Ford passenger cars not a priority for Blue Oval in Australia.

[hackney]

David Fleet(Ford Asia) made a statement today that trucks & performance vehicles would be their main vehicles for a while.He would not clarify whether the next Fiesta will make it down under(highly unlikely,because of dwindling sales.) Cheers

[Rallye Sport]

Trucks and performance vehicles? He must be talking about the new Ranger Raptor, can't wait for that new 'performance ute' to arrive.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by hackney

David Fleet(Ford Asia) made a statement today that trucks & performance vehicles would be their main vehicles for a while.

Well thats fantastic news because as luck would have it, thats all they can sell here.

[cheap]

What insight! The only two vehicles which Ford can hang their sales hat on are:

a) Ranger
b) Mustang

Obviously the sales of these two is going to go increasing forever. How much is this brainiac being paid?

[Fordman]

Statements usually focus on the positive areas of a business...imagine being a GM/Exec and saying small/light cars will be our focus.

Even if they did focus more than they already are in such a segmented market you will probably get a minimal yield which will make you look bad.

So, it is easier to say you will maximise your strong market so atleast you can fall back on its moderate/high success anyway.

[Trump]

This is news...?

[Maka]

Super affordability (price) was once upon a time Fords niche, hint hint Ford headquarters lol!

cheers, Maka

[commodorenutt]

At least they've finally come out & confirmed what we've all been seeing for several years...

No surprises.

[Vesper Martini]

If they hurried up and had the Edge here for when the Territory retired. They would have at least one other successful segment, instead of an empty one.

[Pepscobra]

Over the last 10 years or so I got the impression that passenger cars already were never really a priority for FoA....

[Bossxr8]

FORD Australia will sharpen its focus on SUVs, pick-ups and performance cars in the face of falling passenger car sales, according to the executive who oversees the Australian market.

The Blue Oval’s two top-selling models in 2017 were the Ranger pick-up – also the second best-selling vehicle in Australia with 42,728 sales – followed by the Mustang sportscar that recorded 9165 sales.

Its three passenger cars – Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo – all lost ground.

Ford Motor Company group vice-president and president of Ford Asia Pacific Peter Fleet said the company would place greater emphasis on the models that have been successful.

“We will continue to explore the other opportunities we can in Australia but I think it is clear that our business in Australia now is going to be anchored around the (pick-up) trucks, utilities and performance vehicles,” he said at the Detroit motor show.

“And you can see that already in existence by what we are being successful with in Australia. I think (Ford Australia president and CEO) Graeme Whickman and his team are doing a super job in Australia.”

When asked if he expected a paring back of Ford’s Australian passenger car line-up, Mr Fleet acknowledged that it was already pared back but did not say if more models would be discontinued.

“I am not announcing anything different about that, but if you look at the volumes of those we sell relative to the rest of the business – and I am comparing the business to where it was with Falcon – where I see the most exciting future for the Ford brand in Australia, both as a business and for our customers, is around trucks, utilities and performance vehicles,” he said.

“That is where I see the most opportunity.”

The Australian future of the Fiesta is uncertain, with Ford yet to confirm a new-generation Down Under.

The new model, revealed in late 2016, will not be built in Thailand where the current model is made for Australia, meaning if it was imported from Europe it could be too expensive.

A likely scenario is that the Fiesta will eventually be discontinued in its current guise, but the new version of the spicy ST hot hatch would be offered here.

The ageing Fiesta continued to slide last year, with sales dropping 43 per cent to 1550 units, pushing it into the bottom five in its segment.

Its Focus stablemate also dipped 12.2 per cent to 5953 sales last year, well off the pace of the segment leading Toyota Corolla (37,353) and beaten by the likes of the 10-year-old Mitsubishi Lancer (7560).

The Mondeo mid-sizer retained its place in the top three best sellers in the segment, but sales dropped by 5.2 per cent last year to 2959 units.

