Ford to join Holden as a global rear-drive R&D house and in offering a twin-turbo V6

[mowog]

Maybe the I6 can go...

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25731B0008FC6C

[JPFS1]

These will be impressive engines by the sounds of it. I won't be too disappointed if we can get them in CKD kits and assemble in Geelong... etc.

Seems our engineers are spending a lot of time in the US too... So they just might be working on Huntsman.

[flappist]

The only good thing I can see about Ford and Holden joining together is the demise of AVESCO.......

[Casper]

What I read there is that, regardless of engine, we all get to buy RWD Falcons for the rest of our lives. The future of the Aussie car is pretty much set in stone now at least till around 2020 as I read it.

I dont think the long term life of the RWD Falcon has EVER been this secure.

[Fordman1]

Very interesting. I wonder when / if Ford will actually confirm or deny these rumours.

The sooner the better IMO.

[Vdouw]

Sounds promising the I6 as much as we love it is old and tired. An all new engine with more power seems like the great option and i welcome it.. after all, the more power at my pedal for less the happier i am.

[ebxr8240]

Not too sure if this has been mentioned ??
But it would bring in a mid sized V6 engined car..Makes model sharing EASY!!!!
Mondeo V6 IMO would sell well...The bigger cars or high spec would be turbocharged...
A V6 can be fwd and rwd for its bigger brother.....

[FalconXV]

I thought Holden was going down the Supercharging route instead of TT?

[The Stylist]

For Ford Australia to have the leading role in development of a global rear wheel drive architecture, it sounds like they may have to make a compromise with engine options. In this case the axe is hovering over the 4L I6.

[ebxr8240]

Originally Posted by FalconXV

I thought Holden was going down the Supercharging route instead of TT?

Emissions ????

[Tles]

The 3.5 Cyclone/MZi V6 as in Edge, Taurus, Escape, Tribute is already considered too small for a Territory competitor so has little chance of making it into Falcon. A 200+kw 3.7 maybe. It will be here in it's current form in the CX9 Jan 08 so probably at Sydney IMS.

Mazda has high hopes its CX-9 family mover will lift sales, writes JAEDENE HUDSON. http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...rticleID=40670


Mazda CX-9
Mazda, the brand with a reputation for building nimble sports cars and funto- drive sedans and hatches, is about to release its heaviest vehicle yet.

Weighing two tonnes, measuring a touch over five metres and powered by a 3.7-litre V6, the seven-seat CX-9 due next January will also be its biggest vehicle ever. But Mazda says the model stays true because it retains its ‘‘zoom zoom’’ DNA.

‘‘Zoom, zoom is not just about performance,’’ says Mazda Canada spokesman Greg Young. ‘‘It is about the exhilaration you feel when you drive a Mazda, how you feel about getting from 0-100 kmh, not just how quickly you get there. It is about dynamics and steering feel and all Mazdas have that.’’

It arrives as buyers move to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. The CX-7 and Mazda3 are thirsty by class standards but Mazda says buyers of the CX-9 will not be deterred by rising fuel prices or a V6 in a two-tonne soft roader.

‘‘The target market is going to be families and usually with older kids, maybe two or more . . . and they are very much in the market for a sevenseater,’’ says Mazda Australia spokesman Alastair Doak.

He says Mazda expects the smaller, lighter CX-9 will compete with the Mitsubishi Pajero, Toyota Landcruiser and Nissan Patrol.

‘‘The fuel label on this car will be very competitive,’’ he says. ‘‘I think (on this trip) this car has shown (it) is not overly heavy on fuel.’’

As buyers shun bigger four wheel- drives, sales of smaller softroaders, such as the Toyota RAV4, are booming. FCAI figures show April sales rose by 45.3 per cent compared to the same time last year and 20.5 per cent year-on-year.

Although Mazda’s Tribute offroader also competes, it is not favoured in a market clamouring for cross-over vehicles. Last month, 221 Tributes were sold compared to 1043 RAV4s and 1027 Nissan X-Trails.

A soft-roader smaller than the CX-7 will replace the Tribute but Mr Doak says that will be after 2010, a ‘‘missed opportunity’’, he says.

