Ford Falcon 2008 News

Production of the two local heroes will continue into the next decade at the earliest, according to the president of the Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally. But the long-term future of local carmaking under the blue oval is likely to be with the smaller European-designed Focus, which will run side-by-side with the local family fighters on the Broadmeadows production line from 2011. "I think there will always be a Falcon-sized vehicle. There is a market for Falcon, both here and overseas," Mulally said in Melbourne this week. But he would not confirm a local production future for the Falcon that will eventually follow today's FG, or even the chance of it being designed in Australia. And he refused to be drawn on the potential for an imported car wearing a Falcon badge after 2012. "There will be no new announcements today," Mulally said. The worldwide Ford chief hit Melbourne the morning after lobbying Federal ministers in Canberra, including Prime Minister Rudd, for what he described as a `pause' in the planned cut in import tariffs on motor vehicles from 10 to five per cent in 2005. "The key thing about the pause is the near term. It's an important time right now to take this pause. Right now I think it's a critical piece," Mulally said. "Clearly, we are at a real transitional time in the auto industry worldwide. Our commitment is to continue to invest. "Our real plan is to create a viable, complete business in Australia. Australia is a tremendous opportunity for us." Ford has already announced the end of local engine assembly and a switch to an imported V6 from 2010, then the start of Focus production in 2011, as the local operation is integrated into the One Ford global plan. Mulally said he had good news for local workers as he headed for a staff briefing at Broadmeadows, although he could not rule out any additions to the 350 job losses announced last week as the company adjusts Falcon and Territory production to falling sales. "We will size our production to the demand," he said. Mulally said Ford Australia is strong and viable despite its recent troubles, including the resignation last week of company president Bill Osborne. "You guys have got to be bullish on your industry. For where we are, in a terrible business environment, it's doing extremely well," he said. The switch to Australian production of the Focus, which is currently imported, is part of a regional export plan for the car. "In all honesty, Australia's connection is to Asia-Pacific. We need a strong export program. And we need to export into Asia," the executive vice-president for Ford in Asia-Pacific and Africa, John Parker, said at the Mulally briefing. "It is absolutely critical that our Australian operations make the transformation from only building large cars, which have only one way to go which is down, to making cars which are relevant to what the Australian customer wants and what the AP customer wants. "We can have scale. That was the big decision in driving Focus here."  

The share market is shot, superannuation is in “negative growth” whatever that means, house prices are dropping alarmingly and interest rates look like falling. Where can you make an honest investment dollar these days? Well, art has some attraction but the numbers involved would make plenty of people tremble in their boots.What about collectable classic cars?We have all heard the stories about the six figure Falcon GTHOs and Monaros not forgetting the European thoroughbred classics, some of which go for multi-million dollar prices.But what if you're just an average punter and want to get in on the action.Take a look at Japanese collectable cars - is the advice coming from those in the know.This is because they have the potential for increased value from a relatively low base. And depending on the car (and luck) you could have a tidy little nest egg in the garage, one that you can take out and actually enjoy at your discretion.Christophe Boribon is the National Auction Manager for Shannons Auctions and he has some firm ideas on what cars are good buying with potential appreciation and those that are dead certainties.Chris' named the Toyota 2000GT as the most collectable classic Japanese car in Australia because of its rarity (only eight imported) and the specification of the car. He says a good one will go for between $2-300,000.Hardly accessible to the average punter.But other cars from most Japanese manufacturers operating here are shaping up well at the auctions and as long term prospects.Mazda's 1960s R100 coupe is worth a look at 10 grand according to Chris' as is the original, glass back RX7.“The RX3 is also good buying at $25-35,000 if you can get a good one and it should appreciate if looked after,” Chris' said.”Then there is the late '90s twin-turbo RX7 and RX7 SP - a locally fettled hotrod that will appreciate because it was a low volume performance car.”“You will pay big dollars for a Mazda Cosmo (up to 100 grand) but the first MX5 is a good proposition for not much money.” He said the SP versions of the later MX5 will be worth more in the long run and even the Japanese turbo model, the SE, should appreciate over time.Toyota has a few potentially collectable models including the late '60s Celica RA23 and TA23 models as well as the rear drive Sprinter 1.6. Celica GT4s should also be good buying if you can find one that hasn't been raced. Honda's most collectable car is the NSX but Chris' says the first S2000 sports cars are worth a look if you can get one that hasn't been thrashed. The tiny S600 and S800 sports cars are good property and even the quad headlight Integra TypeR could appreciate given time.Any Mitsubishi Lancer Evo in reasonable road condition will be worth a punt as a collectable particularly the Evo 6.5 Makinen edition. And if you can get hold of a twin turbo GTO 3000 (non-factory import) it should be a solid investment.Nissan has plenty of collectable cars dating right back to the 1960s. Think Datsun Fairlady sports cars, Datsun 240Z and 260Z coupes and of course the R32 Skyline GTR Godzilla Bathurst winning car - (Australian spec) of which only 100 were imported by the factory. You'll pay about $35,000 for Godzilla these days and it's on the way up for a decent standard one.Subaru has a couple of collectable cars too, the SVX coupe 3.3-litre flat six all-wheel-drive has possibilities and the 22B two door Impreza WRX STi for which you'll pay about $100,000 and going up.Good luck. 

