Falcon future to be decided in 6 months: Mays

[Rodge]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Looks are subjective after all. I actually like it, it looks more aggressive than FG.

I guess one benifet of a SHO Taurus would be getting some of the latest Ford technology, couldn't help notice the availability of nice tech like, adaptive cruise control, blind spot assist, massaging seats and so on.

[jpd80]

FoA have looked at current Taurus on D3 Platform but size, weight and general bulkiness rules it out.
What was discussed was a full sized car developed off the next CD4 Fusion/Mondeo which
incidentally, will sport a 108" whelbase, roughly 100mm shorter than the current Mondeo...


oops, you guys didn't know that.....

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by Flat Top

id get your orders in for the Ute now?? my guess is volumes may not carry past mid year to support , and Ranger will eat away some sales making it difficult to warrant production ??
just ba guess Trev

As long as no money has to be paid for development there is no reason for it to be discontinued. And even if its only selling in *relatively* small volumes, it still addeds volume to the production line, even if they don't make that much from them.

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by jpd80

FoA have looked at current Taurus on D3 Platform but size, weight and general bulkiness rules it out.
What was discussed was a full sized car developed off the next CD4 Fusion/Mondeo which
incidentally, will sport a 108" whelbase, roughly 100mm shorter than the current Mondeo...


oops, you guys didn't know that.....

I like this comment

[Brazen]

Hmmm, a turbo diesel AWD Falcon with a 2.5 tonne tow capacity.

I see diesel Mondeos everywhere in rural Australia, make it Australian made, with more room, all-wheel-drive, big tow capacity, with the Falcon name and you will have the default sedan for Australian rural buyers.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Jason[98.EL]

I like this comment

You should Jason. There's more to it, but it's a little more secret squirrel. something about the next Taurus not being developed in RHD...

[Road_Warrior]

I guess D3 was always going to be on the outer (despite what outlets like Drivel say) because of the fact its not engineered for RHD and that the core platform itself is SUV-based and rather long in the tooth. No point replacing what will be an 8 year old platform with something twice as old and heavy.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

I guess D3 was always going to be on the outer (despite what outlets like Drivel say) because of the fact its not engineered for RHD and that the core platform itself is SUV-based and rather long in the tooth. No point replacing what will be an 8 year old platform with something twice as old and heavy.

D3 itself isn't developed for RHD, however D2, the Volvo platform on which it is based, is definitely a RHD platform.

The question is about the brand new Taurus Platform, and whether it will have RHD connotations. One thing we do know is that the new Fusion/Mondeo will come in RHD.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Paxton

D3 itself isn't developed for RHD, however D2, the Volvo platform on which it is based, is definitely a RHD platform.

The question is about the brand new Taurus Platform, and whether it will have RHD connotations. One thing we do know is that the new Fusion/Mondeo will come in RHD.

Well, by extension of that, the next Taurus will be RHD-capable as it will be sharing the CD4 platform with the Mondeo and Fusion. The question will be, what do we get versus what Broady will be building.

[naddis01]

Originally Posted by jpd80

FoA have looked at current Taurus on D3 Platform but size, weight and general bulkiness rules it out.
What was discussed was a full sized car developed off the next CD4 Fusion/Mondeo which
incidentally, will sport a 108" whelbase, roughly 100mm shorter than the current Mondeo...


oops, you guys didn't know that.....

I may be missing the relevance of wheelbase comment but to me that means that Mondeo would be smaller which in turns Falcon won't be built off the CD4 platform? Either that or Falcon will be a long wheelbase version of it.

108" would mean around 130-140mm shorter than an FG.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by naddis01

I may be missing the relevance of wheelbase comment but to me that means that Mondeo would be smaller which in turns Falcon won't be built off the CD4 platform? Either that or Falcon will be a long wheelbase version of it.

108" would mean around 130-140mm shorter than an FG.

The next Taurus is switching platforms to CD4 and will be like the "Fairlane" off the Fusion/Mondeo...
Does that kinda make sense?

Ford are getting the dimension of Mid sized Fusion/Mondeo right so they can lengthen it and get a full sized car.
Ford couldn't do that so well with an already long wheelbase......



