Ford Territory News

The Federal Government's recall website has urged drivers of certain Ford Falcons and Territorys to not adjust their steering wheel in case it causes the engine to shut down.

The end of Australian car manufacturing in 2017 after almost 100 years has some sections of the community – and the government – concerned prices will rise once we become entirely dependent on imported vehicles.But in fact a perfect storm is likely to see Australian car buyers spoiled for choice – and strong competition will continue to keep prices affordable.That's the analysis from the Paris motor show this week, the biggest European car show of the year. Customarily, the weird on wheel takes centre stage at Paris. But this year the talk was all about the market slowdowns in Europe and parts of the Asia-Pacific.Even though the car industry shut dozens of factories in Europe and North America in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis – to cut over-capacity – production levels have crept up and, once again, too many cars are being made for too few buyers.In the past month several big brands have announced temporary factory shutdowns, known as "down days", to try to match factory output with falling customer demand. However, problems abroad mean that Australia will continue to become the car industry's pressure valve, absorbing excess production – as long as our currency remains strong and exchange rates remain favourable.The other important factor in our favour: once Ford, Holden and Toyota no longer have to protect their locally-made cars, they will go all-out and get the best possible imported cars to make up for lost sales.Ford has been the most public and the most aggressive about its plans so far. Ford will have completely overhauled its showroom line-up by the time its Broadmeadows car factory and Geelong engine and stamping plants are closed in October 2016. And it's starting by introducing the iconic Mustang in Australia this time next year.Ford was the only one of the US car makers not to take its foot off the accelerator during the Global Financial Crisis. It was cashed up because it sold its foreign luxury-car brands and borrowed enough money to invest in a completely new global line-up just before the world's finance system collapsed.Given that it takes about five years to take a car from a sketch pad idea to a showroom, Ford is about to reap the benefits while the others play catch-up.Ford will have at least five SUVs in its showrooms by 2017, including the pint-sized EcoSport (designed for the city), the Edge (for young singles), the Kuga (for young families), the Explorer (the seven-seat replacement for the locally-made Ford Territory) and the Everest (a seven-seater for the outdoorsy types who really get off the beaten track).While Ford has some other surprises planned, insiders say the next generation Mondeo will replace the Falcon. Ford also believes it needs to attract a new generation of buyers if it is to remain successful."We have a very established customer base that is largely (centred) around established Australian families, but there is a dynamic element of new blood in Australia," Ford Australia spokesman Wes Sherwood told industry journal motoring.com.au this week. "But we've got to find ways to attract this newer, first-generation Australian (customer) who don't have a connection with the brand here."As with Holden, Ford also wants to make a dent on Toyota's 11-year sales dominance, "You're going to hear a lot more about us ... taking on Toyota or Mazda, because that's where customers' mindsets are. We've got to get on that shopping list," said Mr Sherwood.Holden, meanwhile, is about to transform its business and begin sourcing cars from all corners of the General Motors world. The company this week announced that at least one third of all new Holdens will come from its Opel affiliate in Germany, while the rest will come from Thailand, South Korea and North America.For now, Holden is still playing catch-up after its head office, General Motors, hit the brakes during the Global Financial Crisis and stopped or delayed key models. Much of the Holden line-up is long overdue for replacement and all-new vehicles are still a little while away. In the meantime, Holden has sharpened prices on existing stock and dealers are pushing hard to move metal.But come 2017, Holden will be a very different company to what it is today. As emotional as the Holden brand is, the end of manufacturing has given the company a chance to wipe the slate clean and cherry-pick the best models from the GM world, now there's no local factory to protect.The president of General Motors, Dan Ammann, admitted at this week's Paris motor show that Holden had lost focus on growing segments of the new-car market because it had spent the past decade trying to protect the Commodore as customer demand faded."If you looked over the last few years with the benefit of hindsight, having the strength that we've had in Commodore has probably taken the focus off some of the other areas where we could have been stronger and had more product in the market," said Mr Ammann.But General Motors had emerged from the Global Financial Crisis in 2009 with a new way of thinking and was planning to build more cars for right-hand-drive markets, he said.Left-hand-drive cars such as those sold in China, North America and Europe are left-hand-drive and account for 75 per cent of all cars sold globally. Customarily, right-hand-drive cars cost more to build on a per unit basis because they only account for 25 per cent of cars sold globally.But Mr Ammann said General Motors has started to integrate changes for right-hand-drive cars at the very beginning of the planning stages, to increase the number of right-hand-drive cars in its portfolio. It means Holden showrooms could stock the iconic Camaro muscle car and full-size pick-ups from the US within five years – in addition to cars from Europe, Korea and Thailand."We have all sorts of great cars around the world that we can bring in," said Mr Ammann. "We are totally committed to Holden." "As a company we haven't done a very good job about being systematic about right-hand-drive cars. We will be much more expansive in our thinking on that going forward." Mr Ammann said the changes "won't happen overnight" but "as we get into the next generation of these (vehicles) there will be more good things to come".Mr Ammann, originally from New Zealand, said Holden now had friends in high places in Detroit who would unlock the doors to a host of US and European cars that have previously been off limits to Holden.Former Holden boss Mark Reuss (2008 to 2009) is now in charge of global vehicle development, and his successor at Holden, Alan Batey (2009 to 2010), is now the executive vice president of General Motors in North America."A lot of the senior leadership in (General Motors) have an association and a strong affiliation with Holden," said Mr Ammann. "There is a disproportionate amount of emotional attachment to Holden. Watch this space. We have more to come."The next generation Commodore will be sourced from Opel in Germany. Holden has not confirmed this, but well placed sources say Holden executives have already driven early prototypes of the car. It is, essentially, the new generation Opel Insignia (also sold elsewhere in the General Motors world – China and North America – as a Buick).There is much debate about whether or not the car will be called a "Commodore". Holden apparently wants to keep the nameplate but diehard fans say it doesn't deserve the Commodore badge. The new model will be a front-wheel-drive car with four-cylinder or six-cylinder power. There will be a sedan and wagon, but no ute and no V8.Holden will also boost its SUV range with a new Captiva seven seater and an as-yet unnamed model to replace the Captiva 5 compact SUV.Meanwhile Holden will have a two-model strategy for small cars: the all-new Cruze sedan and wagon, and the European-sourced Astra hatch. The Holden Astra will return to local showrooms next year, starting with the performance variants and the Astra-based Cascada convertible.But selected models from the regular Astra range are due to follow in late 2015 or early 2016 as Holden winds down production of the locally-made Cruze small car. Holden is currently studying a business case to import the Opel Corsa (the same size as the baby Barina) but it may be difficult to price at the bargain basement end of the market given it will come from Europe rather than low-cost South Korea.Toyota is also well placed to respond with a wider range of models but, to be frank, Toyota has more to lose than gain because it already has the biggest range. Nevertheless, it won't stop Toyota from trying to fill every possible niche, such as the city-sized SUV concept unveiled at this week's Paris motor show.Meanwhile, although the Camry will be imported rather than made locally by 2018, Toyota will still actively chase fleet business. Toyota's biggest threat, however, is the Japanese currency. The Japanese government currently deliberately undervalues the Japanese Yen to boost exports. If that changes, so does Japan's advantage. And brands from other countries will be there to swoop.With 64 car brands on sale, Australia is the most competitive market in the world, given we only buy about 1.1 million new cars each year. The US has about 50 brands selling to about 15.6 million buyers annually. The passing of the Australian car manufacturing industry will be a truly sad day. Once it's gone, it'll be gone forever.But the fact remains that strong competition, a strong currency, weak overseas demand – and a lack of local factories to protect – will continue to put new-car buyers in the driver's seat. Literally.