The FG petrol sedan range, from the $36,490 XT model up, has earned a 5-star rating in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program.It is the first Australian-made car to receive the top ranking and should help give the Falcon range a boost after some lower than expected sales results.“The petrol FG Falcon sedan range has been judged by ANCAP as being the safety leader among locally-manufactured vehicles, cementing Ford's reputation for safety leadership,” says Ford Australia President Bill Osborne.“We design our cars to deliver real-world safety benefits. This is a resounding third party endorsement of the extensive safety development program undertaken for the all-new FG Falcon.”The FG Falcon joins the European-sourced Focus and Mondeo as 5-star ANCAP models in the blue oval's range. However, the E-Gas range of LPG-fuel Falcons missed out on the top honour because it does not have stability control. It received a 4-star rating. Falcon's rivals, the Holden VE Commodore and Toyota Aurion, have four-star ANCAP ratings.To achieve the 5-star rating a vehicle must pass four key criteria above a minimum score. The tests are an offset front test, a side impact test, a pole impact test and the car must have electronic stability control.Ford crash-tested 426 actual cars and ran more than 5000 computer-simulated tests during the development of the FG. The company used Ford's facilities in Australia and Detroit, as wellas sister-brand Volvo's Swedish facility. Head airbags for driver and front-seat passenger are standard across the range. The G6E and G6E Turbo have curtain and thorax airbags as standard and are optional on other models.Ford Australia senior executive Trevor Worthington says the rating comes at an important time and vindicates the extensive safety work the company has invested in.“Consumers are more aware of the importance of vehicle safety,” Worthington says. “As the company that first made driver airbags standard and introduced stability control, Beltminder, dual-stage airbags and a reverse camera on Australian-built vehicles, anticipating these growing consumer demands for increased safety was a top priority.” 

The FG Falcon scored a five-star result in the latest round of tests for the Australian New-Car Assessment Program, matching the benchmark set by luxury cars such as the Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-Series and Renault Laguna. It is the first Australia-made car to achieve a five-star ranking. Results of the testing will not be announced until Wednesday, following a recent series of crash tests and safety assessments of Ford's new local flagship. Apart from the traditional frontal-impact test, any five-star contender must also pass a side-impact test. And it must have seat-belt warnings for every passenger space. From the start of this year, any car awarded the top ranking by ANCAP must have ESP stability control fitted. Ford is likely to make a considerable fuss over the five-star success, as the rival VE Commodore only has a four-star ranking. The locally-made Toyota Camry and Aurion also rate four stars, the same as the now-dead Mitsubishi 380. Full results of the ANCAP testing should also include the Falcon's rating for both child occupant and pedestrian safety, which are now taking a higher priority in safety scoring across the globe. A five-star result will allow Ford to promote the car in showrooms with a special ANCAP sticker, which has been offered to any carmaker with a safety standout but so far only taken up in Australia by Subaru.  

