I love my Falcon but I will be happy with a Taurus

[goose1000]

Just looked at the basic Taurus on the Ford US website and while I have heard heaps of ppl rubbishing it, it looks like a pretty decent car, the Mustang looks pretty good too. I just hope Ford brings out both these cars.

[Trump]

As long as they leave the FWD Taurus in the US

[Road Games]

Pics ?

[Papa Smurf]

I have driven a Taurus and it was WAY too small for me. If the new one was larger maybe worth it but will have to wait and see?

As to the MUSTANG? YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Papa Smurf]

Here ya go

[FalconXV]

I'd be happy if they get the next one down to Mazda 6, Camry/Aurion weight, and local tuing at You Yangs makes it as dynamically sharp as possible. Also, if we get out own variants and to design our own front/ rear clips.

[THABOSS]

Bring the Mustangs over for sure.... I hear Herrod might be onto something?

[Bossxr8]

Why do people keep mentioning Taurus, the next gen is not going to be made in RHD so it won't be coming. There will be no direct replacement large sedan to replace Falcon.

Mustang might substitute performance sales, Mondeo/Fusion might substitute some Falcon sales and Edge or Explorer plus the Ranger SUV may substitute some Territory sales, but nothing will ever be a direct Falcon replacement. Ford have nothing else like it.

[TC200six]

This is a spy photo of the updated Mustang. I wouldn't mind owning one of these bad boys.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Mondeo/Fusion might substitute some Falcon sales

I think that's exactly right, dimensionally the new Fusion/Mondeo is very similar to Falcon, why go through the effort of developing a RHD Taurus when (by 2016) it would likely move a few hundred units per month tops.

I think the Mustang will satisfy the traditional performance Falcon buyer (if practicality isn't a concern and to many it isn't), the buying public has demonstrated that they don't care for RWD sedans, so if they market the new Mondeo right (perhaps call it Fusion) then it might pick up where Falcon dropped off.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

I think that's exactly right, dimensionally the new Fusion/Mondeo is very similar to Falcon, why go through the effort of developing a RHD Taurus when (by 2016) it would likely move a few hundred units per month tops.

I think the Mustang will satisfy the traditional performance Falcon buyer (if practicality isn't a concern and to many it isn't), the buying public has demonstrated that they don't care for RWD sedans, so if they market the new Mondeo right (perhaps call it Fusion) then it might pick up where Falcon dropped off.

Or just import the Fusion. The hybrid tech might interest buyers in that segment. And re-badge the diesel Mondeo as Fusion and sell it here.

Originally Posted by goose1000

Just looked at the basic Taurus on the Ford US website and while I have heard heaps of ppl rubbishing it, it looks like a pretty decent car, the Mustang looks pretty good too. I just hope Ford brings out both these cars.

Looks can be deceiving.

[Pedro]

I hired a Fusion for a week last year in LA.
It’s a bit smaller than a Falcon and was powered by the 186 kw 3 litre Flex-Fuel Duratec V6 coupled to the Ford/GM developed 6F35 six speed auto. It was a comfortable car to drive but not a car I would buy.

While the V6 was quiet in normal driving and at highway speeds, it let out a banshee scream under heavy acceleration. The joint venture six speed auto behaved similarly ... changes were generally smooth but like Chrysler’s five speed in the 300C, it tends to get confused in the stop-start situation one encounters on LA freeways (carparks).

The single standout feature of this car was the cruise control. On a run up into the hills east of LA the cruise kept the car at the exact speed up hill and down dale with not even a one km variance. (This was confirmed by my Garmin GPS). I have never experienced this type of cruise control accuracy before in any make of car.

[b2tf]

I'd buy a Flex. Cool looking cars. And an F truck for the work ute.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by b2tf

I'd buy a Flex. Cool looking cars. And a Raptor for the work ute.

Fixed that for ya

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Fixed that for ya

I didn't want to seem Greedy......

[fordboi]

Originally Posted by b2tf

I'd buy a Flex. Cool looking cars. And an F truck for the work ute.

Go the Flex !!
Thought I was the only one who wanted one !! I guess we live in hope.

[The Stylist]

Originally Posted by Pedro

I hired a Fusion for a week last year in LA.
It’s a bit smaller than a Falcon and was powered by the 186 kw 3 litre Flex-Fuel Duratec V6 coupled to the Ford/GM developed 6F35 six speed auto. It was a comfortable car to drive but not a car I would buy.

The car you would have driven is the superseded Fusion. The latest Fusion (Mondeo elsewhere) has ditched the V6 in favour of the Ecoboost range of four-pots.

