Regional Official: New Ford Falcon - The Thunder from Downunder

[phaeton]

Is there any relation between this and the Jaguar XF ? I can see similar proportions.

Nope, FG is an evolution of the AU-BA/BF Falcon platform

 

[CorpusCallosum]

I really think this car has to be seen in the skin from all angles to greatly appreciate the design and form. This car really draws upon many current Generation BMW styling traits. They also seem to have inherited the BMW trait of looking poor in press photos and the overall poor quality of press release photos.

When is the Melbourne Motor Show? I have to attend a clinic at the St Vincent's Hospital, so I would like to time my trip and go and see the new Falcon in the skin.

 

[Monster]

I really think this car has to be seen in the skin from all angles to greatly appreciate the design and form. This car really draws upon many current Generation BMW styling traits. They also seem to have inherited the BMW trait of looking poor in press photos and the overall poor quality of press release photos.

Yeah, that is why I am still holding back on my opinion before I see more photso of the car on the road.

When is the Melbourne Motor Show? I have to attend a clinic at the St Vincent's Hospital, so I would like to time my trip and go and see the new Falcon in the skin.

Show starts 29th Feb, not sure when it ends.

 

[CorpusCallosum]

Show starts 29th Feb, not sure when it ends.

Thanks mate. I'll try my best to get there and get some pictures.

I think Ford have a made a crucial mistake that both Ford and Holden have been making for quite some time. The XT (base model) is without doubt there biggest seller. Why not try and make the XT one of the best looking cars in the range. They should have made the car less bland as Holden did with their base model. This would offer Ford a significent point of difference in comparision with its competitors. If Ford are to tackle the Holden road train, they need to think outside the square and offer something new and exciting.

 

[Monster]

Thanks mate. I'll try my best to get there and get some pictures.

I think Ford have a made a crucial mistake that both Ford and Holden have been making for quite some time. The XT (base model) is without doubt there biggest seller. Why not try and make the XT one of the best looking cars in the range. They should have made the car less bland as Holden did with their base model. This would offer Ford a significent point of difference in comparision with its competitors. If Ford are to tackle the Holden road train, they need to think outside the square and offer something new and exciting.

The XT and Holden Omega are aim for fleet buyers so the bland look isn't a problem for them. The rest of the potential buyers go for the more attractive G series Falcon or the Holden Calais. They are designed to attract more private buyers, and this is where the battle is tight, but the profit margin is higher than fleet sales.

I am sure you know the Falcon's main rival isn't only the Commodore, cars like the Mazda 6, Honda Accord and the Euro version, Toyota Camry/Aurion, and Ford's own Mondeo are all fighting for a piece of the market share as potential buyers want something smaller, more fuel efficient but almost as comfortable and more stylish, and of higher quality than the local product.

The new Falcon is a great car, but I am still not 100% confident it will be a hot selling car. I got feeling those customers from the private sector will be attracted to the new wave of Japanese mid size sedans. Ford has the Mondeo but it might lack the appeal because of the Ford badge.

 

[Monster]

Maybe I shouldn't put this in the official section, but this is what the V8 supercar version should look like.
http://imageshack.us

 

[CorpusCallosum]

The XT and Holden Omega are aim for fleet buyers so the bland look isn't a problem for them. The rest of the potential buyers go for the more attractive G series Falcon or the Holden Calais. They are designed to attract more private buyers, and this is where the battle is tight, but the profit margin is higher than fleet sales.

I am sure you know the Falcon's main rival isn't only the Commodore, cars like the Mazda 6, Honda Accord and the Euro version, Toyota Camry/Aurion, and Ford's own Mondeo are all fighting for a piece of the market share as potential buyers want something smaller, more fuel efficient but almost as comfortable and more stylish, and of higher quality than the local product.

The new Falcon is a great car, but I am still not 100% confident it will be a hot selling car. I got feeling those customers from the private sector will be attracted to the new wave of Japanese mid size sedans. Ford has the Mondeo but it might lack the appeal because of the Ford badge.

I agree. I really do think Ford Australia is doomed unless they start exporting more products like Holden have with the VE Commodore. The days of Australian made vehicles are number I believe. Better quality cars are available at much cheaper prices. It just isn't economically viable to build and sell Australian made cars anymore...

 

[Monster]

The thing that really annoys the hell out of me is that why Ford America failed to see any potential in the new Faclon where else GM saw the potential of the Commodore and commissioned the engineering work for a left hand drive version of the VE Commodore during its engineering and development stage. Now GM is fully capitalising Holden's expertise and the new Camaro will use part of the VE Commodore platform.

All this time Ford America is producing crappy cars and continue to do so while bleeding money away. Maybe we don't know something that Ford America knows, or maybe they are just bloody stupid.

 

[CorpusCallosum]

Well judging by this report I think it is down to an inability to make decent decisions. How stupid must these people honestly be?

Alan Mulally wants an FG Falcon

But is he getting one for himself? One could certainly infer that's the case based on this GoAuto article, which reports that the Ford CEO was so blown away by the Falcon G6E Turbo he sampled at an Australian test facility that he told Trevor Worthington (Ford Australia's product-development veep), "I want one." And that brings us to the question of the day: is the head of Ford really bringing over a new Falcon for himself to drive? Because while we in the peanut gallery generally agree that the Blue Oval stuff in Europe and Australia has it all over the American-market offerings (Mustang and F-Series excluded), there would be no greater acknowledgment of this than the CEO of Ford cruising around in a desirable RHD-only Aussie sedan while we make do with the Taurus, which even the execs recently made fun of. Americans will need to wait for the arrival of the new global RWD platform that's set to underpin multiple US-market rear-drivers sometime in the early 2010s, assuming Ford doesn't hedge like GM and use CAFE as an excuse to temper expectations regarding RWD models in the States.