Car sales were at record levels for the first half of the year, but that isn't expected to last.As Ford and GM Holden struggle with their toughest challenges in more than 25 years, there is no sign of any overall slump in new-car showrooms.The Commodore and Falcon are doing it tough, but small-car sales are booming, compact four-wheel drives are going well and there is a growing trend towards work-and-play pickups by Tuppies - or Tradie Urban Professionals.The Tuppie trend is as obvious as the showroom total for the Toyota HiLux, Australia's No.2 seller in the first six months of the year. It even beat the Commodore, though the baby Corolla did best, to record its first half-year term as overall No.1.Toyota continues to power ahead and has experienced the best results in its history, helping to drive a string of records for the overall motor industry."We're up 9.4 per cent for the year. But we always want to do better and while we're running well ahead we're happy," the head of sales and marketing at Toyota Australia, Dave Buttner, says.The overall figures at the half-time break in this year's showroom battle include record sales figures for June, a record for the year so far and a record performance for a financial year of 1,068,301.But things do not look as bright for the second half of the year, even though all industry analysts are forecasting a full-year total of about 1,060,000."There will be a lot of competitive pressures. Prices are likely to stay where they are," Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Andrew McKellar says."The June figures need to be seen in a broader context. We have come from a situation where the market was growing at about twice the rate of the national economy ... we have seen growth rates fall from 8.9 per cent to 3.5 per cent this year."This is much more in line with growth in the general economy and a much more sustainable position."So there are plenty of winners, but there are losers, too. Nissan and Honda trail last year's half-yearly totals. They have held their places in the top-10 sales chart but clearly need new models to compete with their rivals, as Honda's impressive effort in June - when it cracked 6000 sales for the first time in a month thanks to the new Accord and Accord Euro - prove.But what can we see in the results, beyond the inevitable stuff from Toyota?New vehicles are still up to 30 per cent less expensive to buy today than they were 15 years ago and strong competition, the growth of turbodiesels, improved safety and equipment levels are driving new buyer inquiry.June had a record 106,541 sales, up 1444, or 1.4 per cent, on the same month last year, and a record for any month in Australian motor-vehicle sales history.Toyota is now more than 60,000 ahead of its nearest rival Holden, with a tally of 127,440 sales.Last month it became the first company in Australia to sell more than 25,000 vehicles in a month when it recorded 25,600 sales.As it did in 2007, the Corolla is storming ahead, outselling the fleet favourite, the Holden Commodore, but it is the HiLux that has surprised pundits.In April the HiLux knocked off the Holden Commodore as the country's best-selling vehicle and end-of-financial-year deals helped push its sales to 4530 last month, with a yearly tally of 22,132.Toyota's success has a lot to do with its market clout and penetration in just about all vehicle segments.It has cars from the economical Yaris to the V8 turbodiesel LandCruiser off-roader and its split strategy of the Camry four-cylinder and Aurion V6 seems to be paying off, even if rivals refer to the Aurion as the Camry V6.Other Toyota strengths are its strong marketing, and knowing its buyers.But with rising fuel prices, tightening credit and interest-rate issues, it is not alone in predicting some softening in the run to December.But Toyota is buoyed by a strong order bank for many of its cars, including the HiLux and Corolla, and analysts say the company's pricepoints and reputation will hold up well against outside issues facing the car industry.The Corolla is the company's hottest property. It became Australia's best-selling car in the first half of the year, the first time Corolla, or any Toyota, has topped the country's new-vehicle sales chart at the half-way point of a year.Australian motorists bought 24,415 Corollas in the first six months of this year - an increase of more than 7.3 per cent on the same period last year.Corolla was the best-selling vehicle last month, with 5023 sales, followed by the HiLux, with 4530.The Holden Commodore was third last month, posting 4274 sales for a six-month total of 23,323 cars - 1092 fewer than Corolla.Yaris, 2770, Aurion, 2552, and Camry, 2261, were among the top 10 sellers last month. Prado, 1749, led the SUV market.Toyota's market share so far this year is 23.5 per cent, a slight gain of 1.3 per cent on the