Big price cuts and extra value for new Ford Falcon and Territory.With Falcon sales continuing to fall further behind those of arch-rival Holden Commodore, Ford Australia has announced significant price cuts across the range led by a reduction of just under $10,000 on the range-topping G6E Turbo.Additional equipment in what is destined to be the final Falcon model has also been added with front parking sensors and a reversing camera now standard in all models as well as an upgraded version of the Ford SYNC system including an 8-inch colour touch screen. There’s now also a new Wi-Fi hot spot capability, a second USB socket and new DAB+ digital radio.Styling changes include new alloy wheel designs and new graphics across the range as well as new front fascia, badging, headlamps and daytime running lights on G6E and XR6 models.The prices of the entry-level Falcon Ute have increased by $800 although that is more than offset by the inclusion of climate control air conditioning, a $2000 option in the FG Mark II. The XR6 Utes are all down by between $1380 and $3750. List prices of the new Ford Falcon FG X range (previous FG MkII in brackets) are:Falcon XT 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $35,900 ($37,235)Falcon XR6 4.0-litre petrol manual: $35,590 ($39,990)Falcon XR6 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $37,790 ($40,990)Falcon XR6 Turbo 4.0-litre turbo-petrol manual: $42,990 ($46,235)Falcon XR6 Turbo 4.0-litre turbo-petrol automatic: $45,190 ($48,235)Falcon G6E 4.0L petrol automatic: $40,110 ($46,735)Falcon G6E Turbo 4.0-litre turbo-petrol automatic: $46,550 ($56,235)Falcon Ute cab chassis 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $29,390 ($28,590)Falcon Ute SSB 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $29,790 ($28,990)XR 6 cab chassis 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $32,140 ($35,890)XR 6 SSB 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $32,640 ($36,190)XR 6 Turbo SSB 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $39,910 ($41,190) The Ford Territory SUV has received the combination of lower prices and extra equipment with all models now getting SYNC including emergency assistance and price cuts of between $3000 and $6500.List prices of the new Territory SZ Mk II (previous Mk I in brackets) are:TX RWD 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $36,990 ($39,990)TX RWD 2.7-litre diesel automatic: $40,240 ($43,240)TX AWD 2.7-litre diesel automatic: $45,240 ($48,240)TS RWD 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $41,740 ($47,740)TS RWD 2.7-litre diesel automatic: $44,990 ($50,990)TS AWD 2.7-litre diesel automatic: $49,990 ($55,990)Titanium RWD 4.0-litre petrol automatic: $48,490 ($54,990)Titanium RWD 2.7-litre diesel automatic: $51,740 ($58,060)Titanium AWD 2.7-litre diesel automatic: $56,740 ($59,990)

