Falcon's New Auto Box to be built In Australia?

[Paxton]

I missed the beginning of the Telecast this morning, and when I managed to get the TV on in the Bedroom (much to the Wife's Displeasure), Tom Gorman was unveiling the BF XR8, crapping on about the honor that it is to release two great cars over a number of years (The BA XR8 was released there by Uncle Goeff), when he moved on to the new Auto Box. He told about the fuel consumption, and then dropped the line that the new 6 Speed Auto was to be built in Australia. I was under the assumption that the Box was built in Germany and shipped here, however Ford and ZF must be expecting to sell quite a few of the new box to make the economies of scale possible. Maybe we need to read into this a bit more, and see that 'Project Orion' will be 6 Speed only.

Maybe I am just reading too much into it however, but atleast the 200 People that got laid off at BTR/ION have a place to go.

-Andrew

[BA V8 5.4Ltr]

I didn;t see him unvail any of the FPV range, just the new BF XR...????

[Paxton]

As I said, I missed the beginning of the Telecast. It You are right about it being a XR8. My above post will be edited.

-Andrew

[Fairlane]

I think ZF is thinking is building a plant in Adelaide so this may be true.

I pretty certain that ION is finished and wont be building it under licence, as ION announced the axeing of 200 more jobs.

[Paxton]

Fairlane, if true, who is building the 4 Speed Box us Falcon/Territory drivers put up with?

-Andrew

[JPFS1]

I think you'll find Holden will be using this box also at some stage, so there might be enough demand here to justify the cost of manufucature/assembly of the box here.

[Iphido]

The ZF boxes we get apparently come from the USA where ZF/Ford have a large plant.

It would make sense to make them here as Falcons will eventually use ~100,000 a year of the 400,000 unit capacity. It would also allow ZF to make further inroads into a large RWD market.

Apparently Ford have secured the 4 speed auto production till atleast 2007.

The ZF auto was also supposed to turn up in some other interesting projects, including a defence vechical called a bushranger. http://www.yaffa.com.au/defence/current/5-108.htm

A plant in Australia would also be able to supply South african produced RWD cars (3 series, C class?). Possible as well to supply chinese luxury cars.

[Fairlane]

Well ION is building the 4 speeds that moment at the old BTR plant at Albury but this plant is being wound done with lessened staff and im betting that it will got all together when Ford stops using 4 speeds in 2007 or so

Sorry this isnt the best link but it seems to talk about a new ZF plant

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...1/ai_n11833821