UPDATE: We caught up with the folks at Ford this evening, and can now report that Alan Mulally is not bringing over a Falcon for his own personal use. We do believe the part of the GoAuto story where he's bowled over by the Falcon, though.

Source: REPORT: Alan Mulally wants an FG Falcon - Autoblog

How can they not see this car as a huge sales potential. How can the CEO of the company drive and love the car and still fail to see its potential. Why is he even the CEO? No wonder Ford is going down the drain. They deserve it with this sort of mangement.

 

[Monster]

The actual article from Goauto

Global Ford chief proclaims his love of the new Falcon G6E Turbo that blew his mind

By JAMES STANFORD 19 February 2008


FORD Motor Company president Alan Mulally was so impressed with the new Falcon G6E Turbo that he will drive one in the US.

Any plans to export the new car to America might have fallen over, but the man who calls the shots at the US car giant plans to import one of the new sports-luxury Falcons.

Ford Australia product development vice-president Trevor Worthington told GoAuto about what happened when the ex-Boeing boss called in to check on some FG prototypes at the You Yangs test centre last year, including the new G6E Turbo.

“He went and sat in it and I sat next to him. He is a very considered guy and he sat there for 10 seconds and he said: “There is nothing like this in our company.”

Mr Worthington agreed, before Mr Mulally said: “I want one”.

When Mr Mulally was at Boeing he drove a Lexus, reportedly because he liked the look and feel of the car.

“So when he sat in that (FG Falcon) car and then drove it, he said it was as good as the Lexus he had,” Mr Worthington said.

Mr Mulally was also impressed by the performance of the 270kW boosted Falcon.

“This car had a level of performance that he had never seen before,” Mr Worthington said.

After a rapid test drive, Mr Mulally added “It must be very easy to get tickets in this car.”

Mr Worthington compared the premium Falcon to the Lexus GS which he said was all about a particular look and feel with adequate performance, while the new G6E Turbo “is about the look, the feel and performance that will blow your head off,” he said.

GoAuto - Future Models

 

[CorpusCallosum]

“There is nothing like this in our company."

Then why the hell don't you expand upon the car and offer it in other, larger, more lucrative markets! Stupid, stupid and more stupid.

This is a major stuff up by Ford in my opinion.

 

[Monster]

I think those people high up in the Ford management group need to visit you, you can fix them up right, or are they beyond help.

 

[Monster]

More photos, the FPV looks pretty awsome.

http://imageshack.ushttp://imageshack.us
http://imageshack.ushttp://imageshack.us
http://imageshack.ushttp://imageshack.us
http://imageshack.ushttp://imageshack.us

 

[Monster]

 

[Monster]

The FPVs are looking really good.

 

[Monster]

 

[CorpusCallosum]

Car looks absolutely fantastic in those shots. My trip to Melbourne to see the car was unfortunetly interupted by a 4 car pile up on the Gate Way Motor Way. Good news is that Ford supply most of QLD Healths fleet vehicles so a few of us have been invited to a launch in Brisbane. Schedule pending I should be there!

I really like the blue on that FPV. I like the wild colours that Ford offer on the Falcon. Makes the car stand out from the normal sea of black, white and silver on the roads...

I think those people high up in the Ford management group need to visit you, you can fix them up right, or are they beyond help.

Nothing modern medicine can do to save these poor souls.

Thanks for all the posts monster I haven't had the chance lately to do much.

 

[Monster]

Car looks absolutely fantastic in those shots. My trip to Melbourne to see the car was unfortunetly interupted by a 4 car pile up on the Gate Way Motor Way. Good news is that Ford supply most of QLD Healths fleet vehicles so a few of us have been invited to a launch in Brisbane. Schedule pending I should be there!

That will be even better than checking out the car in the motor show, I assume the function won't be as packed as the motor show. I am very keen to know how the interior looks in real life because in some photos the interior material looks cheap and the built quality isn't that great, but in some photos it looks very good.

I really like the blue on that FPV. I like the wild colours that Ford offer on the Falcon. Makes the car stand out from the normal sea of black, white and silver on the roads...

Just imagine when we see a metallic yellow FPV, or a pearl white one, it will definitely get a lot of attention on the road.

Nothing modern medicine can do to save these poor souls.

Thanks for all the posts monster I haven't had the chance lately to do much.

No worries mate btw I saw a space grey 650i convertible today, but with the polished 19 inch wheels. The colour looks really good, much better it appears in the photos.

 

[CorpusCallosum]

That will be even better than checking out the car in the motor show, I assume the function won't be as packed as the motor show. I am very keen to know how the interior looks in real life because in some photos the interior material looks cheap and the built quality isn't that great, but in some photos it looks very good.

Shall do. The Mondeo has very nice build quality from what I saw at the Brisbane Motor Show so I am hoping that Ford can match this quality with the Falcon. We shall wait and see...

Just imagine when we see a metallic yellow FPV, or a pearl white one, it will definitely get a lot of attention on the road.

No worries mate btw I saw a space grey 650i convertible today, but with the polished 19 inch wheels. The colour looks really good, much better it appears in the photos.

Starting to get excited. Today she said she wanted a new car. First thing she said was a BMW convertible would be great. Should make me popular for a while...

 

[Monster]

Starting to get excited. Today she said she wanted a new car. First thing she said was a BMW convertible would be great. Should make me popular for a while...

and she will be very popular with her friends for a while as well. I think it is time to remind your salesperson to keep it as a secret again, they do get forgetful. What is your wife's current car?