Major Ford announcement

[BENT_8]

Sad days indeed.

It would be naïve to say the writing wasn't on the walls, but I still find it hard to believe that there will be no new Falcon post 2016.

My question is, with such a long period between now and closure, will there really be enough sales to keep the line going?

Was discussing it with a mate who works at the Elizabeth GMH plant and he seriously doubts that Ford will have enough numbers to continue for that long after what happened to Mitsubishi here.

Can they justify 20-30 cars a day...

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by The-ShowStoPPa

Alot can happen in 3 years so i'm trying to stay positive.............otherwise there is always the option of becoming like the Valiant guys & taking sollace in the fact that Kias and Hyundais will become the VN/EA of today. lol

Who knows? Maybe the Government will take action that changes Ford's decision later. Or the mining boom goes bust and the value of our dollar falls significantly. I'd like to thing that but it doesn't seem like things will get better in this time, and if it did, whether Ford would even stay.

This may be a big relief to them for things being so bad they could finally end manufacturing here.

Originally Posted by tellford

I recently read a post on another Ford forum dated 29/09/2012.
The poster was speaking to a Ford employee. He told him that Ford Aus is basically a research and development facility for RWD and.........amazingly, said that Ford Aus was closing shop in 2016.
Seems that the decision was made last year?

After the announcements it seems like everything prior has been a staged winding down process. The more I'm sure that Dearborn just wanted this operation gone.

[Swedishmoose]

Originally Posted by The-ShowStoPPa

Call me an optimist, and I know all to well that this is clutching at straws.
Between now and October 2016 we have 2 federal elections and a decreasing Australian dollar.

While highly unlikely anything can happen in business and situations can change.
The duratec V6 being a good example.

Alot can happen in 3 years so i'm trying to stay positive.............otherwise there is always the option of becoming like the Valiant guys & taking sollace in the fact that Kias and Hyundais will become the VN/EA of today. lol

Hi mate,


there is a bit of truth in it.

Maybe Ford did that on purpose to kick free an avalanche and FORCE all stakeholders to sit at a table and discuss the future of all car manufacturers in Australia.

In three years a lot of water is flowing down a river and within a business, 6 months is already a long time.

If circumstances change for the better, I don't see why Ford can't change its mind and continue although they mentioned that production in Australia is not viable in a long term view.

The Moose

[Terry Turbo]

My first chance to get on the forum and express my dismay and sympathy for all the workers that are affected.

Unfortunaletly, Ford have made a series of poor decisions dating back to 82 when they canned V8's. Geoff Polites was the man, but was taken all too soon. Falcon is a great product and aussie fords have been part of my and my family all my life. Devasted by this news.

Can we please permanently ban GT-spec15 as he has no place on this forum with his attitude?

[Mick K.]

Very sad news and the end of an era. Hopefully those directly affected by this can find alternative employment. It may have been a different story if Ford Aus were able to cash in by making dual cab utes or SUVs locally a few years ago...

Is there any speculation on how the next 3.5 years will pan out? Will the engine plant finish up early perhaps stockpiling I-6s? Will Falcon be Ecoboost only, FPV with the V8 and Territory diesel only? I can't imagine another engine (eg US V6) going through the certification and testing program before the end of production.

Could Falcon finish earlier leaving (the better selling) Territory to run till the end?

I can't image all it will be full speed in Sep 2016, and all lights off in Oct 2016?

[babyf6]

When I got to school today, all my mates (holden supporters) bagged the absolute hell outta me. "FORD WENT BELLY UP HAHAHH, YOUR CRUMMY FALCON WENT DOWN THE CRAPPA" etc

What they don't realise is - you can't have one without the other - which i tried telling them, warning them that it has just made holden's decision much easier

so in a few years time when holden unexpectedly annouces their closure, which will happen inevitably, I will simply turn to them and say

i warned you

[Guzz226]

Originally Posted by babyf6

When I got to school today, all my mates (holden supporters) bagged the absolute hell outta me. "FORD WENT BELLY UP HAHAHH, YOUR CRUMMY FALCON WENT DOWN THE CRAPPA" etc