Ford Territory family SUV to become more affordable and better equipped with MkII updates.The Australian-built Ford Territory mid-size SUV is being updated for 2015, and - like the revised FG X Falcon range - the family-favourite is receiving significant price cuts.The entry-level TX trim grade will receive a $3000 price cut when the new MkII Territory goes on sale later this year, starting at $36,990 for the rear-drive petrol model and tops out with the $45,240 all-wheel drive diesel. A rear-drive diesel model is also available, priced from $40,240.The Territory entry-level TX comes with five seats as standard, with seven seats available as a $2500 option.  All TS and Titanium models come standard with the seven-seat layout.A new ZF 6-speed automatic gearbox brings fuel efficiency gains across the SZ MkII Territory petrol range, and is shared with most FG X Falcon models.The TX model uses 10.2L/100km in rear-drive petrol guise – down from 10.6L/100km – while the turbodiesel equivalent still uses 8.2L/100km.Opting for the all-paw diesel model sees combined fuel consumption rise to 8.8L/100km.The price of the mid-spec Territory TS is being slashed by $6000 for 2015 across all engine and powertrain combinations. The rear-drive petrol TS will cost $41,740, while the diesel option starts at $44,990 with two-wheel drive and $49,990 if all-wheel drive is specified.Combined fuel consumption for the TS rear-drive is down 0.1L/100km at 10.5L/100km, while the diesel uses 8.2L/100km in two-wheel drive form and 9.0L/100km in all-wheel drive guise.The range-topping 2015 Territory Titanium will be up to $6500 less expensive than the outgoing model with prices starting at $48,490 for the two-wheel drive petrol.Diesel-powered Titanium models start at $51,740 for the rear-drive proposition, while all-wheel drive requires $56,740.Fuel consumption figures for the Titanium mirror those of the TS model.For 2015 the Territory features a small number of cosmetic changes, including new alloy wheels and slight variation in grille design, otherwise the overall design is unchanged.The engines also carry over from the current model, meaning customers have the option of either a 4.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol or 2.7-litre turbodiesel V6 unit.Inside, the updated Territory gains new seat and dashboard material as well as Ford’s Sync 2 multimedia interface with 8-inch touchscreen and voice-activated audio and climate systems. Emergency assistance, DAB digital radio and a Wi-fi hotspot are also part of the new media system.There will also be greater levels of standard equipment across the entry-level TX model grade, including a reversing camera and front parking sensors, while the Titanium gains automatic wipers.The SZ MkII Territory will be the last SUV to be built by Ford Australia, with Ford set to close its local manufacturing facilities by the end of 2016. However, Ford Australia will continue to develop and engineer vehicles for the global market.

