Ford Falcon 2007 News

The traditional six-cylinder family sedan is clawing its way back into the minds of car buyers.In doing so, family car buyers are helping the market continue its record run, according to the latest Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries sales figures.Last month, large-car sales rose 1945 vehicles, or 18.6 per cent, medium-car sales increased 1323, or 21.7 per cent, and compact crossover-wagon sales were up 1468, or 23.7 per cent.The Holden Commodore continues to be the most popular six, and 5134 sold last month. Ford sold 3186 Falcons, Toyota's Aurion managed 1925 and Mitsubishi sold 949 of its 380.Vfacts industry figures for July show that a record 86,291 cars, trucks and buses were sold, up 8729 vehicles, or 11.3 per cent, on the same month last year.Though most segments enjoyed reasonable growth, the strongest additional sales were in the family-oriented segments of large and medium cars and compact off-roaders.FCAI chief executive Andrew McKellar says sales growth this year is more widely spread across segments than last year.“In 2006 the dynamics of the automotive market were dominated by small and light-car sales but this year sales action has been more broadly based,” he says.So far this year the market total of 610,667 vehicles is running 8.9 per cent ahead of the same period last year.The FCAI continues to forecast a record sales year of more than one million vehicles.McKellar says the continued sales buoyancy is pleasing, but he is cautious about the future because of economic challenges ahead.“The overall strength of the market in July is a tremendous result and we are on track for record annual sales, but we shouldn't take the strength of the motor-vehicle market for granted,” he says.“In particular, there is nothing in these sales figures that in any way supports the case for an interest-rate increase. There is no evidence of excess demand in the motor-vehicle market.“Supply has responded strongly to meet consumer demand, competition is intense and vehicle affordability is at record levels.”  Top 10 makes1 Toyota 19,0472 Holden 12,3433 Ford 90064 Mazda 64565 Mitsubishi 53086 Honda 56327 Nissan 45978 Hyundai 40059 Subaru 300710 Volkswagen 2383 Top 10 models 1 Holden Commodore 51342 Toyota Corolla 44603 Toyota HiLux 33004 Ford Falcon 31865 Mazda3 29096 Toyota Yaris 24497 Toyota Camry 19908 Toyota Aurion 19259 Hyundai Getz 172010 Mitsubishi Lancer 1676(Source: VFACTS) 

Ford Australia has committed to continue building large cars alongside the new small car Focus. “I can guarantee you that neither Falcon nor Territory is under any threat,” Ford Australia spokeswoman Sinead McAlary says.“We believe there is an ongoing business case for both models.”Speculation grew when Ford Australia president Tom Gorman announced during a press conference, the decision to build Focus in Australia from 2011 giving the company the opportunity to “walk away from” less profitable segments.“What Tom was talking about was the opportunity for segment managing with production ... the ability to be more flexible in the model mix,” McAlary says.“What will be possible is to manage the mix of cars being built in a far more active way. It could be changed month to month depending on what the demands are for any other models."“The terminology may have led to some confusion but there is absolutely no threat to Falcon or Territory at this stage.”With the announcement that Ford will close its in-line six engine production facility in Geelong by 2010, questions were raised over whether the Falcon and the Territory would be re-engineered to take imported engines.While conceding Territory sales are sliding, McAlary says the large, locally developed SUV remains a key plank of Ford Australia planning.“Territory numbers are down but we believe it is still the right car for the segment ... we believe it is the best SUV available,” McAlary says. “We are currently well under way working on the next-generation Territory.”McAlary would not confirm a 2010 launch for the new-generation Territory, but there would be little point in unveiling a second-generation car before the switch to imported V6s.However, betting has firmed on an earlier arrival of a diesel powerplant for the Territory with McAlary confirming work has begun.“I can't give a time frame or confirmation of anything else specific about it (diesel) but it is something we are planning for and working on,” McAlary says.There has been speculation that an inline five-cylinder turbo diesel sourced from Volvo would suit, or the bi-turbo V6 from the Jaguar family, although that would be expensive.“There are several areas where we can source the engine but I can't be more specific than that at the moment,” McAlary says.There are no plans for a compact SUV model to sit beside the Territory nor are there plans to add any more imported SUV models to the line-up.While Falcon's numbers continue to fall, Ford believes the promise of a new model early next year will revive its fortunes.“Large car numbers are never going to go back to where they were a couple of years ago,” she says. “But there have been some good indicators in the market and with something in the order of 130,000 large family cars being sold this year we can still make a strong business case for a share of that with Falcon, particularly with the new model.” 

