Vehicle Development Budgets

[Bossxr8]

A lot. You could search for the figures but from memory it was over one hundred million I think. Was one of their peak years after EF came out.

Edit- In 1996, FoA's profit was it's highest ever, $216 million.

[Davehoos]

was EF the water based paint and environmental upgrade ?

EF had the new engine.

[Rockape]

Loved the EF days. Had a EF XR8 when they were new. Fun days

[XR Martin]

Imagine if Ford oz had an extra $100m for the EF; they could of developed a 5speed auto, IRS and DOHC. And then allowed to export...

[FGXR6TUTE]

Wasn't the Miami engine development alone $40 million? Still can't comprehend how essentially a parts bin (Coyote) special cost so much (and no I'm not knocking the engine!).

[FPV GTHO]

$40m wouldve included the stronger ZF calibration and also the extra metal they put into the car. Perhaps it also included some of the work they did on the intercooled engine.

[Bossxr8]

They developed the 2 side by side, the intercooled version was pretty much fully developed engine wise, it was just the body strength/crash testing that stopped it.

[Elks]

A lot of the bigger numbers I'm sure eb and flow according to the required marketing presentation.

Holden's VE "billion dollar baby" was hyped as a big spend high end car at thetime. That spend was a version of a quality statement. As in we spent so much money it has to be good.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by FGXR6TUTE

Wasn't the Miami engine development alone $40 million? Still can't comprehend how essentially a parts bin (Coyote) special cost so much (and no I'm not knocking the engine!).

Ford Australia looked at changing Focus indicator stalk from left side of steering coulmn to right, that would have cost close to $20 million

[Davehoos]

Often heard similar claims about certian products.
public relations talk for cant be bothered so go build a bridge to get over it.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by FGXR6TUTE

Wasn't the Miami engine development alone $40 million? Still can't comprehend how essentially a parts bin (Coyote) special cost so much (and no I'm not knocking the engine!).

That would have included the following:

-Destructive Crash testing
-Emissions testing
-ABS/TCS calibration and testing
-SRS recalibration and testing.
-1000's of kilometres of shakedown and testing.

$40 mill isn't a real lot of money...

[smoo]

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

I recall the Mercedes Benz E Class that was launched in the mid 2000's hads budget of 3.5B. I thought at the time how can they spend 7X what Ford had just done on BA, but does an E Class have the same laundry list of issues that can occur like BA's do?

2002 W211, a right lemon that makes the BA issues a walk in the park. Considering the budget, and the volume behind the E Class, or 5 Series, the Falcon and Commodore punch well above their weight.