I now sense that none of this has anything to do with our next car.........

[robbo/region15]

Originally Posted by Flat Top

id get your orders in for the Ute now?? my guess is volumes may not carry past mid year to support , and Ranger will eat away some sales making it difficult to warrant production ??
just ba guess Trev

Ive spent last two days @ Broady,checked around 300 vehicles [as posted elsewhere] funny thing is my contacts @ Broady are in the Dark regarding there Future ,what model finishes ,etc etc etc.
People across the board are dieing a slow death ,not knowing if they keep there job or get retrenched.
Thinking back to the late 80's with the "Button Plan" which killed Nissan in this Country,never trust Politicians where Automobiles are in the picture.

[RHR]

So im guessing the CD4 platform is one that is FWD based?

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by robbo/region15

Ive spent last two days @ Broady,checked around 300 vehicles [as posted elsewhere] funny thing is my contacts @ Broady are in the Dark regarding there Future ,what model finishes ,etc etc etc.
People across the board are dieing a slow death ,not knowing if they keep there job or get retrenched.
Thinking back to the late 80's with the "Button Plan" which killed Nissan in this Country,never trust Politicians where Automobiles are in the picture.

Well the only people who are going to be 'in the know' are in the upper echelons of management, not every worker or contractor on the floor.

[naddis01]

Originally Posted by jpd80

The next Taurus is switching platforms to CD4 and will be like the "Fairlane" off the Fusion/Mondeo...
Does that kinda make sense?

Ford are getting the dimension of Mid sized Fusion/Mondeo right so they can lengthen it and get a full sized car.
Ford couldn't do that so well with an already long wheelbase......



I now sense that none of this has anything to do with our next car.........

Yes that does make sense and is exactly what I was thinking. Would that not mean then IF Falcon switches to FWD then it would share the 'lwb' platform with Taurus?

[robbo/region15]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Well the only people who are going to be 'in the know' are in the upper echelons of management, not every worker or contractor on the floor.

Good call,i deal with "non shop floor peeps "@ Broady

I look @ Schedules weeks ahead what needs to be built ,by us Tier 1 Suppliers,even incorporating the Down days etc,its all starting to narrow down ,in September-October ,its like 2008 all over again.

[imugli]

Originally Posted by robbo/region15

Good call,i deal with "non shop floor peeps "@ Broady

I look @ Schedules weeks ahead what needs to be built ,by us Tier 1 Suppliers,even incorporating the Down days etc,its all starting to narrow down ,in September-October ,its like 2008 all over again.

Could you please explain "starting to narrow down" for those not in the biz?

Cheers!

[JPFS1]

No disrespect robbo/region5, but a slow down of a tier 1 supplier in isolation shouldn't be directly linked to future prospects of local manufacturing.

Many reasons why this could be happening.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Well the only people who are going to be 'in the know' are in the upper echelons of management, not every worker or contractor on the floor.

You dont have to be in the upper echelons of management at the car companies to know whats going to happen months ahead. Tier one suppliers may operate just in time to the car makers, but with most of their stuff coming in from overseas, they need a fair bit of lead time to get the parts made and shipped to australia, and they dont like to hold stock. Anyone with a bit of nous at any tier one supplier could tell you how things are going to look two months down the track.

[jpd80]

It all depends on parts sourcing strategy, instead of FoA just sourcing where it used to in Australia,
it now has access to all of the Ford Asia Paciifc African region suppliers and yes, that means
Asian and Chinese suppliers too....

As FG II evolves and starts to use more parts in common with Territory, those previous Tier 1
supply inventories and schedules could change, not sure if that change ie permanent or not
but is not necessarily indicative of sales trends...

[munners]

Originally Posted by Rodge

Facelifted Taurus due out soon, you be the judge...
http://www.ford.com/cars/thenewtaurus/

I love it

Munners

[Swordsman88]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Ford has made no secret of the fact that this is their new global design language: they have discarded the use of the 'kinetic' design theme. The Toreass (and the SZ Territory) are the first of many vehicles that will have these styling cues.

