with ford closing gutted we don,t have aussie 4x4

[KW XRT]

As popular as territory is/was i,m preety disappointed that australia won,t have an aussie 4x4.i mean toyboata started with busted out old 4x4 .that realy had nothing going for it except it was tough.someone needs to beat toyboater at their own game and design a no frills aussie made 4x4.modern day fj landcruiser if you will.

[mik]

What about the ford ranger ?

[new2ford]

We never did have an Australian-built mass produced 4x4, as in 4WD offroader. Territory is a crossover car. However, Ranger and Everest, though imported, are said to be Australian-designed.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by KW XRT

As popular as territory is/was i,m preety disappointed that australia won,t have an aussie 4x4.i mean toyboata started with busted out old 4x4 .that realy had nothing going for it except it was tough.someone needs to beat toyboater at their own game and design a no frills aussie made 4x4.modern day fj landcruiser if you will.

Whilst the Territory is not a 4x4, I agree with your sentiment. Sadly, we will never see the Territory 'be all it can be' with more development dollars and an export market.

Perhaps the Everest demonstrates what could have been to a degree, because it was developed here, but it's a different car to the Tez.

[naddis01]

OKA?

[Lewy950]

Shame they stopped making the OKA. Apart from the 4x4 XY ute and a few Holden Overlanders it was the only proper Aussie 4x4.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by new2ford

We never did have an Australian-built mass produced 4x4, as in 4WD offroader. Territory is a crossover car. However, Ranger and Everest, though imported, are said to be Australian-designed.

Thats a shame ranger and everest can't be built here and instead have to come out of Thighland like a can of cheap $2 tuna

[XR Martin]

What was the Aussie 4x4 thing made out of a LandRover a little while back?

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

What was the Aussie 4x4 thing made out of a LandRover a little while back?

That was the Land Rover Perenties made here by JRA for the Australian army back in the 80s and 90s. Not a public model but lots must be in private hands by now.

[XR Martin]

Nah thats not the one im thinking of, it was some sort of road legal buggy thing and had a V8

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by KW XRT

As popular as territory is/was i,m preety disappointed that australia won,t have an aussie 4x4.i mean toyboata started with busted out old 4x4 .that realy had nothing going for it except it was tough.someone needs to beat toyboater at their own game and design a no frills aussie made 4x4.modern day fj landcruiser if you will.

It'd be great to be able to support such a huge undertaking.....but even the new Fj landcruiser has got the chop as it wasn't selling enough. And that's a world marketed Toyota product. What chance does anyone else have at making a legitimate contender that is taken seriously! Terry was our shot......but it was gold while it lasted

[Spammy]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Nah thats not the one im thinking of, it was some sort of road legal buggy thing and had a V8

Bushranger....was just a fibreglass shell that you DIY onto an old rangie chassis. I think it was originally a pommie design anyway.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by KW XRT

As popular as territory is/was i,m preety disappointed that australia won,t have an aussie 4x4.i mean toyboata started with busted out old 4x4 .that realy had nothing going for it except it was tough.someone needs to beat toyboater at their own game and design a no frills aussie made 4x4.modern day fj landcruiser if you will.

Agree with your thoughts.

Hey, there was also an Aussie Landrover Country diesel sold in the 1980's with the 4.0L Isuzu diesel - that I think was made here. Might be stretching it but I also think Toyota took that Isuzu diesel and it became the 2H motor of the 60 series Landcruiser. So yeah - a Cruiser powered Aussie 4x4 that doesn't rust!

[Spammy]

Selling 10 year old technology that is built in a location with very high wages is not a good business model. Sales of the Falcon are a good case in point.

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

It'd be great to be able to support such a huge undertaking.....but even the new Fj landcruiser has got the chop as it wasn't selling enough. And that's a world marketed Toyota product. What chance does anyone else have at making a legitimate contender that is taken seriously! Terry was our shot......but it was gold while it lasted

FJ Cruiser got the chop in US market in 2014 but it continues in Australia in Middle East . It was taken seriously as it sold over 200 000 ( big number for such a niche vehicle ) units since 2006 but you can't easily facelift retro car - they are more one off efforts.

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

FJ Cruiser got the chop in US market in 2014 but it continues in Australia in Middle East . It was taken seriously as it sold over 200 000 ( big number for such a niche vehicle ) units since 2006 but you can't easily facelift retro car - they are more one off efforts.

Yeah It only really did well in its first year tho with something like 60k sales, then big drop offs. In essence it was a poorly designed vehicle that was yes very niche. It's offroad ability isn't special and you can forget about lifting or putting bigger tyres on them easily. From what one of my fj crazy friends told me.....if they released an update....they had a hell of a lot of work to do. But it would obviously be received well.

Shows how hard it is if even Toyota couldn't do it easily. Retro or not!