What they don't realise is - you can't have one without the other - which i tried telling them, warning them that it has just made holden's decision much easier

so in a few years time when holden unexpectedly annouces their closure, which will happen inevitably, I will simply turn to them and say

i warned you

Tell 'em - Ford haven't gone just not producing the Falcon anymore - and Holden ain't producing the Commodore as they know it today much longer

[babyf6]

Originally Posted by Guzz226

Tell 'em - Ford haven't gone just not producing the Falcon anymore - and Holden ain't producing the Commodore as they know it today much longer

Tried telling them that, they won't listen to me, they are the worst type of holden supporter - the one that is ignorant enough to think that the commodore is the equivalent of the wheel on society...

No offence to all other holden supporters of course

[Silver Ghia]

Has anybody else noticed tonight they are showing heaps of Ford ads on TV? All Kuga and Focus, but not Falcon nor Territory. In fact I haven't seen a Falcon ad for ages. Its just as if they have let the Falcon die a natural death, and stuff the locally manufactured Fords.

Perhaps I'm over reacting, but I'm thinking that Ford Detroit headquarters have wanted for some time for local manufacturing to die. Despite the $1.1 billion taxpayer injection over the last 12 years. Sorry Ford, to me you have done the wrong thing.

And letting the cat out of the bag, announcing that manufacture will cease in 3 years time, how on earth can sales of the Territory and Falcon be sustained now for that period of time including a new Falcon introduction. These models have no hope now with buyer lack of confidence.

Its taken me over a day to respond to this thread, I now feel even happier that I purchased one of the best Falcons ever produced, my FG XR50 manual which I love and now intend to keep for a long time, but I'm also angry at Ford Detroit headquarters for what they have done and the way they have done it.

[Lotte]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

Has anybody else noticed tonight they are showing heaps of Ford ads on TV? All Kuga and Focus, but not Falcon nor Territory. In fact I haven't seen a Falcon ad for ages. Its just as if they have let the Falcon die a natural death, and stuff the locally manufactured Fords.

Perhaps I'm over reacting, but I'm thinking that Ford Detroit headquarters have wanted for some time for local manufacturing to die. Despite the $1.1 billion taxpayer injection over the last 12 years. Sorry Ford, to me you have done the wrong thing.

And letting the cat out of the bag, announcing that manufacture will cease in 3 years time, how on earth can sales of the Territory and Falcon be sustained now for that period of time including a new Falcon introduction. These models have no hope now with buyer lack of confidence.

Its taken me over a day to respond to this thread, I now feel even happier that I purchased one of the best Falcons ever produced, my FG XR50 manual which I love and now intend to keep for a long time, but I'm also angry at Ford Detroit headquarters for what they have done and the way they have done it.

This a million times. And aren't their low finance rates only applicable to small cars?

[BroadyFord]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

Has anybody else noticed tonight they are showing heaps of Ford ads on TV? All Kuga and Focus, but not Falcon nor Territory. In fact I haven't seen a Falcon ad for ages. Its just as if they have let the Falcon die a natural death, and stuff the locally manufactured Fords.

Perhaps I'm over reacting, but I'm thinking that Ford Detroit headquarters have wanted for some time for local manufacturing to die. Despite the $1.1 billion taxpayer injection over the last 12 years. Sorry Ford, to me you have done the wrong thing.

And letting the cat out of the bag, announcing that manufacture will cease in 3 years time, how on earth can sales of the Territory and Falcon be sustained now for that period of time including a new Falcon introduction. These models have no hope now with buyer lack of confidence.

Its taken me over a day to respond to this thread, I now feel even happier that I purchased one of the best Falcons ever produced, my FG XR50 manual which I love and now intend to keep for a long time, but I'm also angry at Ford Detroit headquarters for what they have done and the way they have done it.

It seems to me that Ford Asia-Pacific/NA really haven't thought this through - they simply don't (or didn't) care about Falcon/Territory or what happens either way with local manufacturing. We are such a small and insignificant outpost that it really doesn't matter to them.