Ranger was ahead by 15.7 per cent in 2017, while Mustang was up by 47.6 per cent. SUVs including the Escape and Everest grew their sales by 19.4 and 27.5 per cent last year.

Ford’s haul of 42,728 Rangers last year meant the pick-up made up 55 per cent of Ford’s overall sales.

Mr Fleet said the Ranger had been successful in “anchoring the transformation of the business in Australia” after local manufacturing closed in 2016, but added that he was not concerned about the high proportion of sales of the workhorse compared with other Ford models.

“Do we want everything to be about Ranger 4x4 in Australia? No.”

he said. “There are things we are doing now to try and grow other elements in the portfolio.

Escape is one – we are putting a lot of effort in there. We will be introducing Endura.

“In an ideal world you want to have a balanced portfolio. That said, our most successful businesses around the world often are anchored on a champion vehicle.”

Mr Fleet detailed markets such as Thailand that is also heavily reliant on the Ranger, as well as the UK that sells the Transit van in great numbers.

“You gave got to watch that when your business is anchored on one really strong vehicle, but it is a great foundation to have because then you can build other things on around it,” he said.

“Look at great success we have had with Mustang in Australia. That has been a super response to that vehicle. The dealers love selling the Mustang.”

[Bossxr8]

Makes sense to me. SUV's and utes are quickly replacing passenger vehicles in the monthly sales charts. And are much, much more profitable.

[naddis01]

“We will continue to explore the other opportunities we can in Australia but I think it is clear that our business in Australia now is going to be anchored around the (pick-up) trucks, utilities and performance vehicles,” he said at the Detroit motor show.


“Look at great success we have had with Mustang in Australia. That has been a super response to that vehicle. The dealers love selling the Mustang.”

Hurry up and give us the F150 then ffs. I'm positive they would be surprised how many they would sell with it priced above the Ranger. Just like the Mustang has surprised them.

[roKWiz]

Trucks ?? Oh. .. Please Ford bring back your truck division.

[Syndrome]

It is not just Australia where the Ford brand is on the nose:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-f...KBN1F52TZ?il=0

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

It is not just Australia where the Ford brand is on the nose:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-f...KBN1F52TZ?il=0

They left Japan quite a few years ago.Cheersj

[jpd80]

Should we change the title to:

"Ford passenger cars and SUVs not a priority for Blue Oval in Australia."

[Hawkeye84]

Wow really?
Putting eggs in one basket?

Im really surprised Ford are taking this route.
Especially if you look at the fall of Nissan in Australia with their SUV strategy and the lack of focus on passenger vehicles (down 15% in 2017).

Perhaps Ford have some strategy as learnings from this, or this is PR spin.
Either way im concerned.

Yes SUVs are trending up, but the fact is is still fairly even between passenger and SUV. You take the focus of one (our take it out of your product line up like Nissan) and that's a chunk of your total sales gone.

Just food for thought - i dont know what the financial situation is like at Ford and why they've decided to do this. But from an outsiders perspective. This is mine.

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye84

Wow really?
Putting eggs in one basket?

Im really surprised Ford are taking this route.
Especially if you look at the fall of Nissan in Australia with their SUV strategy and the lack of focus on passenger vehicles (down 15% in 2017).

Perhaps Ford have some strategy as learnings from this, or this is PR spin.
Either way im concerned.

Yes SUVs are trending up, but the fact is is still fairly even between passenger and SUV. You take the focus of one (our take it out of your product line up like Nissan) and that's a chunk of your total sales gone.

Just food for thought - i dont know what the financial situation is like at Ford and why they've decided to do this. But from an outsiders perspective. This is mine.

Nissan are going to bring back passenger cars next year I believe.Cheers

[GO FURTHER]

This is what Ford should do to resuscitate their sedan market.

I know it would probably never happen... But the demand would be immense, for the family man wanting a Mustang

[Blue Shadow]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

This is what Ford should do to resuscitate their sedan market.