[CyberWasp]

Bring back the XY Falcon 4X4

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

Yeah It only really did well in its first year tho with something like 60k sales, then big drop offs. In essence it was a poorly designed vehicle that was yes very niche. It's offroad ability isn't special and you can forget about lifting or putting bigger tyres on them easily. From what one of my fj crazy friends told me.....if they released an update....they had a hell of a lot of work to do. But it would obviously be received well.

Shows how hard it is if even Toyota couldn't do it easily. Retro or not!

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

FJ Cruiser got the chop in US market in 2014 but it continues in Australia in Middle East . It was taken seriously as it sold over 200 000 ( big number for such a niche vehicle ) units since 2006 but you can't easily facelift retro car - they are more one off efforts.

I actually happen to own one and its offroad abilty is Second to none for what you can get off the showroom floor :-) there is a large FJ community in US and in OZ and lifts and larger tyres are fairly easy not that you need it straight away as ground clearance is good and tyres are 32 oem. Mechanically they are a Prado V6 with good power to weight ratio for a proper 4wd (100kW per tonne) ,long range tank , low range and rear locker , crawl descent control - very capable off road.
Toyota produced FJ as a marketing excercise to add some spice to their mostly boring if efficient offerings. Niche product is just that - it fills the needs of limited in numbers but passionate group of customers , it was never intended to be a on top of the sales chart.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Thats a shame ranger and everest can't be built here and instead have to come out of Thighland like a can of cheap $2 tuna

Sorry to go off topic but I find this comment a low blow.
What is wrong with the Rangers that come out of Thailand?

Why do you need to persistently put down Thailand? Is it their fault they were chosen to build cars over us (not just Ford)? It is a competitive world out there, nothing stops us from throwing our hat into the ring.

Just FYI cans of tuna can be had for far less than $2 and aren't made in Thailand.

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

I actually happen to own one and its offroad abilty is Second to none for what you can get off the showroom floor :-) there is a large FJ community in US and in OZ and lifts and larger tyres are fairly easy not that you need it straight away as ground clearance is good and tyres are 32 oem. Mechanically they are a Prado V6 with good power to weight ratio for a proper 4wd (100kW per tonne) ,long range tank , low range and rear locker , crawl descent control - very capable off road.
Toyota produced FJ as a marketing excercise to add some spice to their mostly boring if efficient offerings. Niche product is just that - it fills the needs of limited in numbers but passionate group of customers , it was never intended to be a on top of the sales chart.

Not to argue but a Jeep unlimited will wipe the floor over an Fj factory. Actually most jeep products will.
From what I've heard a comparable lift on an fj is similiar to that of lifting a stock GU Nissan patrol. They don't respond well unless you change other suspension parts like uper control arms. Is this true?
And what about the famous extruding chasis sticking into the wheel well?(meaning oversized tyres need metalwork) Or the stories I've read about the intrusive "trac" system in slippery offroad situations?
And I'd hate to bring up economy......what do you get ?
But of course there's things about EVERY car.

My Fj nut friend would still own one if it was abit better put together!

[The Monty]

Seriously, you bought Jeep into this convo?

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by The Monty

Seriously, you bought Jeep into this convo?

Why not? Just a passing comment that I feel Jeep unlimiteds are the best 4x4 you can buy off the showroom.....by far. In fact the quality of the rest of the car is probably something an Aussie slap together company probably wouldnt find hard to match. Offroad ability is another story tho!

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

It'd be great to be able to support such a huge undertaking.....but even the new Fj landcruiser has got the chop as it wasn't selling enough. And that's a world marketed Toyota product. What chance does anyone else have at making a legitimate contender that is taken seriously! Terry was our shot......but it was gold while it lasted

The thing that killed the FJ Cruiser was lack of a diesel engine. We test drove one, loved the quirky styling, but lack of a diesel engine meant no, we didn't buy. The Toyota dealer said he "heard rumours" that the following year they were putting a diesel in it. That would have been 2013...never happened.
Seeing as how underneath they're just a Prado it was very odd, but being built in the USA, it makes sense...Yanks think diesel is "semi trailer and train fuel" and still have a marked aversion to diesel powered passenger vehicles.

I've said before that one big reason...probably outside capital cities...that people didn't buy the Falcon is it doesn't meet their needs. They're not going to buy just for sentimental or patriotic reasons a vehicle that just doesn't do what they want. We needed, and wanted, a twin cab 4x4 diesel....a hell of a lot of people do these days. However there's literally nothing Australian made in that category, so the whinges about "think of the local industry" are just so much bulldust. The "local industry" simply didn't make what people wanted, and has paid for it.

And "a basic 4x4"? Who would buy it? People don't want "basic", and haven't since the early eighties. For the criminal price we pay for new vehicles in this country, you expect a few toys thrown in.

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

The thing that killed the FJ Cruiser was lack of a diesel engine. We test drove one, loved the quirky styling, but lack of a diesel engine meant no, we didn't buy. The Toyota dealer said he "heard rumours" that the following year they were putting a diesel in it. That would have been 2013...never happened.
Seeing as how underneath they're just a Prado it was very odd, but being built in the USA, it makes sense...Yanks think diesel is "semi trailer and train fuel" and still have a marked aversion to diesel powered passenger vehicles.