Indeed, my interpretation of the conversation at the board meeting in Dearborn last week:

Board Member 1 (BM1): "So fellas, what are we gonna do about our ops 'Down Under'?"

BM2: "Oh yeah, forgot about those guys!"

BM1: "Well, Bob says they want an answer already, so what's it gonna be?"

All other BM's: "Um......"

BM1: "Well, Bob says we've lost another $100 million down there and that most Aussies have pretty much accepted we're intent on closing in 2016."

BM2: "Well I guess that makes it easier for us then. They're close to Thailand so should be no problem supplying them from there. By the way what do we make in Australia again?"

BM1: "Falcon and Territory."

BM2: "Oh yeah."

BM1: "But we've been given money to spend on an updated version of both vehicles next year, so what about that?"

BM2: "Yeah, just let em have it..."

BM1: "Okay, I'm happy to shut it down after that."

All other BM's: "Splendid, we'll let Dave and Bob know after meeting. Next agenda item..."

And then...

Dave Schoch: "Hey Bob, we've decided to shut you down after 2014 update runs through."

Bob G: "Oh well, looks like my job here is done."

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by BroadyFord

It seems to me that Ford Asia-Pacific/NA really haven't thought this through - they simply don't (or didn't) care about Falcon/Territory or what happens either way with local manufacturing.

"It's all too hard"

Doesn't seem that way for Toyota, but anyway...

[xisled]

I have seen a Terry add tonight, but I haven't seen a falcon add on tv since the BF with 6 Spd ZF.

[rocketscientist]

Originally Posted by xisled

I have seen a Terry add tonight, but I haven't seen a falcon add on tv since the BF with 6 Spd ZF.

I heard the ad advertising the falcon/ute on the radio tonight, its the first time I have heard one in a very long time.

Surely, Detroit is trolling Australia.

ForeverOnlyResearchDevopement

[Gabbs]

I don't really know what to say. It is sad too see the falcon go but let's see what the replacement is going to be.
Manufacturing here doesn't make sense. If you are bleeding you put a band aid on and hope it heals. If a bandaid doesn't work you find something that will before you bleed to death. It needed to be done.

[JG33]

Originally Posted by Gabbs

It is sad too see the falcon go but let's see what the replacement is going to be.

I'm curious what the replacements will be and what they will cost. If these cars are cheaper to build overseas will we also benefit the lower costs or are we still going to pay higher prices.

[AG3]

Originally Posted by Gabbs

Manufacturing here doesn't make sense. If you are bleeding you put a band aid on and hope it heals. If a bandaid doesn't work you find something that will before you bleed to death. It needed to be done.

That's true, Ford has been making a lot of adjustments to make their production more efficient, Ford in the USA is even considering sourcing the next gen (USDM) 2016 Fiesta from Thailand, because the plant in Mexico will be used for higher volume models since B-segment cars sell in lower volumes in North America.

Less people are buying large cars like the Falcon (75,000 annualy ten years ago to less than 20,000 is a big drop), and it wouldn't be profitable for Ford to develop a new large car just for Australia (and New Zealand) that would sell in very low volumes.


Sad to see it go though.

[Bossxr8]

Detroit sent Graziano out here to shut the place, I have been saying this for the past year or 2 and alot of people tried to shoot me down for saying it, but it was quite clear what was happening.

He is the highest ranked Ford executive to ever work for Ford Australia, an important person to do an important job. All advertising pretty much stopped, no promotion of EcoLPi and Ecoboost, dealers supply being held back etc etc. It was quite clear Ford were trying to accelerate the end.

Screw Ford HQ. They only care about themselves, and whatever is in their best interests. They never gave Ford Australia a chance to spread their wings. They always kept them down, and continually denied them export markets.

And then they have the audacity to top yesterdays announcement with rubbish about how positive this is for the company and how bright a future they have beyond Falcon and Territory. What an insult.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Detroit sent Graziano out here to shut the place, I have been saying this for the past year or 2 and alot of people tried to shoot me down for saying it, but it was quite clear what was happening.