Close....but not quite true according to what i'/ve read. Its more a case of the evos being the showcar that illustrates what ford (well ford europe anyway) calls 'Kinetic 2'...which while different has similar cues to kinetic 1. It's the front that changes the most and the way the sides are blended into it...the overall stance is still very kinetic imo. I view the new focus as a case of kinetc 1.5...the side profile has similarities to evos to my eyes anyway. Its the front that is the least coherent in the new focus and that is probably because they are trying to make the two kinetic themes work together..kinda like the EL front never looked as coherent as the EF front back in the late 90s...

Back on topic, i think the Falcon future has shifted more so towards exactly what the platform will be and how this fits with the lineup on sale locally rather than whether the falcon survives or is still built here. Whatever the outcome local production will continue IMO (thailand has more than enough to do...so asian production of sedans will have to go on somehwere) Early talk was focused on GRWD and the mustang connection, and while they will share parts for sure its more likely that falcon will go AWD given the CD platform connection.

That in itself isn't bad just how they exectue that size wise and make it fit into the rest of the lineup. I see the new mondeo getting smaller and more compact platform wise (but retaining good interior space) and falcon staying the same platform size but actualy shrinking due to less overall lenght (bye bye I6). The style direction globally for the car is pretty obvious its moreso how they implement that with the globally available platform (which one ford dictates). If mustang and falcon don't go onto a joint GRWD platform, then ford knows there is still a small but profitable market for powerful, large luxury sedans....and so any FWD/AWD platform will be designed (inc RWD) to satisfy that demand...with AWD obviously doing the serious perf versions. GLobal availability of mustang will be used to satisfy the RWD enthusiasts...and given the prices they sell them at in the states + cost efficincies from greater production its unlikely a V6 RWD mustnag in RHD would cost all that more than what we have doing the job right now....

[stang65]

Well Robbo it seems a tier one supplier to FORD needs assemblers anyoneone need a job.
Production Workers - Automotive Assembly - Assembly
•Campbellfield Location
•Automotive Industry
•Top Tier Supplier to Ford


We are currently looking for experienced production and assembly workers for a top tier supplier to Ford, based in Campbellfield.

Based in the automotive industry your role and duties will offer versatility and variety focussing on the assembly of automotive components.

To be successful for these roles you must have
•assembly and production line experience
•experience in the automotive field is an advantage but not essential.
•excellent hand and eye co-ordination,
•the ability to stand for long periods,
•have manual dexterity and a mechanical aptitude.

You must speak, read and write English well and posess good communication skills.

Roles offered are dayshift only with hours being from 7am-4pm. These are casual on-call roles so you must be flexible in your availability.

Licence and own transport is required due to the on-call nature of these roles.


To apply, please click on the appropriate link below. Baytech - Laverton often has similar jobs available. Visit www.baytechindustrial.com.au to view
http://www.seek.com.au/Job/productio...burbs/20653492

[rjk74]

TICKY FULLERTON, PRESENTER: I joined Ford Australia's chief executive Rob Graziano down at the showroom to find out a little more about how the company is travelling.

Rob Graziano, welcome to the program.

ROB GRAZIANO, PRESIDENT AND CEO, FORD AUSTRALIA: Thank you, it's great to be here.

TICKY FULLERTON: You've got a big makeover this year. How much of a punt is it in terms of your customers and knowing what they want? How many big changes are there?

ROB GRAZIANO: Well, by February of next year, 85 per cent of the showroom in a Ford dealership will be all new or significantly updated, so it is a huge improvement or uplift of the entire portfolio of product that we have - bringing out the latest in terms of Ford technologies, and bringing out the latest in terms of the Ford brand with respect to quality, sustainability, safety and smart technologies.

TICKY FULLERTON: Can you give us some examples of these smart technologies?

ROB GRAZIANO: Well, let's start with the locally produced products, the Ford Territory and Ford Falcon.

We've added a diesel power train to the Territory, updated the exterior as well as interior, adding an 8-inch screen navigation system, Bluetooth technologies. So an absolutely stunning upgrade.

