Coyote XR8 still a year away

Road_Warrior · 28-01-2011, 12:03 PM

http://www.carpoint.com.au/news/2011...ear-away-23412

Quote:

The homegrown hero for middle Australia -- the Ford Falcon XR8 performance sedan -- is still on track to return to local showrooms, but it may not arrive this year.

According to senior Ford sources, the XR8 program has been delayed slightly and may get pushed back into 2012.

Ford Australia is yet to confirm which engine will power the reborn XR8 sedan but the Carsales Network understands that the most likely option is a non-supercharged version of the highly-regarded 5.0-litre V8 that powers the Mustang.

This makes the most financial and logistical sense given the extra cost involved in adding a supercharger at Ford Performance Vehicles.

A decision to go with a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 also gives Ford and FPV a handy price and marketing gap between the XR8 and GS and GT supercharged Falcon models.

"We have no further comment to make about XR8 other than when we dropped it last year we were pleasantly surprised by the feedback from customers and dealers who genuinely didn't want it to go," said Ford Australia spokeswoman Sinead McAlary. "Obviously we are in the business of keeping customers happy and we're looking at our options at a possible re-introduction of this vehicle."

Meanwhile Ford insiders say that the 5.0-litre without a supercharger is quicker than the old 5.4-litre V8 despite being smaller in capacity.

The XR8 was dropped at the end of June last year after new emissions rules came into effect in Australia. Ford could have updated the engine to meet the new rules but this was deemed too expensive.

Ford initially made the decision to drop the XR8 altogether and leave the V8 business to its performance car partner, FPV. But an 11th hour decision saw the XR8 program revived after strong feedback from Ford fans and dealers.

I think another year is a bit of a stretch isnt it?? They may as well not bother if its going to take that long. Surely this would be ready for the FGII debut?

GT0132 · 28-01-2011, 12:09 PM

Obviously we are in the business of keeping customers happy

ha ha yeah !

Quicksand · 28-01-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Meanwhile Ford insiders say that the 5.0-litre without a supercharger is quicker than the old 5.4-litre V8 despite being smaller in capacity.

This is such a random comment...it comes out of nowhere and then they are back onto the topic at hand...

GK · 28-01-2011, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quicksand

This is such a random comment...it comes out of nowhere and then they are back onto the topic at hand...

Perhaps random, but at least it's positive.

GK

TZENU · 28-01-2011, 01:49 PM

Good timing too... I'll be ready to upgrade the company car around that time!!!!

bdave351 · 28-01-2011, 02:04 PM

Exceptionally dissapointing from my standpoint.

XR8 has been gone for a while, and they indicate there is nothing imminent about a replacement. ('Looking at our options')
So another year plus?

My lease is up in 2 months and I have to replace the vehicle....a new GS is just more than I can spend despite a motor that gives me a major horn, a decent XR8 would have been perfect.

Only option then is another sneezy box which I will get second hand, so a customer lost from Ford Aus point of view.

**Luke Plaizier** · 28-01-2011, 02:08 PM

Just buy an SS and call Ford to let them know.

Lukeyson

Road_Warrior · 28-01-2011, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luke Plaizier

Just buy an SS and call Ford to let them know.

Lukeyson

I'd wager there is quite a few V8 shoppers who have done just that due to Ford's dithering on the matter.

ZA-289 · 28-01-2011, 03:00 PM

This is crazy talk no wonder Holden sell WAY more cars.

Can you imagine the **** stom if they stopped making SS's for 18 months?!!!?

SteveJH · 28-01-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZA-289

This is crazy talk no wonder Holden sell WAY more cars.

Can you imagine the **** stom if they stopped making SS's for 18 months?!!!?

From memory V8's make up a larger portion of holden sales then they did of ford sales though. Fairly sure I read somewhere last year that something like 1/5 of all Commodores were V8's.

Fordman · 28-01-2011, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveJH

From memory V8's make up a larger portion of holden sales then they did of ford sales though. Fairly sure I read somewhere last year that something like 1/5 of all Commodores were V8's.

What! VE's????? I wouldnt have thought so.

ieatsports_cars · 28-01-2011, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZA-289

This is crazy talk no wonder Holden sell WAY more cars.

Can you imagine the **** stom if they stopped making SS's for 18 months?!!!?

just imangine what will happen in the 2015

tapeworm · 29-01-2011, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZA-289

This is crazy talk no wonder Holden sell WAY more cars.