I know it would probably never happen... But the demand would be immense, for the family man wanting a Mustang

image

Agree, not only that but it would be good for fleet and Govt. sales

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by hackney

They left Japan quite a few years ago.Cheersj

If that is the main message you took from that article then I suggest you read it again.

[hackney]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

If that is the main message you took from that article then I suggest you read it again.

Just making a statement re Ford(as they were on the “nose” in Japan.)No need to be rude!

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Should we change the title to:

"Ford passenger cars and SUVs not a priority for Blue Oval in Australia."

Now listen here my good man ...we really cannot have accuracy 24/7,

[Windsor220]

They are following the market. Large sedans are almost dead and the medium segment doesn't sell much. Small cars are starting to show signs of falling now too.

As much as people like to bag Ford Australia they do tend to read the market well most of the time. Territory, Ranger and Mustang are good examples.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

They are following the market. Small cars are starting to show signs of falling now too.

As much as people like to bag Ford Australia they do tend to read the market well most of the time. Territory, Ranger and Mustang are good examples.

Serious?

Whilst i'll agree that small cars have declined a little, combining all of Fords main players barely equates to a quarter of small cars sold in this country and in that segment Fords offering numbers 6k units compared to the 10's of thousands its competitors move.

Toyota sells as many small and medium cars as Ford does Ranger and Mustang combined, never mind their ute sales.

People bag the Camry as an ugly, fwd appliance but it still sells more than Mustang, Mondeo, Focus, Fiesta, Ecosport and Everest combined and does so in a shrinking segment.

People still buy small and mdium cars, they just dont want Focus and Mondeo.

[Bossxr8]

There is bugger all profit in small cars though.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

Small cars are starting to show signs of falling now too.

I've never seen so many of those "I" thing Hyundai's lately.

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

Serious?

Whilst i'll agree that small cars have declined a little, combining all of Fords main players barely equates to a quarter of small cars sold in this country and in that segment Fords offering numbers 6k units compared to the 10's of thousands its competitors move.

Toyota sells as many small and medium cars as Ford does Ranger and Mustang combined, never mind their ute sales.

People bag the Camry as an ugly, fwd appliance but it still sells more than Mustang, Mondeo, Focus, Fiesta, Ecosport and Everest combined and does so in a shrinking segment.

People still buy small and mdium cars, they just dont want Focus and Mondeo.

We have one of the most competitive markets in the world. Corolla, Mazda3 and i30 are already entrenched in the small car segment and it would take a while to make ground there. Mitsubishi has just discontinued the long running Lancer for the same reason. People are moving to SUVs.

As for Toyota they are running off reputation from the 80s/90s with all of the older generation plus they do a lot fleet sales.

Mondeo doesn't do too bad. It is 3rd in its segment but there are not many sales there just for Camry for all of the seniors.

[Sabantien]

A while back didn't Ford say they were going to bring in a whole heap of new performance vehicles?

But every time they announce an interesting new performance vehicle we get told, not for Australia. If the Ranger Raptor gets the same engine as the rest of the range, you can't really call that performance either, I don't care if it gets better brakes.

I think a big area Ford falls behind is tech.
My FG G6e has the same tech as the 90s Fairlane Ghia we have at work. About the only thing extra is the auto dimming rear view mirror. Admittedly that probably wouldn't have saved the Falcon. The base model Mondeo is light years ahead in the tech department, but they're not selling great. Large car buyers do seem to be moving to dual cab utes and SUVs.

Tech is a huge thing in the small car market. The buyers tend to be young urban dwellers. The i30 sells like hotcakes, and it's loaded with tech and gadgets. While Fiestas are fun to drive (I was surprised when I tested one), it's been left in the 90s inside.
The new Fiesta might actually compete, but we'll never see it. (Apparently one of the best selling cars in the UK too)


I honestly can't think of anything in the Ford range I'd want to buy if I went out to buy a new car tomorrow.