It’s official: the updated Falcon and Territory can save your life in one phone call to Triple Zero. .Ford has confirmed that the last ever Ford Falcon and the refreshed Ford Territory SUV will come with lifesaving technology that will automatically call 000 immediately after a crash. If the airbags deploy, the car will automatically call emergency services, providing a mobile phone is already connected via Bluetooth and is in range. The line will stay open -- and block all other calls -- until the emergency operator can make voice contact. If there is no response, the operators at Triple Zero can send police and ambulance crews to the scene because they have the exact location thanks to the GPS co-ordinates sent by the phone. There are no costs or subscriptions associated with the service; it will be free on every new Falcon sedan and ute and Territory SUV from later this year. The technology has been available on some imported Ford models for about a year but this is the first time it has been fitted to an Australian-made car. Ford says the technology will be on all Ford vehicles sold in Australia by 2017. “Ford’s Emergency Assistance has already proved itself as a life-saver overseas and we expect our Falcon and Territory customers will appreciate the reassurance that comes with this technology,” said Ford Australia Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service, Graeme Whickman. 

As the roll-out of the final Falcon accelerates, Ford has issued first official picture of the last update for the Territory.

Ford poised to sack 250 workers as only 50 applied voluntarily, production slows to 83 cars per day.

New Honda Jazz sets new benchmark for rear view cameras: $14,990.