In the first three months of sales, we've been number one in the medium SUV segment, so we've been very pleased with the early reception on the Territory.

We're just about ready to go to launch with the EcoLPi, which is our return to the LPG market with the Falcon, and that's a very important part of the segment for us. That particular vehicle - and it is a technology that was developed here in Australia - will allow a large car owner, the Ford Falcon EcoLPi, to operate that vehicle at about the same cost as a Ford Fiesta, which is our smallest vehicle in the range.

TICKY FULLERTON: How much pressure is there to create a lower carbon footprint for cars?

ROB GRAZIANO: Well, it's something that we, as part of our brand strategy, again, trying to be best in class with respect to sustainability is...

TICKY FULLERTON: Where does the pressure come from, from consumer or does it come from Government or ...

ROB GRAZIANO: It really comes from the consumer as well as from the Ford Motor Company, because as part of our better world strategy, we want to be good corporate citizens around the world, so we bring these new technologies out to continue to drive down the amount of CO2 that comes out of our vehicles.

But at the end of the day, what it ultimately translates into is a real world saving for our consumer at the pump.

TICKY FULLERTON: Was it very disappointing then to see the Government's cancellation of the Green Car Fund, because $40 million, that's quite a lump out of your investment commitment for this big change?

ROB GRAZIANO: Well, clearly we would have preferred for the Green Car Fund to continue on. We continue in dialogue with the Government about how we move forward as an industry here in Australia, but we're not going to let one or two disappointments get in our way of continuing what I think is just a great dialogue that we have with the Government here.

TICKY FULLERTON: Given that we are in a very serious situation in manufacturing in Australia, you're a great believer in how clever design and manufacturing can be done within Australia for the benefit of Australia. Is there anything needed from Government to stimulate that?

ROB GRAZIANO: Well, what I really have appreciated about what has happened in Australia to date has been that co-investment model that they had here - where the manufacturers were investing and then the Government was also co-investing to bring new technology into the marketplace.

When you think about automotive manufacturing or automotive industry in Australia, we're very unique. We're only one of 13 countries around the world that can develop and produce a vehicle, so from start to finish, one of 13 countries around the world - and so to me it is an industry that should be cherished here, as it is in other markets around the world.

TICKY FULLERTON: Is that co-investment strategy still being implemented?

ROB GRAZIANO: It's one that we continue to talk to the Government about in terms of bringing the technologies here that we think that the customers are going to want, that are in line with where the Government wants to go with respect to their various policies.

TICKY FULLERTON: You were one of the first manufacturers this year to lay off workers - I think it was 240 - and a cut in production of about 20 per cent. Do you see any further cuts being required as a result of how tight manufacturing is at the moment?

ROB GRAZIANO: Well, that was a very difficult decision that we had it take earlier this year. One of the principles that we've tried to apply at Ford Motor Company around the world is to match our production to demand.

That demand may change, up or down, in various markets, as does model mix. Again, that was a difficult decision that we had to take to change the production schedule to more evenly meet what the market was demanding, and those products, and that's what we're running to now, going forward.

TICKY FULLERTON: But the market since you made that announcement earlier in the year has got a lot tougher for a lot of manufacturers. Has that changed your outlook in terms of any further job cuts that might need to be made?

ROB GRAZIANO: Not really. At this point what we're doing is we are in the process of rolling out our $232 million investment that we've made on the Ford Territory and Ford Falcon.

I talked a little bit about the diesel and EcoLPi. We are going to soon launch a freshening on the Falcon, and then early in the New Year, we will have EcoBoost added to Falcon. All of these sustainability initiatives, we believe are what the customers are looking for - not only in the medium SUV, but also in the large car segment - so we're very optimistic with the early results we've had on Territory ... that hopefully we will continue to grow with the products we have here.

TICKY FULLERTON: What about the other external impacts that occurred this year. The Australian dollar, of course, must be making a difference to you, because it's a lot cheaper for folk to go out and buy imported cars?

ROB GRAZIANO: This is a very competitive market to begin with. There are over 60 brands, 360 name-plates that are available to the consumer.