Ford delivered some good news this week with confirmation that the Focus will be manufactured at its Campbellfield assembly plant in Melbourne from 2011.It is a ray of hope for the workforce of around 5000 left at Ford Australia following the decision last week to cease production of its six-cylinder engine plant in Geelong at the cost of 600 jobs.The Focus development will add 300 jobs and help secure Ford's future in Australia.The Focus small car which is currently sold in Australia is sourced from South Africa with that operation told the news on Monday that it will no longer make the Focus post 2010.Australia will make hatch and sedan variants for right-hand-drive markets only with South Africa and New Zealand the initial recipients of an export program that will grow with more countries announced closer to the start of assembly in Melbourne.“It's a big opportunity for our local supply base as well as a big opportunity for us,” Ford Australia president Tom Gorman said.“As you can imagine this is a watershed announcement for us.”The Victorian and Federal governments will contribute $20 million each to the project where petrol and diesel Focuses will be made in Australia with imported powertrains. It is expected volume will reach 40,000 a year with 25,000 for Australia and the rest exported.There remains a chance Focus production could overtake Falcon numbers.“You have to keep a close eye on that,” Gorman said. “If we can pick up our volume in terms of overall market share with the Focus it's conceivable.“But at the moment what I like is that we have four very strong products . . . still a very important Falcon, Ute and a very important Territory and from 2011 it will be a very important Focus.”The small car market in Australia has more than doubled on the numbers when Ford pulled the plug on its Laser in 1998 which the Focus ended up replacing when it first arrived here in September 2002.“Ten years ago the small car market was less than 100,000 units and it will probably be 220,000-225,000 at the end of this year.”Ford says engineering and design for future Focus models will continue to be driven out of Europe.But there could be a chance for Ford Australia to have a greater say in product development providing Focus can grow with the “localisation” of the product.“We are a major player in Focus not only in the region but globally,” Gorman said.“I think as we raise our volume and we do better in terms of market penetration we can expect to have more of an input.”Gorman has ruled out niche variations of the Focus for Australian production but admits there is an opening for the Ford Performance Vehicles arm to develop a fresh warmed-over variant along the lines of the current XR5.“With FPV we've always talked to them about extending their reach,” Gorman added.“There is nothing to say we wouldn't have some desire to do stuff with FPV outside of the Falcon and Falcon Ute.“Once you localise, it gives you a whole range of opportunities that don't exist today.”Gorman defended the timing of the Focus deal, saying that it was not signed off until last Friday, two days after the grim news about the Geelong engine plant.“We weren't in a position to finalise the project until Friday.“It's a little early to judge morale (within Ford).“We're trying to be sensitive to the fact we made a very difficult announcement last Wednesday and there are 600 people whose lives have been dealt a little bit of a shock . . . more than a little, a big shock.“We're going to be working with them carefully on redeployment and retraining where necessary.“It's not a feeling of there's a big celebration here at the moment.“I'd say it's relatively muted at the moment given that we made a tough announcement last week.”

The Howard Government is under pressure to dole out billions of dollars of new aid to Australia's car-makers, in an urgent review of industry assistance prompted by Ford's decision to close its Geelon

The closure is creating a new political headache for the Howard Government, over the car industry's future just months from the federal election.