same period last year.Holden's overall share is down 2.1 per cent, which will be worrying the bean-counters.Despite having a strong sedan, ute and long-wheelbase line-up, the company's South Korean strategy has some holes in it.Sales of the Viva sedan and wagon are down more than 14 per cent, and the Barina is struggling.Only the Captiva and Epica seem to be working out.The Captiva has found 5633 buyers this year and even the lukewarm Epica has lifted numbers to 1332, up from 1096 for the same time last year.By contrast Ford's Euro small cars like the Focus and Fiesta have performed well, achieving sales of 8561 and 3866 respectively.Even its new mid-sizer, the Mondeo, has snared 2518, with Ford underestimatingd demand for the turbodiesel model.The late arrival of the new FG Falcon meant that June results of 3483 were about what the company expected.Ford's Broadmeadows factory is ramping up production of the G Series sedans after starting with the base XT model and dealers are reporting strong interest and growing orders for the G Series cars.Luxury-car sales, too, with the impending rise in the luxury-car tax, shot up last month.Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz all report strong June sales in a pull-forward of sales before the new tax comes into effect.Mercedes-Benz sold 2054 vehicles, Audi 907 and BMW 2258.The arrival of the new Jaguar XF bolstered Jaguar's June result, with 124 cars sold; and even Land Rover shifted 491 vehicles. REPORT CARDSmall cars GOODCompact 4x4s GOODPick-ups GOODSedans POOR How the makes and models compareTOP 10 MAKES (June)1 Toyota 25,6242 Holden 11,9683 Ford 10,2864 Mazda 75245 Mitsubishi 83366 Nissan 53527 Honda 62178 Hyundai 54479 Subaru 411610 Volkswagen 3305 TOP 10 MAKES (YTD)1 Toyota 127,4402 Holden 67,1233 Ford 54,4694 Mazda 42,4935 Mitsubishi 35,1676 Nissan 30,8007 Honda 30,1688 Hyundai 24,4179 Subaru 20,80610 Volkswagen 16,407 TOP 10 MODELS (June)1 Toyota Corolla 50232 Toyota HiLux 45303 Holden Commodore 42744 Ford Falcon 34825 Mazda3 32866 Toyota Yaris 27707 Mitsubishi Lancer 26678 Honda Civic 26449 Toyota Aurion 255210 Toyota Camry 2261 TOP 10 MODELS (YTD)1 Toyota Corolla 24,4152 Holden Commodore 23,3233 Toyota HiLux 22,1324 Mazda3 17,4585 Ford Falcon 14,7816 Toyota Yaris 13,7047 Toyota Camry 11,7718 Toyota Aurion 11,3879 Honda Civic 10,89710 Mitsubishi Lancer 10,498 who's hotSUZUKIJune was the 19th straight month of cumulative increases for Suzuki, which has cemented a place as one of Australia's fastest-growing brands.A total of 2419 Suzukis were sold last month, making it the best month in the company's history with a 2.2 per cent gain over the previous high-water mark in June last year.Another record result confirms Suzuki is now being considered against the historical volume players in the Australian market, Suzuki Australia general manager Tony Devers says.Like so many others, Suzuki is cashing in on successful new models, including the SX4, though the baby Swift - a former CARSguide Car of the Year - is still the bedrock for the brand. It has also claimed a 21 per cent increase for Grand Vitara, and the tiny Jimny four-wheel drive, which has been relaunched in 2008, is up 35 per cent.Suzuki sold 12,140 vehicles in the first half of the year, an 11.3 per cent increase on last year."With rising petrol prices having a noticeable effect on customer choices, Suzuki is perfectly positioned to offer a range of vehicles offering great fuel economy, superb build quality and terrific value for money," Devers says. MAZDAMazda is well on track for an 80,000-plus year. Better than its most ambitious target.Last month it sold 7524 vehicles, up 8.5 per cent on the same time last year.The Mazda2's tally of 1540 is a record for the nameplate and even the ageing Mazda3 continues to perform well, selling 3284 last month.The Mazda3's year-to-date sales of 17,458 makes it the third best- selling car - not vehicle - in Australia behind the Corolla and Commodore. SUBARUAll-wheel drive continues to be Subaru's trump card.It achieved a record of 4116 vehicles last month, with an overall lift in sales of 6.4 per cent for the year so far.The new-generation Forester was a star performer, with 1668 sold, an increase of 13.2 per cent.Impreza continued its strong start with 1031 sales, up 16.0 per cent. The refreshed Tribeca also performed well, with 161 sales, up 47.5 per cent.Liberty and Outback sales of 788 and 468 respectively contributed to the impressive result. who's notSSANGYONGThis brand is struggling, with sales down 25 per cent this year despite a revamping of its model line-up.A lack of cohesive marketing, low dealer numbers and quirky styling continues to dog the brand. Only 920 have found homes so far this year. SAABWhat can we say?With only two models in the line-up, the 9-3 and 9-5, Saab needs an injection of product right away.It's coming, in the