Can you imagine the **** stom if they stopped making SS's for 18 months?!!!?

ha, that's what I was thinking. It's such a Ford thing to do, just dump the Xr8 for a couple of years...loose another bunch of potential customers who will go straight to an SS instead now.

ST · 28-01-2011, 03:22 PM

This is incredibly disappointing, people not in the know will think the XR8 has been dropped altogether and shop elsewhere. Even the quotes aren't enthusiastic or convincing which says to me that everything is still on the drawing board.

Joe5619 · 28-01-2011, 03:44 PM

Between this & LiLPG, Ford really stuffed up big time with these new projects & Euro 4... I guess this is the price you pay when you have 100 different leaders...

Hopefully all comes online very soon & not before it is all too late??

banarcus · 28-01-2011, 03:58 PM

"But we are the 6cyl car company. We'll sell you any car you want as long as it is a sedan, has a 6cyl motor and an automatic gearbox."

**Polyal** · 28-01-2011, 04:04 PM

Put me down as a buyer, but 2012..come on...I dont know if I want to wait that long.

No way I would resort to buying a SS

..cant believe people even think of it.

As long as its the full monty 5.0 then I think it will be worth the wait, and Id happily wager a stock 5.0 coyote will be a better drive than a 5.4 290/302/315.

I find it hard to believe they are going to wait so long even though they admit its on the cards..why wait really...FG2 gives them enough time, they have most of the components sorted through Miami anyway.

b2tf · 28-01-2011, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Put me down as a buyer, but 2012..come on...I dont know if I want to wait that long.

No way I would resort to buying a SS ..cant believe people even think of it.

As long as its the full monty 5.0 then I think it will be worth the wait, and Id happily wager a stock 5.0 coyote will be a better drive than a 5.4 290/302/315.

Not everybody holds out, as has been mentioned in this thread what about those on lease plans for their cars etc. Believe it or not Holden actually do make an alright car and people do like them.

Watch me get shot down for saying that.

Fireblade · 28-01-2011, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b2tf

Not everybody holds out, as has been mentioned in this thread what about those on lease plans for their cars etc. Believe it or not Holden actually do make an alright car and people do like them.

Watch me get shot down for saying that.

I agree whole heartedly B2TF, I can see why people buy Holdens, and sales stats tell the story, if they were that rubbish as some claim why do they sell so many?

stang65 · 28-01-2011, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F6 FOON

I agree whole heartedly B2TF, I can see why people buy Holdens, and sales stats tell the story, if they were that rubbish as some claim why do they sell so many?

Thats easy "It`s called marketing" and holden a fantastic at it.

b2tf · 28-01-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stang65

Thats easy "It`s called marketing" and holden a fantastic at it.

Actually I believe it is called 'choices'

You can option a V8 in Holden SS, Berlina, Calais, Statesman (have i missed any?) and thats before you even look at HSV.

Not everybody's budget extends to FPV and HSV territory but there are still those who love a nice V8. I am one of them.

If I dont know much about cars but like a good sounding V8 (and yes people like this exist) and I go to a Ford dealer and they tell me 'sorry you need to wait till 2012 and we MIGHT have something for you - or go to FPV', then wander across the road to Holden and they say 'take your pick' - where am I more likely to spend my money?

We always point the finger at Holden's marketing for their sales but I reckon the sheer choice they offer buyers is why there are a lot more LS2's and 3's than BOSS and Coyote V8's on the road.

flappist · 31-01-2011, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F6 FOON

I agree whole heartedly B2TF, I can see why people buy Holdens, and sales stats tell the story, if they were that rubbish as some claim why do they sell so many?

You think MacDonalds sell beacuse of its quality of food?

Fireblade · 31-01-2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

You think MacDonalds sell beacuse of its quality of food?

Hell yeah, don't you start on macca's, that's where I take the wife when we go out to eat

I have spent considerable time around Holdens and from this I can gauge that IMO that they are if not on par with Ford possibly a better build than Ford. But in all honesty they are a much of a muchness, but I think HSV's are better finished off than the FPV's. About the only thing I think Ford are way ahead in over the Holden is the Auto trans.

b2tf · 31-01-2011, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

You think MacDonalds sell beacuse of its quality of food?

Nope, I think it sells because it is readily available and you have lots of choice.

SM1DY · 28-01-2011, 04:16 PM

There's a lot of talk about FGII, when is that due? May will be the FG's 3yr birthday, so would that be around the time frame people are referring to?

**Polyal** · 28-01-2011, 04:25 PM

Not sure, I would have thought it would be close to the Territory release, its going to look odd with a bunch of Territory's running about better specc'd than Falcons.