For decades, the name Ford has meant `Falcon’ … but a massive overhaul is going on behind the Blue Oval’s doors to change that.Ford has always strived hard to keep the Falcon as the brand’s halo nameplate — spearheaded by strategies like its presence in V8 supercars.But with the market’s move away from large cars over the past couple of years, the company wants to move perception of the badge to more of a family and female-friendly position.And that means changing every detail about how Ford presents itself, from expensive advertising campaigns down to the last piece of paper in the stationery cupboard, says the company’s marketing general manager, Rebecca Martin. “One of the first things I did when I started in the job (late in 2005), was to yank the Falcon Ute ads off TV,” Martin says.Research showed the advertisements – first featuring a town seemingly populated only by women with impressive cleavages, all of whom were magnetised by the `pulling power’of the Ute, and the sequel showing a town full of similarly fascinated canines that the ute driver declined to give a lift to because `nah, mate … they’re dogs’ – were deterring women and overshadowing the brand.“Women felt alienated by the ads, which had the impact of them considering Ford to be a blokey brand,” Martin says.“And the nameplate advertising was overshadowing the brand. So when people thought of Ford, they just thought of Falcon.""That sent mixed messages when we wanted to sell small and light cars, and we knew we had to change that perception. "“We want to position ourselves as being more family oriented and female-friendly.” Martin says this has prompted an exhaustive review of everything Ford does to communicate its brand.“We are looking at every point of contact with the public – every touch point – from all the campaigns down to things like letterheads and even the receptionists and the production line,” she says.“This will flow through to the showrooms, and we’ll be ramping up sales training too.” Martin knows that overturing decades of imprinted `blokiness’ won’t be an easy task or a quick one.“We’ve got no illusions that this will be easy. And it certainly won’t happen overnight. We’re thinking it will take at least five years … maybe ten,” she says."It’s going to take a mindset change at all levels of the company.”As part of the overhaul, the new Falcon Ute ad also shows a `bloke’s dream town’ but rather than hordes of cleavage-laden models, it has newspaper boys that deliver kebabs, tools shops and `Beer: the musical’.“It’s a campaign women can laugh at too,” Martin says. 

With the local car industry now at the halfway point in the 2007 sales race, it is easy to see who's winning and who's losing.Toyota is basking in the glory of not only being No.1, but also cementing its sales lead so convincingly that — barring a catastrophe — it will take out the sales crown this year.The Altona-based Japanese company is 40,404 vehicles clear of its nearest rival, Holden. It is also relishing the positive spin of the Corolla knocking off the Holden Commodore last month.But apart from Toyota, other players are also revelling in the good times.Of the importers, Mazda, Subaru, Suzuki and Peugeot managed strong June sales.Mazda sold 6932 cars, with the Mazda3 being the strongest seller on 3037.The company experienced the biggest market share gain of any importer.Its record half-yearly result is 20.3 per cent up on the same time last year, lifting market share from 6.7 per cent in 2006 to 7.5 per cent, a gain of 0.7 percentage points.Subaru's tally was 4085 for the month, with the Forester, Impreza and Liberty all breaking through 1000 sales.Suzuki, like many importers, was buoyed by keen end-of-financial year deals.It sold 2368 cars for the month, bringing its year-to-date tally to 10,910 vehicles, a 43 per cent lift over last year.Of the French, an ever-expanding Peugeot line-up continues to bolster sales, but Renault flops around due to a lack of new product.Peugeot sold 1016 vehicles last month, bringing its year-to-date run-rate to 4549, a 13 per cent lift over last year. The 307 continues to be Peugeot's best seller.By contrast, Renault has a year-to-date total of 1431 vehicles, 32 cars fewer than last year.Even Saab experienced some solid growth, albeit off a low base, as the 9-3 turbodiesel helped lift the marque's appeal.Saab sold 336 cars last month, its best month for 10 years, taking its year-to-date tally to 1148, a 170 per cent lift over last year.The X-Trail, Tiida and Navara continue to drive Nissan sales. The Japanese importer sold 5845 vehicles last month with 31,176 year-to-date, a 20 per cent lift over last year.The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries monthly Vfacts figures show that most of the extra volume last month was generated by the light, small and medium car segments.A breakdown of large car sales shows that Holden sold 5588 Commodores last month, Ford 3206 Falcons, Toyota 2626 Aurions and Mitsubishi just 877 380 V6s.All three were eclipsed by the new four-cylinder Corolla, which secured 5890 sales.But a finer look at the figures shows that much of the Corolla's success was down to fleet purchases and pent-up demand for the new car, which spiked figures.But a sale is a sale. Holden's own figures point out that 29 per cent of VE Commodores are bought by private buyers, as opposed to 18.6 per cent for the VT Commodore.Apart from the Corolla, other small car stars were the Mitsubishi Lancer with 2143 sales, Holden Astra 1763 and Ford Focus 1550.Of the tiddlers, Toyota again ruled last month. The Yaris managed 2926 sales against 2486 for the Hyundai Getz, 1361 for the Kia Rio, 1351 for the Suzuki Swift and 1392 for the Honda Jazz.Despite the dominance of the light, small and medium segments, large cars were up 3.7 per cent in June and, in year-to-date terms, are running 5.1 per cent ahead of last year.However, Ford's overall market share has slipped 2 per cent and Holden's by almost 1 per cent, despite its Korean strategy, which was hoping to deliver an increased share.Mitsubishi is a bit stronger, experiencing a 0.6 per cent overall drop in share and, despite Toyota's increasing sales, its share has increased by only about 0.6 per cent.One of the more interesting results was for the Ford Fairlane.Ford sold 149 Fairlanes, bolstered by the news that the long-wheelbase sedan will be axed at the end of the year.Dealers are also reporting a slight pick-up in interest for the car from fleets.Overall, the year-to-date sales figure of 524,376 means that a record 1 million market is likely by December.   Top 10 makes  1 Toyota 24,5392 Holden 14,2563 Ford 10,3044 Mitsubishi 81945 Mazda 69326 Nissan 58457 Honda 57508 Hyundai 50239 Subaru 408510 Volkswagen 2848 Top 10 models1 Toyota Corolla 58902 Holden Commodore 55883 Toyota HiLux 42494 Ford Falcon 32065 Mazda3 30376 Toyota Yaris 29267 Toyota Camry 26458 Toyota Aurion 26269 Hyundai Getz 248610 Mitsubishi Lancer 2143 