form of a new four-wheel drive and small model but they are some way off.With sales of only 806 so far this year, it makes you wonder why GM Premium Brands bothers with the Swede. RENAULTEven tough sales have improved 2.2 per cent overall this year, the French carmaker's typically arrogant attitude to the Asia-Pacific market is working against it.The new Laguna and Clio sports model give it some hope, but only if the French executives get out of their ivory towers in Paris and come have a look at our market for a better understanding of what it needs to survive and prosper. PEUGEOTThe model changeover from the 307 to the 308 may have upset Peugeot's strong run, but sales are off 17 per cent this year.The 207 is a strong card and once the 308 becomes more widely known for its quality and driving experience we suspect things will pick up.The 407 is in desperate need of some strong marketing. NISSANLook beyond the nameplate and there are some strong individual performers, like the the X-Trail and Navara.But the Tiida still mystifies people, a Pulsar by any other name really. The miniscule Micra is picking up some well-earned praise for its price and packaging, so there is some hope.The Dualis has fallen short of the mark, though, and essentially Nissan still has to climb out from its tag as a four-wheel-drive brand if it wants to improve.Sales have slipped 4.3 per cent this year. LEXUSTreading water a bit with sales up only 0.3 per cent this year, the six-model range is strong on quality but short on driver involvement. The IS and GS are perhaps the exceptions. They are competent, but not engaging cars, and the volume RX series is due for replacement soon. It cannot come soon enough. CITROENAgain, the French! Some perky little performers in the C3 turbodiesel and C4, but it seems Aussie buyers prefer Japanese.Citroen sales are off 13.5 per cent on the same period last year.The Grand Picasso is the only interesting one to watch. ALFA ROMEONothing wrong with the product but others do it better and more aggressively.Alfa importer Ateco Automotive has sold 717 Alfa Romeos this year, down 25 per cent on the same period last year.The arrival of the sexy Mi.To could spur things on for the brand. 

UTES are almost compulsory for Jason Hodges. As resident gardener and landscaper on Better Homes & Gardens a workhorse is his first choice. He says he has always owned and driven utes. Hodges' long-term relationship with utes has gone hand-in-hand with his lifestyle. But he does have others in his life -- a 1967 convertible Mustang and a 1963 two-door Falcon - which come out for special occasions.What was your first car?An HQ Kingswood ute. It was white with a blue tarp. I was 17 and I loved it because it was a ute not a car. The worst thing about it was everyone wanted to borrow it, or borrow you, when they moved house.What do you drive now?A metallic blue Commodore ute. I've had about 12 utes. I've had Holdens, Toyotas and Fords, but nine out of the 12 have been Holdens. I also own a 1967 convertible Wimbledon white Mustang and a 1963 two-door Falcon. I usually drive the Mustang to golf on a Saturday or if I'm quoting for a job. I also take it on dates, if I can get one. I'm not sure if the Mustang impresses on dates. I think it can be too showy, whereas the 1963 Falcon, because it's Australian, is a little more understated.Do you have a favourite drive and who would you take?Up to the Hunter Valley from Sydney. I normally go up there with mates. We have dirt bikes up there so I'm usually go there with a bloke, not a girl.How far would you drive in an average year?A lot. I'd do about 35,000km a year.Do you have a favourite motoring memory?I love road trips, especially up to Nambucca Heads or Crescent Head. I've enjoyed them as a kid and an adult. I drive to Tamworth for the Country Music Festival every year and I sleep in the back of the ute. As I've become more recognised for being on TV, people stop and ask, "Where are you staying?'' And when I tell them, "In my ute'' they look a bit surprised. We usually go to the Olympic town pool for a s- - -, shave and a shower. People don't expect me to do that, but I'm still a lad.What would you buy if money was no object?A 1967 convertible Mustang.What music is playing in your car?I like mellow, chilled-out music like Jack Johnson, Pete Murray, Missy Higgins, Lee Kernaghan or Troy Casser-Daly.How much is too much for a new car?I've never bought a new car, but I don't know how much is too much. If it does the job and it makes you happy, you enjoy it and it de-stresses you when you're in traffic ... you can't put a price on that.What should be done to make driving safer?We should be tested more often, not just when we get our licence. I'm sure I have bad habits after driving for 18 years without anyone testing me.Are you sponsored by a car company?No. But it would be nice.

