Comments on: New Ford Falcon Revealed

By: Andy D

Andy D — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 16:17:57 +0000

just curious, automotive writers. How do the higher-ups in Detroit figure out what will sell? Or do they just build something as cheaply as possible , then spend millions in advertising in attempts to convince people they want that product?

By: Michael Karesh

Michael Karesh — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 15:00:42 +0000

Why are almost all the photos of the front end? Everything else is carryover?

Sounds like Ford has finally dug up some engines capable of serious power (without supercharging a V8). Another sign that the horsepower race has peaked. Sorry, Ford, that party’s over.

By: GS650G

GS650G — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:44:00 +0000

When Thomas Stamford Raffles wasn’t busy founding Singapore he had time to dabble in engineering I guess.

By: jurisb

jurisb — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:01:53 +0000

How many people will lose jobs because of imported falcons? how many engineers will become useless? How many people will have to apply for low paid jobs? How many suppliers will be folded in? you guys operate too much with words` give `em` , `get `em`. How about `create `em`? With your own hands..?

By: Kiwi_Mark_in_Aussie

Kiwi_Mark_in_Aussie — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:53:16 +0000

quasimondo :
February 17th, 2008 at 11:00 am

Is Alan Mually aware that Ford has an Australian operation?

if you have any luck – no…the ford falcon (like the holden commodore) is a piece of shit…it corners much the same way a sea cow does…has a crap ride…piss poor build quality…and should only be inflicted on those whom you hate (and that goes for the decidly average commodore as well)…

you do not want this…

or put it another way…if you do then your american fords and gm’s must be total rubbish…

By: TriShield

TriShield — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:01:53 +0000

Ford and GM’s Aussie operations continue to make better American-style cars for their own market than their motherships do.

The former BA Falcon was a great looking car in person. I had the pleasure of driving one from City Ford when I was in Sydney, turbocharged inline six and all. It’s an exceptional car.

The redesigned Falcon is evolutionary of the former BA model. This car isn’t a radical change like the all-new Commodore because it was done on a shoestring budget. Ford didn’t have a billion dollars laying around to put into completely remaking a sedan for Australia. They also didn’t have the money to put into re-engineering it for left-hand drive.

Considering what Ford AU has to work with they’ve put out a better looking, driving and performing car in the new FG Falcon than what Ford US produces and the countless ugly FWD crapboxes polluting our roads.

It’s a real shame we won’t get a chance to buy this car. But it’s just as well considering Ford US would probably tack a shaving razor grille on it and rename it something stupid and market it as something it’s not.

The tire-smoking, drag-racing, and car-hauling tradition lives on in the land Down Under.

By: foolish

foolish — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:23:50 +0000

…..Focus, Freestyle, Fivehundred, Fusion, Festiva, um…. FREEDOM that’ it.
..the fuel filter … was literally 2 inches away from the driver’s front wheel.

…Ford Flambé then, Ray?

By: RayH

RayH — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:17:52 +0000

Bring back the Lincoln LS (or Jaguar S-type) as a Ford, call it LTD, add solid rear end for durability and lowered production cost.
I drove a friend’s LS the other day that he picked up a couple weeks ago, was pretty impressed (maybe it was the manual transmission). 150,000 miles, not too creaky (I’ve been in newer Crown Vics that sounded like pin-ball machines).
That being said, bring that oz over, call it the… Focus, Freestyle, Fivehundred, Fusion, Festiva, um…. FREEDOM that’ it.
He was concerned when helping him replace the fuel filter it was literally 2 inches away from the driver’s front wheel. Relocate.

By: Paul Niedermeyer

Paul Niedermeyer — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:30:35 +0000

“Large sedans are the hot segment down under” With fleets, sort of. 88%(!) of the #1 selling GM Commodore (Pontiac G8) goes to fleets, and 81% of the Falcon goes to fleets. Among private buyers, the Commodore is only #9, and the Falcon #15.

The top sellers to non-fleet buyers? #1:Corolla; #2:Mazda3; #3:Yaris, etc… Sound familiar? The big car market is evaporating in Ozzie land, and small cars are the hot sellers. GM and Ford are talking about reducing fleet sales (sound familiar?), but that would mean reducing production (sound familiar?). The reality is that the GM and Ford are in trouble in Australia.

By: Detroit-Iron

Detroit-Iron — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:22:13 +0000

(1) Vietnamese communists transfer hypnotic control of John McCain to Ron Paul after McCain gets elected President

Quite possibly the funniest thing I have read on the internets in a long time. Do you think that once McCain becomes president the Vietnamese will issue the following communique: “All your base are belong to us!”

By: Andy D

Andy D — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:02:14 +0000

So, I’ll never get to see one in the flesh, much less be able to buy one in a decade or so. Rats, anything with an I6 engine gets me excited..

By: red dawg

red dawg — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:39:59 +0000

holydonut :

The Chicken-or-the-egg syndrome continues… American buyers won’t pay a premium for a Ford product unless Ford begins an era where they only deliver premium products. And Ford won’t offer premium products because they cannot afford to take the risk to see if Americans really would pay a premium for Ford’s products.

Looks like Ford is damned if they do and damned if they don’t. It is a NO win situation and it looks dire for Ford.

By: holydonut

holydonut — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:18:24 +0000

However, a Ford Transit sold in the US does have a glimmer of hope.

By: quasimondo

quasimondo — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:00:33 +0000

Is Alan Mually aware that Ford has an Australian operation?

By: Robert Schwartz

Robert Schwartz — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:43:58 +0000

The new Mercury Marquis?

By: Terry

Terry — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:58:39 +0000

Alright, I got it.
Ford–cease all production of traditional US-only cars, either bring over or produce Aussie, Euro, or the Asian cars AS IS right here in this country. No more “They get better cars than we do”. Make them comply with our auto laws and let the games begin. New nameplate for passenger cars= “FMC”
GM–do the same thing, but put the old tired names that today’s generation don’t identify with out to pasture. No more “Chev/Buick/Cad/Pont” etc. The cars will either be Opel,Holden, or…”GMW”
Give all the former divisional dealerships the exact same cars, and let them duke it out for marketshare or close down trying. A goal is to reduce the number of dealerships selling basically the same cars, isnt it?
Corvette could retain it’s own identity, the trucks could remain as they are.
Hey..I can dream, can’t I?