FORD AUSTRALIA IS TODAY announcing plans to drop local production of the Focus, intending to instead manufacture 2.0 litre four-cylinder versions of the Falcon and a V6 diesel version of the Territory, in addition to the existing range.
At the time of writing, this announcement is being made at Ford’s Broadmeadows HQ.
Ford Australia boss Marin Burela.
Also expected to be announced for Falcon and Territory are a range of fuel efficient engine options for both cars – including LPG liquid injection and the widely expected diesel (likely to be the 2.7 litre Duratorq sourced from Ford’s global diesel engine range).
Export plans are also expected to be announced for both cars.
The Motor Report will have a full report of the announcement, and statements from Ford Australia, in the next couple of hours.
We live in momentous times.
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Crazy ………they need a small car.Dropping a small engine in a big car is just competing against the Camry . Holden are going to cream them with the Cruze when they start making it here.boooooooooo Ford.
The turbo Diesel that the Territory is getting in 2011 will they be dropping that into the Falcon too ? Lets hope.
Export plans have to be the best news though.
Hope this isn’t a late april fools, just shocked an office full of Ford fans with this news!
A turbocharged 4 cylinder engine powered Falcon would not be competing with Camry’s. Key word there is turbocharged, its not going to be some weak, asthmatic 2L engine powering 1.7 tonnes of car. Plus a Falcon is bigger than the Camry anyway.
As for Cruze ‘creaming’ Focus, well its not like the Focus will no longer be sold here, although the ‘built locally’ sales pitch will be a big one for Holden and ensure fleet sales success. Its not like Ford Aus is currently relying on Focus to save them anyway.
Having said all that, this does make a Falcon/Territory export program essential for Ford Aus viability, they can’t survive forever on their current production volume.
Of Course not Tom but the ECO 4 will be a Camry rival , the Aurion is meant to be the game changing 6 isnt it ?
Yes Ford have always done well with the South African made Focus and I guess will continue too.As you say,the Holden selling point for the Cruze is its going to be made here and will work well for them,especially the fact re- badged Koreans havent.
I wonder whats being said in the board rooms of Holden and Toyota Australia today.
Well I guess there are plenty of people out there who don’t like cars and want to “save the planet” with with their consciences as an excuse. Me….well, sign me up for the new Supercharged Coyote XR8 in 2011! That thing is already going to be a legend! No motor fanatic can get excited by a 2ltr turbo-charged falcon unless it’s sporting the power of an F1 racer! No wonder people are dying from falling asleep at the wheel….probably from boredom! Nothing drives like a big car, with a big engine unless you’re prepared to fork out on big dollars for the very latest in technology.
I’m struggling to see the logic behind this. Forgive me if I get my facts wrong (I’m not actually an aussie) but didn’t Holden do this with the Commodore once and it was a complete failure?
I just don’t see the Australian public going with a 4-pot on a Falcon. They’d be better off looking at a 6 cylinder with deactivation technology (a la Accord V6).
BM..I imagine the build cost of the Aust-made Cruze will be higher than the Korean import. You’re going to have to pay more for the Cruze or Holden will have to reduce their margins.
I don’t know of anyone who chooses a car simply because its built in Aust. If anything, most people I know choose not to buy a car made in Aust.
Still don’t see how it’d compete with Camry BM, it’ll be 50% more powerful for starters, and bigger. If anything it’ll compete with Mondeo more than Camry, given the Mondeo’s size.
LS, Holden tried that, in 1981. Times have changed slightly since then. Its not comparable. And the Honda V6 with cylinder de-activation is a crock. The fact is the car is less fuel efficient than the current 4L Falcon XT with the 6speed auto, despite the fact the Falcon is much bigger and has more torque.
Two words Love GT-R ,{no they werent it}……… Fleet Sales !
hahaha Tom are you stalking me from site to site………..just jokes.
The Aurion I think is in direct competition with Commodore and the Falcon ,yes ? The Camry is the same car essentially just a 4 cylinder . More grunt ,bonus for Ford and their customers I guess,plus rear wheel drive
Im not going to argue about the 4 cylinder VF Commodore in the base models they will be offering,thats what Ive been told .
Lol yeah, I use both sites, Caradvice updates more often for car news, but TMR does better reviews IMO. Fair enough about 4 cylinder VF if your sources say so, I’ve just never heard that rumour.
Aurion game-changing? Pfft…
Yeah Tom, its easy to cut and paste a press release ,the boys here put them into their owns words, plus, they give you more variety.
Not just ones that will cause the biggest arguments
,site is better moderated too.
Oh well that my pat on the back for the team……….
Im guessing the 4 cylinder Falcon will be more appealing to Fleets too .
So does this make the Falcon un Australian? now it’s gonna get a 4 banger. After all the Ford fanboys have been bagging the Commodore for years for having an “imported” V8 but i’m guessing we will get a positive spin from the fanboys on this one.
I know from experience that when you start talking “turbo” in effect what you are saying is “cost”.
That may not necessarily translate into cost at initial outlay (ha,ha) but there is no doubt it translates to cost at servicing.
That all translates into “The few cents you save at the pump will inevitably be handed back at service time.”
It is false economy.
It all depends on your priorities.
Inescapable fact - if you want reliable overall economic performance then there is no substitute for cubes.
As I said, prioritise; high-tech green performance that costs in service, or performance that may cost a few cents extra at the pump but is more reliable and costs less at service time.