I've said before that one big reason...probably outside capital cities...that people didn't buy the Falcon is it doesn't meet their needs. They're not going to buy just for sentimental or patriotic reasons a vehicle that just doesn't do what they want. We needed, and wanted, a twin cab 4x4 diesel....a hell of a lot of people do these days. However there's literally nothing Australian made in that category, so the whinges about "think of the local industry" are just so much bulldust. The "local industry" simply didn't make what people wanted, and has paid for it.

And "a basic 4x4"? Who would buy it? People don't want "basic", and haven't since the early eighties. For the criminal price we pay for new vehicles in this country, you expect a few toys thrown in.

Funny thing is, fast forward 5 years and diesel will be history. Everyone's following fords ECO boost trend. Small petrol engines with boost.
And even if the USA public wanted diesels.....from memory it was the govco blocking them.
And our local industry despite building local cars in the falcon and commadore....that still didn't stop the parent companies having total say on what was made here. There's no way in hell they'd let us build a "low" selling cheap 4x4 just because a few people want them. We get what sells everywhere else. We were just "lucky" the falcon and commadore sold so well for along time, giving themselves a lease in life.

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Yanks think diesel is "semi trailer and train fuel" and still have a marked aversion to diesel powered passenger vehicles.

Nah, Yanks think "Diesel would be nice to have for performance, but can't justify it financially, so I'll make do with a 'gasser.'"

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Thats a shame ranger and everest can't be built here and instead have to come out of Thighland like a can of cheap $2 tuna

Seriously you think a Ranger is cheap car, compared to my previous car which was a FG XR6 ute the XLT Ranger walks over it in quality & more reliable.
My comment is my opinion after purchasing these two new vehicles.

[FPV GTHO]

I think Audi probably started the trend of downsized turbo engines.

I don't think retro styling woukdve been a hurdle either, how long did the 70 series Landcruiser last?

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

The thing that killed the FJ Cruiser was lack of a diesel engine. We test drove one, loved the quirky styling, but lack of a diesel engine meant no, we didn't buy. The Toyota dealer said he "heard rumours" that the following year they were putting a diesel in it. That would have been 2013...never happened.
Seeing as how underneath they're just a Prado it was very odd, but being built in the USA, it makes sense...Yanks think diesel is "semi trailer and train fuel" and still have a marked aversion to diesel powered passenger vehicles.

I've said before that one big reason...probably outside capital cities...that people didn't buy the Falcon is it doesn't meet their needs. They're not going to buy just for sentimental or patriotic reasons a vehicle that just doesn't do what they want. We needed, and wanted, a twin cab 4x4 diesel....a hell of a lot of people do these days. However there's literally nothing Australian made in that category, so the whinges about "think of the local industry" are just so much bulldust. The "local industry" simply didn't make what people wanted, and has paid for it.

And "a basic 4x4"? Who would buy it? People don't want "basic", and haven't since the early eighties. For the criminal price we pay for new vehicles in this country, you expect a few toys thrown in.

I don't think it was lack of diesel that had anything to do with "killing" the FJ in the US. The FJ has run its course and after 8 years of production they were not going to facelift a retro model. Aftermarket supply of parts for FJ is absolutely massive , it is very popular with serious 4wd crowd both in US and here.
In Australia FJ is still on sale and despite lack of diesel engine is still a good option for a basic 4wd. Petrol drivetrain is smooth and powerfull and ours returns 11l/100 in general use , Sky is the limit if you floor it at every set of lights or tow a heavy boat ( it would be in 20s) . With 159l fuel tank ,range is not an issue. Many have been converted to LPG with great success.
FJ that we get is actually built in Japan :-).

[SumoDog68]

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

Funny thing is, fast forward 5 years and diesel will be history. Everyone's following fords ECO boost trend. Small petrol engines with boost.
And even if the USA public wanted diesels.....from memory it was the govco blocking them.
And our local industry despite building local cars in the falcon and commadore....that still didn't stop the parent companies having total say on what was made here. There's no way in hell they'd let us build a "low" selling cheap 4x4 just because a few people want them. We get what sells everywhere else. We were just "lucky" the falcon and commadore sold so well for along time, giving themselves a lease in life.

Mazda hasn't got on board with small displacement forced induction yet and is doing ok in Australia. Small modern turbo engines are not that economical in real life , you pay for for performance in fuel , regardless of engine configuration .

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

Mazda hasn't got on board with small displacement forced induction yet and is doing ok in Australia. Small modern turbo engines are not that economical in real life , you pay for for performance in fuel , regardless of engine configuration .

Are you talking about 4x4s or Mazda 3s.
I was more talking about how ford has developed world class ECO boost engines that cover EVERY vehicle class.....whether it's the multi world engine of the year, little 1l Eco boost or the ones that are now making even v8s in raptors null invoid.(however that said lol)