Wednesday 3.58pm: A journalist approaches racing legend Dick Johnson and tells him he is about to be dumped by Ford after more than 30 years of loyal service.Johnson picks up the phone and calls his good mate and Dick Johnson Racing (DJR) director Charlie Schwerkolt.He leaves a message: “Mate, don't bother f****** ringing back but a journalist just told me Ford are going to cut our funding. They're still going to give us minor support, but I don't know to what level so I'm not going to go off yet. Let me deal with the f******* first. Don't blame me if the shit hits the fan.”Ford's stance has left an Australian sporting icon stunned and angry.It has also enraged the fans, not to mention his race driver son Steven, who followed Dick to make his name with Ford.“He was in shock and so he should have been,” Steven said. “My God. The things he has done for Ford over the last 38 years or so.“It just goes to show that with a change of management, some companies will chuck you out the door.“Loyalty is dead when people don't understand what Dad and Peter Brock where all about in their day.“People come over and just don't understand the category or the history.”Johnson is still trying to get his head around the news delivered by a reporter and not by Ford itself.He will have to find another $1million to race next year after Ford decided to limit its cash commitments to just two teams, Stone Brother Racing (SBR) and Ford Performance Racing (FPR).“I'm still in shock,” Johnson said last week. “I don't know what else to say.”But as the reality was beginning to sink in yesterday as those close to the the three-time Bathurst winner and five-time touring car champion had their say for him.“It is devastating news, it really is,” said Schwerkolt, the millionaire forklift driver who bailed Dick out in 2000.“We didn't expect it. Dick was in Darwin and he found out off the media. He just couldn't believe it. He swore a lot and he was absolutely gutted. We are all part of the family at Ford.”Not any more. The man who fought off the might of Holden during the sport's glory years will no longer be sponsored by Ford.But after enduring a horror two years, prompted by the collapse of property group Westpoint, Steve says nothing can stop DJR or his father. Johnson was a major investor in the failed company and was forced to sell his famous True Blue Falcon, along with his green XE Falcon and Sierra, to pay off his debts.“If we can get through this, we can get through anything,” Steven said.“We have had a bloody tough two years.“It has been trying on everybody, on the team, on the family and all the employees of DJR. We just have to get some new cars next year and fire.“Hopefully we can make them jealous and be up the front.“He has been pretty down about it because it is a massive blow to him and my mum. I just said to him today to keep his chin up.“We have got most of the company back on its feet so we can't stop now.”But in a move that will stun Ford fans, Steven said he was open to driving another brand of car next year.“I just love the motoring industry in general,” Steven said. “I like anything that is built right, whether that is Ford, Holden or Toyota.“I am not a diehard who follows one team. What has happened might change what I drive on the road next year.”And the sentiment is shared by Team Vodafone, who were also axed by Ford.Team boss Roland Dane yesterday said he would court Toyota as a possible car manufacturer for the powerful Triple Eight team when the current contract with Ford expires.The Sunday Telegraph understands the sport's governing body is open to the idea of a third or fourth manufacturer entering the series. CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGSRank ... Name ....................... Points1 ......... Mark Winterbottom ... 11242 ......... Garth Tander ............ 10723 ......... Jamie Whincup ......... 10624 ......... Rick Kelly ................ 10285 ......... Craig Lowndes .......... 8976 ......... Steven Richards ....... 8397 ......... James Courtney ....... 8118 ......... Lee Holdsworth ......... 7609 ......... Will Davison ............. 75210 ....... Todd Kelly ................ 726* after 5 rounds "I am not a diehard who follows one team. What has happened might change what I drive on the road next year."Driver Steven Johnson after Ford's decision to withdraw funding for Dick Johnson Racing TEAM STANDINGS1 Ford Performance Racing ... 19632 Team Vodafone ................. 19593 Toll Holden Racing ............. 17024 Stone Brothers Racing ....... 15035 HSV Dealer Team .............. 14686 Jim Beam Racing .............. 14347 Brad Jones Racing ............. 12018 Garry Rogers Motorsport .... 11889 Tasman Motorsport ............ 110810 Jack Daniels Racing ......... 1080* after 5 rounds 

Unless they conduct major overhauls of their existing models, Australian carmakers will have difficulty meeting Industry Minister Kim Carr's target.