The future of 600 workers at Ford's Geelong engine plant will be high on the agenda today (July 12) in a meeting between Ford management and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.The plant builds six-cylinder engines for the Ford Falcon.But speculation Ford may axe engine production there and move to an imported V6 engine for the Falcon beyond 2010 has the company on the back foot.The AMWU's vehicle division representative, Ian Jones, said any move to kill off engine production at Geelong would have a significant impact on the workers, the city and the region.Mr Jones had heard the speculation "for some time," he said."Normally, before they make these decisions they have discussions with us."In a bid to stem the fallout, Ford has moved to reassure its Geelong engine workers that their jobs are safe.Company spokeswoman Sinead McAlary said the workers were aware of the speculation."We confirmed for them, as we have done previously, that we are studying a whole range of alternatives across our entire business," Ms McAlary said."If and when any decisions are made that may effect them in any way, we would communicate with them at an appropriate time."But Ms McAlary would not confirm if the in-line six-cylinder engine production was on the chopping block."Everything is under study at the moment," she said."Just because we're studying something doesn't necessarily mean it's going to happen."Mr Jones said manufacturing the new V6 at Geelong would be preferred.But given the Ford Motor Company's depressed financial situation in Detroit, it may not have the financial capacity to endorse and back V6 production here, he said.Despite the Geelong concerns, Ford is expected to announce within weeks that it will add a third model to its Broadmeadows production line.Ms McAlary confirmed the company was looking at ways to better use plant capacity to get it up to 100 per cent "but nothing has been decided."Ford can build up to 120,000 vehicles a year at Broadmeadows but is currently building only 80,000 Falcons and Territorys.The Herald Sun understands the company may opt to build "completely knocked down" kits of another Ford vehicle from overseas.Mr Jones said the CKD option for Broadmeadows would be welcome news for the workforce, "but it doesn't help Geelong." 

Car companies are struggling with a $1000 problem — buyers want the latest safety technology but don't like to pay for it.In fact, they'd rather have bling rims than a certain, potentially life-saving active safety measure.The issue is over stability control, a hi-tech system that can prevent a skid. Most experts rate it as the single biggest advance in car safety in a generation. However, the Australian car industry has found it is popular only when standard, not when an extra-cost option.So far this year, only one in 100 buyers of the Hyundai Getz, from $13,990, have added the safety pack option including stability control.A “sports pack” of alloy wheels, roof spoiler and bright interior trim has proved twice as popular.In the $21,000-plus Mazda 3, demand for the stability control option has reached five per cent this year, up from two per cent last year.The US intends to make stability control mandatory on all new cars and Europe reportedly has plans to do the same.European research found the move could reduce by 80 per cent the number of crashes caused by skidding, saving 4000 lives a year if fitted to all cars there, according to Germany's University of Cologne.But in Australia, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, representing car makers and importers, is pressing the Federal Government not to make stability control mandatory.“That just tends to lock in old technology,” said FCAI president and Toyota Australia chairman emeritus, John Conomos.He said self-regulation would allow companies to switch to better systems as they were developed.Stability control is expected to be in 40 per cent of new cars by the end of the year.Holden has made it standard in Commodore sedans and Toyota will fit it to all Camry sedans from August. It is an option in most Falcons, standard in top-level versions. But it is not available in the new model Toyota Corolla, the top-selling small car. 

The V8 Supercar school created by Paul Morris and Marcos Ambrose has always been a hit with the rev-heads.