From a consumer perspective it's absolutely outstanding, and that competitiveness is what keeps all of us going every day at Ford. We think what we have to offer from our product range - again what we're trying to do is be best in class in terms of quality, sustainability, safety and smart technology - and we want cars, trucks, SUVs; small, medium and large, so we're meeting what the customers want, and we think that when we do that with the value that we have on the Ford brand, that we will continue to offer an outstanding product for the customers here in Australia.

TICKY FULLERTON: What sort of impact did the Japanese tsunami have, because on the one hand you've got your competitors in trouble in terms of their export market, but also did you rely on any parts?

ROB GRAZIANO: We had very little impact in terms of local production, as well as most of our imported products. Really negligible impact for us here, and that's being a part of the One Ford strategy, I think has helped us see our way through here in Australia.

TICKY FULLERTON: There has been a very different strategy between yourselves and Holden about the small car, and the way customers seem to be moving away from big cars to small cars.

Originally, in 2008 you were going to produce the Focus here. You decided to give that away in favour of a new version of Territory, whereas Holden has started up production of the Cruze. To what extent do you think those two strategies will look with hindsight, good or bad, against each other?

ROB GRAZIANO: We have access to global products around the world - as part of the One Ford strategy - and we have the Focus, which is on sale now, and we haven't quite had a full month of sale under our belt.

But very positive early returns on that vehicle, and I think that represents a tremendous value for the Australian consumer. When you look at the latest in terms of technology that's there, with the upgrades in terms of the power trains that we've added - both diesel and petrol - so we think that's the right strategy for Ford.

TICKY FULLERTON: So it's not a shame that you didn't actually decide to produce the Focus here after all?

ROB GRAZIANO: Well, I think we've got some terrific products with the Ford Territory and Ford Falcon, and our ability to invest in those products and bring in technologies that our customers have told us that they truly want in value in a large car.

They don't have to trade-off that large car now for a smaller vehicle - we can offer them that fuel efficiency with EcoLPi or EcoBoost on the Falcon, as well as the diesel on the Territory. Our desire and intent is to continue to develop vehicles here, and produce vehicles here that customers want.

TICKY FULLERTON: Rob Graziano, thank you for joining the program.

ROB GRAZIANO: Thank you very much. Good to see you.

[stang65]

Sounds promising good work rjk74.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by stang65

Well Robbo it seems a tier one supplier to FORD needs assemblers anyoneone need a job.

These are casual on-call roles so you must be flexible in your availability.

Licence and own transport is required due to the on-call nature of these roles.

Doesnt quite sound like a job. Sounds more like, we have cut so close to the bone, that when we have some guys off on sickies, we cant keep the line going, so we need some people on call to fill in for those times.

[robbo/region15]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

You dont have to be in the upper echelons of management at the car companies to know whats going to happen months ahead. Tier one suppliers may operate just in time to the car makers, but with most of their stuff coming in from overseas, they need a fair bit of lead time to get the parts made and shipped to australia, and they dont like to hold stock. Anyone with a bit of nous at any tier one supplier could tell you how things are going to look two months down the track.

Exactly my point ...You look at a schedule that can be 8 weeks ahead.Plan for it.
Ive been in Automotive Components since 1985,so have a fair idea whats going on in the Manufacturing world.

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by rjk74

ROB GRAZIANO: Well, I think we've got some terrific products with the Ford Territory and Ford Falcon, and our ability to invest in those products and bring in technologies that our customers have told us that they truly want in value in a large car.

They don't have to trade-off that large car now for a smaller vehicle - we can offer them that fuel efficiency with EcoLPi or EcoBoost on the Falcon, as well as the diesel on the Territory. Our desire and intent is to continue to develop vehicles here, and produce vehicles here that customers want.

I take that as the transcript from the interview on ABC news last night. Caught it half way through.

With the quality adverts that they have been running for Territory and others, it will be great to see what Ford come up with for the new FG2 Falcon.

[stang65]

Bob Bob Bob, it`s a Job thats all that counts. And it`s not Ford hiring it`s one of their supplier.

[robbo/region15]

Casual rates woud be around $27.00 p/h........??