When Ford's favourite racer rolls down the pitlane at Sandown in the all-new FG Falcon, he will be unveiling the car that will take up the touring-car contest with Holden's latest VE Commodore.

But before you press the panic button, there are many simple ways to save cash. Take your car. You may not have to rush out and buy the cheapest, smallest and most fuel-frugal car just yet.Instead, you may be able to find a big car that drinks like a small car.The choices are hybrid (basically, a small petrol engine with an electric motor for assistance); diesel (expensive fuel, but goes a long way); petrol (no need to expand on this one); and LPG (it's a gas, but it is also rising in price).Hybrid: A Toyota Prius costs $37,400, about $12,000 more than a similarly sized and equipped Toyota Corolla. But the Prius gets 4.4litres per 100km and expels only 106g of CO2 for each kilometre, while the Corolla gets 7.4 litres per 100km and emits 175g/km CO2. If you drive the Prius 15,000km a year, it will take 18 years to make up its extra price over the Corolla. But you'll feel greener.Diesel: A diesel automatic Ford Mondeo is almost as big as a Ford Falcon. Yet, the $37,990 Mondeo gets 7.3 litres per 100km compared with the $39,990 Falcon G6 automatic's 10.5 litres per 100km. But diesel is about $1.70 a litre and petrol is $1.50 a litre, so at 15,000km a year, the Mondeo will still save you $700 each year, and about half the number of refuelling stops.Thinking green? The Mondeo emits 197g/km CO2 and the Falcon is 252g/km CO2.LPG: Though most motorists don't equate LPG to petrol, unfortunately it suffers the same erratic price movements. It is now in sympathy with petrol and is about 67c a litre. The Federal Government will start taxing LPG from 2011. Though cheaper, LPG is less efficient than petrol and uses upto 30 per cent more to travel the same distance. LPG conversions get a government rebate, which makes changing over a plausible economy move for long-distance cars. Ford makes dedicated (that is, not dual-fuel) LPG Falcon models that start at $37,890. Canny motorists can buy previous model LPG Falcons at fleet auctions, though you'll be bidding against some serious taxi owners.An LPG Falcon gets 15.5 litres per 100km compared with a petrol Falcon's 10.5 litres per 100km. The LPG Falcon costs $1400 more, so it takes 20 months for pay-back and then the LPG car promises lower future running costs. Emissions are 233g/km CO2 for the LPG and 252g/km for the petrol Falcon. Note that government rebates are not available for factory-fit LPG vehicles.Petrol: Basically, if you're not financially blessed to buy a new car, lower your running costs by using the car less. Don't go out and sell the big family car to buy a small-engined car before doing the sums.A 10-year-old V8 Holden, for example, is a gas-guzzler at about 16 litres per 100km. It's probably worth $10,000 as a trade-in. Buying a smaller Holden Astra, for example, to save fuel will mean you have a newer and safer car for $16,000. At $1.50 a litre, you could have bought 10,670 litres to fuel the V8 for `free' for 67,000km.