call it Lincoln, whatever.

Having similar platforms across the range makes sense and was done in the 60's and 70's anyway. Other manufacturing industries have operated like this for ages.

It makes sense to use "economies of scale".

I think the Falcon would sell well in the US, if the public could ever get hold of a US version. Big torquey six that'll blow the doors off many things.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Kieron

The componentry, platform etc part of One Ford is nothing new and it didn't stop and re-start with Mulally.

We all know the original Aussie Falcon was a US Falcon and virtually all the components on our Falcon could be replaced with US Falcon parts up to the XY.
That same platform was also used for the Mustang and various Mercury counterparts and as such, you could bolt on XF parts to say a 68 Mustang.

Switches, knobs, door handles, steering wheels, hub caps, ignition barrels, door locks, keys, mirrors, engines, transmissions, diffs where all used across many, many models.

So, to me One Ford is more about one model for all markets, therefore the new large car for FoA will be the Taurus platform, weather it's badged Falcon or Taurus is an interesting question -

Falcon - long history in Aus, but does it have associations with bogans like the Commodore?

Taurus - We got the abortion in the mid 90's but thats long gone and possibly forgotten by the vast majority of Aussies.

So does FoA want a fresh nameplate with the Taurus or would they want to keep the Falcon heritage and possibly the bogan image?

I wouldn't be surprised to see them go the Taurus route.

Just screw both names and call it Interceptor, and sell it any color as long as its black. The USDM Police Interceptor SUV can be badged as the Territory.