He is the highest ranked Ford executive to ever work for Ford Australia, an important person to do an important job. All advertising pretty much stopped, no promotion of EcoLPi and Ecoboost, dealers supply being held back etc etc. It was quite clear Ford were trying to accelerate the end.

Screw Ford HQ. They only care about themselves, and whatever is in their best interests. They never gave Ford Australia a chance to spread their wings. They always kept them down, and continually denied them export markets.

And then they have the audacity to top yesterdays announcement with rubbish about how positive this is for the company and how bright a future they have beyond Falcon and Territory. What an insult.

Exactly what I was thinking was probably the case. Its all much clearer now.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Detroit sent Graziano out here to shut the place, I have been saying this for the past year or 2 and alot of people tried to shoot me down for saying it, but it was quite clear what was happening.

He is the highest ranked Ford executive to ever work for Ford Australia, an important person to do an important job. All advertising pretty much stopped, no promotion of EcoLPi and Ecoboost, dealers supply being held back etc etc. It was quite clear Ford were trying to accelerate the end.

Screw Ford HQ. They only care about themselves, and whatever is in their best interests. They never gave Ford Australia a chance to spread their wings. They always kept them down, and continually denied them export markets.

And then they have the audacity to top yesterdays announcement with rubbish about how positive this is for the company and how bright a future they have beyond Falcon and Territory. What an insult.

no doubts the new super duper fully imported advertising campaigns will make all previous efforts look absolute dismal...

Ford can get stuffed.. i'd rather buy a mazda..

[AG3]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Screw Ford HQ. They only care about themselves, and whatever is in their best interests. They never gave Ford Australia a chance to spread their wings. They always kept them down, and continually denied them export markets.

Sadly (aside from New Zealand) there is no export markets for the right-hand drive-only Falcon, the large car market in Australia is declining (75K Falcons sold in 2003, in recent years, its been less than 20K) and is even non-existent in other countries (ever wonder why the concept of modern non-luxury V8 4-door cars are considered very Australian.)

Its sad that the Falcon will have to go in a few years, if the market and demand for it was only bigger.

Any company would want to survive, the first thing they do is streamline and close down plants that are not profitable.

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by AG3

Any company would want to survive, the first thing they do is streamline and close down plants that are not profitable.

This.

Sad as it may be, it is the only decision the company could have made, in light of recent and ongoing losses. As far as the company is concerned, the survival of the company itself is paramount and supersedes any other consideration (in fact, it is a legal duty imposed on directors of a company to act in the best interests of that company). If it was in the company's best interests to continue Australian manufacturing post-2016, you can bet your bottom dollar that they would've done so.

[69XWGT]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Detroit sent Graziano out here to shut the place, I have been saying this for the past year or 2 and alot of people tried to shoot me down for saying it, but it was quite clear what was happening.

He is the highest ranked Ford executive to ever work for Ford Australia, an important person to do an important job. All advertising pretty much stopped, no promotion of EcoLPi and Ecoboost, dealers supply being held back etc etc. It was quite clear Ford were trying to accelerate the end.

Screw Ford HQ. They only care about themselves, and whatever is in their best interests. They never gave Ford Australia a chance to spread their wings. They always kept them down, and continually denied them export markets.

And then they have the audacity to top yesterdays announcement with rubbish about how positive this is for the company and how bright a future they have beyond Falcon and Territory. What an insult.

It's quite obvious that Ford HQ have been keeping Ford Australia down.
The way they've promoted everything else but the Falcon is all the proof you need.
I hope all the affected staff can fine employment elsewhere

I've had the displeasure of driving a Taurus and it's rubbish.
Mondeo pfft. Give me a Mazda 6 any day.
Mustang is like driving an XD. No offence to XD owners but it's archaic
Falcon and Terri is a better drive than anything that comes out of Ford NA

I been a Ford fan since I was 6 after seeing my first XWGT. Took me a while but I got one eventually and it's staying in the family.
Had a quiet time with it last night.