[Road_Warrior]

Yep, there is no 6cyl Fusion available in the new gen cars.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by b2tf

I'd buy a Flex. Cool looking cars. And an F truck for the work ute.

I don't know how the Flex is still on sale, it sells about as much as the Territory and Falcon do, around 2000 a month in the US.

But I guess because its made in the US it will be protected and kept on sale, cause Ford North America look after themselves. If it was made elsewhere it would have been chopped ages ago.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I don't know how the Flex is still on sale, it sells about as much as the Territory and Falcon do, around 2000 a month in the US.

But I guess because its made in the US it will be protected and kept on sale, cause Ford North America look after themselves. If it was made elsewhere it would have been chopped ages ago.

And this is what ***** me about this whole "One Ford" ********. Its one Ford for everyone else except the US, where they can keep niche vehicles that sell a piddling amount and we can't get an export gig for the Falcon, or they have highly desirable performance cars that they won't make available outside the US. They're hypocrites.

[Bossxr8]

I've said it before, the slogan should be "One Ford", but with a disclaimer underneath it saying "only if it is for North Americas benefit".

[csv8]

FORD could produce a RHD Taurus in 3 years ??? If they wanted too...

[FPV GTHO]

I really dont see where this One Ford but America crap is coming from. The US got the European Fiesta, C-Max and Transit Connect. They dumped the American Focus for the Euro Focus and they dumped the American Fusion for the Euro Mondeo. Next they'll dump the American Taurus and stretch the Euro Mondeo and they'll also dump the E series van for Transit. ROW will even be getting the Mustang, which some are worried Ford will compromise it for it to sell outside of America.

What have they actually done in Americas favour? Not give them the Global Ranger to save F150? I personally dont buy that argument. Chicken tax means they have to be built stateside, and the F150's are pretty cheap anyway. Flex? It probably wont make it onto the new platform, until then its already developed and its costs are shared with other models.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by csv8

FORD could produce a RHD Taurus in 3 years ??? If they wanted too...

The only reason that the RHD version was not developed yet was because FoA decided to do a 2014 Falcon,
So while not included at the start of the project 18 months go, I hava a hunch that part of yesterday's decision
had to do with commitment to a plan going forwrd which may have required a lock in of internal funding and
resources to develop regional versions of global vehicles for Australia.

Australian buyer still want some large cars but they have to be keenly priced, well appointed with the latest gadgets, give great performance and excellent fuel economy. What's in flux now is the delivery and mix of features delivered by a future global platform and that the mystifying part. If Ford came out nd said it was a Fusion/Taurus or a new USA RWD then it would be an identifiable target but at the moment, maybe emotions are too raw to absorb anything new just yet...

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

And this is what ***** me about this whole "One Ford" ********. Its one Ford for everyone else except the US, where they can keep niche vehicles that sell a piddling amount and we can't get an export gig for the Falcon, or they have highly desirable performance cars that they won't make available outside the US. They're hypocrites.

Slow down there.

We are still in the early years of One Ford. In time, oddities like the Flex likely won't exist. But presently there is no point in pulling the plug on it when it's still moving close to 30,000 units per year. Take into account that the Flex is built at Oakville alongside the Ford Edge, Lincoln MKT and Lincoln MKX- the Edge alone moved over 120,000 units last year so combined with the others the plant is good for over 200,000 units per year- the Flex isn't losing them millions like Falcon/Territory- in fact it would be making a tidy profit at this stage in its life.

Don't forget Ford is an American company, you can't blame them for giving their (enormous) home market special attention. Some of the niche cars they do there are offset by the huge volume cash cows like F series. Australian Falcon production never stood a chance in the long term.

[AG3]

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

Slow down there.

We are still in the early years of One Ford. In time, oddities like the Flex likely won't exist. But presently there is no point in pulling the plug on it when it's still moving close to 30,000 units per year. Take into account that the Flex is built at Oakville alongside the Ford Edge, Lincoln MKT and Lincoln MKX- the Edge alone moved over 120,000 units last year so combined with the others the plant is good for over 200,000 units per year- the Flex isn't losing them millions like Falcon/Territory- in fact it would be making a tidy profit at this stage in its life.

I think most people don't realize how big the US market is for these American SUVs, it gets even bigger when you add Canada. Most of these SUVs are also sold in Mexico, some of them are sold in the Middle East, China, Philippines, South Korea and even Japan (even though they're a RHD market).

The Falcon and Territory sell in low numbers in its own home market.
They're also sold in New Zealand (I assume in even smaller numbers) and in the case of the Territory, its also exported to Thailand as Ford's premium SUV (also in low numbers).