Australia is still a nation of gas-guzzlers even though new data shows tailpipe emissions have fallen to their lowest since records were first calculated 10 years ago. Small-car specialist Suzuki topped the latest car emissions study while Jeep ranked last among the Top 15 brands.Figures released by the National Transport Commission show the average emissions for all new cars sold last year fell to 192 grams per kilometre compared to 252g/km in 2002.But our cars are still pumping out 45 per cent more carbon-dioxide compared to those in Europe (132g/km) and we’re not far behind the gas-guzzling capital of the world: North America (231g/km).Although small cars and SUVs have overtaken the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon as our family favourites, Australians have been relatively slow to adopt more efficient vehicles because we are the fourth cheapest developed country in the world for petrol and the sixth cheapest for diesel.“There’s no doubt that one of the biggest factors that drives the European result is their substantially higher fuel taxation,” said the executive director of the Australian Automobile Association, Andrew McKellar.For example, the petrol price average in the UK last year was 217.3 cents per litre compared to 146.6 cents per litre in Australia. Fuel excise in Australia is also among the cheapest in the world: 38.1 cents per litre versus the UK’s 59.3 cents per litre.“Australian car buyers still tend to favour size, power and performance over fuel economy,” said Mr McKellar. However, the study should not be a “black mark” for motorists because Australians are more reliant on the motor vehicle.“In Europe, when you want to travel between cities it’s not uncommon to catch a high-speed train,” said Mr McKellar. “Australia obviously doesn’t have that network so we depend more on cars, and ones that can be driven comfortably over long distances.”The NTC figures also reveal private buyers are doing more to save the planet than are government and businesses. The average emissions of vehicles bought by private buyers last year was 186g/km compared to 198g/km for businesses and 210g/km for government fleets.This is partly because government purchasing policies have favoured Australian-made vehicles, which aren’t as efficient as equivalently-sized imported cars.Toyota has the most efficient locally-made cars, with the Camry and Aurion sedans producing an average of 179g/km, ahead of the Ford Falcon sedan and Territory SUV (213g/km).Despite manufacturing the Cruze small car alongside the Commodore, Holden’s emissions were the highest of the local makers (237g/km), according to the report.Indeed, none of Australia’s three manufacturers figured in the Top 10 list of the most efficient car brands.Top honours went to small car specialist Suzuki, whose average fleet emissions was 158g/km, ahead of BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai.Toyota, Ford and Holden ranked in the bottom of the Top 15 brands, with Jeep ranked highest among the group (226g/km).Toyota may have the largest hybrid model range but it was penalised by its high proportion of commercial vehicles and SUVs.Meanwhile the locally-made Ford and Holden six-cylinder cars outweighed the improvements in with their imported four-cylinder cars.The study covered only the Top 15 brands as they represented 92 per cent of vehicles sold in Australia in 2013.Meanwhile, Australia’s regulations for carbon dioxide vehicle emissions lag European standards by more than six years.The latest “Euro 5” rules, as they are known, aren’t due to be enforced in Australia until November 2016; they were introduced in Europe in September 2010.Europe is targeting even stricter standards by 2015 (to an average emissions rating of 130 g/km) before limboing to just 95 g/km in 2020.The European target for light commercial vehicles such as utes and vans are 175 g/km in 2017 and 147 g/km in 2020.The Top 15 most efficient car brands in AustraliaSuzuki 158 g/kmBMW 158 g/kmVolkswagen 162 g/kmMercedes 165 g/kmHyundai 175 g/kmHonda 176 g/kmSubaru 181 g/kmMazda 184 g/kmKia 184 g/kmMitsubishi 191 g/kmNational average 192 g/kmToyota 203 g/kmFord 205 g/kmNissan 209 g/kmHolden 212 g/kmJeep 226 g/kmAverage CO2 emissions by brand in 2013.Source: National Transport CommissionThis reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

Ford is likely to close its Geelong and Broadmeadows factories before 2016 and shut the car industry overnight, a union has warned. Dave Smith, the head of the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union's vehicle division, said that Ford's future was unclear."While Toyota and Holden seem to be quite genuine that they want to stay until 2017 and build cars, Ford's position is not as clear," he said. "The component industry is fragile. It can fall over at any moment." Mr Smith said he also feared cuts to the Automotive Transition Scheme in next month's Federal Budget. "If they decide to drop off on that, then it will be over very quickly," he said.Holden and Toyota have both vowed to stay until 2017. Ford said its aim was still to stay on until the planned closure in October 2016. "Our aim is to continue manufacturing until October 2016," Ford spokesman Neil McDonald said. "We are committed to the new Falcon and Territory models and they will be on sale at the end of the year."Victorian Manufacturing Minister David Hodgett said he'd had no indication that Ford would close early, but it would depend on sales. "In all my discussions with Ford, they've given every indication they'll be here to the end. Of course, this is dependent on sales figures, and I encourage all Victorians to continue to buy Australian-made cars, including Ford."The imminent threat of Ford's closure will also put pressure on the Federal Government to bring forward a $100 million package to help sacked car workers. Discussions on the fund, announced after Holden pulled the pin in December, were delayed after Toyota also announced its closure here.Ford's 1350 workers make Falcon and Territory models. But just 641 Falcon and 900 Territory vehicles were sold in March. Ford is facing hundreds of millions of dollars of losses if it stays to 2016 and rolls out a new Falcon model in August.