Holden's Loss Is Ford's Gain

by Derek Kreindler

Published: December 8th, 2014

With Holden set to lay off hundreds of engineers as it shuts the doors of its Australian factories, Ford is looking to grow its ranks. The Blue Oval is set to hire 150 ex-Holden engineers to help develop cars for the Chinese market.

The Daily Telegraph is reporting that Ford will grow its vehicle development headcount from 1050 to 1200 employees. By contrast, Holden will retain roughly 10 times fewer engineers when they end Australian production in 2017.

While Ford is also closing its Australian plants in 2016, Australian will serve as a regional hub for vehicle development. Holden’s engineers have experience working with small cars built in Korea by GM Daewoo, as well as premium large cars like the Falcon and Territory. The broad range of experience will serve Ford well, as it looks to adapt everything from compacts like the China-only Ford Escort to an all-new range of Lincoln products.

#Australia #China #Ford #FordEscort #Holden

Derek Kreindler

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14 of 15 comments

Volt 230 on Dec 08, 2014

The further collapse of the West and rise of the East continues, folks.

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RobertRyan on Dec 08, 2014

Not just the Chinese market, they are working on NA products as well as vehicles for other Asian markets

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Big Al from Oz on Dec 09, 2014

Here a link of the review of the Ford Falcon in the picture. I like the XR8 with the 5 litre Boss engine as standard. The write seems quite positive. It's a pity the US doesn't just move the factory over to the US and make some of these nice family cars. Have a read; http://www.carshowroom.com.au/newcars/reviews/5061/2014_Ford_Falcon_FG_X_Review_and_First_Drive?ref=ZBP_NP_FOOTER_CAR_Ford-Falcon_281114

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- See 9 previous
- CJinSD on Dec 09, 2014
  
  We'd make similar cars, just infinitely better, with 5 year production cycles, but we chose to cripple our auto industry by electing imbeciles who enacted CAFE instead.
  
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- Dolorean on Dec 09, 2014
  
  Big Al, this Falcon is second in ugly only to the Sixth Generation rollout '98-'00. Somehow the proportions don't match up well and at first gloance to my eye, looks like an '08 Hyundai Elantra sold in the States. Hope they get better looking.
  
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- Eyeflyistheeye on Dec 09, 2014
  
  BAFO is always good for a laugh. One moment, he's dancing a jig after Holden and Toyota decide to end Australian production because he feels the government will finally stop "wasting his tax money" to subside car production. Never mind that the government's commitments to the laid-off workers in retraining them and putting them on the public dole is bound to match or exceed those subsidies. And the next, he's insisting that Australian cars are the best thing since sliced bread when every manufacturer that stayed in Australia after the Button Plan (Ford, GM, Toyota and Mitsubishi) all decided to pack up and leave when their locally-developed cars couldn't even attract enough local buyers to keep their Antipodean operations afloat. While my favorite Aussie ride is still Emma from Penrith, I have had a soft spot for Australian cars in my heart, but just like Emma and her boganette compatriots, they're usually fun but woefully unrefined. The Commodore had an easier time in the United States when it was the G8 GT asking for $3k more than an Accord V6 for a sedan with LS1 power, but $46k for a Chevy SS is ridiculous. Not to mention that both felt like they were one generation behind of their contemporaries in 2009 and 2014, respectively.
  
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- Shaker on Dec 09, 2014
  
  @dolorean Definitely looks like a 2008 Elantra with the new Ford/Aston grille tacked on. Article links to the TTAC article about the Chinese-market "Escort" - based on the previous Focus chassis.
  
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- RobertRyan on Dec 09, 2014
  
  @dolorean Current Ford Falcon, is good from the side http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/ford-falcon-gt-police-car-628.jpg
  
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- RobertRyan on Dec 09, 2014
  
  @dolorean Current Ford Falcon looks good from the side http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/ford-falcon-gt-police-car-628.jpg
  
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- RobertRyan on Dec 09, 2014
  
  @dolorean From the side look quite good http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/ford-falcon-gt-police-car-628.jpg
  
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- Thelaine on Dec 09, 2014
  
  @CJinSD Yep.
  
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- Thelaine on Dec 09, 2014
  
  @RobertRyan What about the side view?
  
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- RobertRyan on Dec 09, 2014
  
  @Eyeflyistheeye What a preposterous post. Australian sedans are what have kept Holden and ford afloat here. What is killing them is that imported models DO NOT SELL We have had crud and I mean crud that has been brought here from the US and other places. The Taurus and Explorer have a left a mark in Australia, that the companies would like the public to forget
  
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RobertRyan on Dec 09, 2014

From the side the current ones do not look bad http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/ford-falcon-gt-police-car-628.jpg

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