Ford have got alot of products coming out, so I dont know if they will cascade or flood the market.

flappist · 28-01-2011, 04:47 PM

17 posts, some of them rather harsh.

So how many of you bought a new BF-FG BOSS 5.4 XR8 (i.e a new one in the last 5 years or so)?

I suspect the answer may give some insight into why the XR8 was not in the fisrt generation of coyotes.

In addition the GS sells for about what the XR8 did and is FAR superior so where is the problem really?

**Polyal** · 28-01-2011, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

17 posts, some of them rather harsh.

So how many of you bought a new BF-FG BOSS 5.4 XR8 (i.e a new one in the last 5 years or so)?

I suspect the answer may give some insight into why the XR8 was not in the fisrt generation of coyotes.

In addition the GS sells for about what the XR8 did and is FAR superior so where is the problem really?

Hardly harsh.

What does it matter if someone brought on in the last 5 years? The XR8 is an important car for FORD. The XR8, in ute form, was always a good seller, in particular for tradies who actually wanted a V8 ute that could be used.

And shock horror, there are always new people entering the marketplace, and even more shocking is that some of them mightnt want a FPV, or even a car that has FI.

Whats the GS sell for, $56k I thought, AFAIK the FG XR8 was under $50k. Reference here:

http://www.carsales.com.au/car-resea...d=12AA16143D26

http://www.carsales.com.au/car-resea...d=12AA16143D26

And we all know you could get a FG XR8 new for less than that. There is a big enough gap for the XR8 to return and be the aspirational car for the FORD fleet.

flappist · 28-01-2011, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Hardly harsh.

What does it matter if someone brought on in the last 5 years? The XR8 is an important car for FORD. The XR8, in ute form, was always a good seller, in particular for tradies who actually wanted a V8 ute that could be used.

And shock horror, there are always new people entering the marketplace, and even more shocking is that some of them mightnt want a FPV, or even a car that has FI.

Whats the GS sell for, $56k I thought, AFAIK the FG XR8 was under $50k. Reference here:

http://www.carsales.com.au/car-resea...d=12AA16143D26

http://www.carsales.com.au/car-resea...d=12AA16143D26

And we all know you could get a FG XR8 new for less than that. There is a big enough gap for the XR8 to return and be the aspirational car for the FORD fleet.

There is onle ONE sort of car that is important to FORD and surprisingly it is exactly the same car that is important to Holden, Toyota and even Ferarri......it is a car that sells.

I seemed to have missed all the "I bought one" posts........

Why is it that no matter what is offered it is never enough, is always wrong and something else would be the true mesiah?

**Polyal** · 28-01-2011, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b2tf

Actually I believe it is called 'choices'

You can option a V8 in Holden SS, Berlina, Calais, Statesman (have i missed any?) and thats before you even look at HSV.

Not everybody's budget extends to FPV and HSV territory but there are still those who love a nice V8. I am one of them.

If I dont know much about cars but like a good sounding V8 (and yes people like this exist) and I go to a Ford dealer and they tell me 'sorry you need to wait till 2012 and we MIGHT have something for you - or go to FPV', then wander across the road to Holden and they say 'take your pick' - where am I more likely to spend my money?

We always point the finger at Holden's marketing for their sales but I reckon the sheer choice they offer buyers is why there are a lot more LS2's and 3's than BOSS and Coyote V8's on the road.

GREAT POST.

Holden sell more cars because the give people what they want. Now whether that is profitable or not is another thread but the fact remains they are loyal(ish) to their customers.

Ford on the other hand dictate what we "want". Completely different ways of going about business.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flappist

There is onle ONE sort of car that is important to FORD and surprisingly it is exactly the same car that is important to Holden, Toyota and even Ferarri......it is a car that sells.

I seemed to have missed all the "I bought one" posts........

Why is it that no matter what is offered it is never enough, is always wrong and something else would be the true mesiah?

Yeap Ford need more sales, so how does leaving out a good selling car work with that equation? Ford currently dont sell a XR8 because they have shot themselves in the foot with the GS. They can hardly offer a further detuned GS can they...

I have no idea what you are talking about with the "brought" comments.

I can reply to your last section by saying, "why is it that Ford think we will fold and accept what they tell us we want?". Ford fo alot of things right, but its scenarios like this, and then fuzzy grey answers they give that create confusion and ultimately lead to people shopping elsewhere.

Dont tell me that all the people who were previously buying XR8's have taken the plunge and gone with the GS.