Very angry with the way our politicians have been selling us out for 30 years. It's not just the car industry. Farmers are getting flogged as well.
******* lobbyists have got a lot to answer for.

Ford HQ can go and get ******.
They've made no effort to ensure production in this country remains.
Notice the Nth American mouth piece Graziano made no mention of what it cost them to produce a car in Nth America.
Ford HQ, idiot governments, lying salesman, shoddy dealers and some of the poorest customer service known are all responsible for the Falcon/Terri demise.

Unfortunately it will be like the song.
You don't what you've got till it's gone

[Polyal]

It did alway puzzle me why since GP that we could never develop local leaders, the people are there so what was the issue? Like you say Boss, a local would have had more passion and understanding.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by Polyal

It did alway puzzle me why since GP that we could never develop local leaders, the people are there so what was the issue? Like you say Boss, a local would have had more passion and understanding.

And leaders who would have discussed the industry problems and possibilities constructively and working with government officials to ensure proper policies were in place to ensure local manufacture was sustained with a true level playing field. Should have been happening from many years ago.

But governments and Ford HQ had their own interests as their priorities. Local manufacture did not figure in those unfortunately.

[GTP-03]

This sucks, cant imagine no Falcon, Falcon ute, GT, Territory and no more supercharged v8 and turbo 6. Its 3 years away, but still, it doesn't feel right, how can a company that's been making cars since the 1920s just shut shop? Why couldn't they make smaller cars viable for the Australian market? What a shame, a crying shame, no more Ford Australia, It will take a while to get use to.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by GTP-03

no more Ford Australia

Well, Ford Australia as an entity will still exist, but the heart and soul as we know it won't.

[AG3]

Originally Posted by GTP-03

how can a company that's been making cars since the 1920s just shut shop? Why couldn't they make smaller cars viable for the Australian market?

When sales of the only models they produce drop dramatically.

Ford already has other regional plants that have the capacity to manufacture smaller Ford models for the the Asia-Pacific region.
In Thailand for example, Ford builds the Fiesta, Focus, Ranger, Everest SUV and soon the EcoSport and exports it around the Asia-Pacific region and in some cases exports them to Europe (like the Ranger).

In the case of Ford Australia, the demand for large cars like the Falcon is shrinking in its home market and the segment it belongs to is almost non-existent in other Asia-Pacific markets.

[BA-Fan]

For all the upset members, I liken this to a niche car market. We enthusiasts always go for the 'Exclusive' models such as Ghia, G6 XR6 Turbo, XR8 FPV etc...

For these buyers, much like Ferrari and Lamborghini buyers, which also aren't manufactured in Australia, we will still get what we want, and I truly beleive we will still have the goosebumps and raised heart rates from the models to be imported here.

Just imagine Boss Mustangs or differently styled Mustang powered sedans?

I think the Boss and Turbo cars will live on...

[Bonn]

Originally Posted by Hietbrink

For all the upset members, I liken this to a niche car market. We enthusiasts always go for the 'Exclusive' models such as Ghia, G6 XR6 Turbo, XR8 FPV etc...

For these buyers, much like Ferrari and Lamborghini buyers, which also aren't manufactured in Australia, we will still get what we want, and I truly beleive we will still have the goosebumps and raised heart rates from the models to be imported here.

Just imagine Boss Mustangs or differently styled Mustang powered sedans?

I think the Boss and Turbo cars will live on...

image

The voice of reason!
This is a particularly enthusiastic market sector for performance (which makes the current V8SC series so frustrating) but nevertheless, if we have good muscley V8s (& Turbos if you must) to perv on in the garage, whilst downing a cold/hot one, or to take out and put HSVs away - that may well ease the pain. XTs and G6s aren't exactly setting any sales figure records, but the major rental companies seem to gravitate toward XR6s, so there's hope for the Aussie psyche.
"Bathurst - it's who we are"
(please can an FG win Bathurst?? Pretty please?)