Tribute’s replacement will be closer to a CX-7 style of car but smaller than an X-Trail or a RAV4 — similar to the Nissan Dualis. The CX-9 will battle a newgeneration Toyota Kluger (August) with a 200 kW V6 engine — also in Toyota’s Aurion — Ford’s Territory and Subaru’s Tribeca. It will have two equipment levels — base and luxury — priced at about $55,000 and $60,000, respectively.

The engine is yet to be confirmed but it is expected the V6 will produce about 200 kW of power and 360 Nm of torque. Both models will have a six-speed automatic gearbox with manual override and fuel economy is expected to be about 12 L/100 km on a city/highway cycle. Mr Doak says there won’t be a diesel CX-9.

Standard safety equipment includes six airbags (front, front-side and full-length curtain) stability control, rollover control, anti-lock brakes, height-adjustable front seatbelts and a reversing camera.

Comfort items on the base model include 18-inch alloy wheels, spoiler, power (and heated) door mirrors, power windows, CD player with iPod jack, height and reach, adjustable steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, tri-zone climate control, two power outlets, eight cupholders, an eight-way powered driver’s seat, 60/40 split-fold seats in the second row and 50/50 in the third.

The Luxury adds leather interior to the base-model cloth, four-way power-adjustable passenger seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, moon roof, premium Bose sound system, keyless start and 20-inch wheels.

We travelled more than 1000 km in the CX-9 across Newfoundland — an island off the coast of Canada — encountering extreme conditions including driving rain, gale-force winds, light snow and sub-zero temperatures. On this trip we tested the slightly smaller-capacity V6 engine that’s also in the Tribute, which moved the CX-9 well.

Because Australia will get the bigger engine, there’s reason to suspect it will work even better. The CX-9 is surefooted on the road and not as top-heavy through corners as some rivals.

Cabin noise levels are possibly the best of any Mazda, with conversations possible between those in the front and third rows.

It has a seatbelt warning light, but not for all belts — a noticeable omission, particularly given that it is aimed at families with children.

On our trip, fuel economy varied from 12.5 L/100 km to 13.5 L/100 km.

Obviously, Canadian driving conditions are different to ours, so while the CX-9 would appear to have remained true to Mazda’s DNA, we’ll reserve judgement until we get behind the wheel on home soil.

Jaedene Hudson travelled to Canada as a guest of Mazda.

[The Stylist]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Not too sure if this has been mentioned ??
But it would bring in a mid sized V6 engined car..Makes model sharing EASY!!!!
Mondeo V6 IMO would sell well...The bigger cars or high spec would be turbocharged...
A V6 can be fwd and rwd for its bigger brother.....

As much as I'd like to see a 3.5L V6 powered Mondeo, I can't help thinking that it would step on the toes the Falcon (if the I6 is dropped).

To work successfully, AWD would need to be employed over the current FWD setup in Ford's midsizer.

[The Stylist]

Originally Posted by TTonka

The 3.5 Cyclone/MZi V6 as in Edge, Taurus, Escape, Tribute is already considered too small for a Territory competitor so has little chance of making it into Falcon. A 200+kw 3.7 maybe. It will be here in it's current form in the CX9 Jan 08 so probably at Sydney IMS.

If I understand, the current 3.5L and 3.7L V6's are missing the fruit such as Direct Injection and Turbocharging.

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by The Stylist

As much as I'd like to see a 3.5L V6 powered Mondeo, I can't help thinking that it would step on the toes the Falcon (if the I6 is dropped).

To work successfully, AWD would need to be employed over the current FWD setup in Ford's midsizer.

BMW sell the 3 series and the 5 series with the same size six cylinder engines, and the 5 series and 7 series with the same size V8s, likewise does Mercedes. I think they are both doing ok with sales

[Tles]

Originally Posted by The Stylist

If I understand, the current 3.5L and 3.7L V6's are missing the fruit such as Direct Injection and Turbocharging.

Hence why I stated in current form. The Mazda6 MPS has both but is only 2.3 four. The engine is apparently derived from the Jaguar Stype 3.0V6 which is a very sweet engine. Driving my MIL's I found this engine to be very smooth with effortless power like an Inline, with extra refinement too. A great touring engine.

With the demise of the Stype and imminent release of the gorgeous XF Jaguar, maybe there is a real opening for a Roveresque operation in Europe, too sit between Ford and Jaguar - Probably under the control of Prodrive. Rumoured large premium sedan for Europe, coupe too would make sense.

[MrXR6]

What I find interesting is the snippets of information that just seems like the writer already assumes that the general public already knows about. For example:

Of most significance to Australia is the 3.5-litre GTTDI V6 that will dispense somewhere between 261kW and 313kW when it powers the production Lincoln MKS, next-generation Mustang and, potentially, Ford’s local FPV and/or XR models.

And that should be enough to appease those already lamenting the banishment of Ford’s brilliant turbocharged six in the XR6 and FPV F6s from 2010.

[ebxr8240]

Originally Posted by The Stylist

As much as I'd like to see a 3.5L V6 powered Mondeo, I can't help thinking that it would step on the toes the Falcon (if the I6 is dropped).

To work successfully, AWD would need to be employed over the current FWD setup in Ford's midsize.

NOT the exact same engine maybe but same family line!!!
Like the mod v6- v8- v10 in different sizes...
A smaller stroke V6 would go nice in mid sized car...
It would have to be way cheaper than Falcon to survive!!!
This segment is vary competitive!!!

[Scott]

Originally Posted by flappist

The only good thing I can see about Ford and Holden joining together is the demise of AVESCO.......

Did I miss something??

[Richmalbill]

Originally Posted by TTonka

With the demise of the Stype and imminent release of the gorgeous XF Jaguar, maybe there is a real opening for a Roveresque operation in Europe, too sit between Ford and Jaguar - Probably under the control of Prodrive. Rumoured large premium sedan for Europe, coupe too would make sense.

It is perhaps worth mentioning at this point that Ford do actually own the Rover name plate.

[Tles]

Originally Posted by Richmalbill

It is perhaps worth mentioning at this point that Ford do actually own the Rover name plate.

Yep they bought it to stop the chinese rereleasing Rovers after they bought all the tooling, so they looked at their TV and thought Loewe cool.. ROEWE. They look alright too, don't know how they crash rate though. Wouldn't mind a Rover75 wagon myself, or maybe a MG 190ZT bit crassic looking.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by GTP006

Did I miss something??

No you didn't... he just interpreted the thread title differently.

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by MrXR6

What I find interesting is the snippets of information that just seems like the writer already assumes that the general public already knows about. For example:

Of most significance to Australia is the 3.5-litre GTTDI V6 that will dispense somewhere between 261kW and 313kW when it powers the production Lincoln MKS, next-generation Mustang and, potentially, Ford’s local FPV and/or XR models.

And that should be enough to appease those already lamenting the banishment of Ford’s brilliant turbocharged six in the XR6 and FPV F6s from 2010.

He's an AFF member. He also got stuck into the I6/V6 argument everyone was having a week ago.

[vztrt]

Last 6cyl Falcon I buy will have an I6. Don't like V6's so i'll be looking at Jap and European for another car.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Last 6cyl Falcon I buy will have an I6. Don't like V6's so i'll be looking at Jap and European for another car.

Better look at BMW's. Otherwise you will end up with a V6 regardless.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Casper

Better look at BMW's. Otherwise you will end up with a V6 regardless.

Either that or Jap 4 turbo.

[Steffo]

309kW 540Nm 3.5 V6 Twin Turbo and Six-Speed PowerShift twin-clutch sequential in next F6 Typhoon.... mmmm.

[merlin]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Either that or Jap 4 turbo.

Or Porsche :

Or Subaru (6 cyl boxers)

Ect.

[merlin]

Originally Posted by Steffo

309kW 540Nm 3.5 V6 Twin Turbo and Six-Speed PowerShift twin-clutch sequential in next F6 Typhoon.... mmmm.

Wont be as easy to modify as our current ones though - TTV6's are a bit of a nightmare to work on...(in terms of space and complexity). The only TT performance cars I can think of at the moment have all gone back to a single T on their next model. Maybe the technology has advanced a bit now who knows...

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by Steffo

309kW 540Nm 3.5 V6 Twin Turbo and Six-Speed PowerShift twin-clutch sequential in next F6 Typhoon.... mmmm.

I'll have one but in a normal 6spd manual :

[ED Classic]

Originally Posted by merlin

Wont be as easy to modify as our current ones though - TTV6's are a bit of a nightmare to work on...(in terms of space and complexity). The only TT performance cars I can think of at the moment have all gone back to a single T on their next model. Maybe the technology has advanced a bit now who knows...

I am sure we will manage