I see that Ford intends to invest big in their Australian division. I faulted GM for importing the GTO from Australia. The styling is not that hot and I, at least, want a car assembled in the USA. Now, I hear that Ford is taking the same route. I like Ford but I won't buy one if it is assembled in Australia.

 

If they decide to bring over a AWD Turbo Territory, I'll have a deposit in faster than you can say "D-plan."

A Falcon Ute wouldn't be too bad either.


GM's bringing in the Holden Commodore SS as a Pontiac. this time it might work- 4 doors and a better bodystyle.

http://www.holden.com.au//images/upl...ery/img_ss.jpg

 

Gee... Thanks for the vote of confidence

In reality... Ford Australia has been the most profitable Ford division in the world for about 3-4years...
Coupled with the fact it is the lead engineering and design centre for Ford's push into China/India.

Holden has been the most profitable GM division for about 5 years (keep in mind the profits for either of these companies don't stay here - they get sent over to the US to prop up thier operations....).
They designed and engineered the Zeta Platform (the platform for which the future Camaro amongst others will be built on).
Have commenced selling Holdens in China/Middle East as Buicks to start GM's push into these markets. The manufacture the HF V6, which is in everything from Opels to Saabs to Alfa Romeo's. They are also the basis from where the majority of all Daewoo's are developed.

I have no problem saying you wouldn't own a Ford made here - I can catagorically say Ford Australia will never build a car here that will be sold in the US - at least not in the short to medium term.

However when it comes to the auto industry, money talks, .......walks
Get good at it (and we are in my humble opinion) - or get out.

I also thought I would add - do you know WHY Ford has chosen to invest money in Ford of Australia?

 

I'd be first in line for an FPV GT-P or an F6 Typhoon

 

if they decided to sell the falcon ute here, i would trade in the crown vic in a heartbeat. and i know a bunch of other people in the falcon community that share the same feelings.

 

yea. F6 Typhoon.....362 turbo charged hp and 407 ft lbs tq...sign me up

 

I would'nt turn up my nose at a Falcon... that's a good looking ride. And being made in Australia would'nt even enter into my decision. Ford makes good vehicles all over the world.

 

I thought I might add to this - and get everyone on the same page

For those of you unaware, a couple of months ago - Ford Motor Company pledged about US1.4billion to Ford of Australia (FoA), and our government threw in a bit of coin as well.
The money is for a few programs.
The next generation of the Falcon and the Territory is one, and their platforms are engineered for LHD for the first time. However FoA doesn't have the manufacturing capacity to build much more than around 700-750cars a day, meaning we can't actually make any more cars than our current exports (South Africa/New Zealand + a few cars to the UK).
Read into that what you will - but I would read that thier may be some interesting vehicles coming (and built) stateside soon built off thier respective platforms...

But the major project is engineering/designing the new global small truck platform (to you guys, thats the next Ranger), due for release late '09, early 2010...

I have alluded to it a couple of times, but now its official

 

The Ranger....... oooooh, that is good news.

 

So what is the deal with the new global chassis from Ford-Mazda Thailand (Autoalliance) I read about last winter? The article also stated there were no plans to make this chassis available in North America due to import fees on trucks in both Canada and the US.

I think I read this on Mazda's Thailand site as a press-release, but they have since redesigned the site and I can't find it.

 

That the current Ranger, Mazda CURRENTLY have the design/engineering responsibility for the small truck platform - that responsisbility is being passed onto FoA.
I genuinely cannot confirm if THIS Ranger will make it to the US...
But it will be available if Ford US want to re-tool thier manufacturing plants, or are willing to import it.
The current confirmed plants of manufacture, are Thailand (AAT), South Africa (Durban) and Argentina (Pacheco) to my knowledge - that may, and has been known to change.

Put in your votes of protest to Ford now

 

I'm thinking specifically of the Mazda BT50 platform. It is already in production, and being sold in Southeast Asia, and a few other markets with the Mazda badge only. This is the first model year for the truck.

http://www.autoinsidernews.com/2006/...50-in-bangkok/

http://www.ford.co.th/servlet/Conten...Page&c=DFYPage

http://www.japanesecarfans.com/news_...7/mazda/1.html

http://www.cartoday.com/content/news...ge.asp?in=7833

 

Yeah, thats the "old" platform.
It is being sold with the Ford badge too though.
http://www.ford.co.th/servlet/Conten...Page&c=DFYPage

The model AFTER that one will be engineered here.

 

Supposedly, it has been totally rebuilt from the ground up (at least that is what the adverstising claims). I didn't bother to compare specifications on the old and new versions.

The only rumour I've heard regarding the Ranger here is that the name would be dropped, it would look like a smaller F150, all the available engines in North America would be Duratecs, and the name change could possibly become the "Thunder." At this point it is probably speculation, and I noticed in one of the articles there is going to be a Ranger Thunder edition in the UK, so that is probably where the name came from.

Ford/Mazda probably feel they have some sort of dilemma over here regarding the redesign of the only truly compact light truck left on the North American market, and you see it reflected on the boards here to a small extent. There are a lot of people that like compact trucks, and don't like the trend toward increasing the size of the trucks to near-midsize status. On the other hand, I'm sure you have seen the posts here from people that would love it if Ford made a Ranger the size of an F150 with a diesel (why don't they just buy an F150?). In the end, American car manufacturers would prefer to sell something larger because people will pay more for something that looks bigger than it is, and Ford sees the extra money as profit. Ford (and GM) have done an excellent job of discouraging people from buying smaller through marketing. They severely limit the amount of options on a 4-cyl Ranger/Mazda, forcing people to buy a V6 if they want something like power windows. In the end, I think any redesign of a compact truck will likely resemble the looks of an F150.

I like the smaller trucks because I hate, hate, hate the small "commuter" cars, and the small trucks have the potential to offer much better gas mileage and not so cramped driving conditions, so I hope Ford doesn't decide that the Ranger needs to be bigger.

 

I, on the other hand, would buy a Aussie produced Ford, as long as it didn't have the USA's stupid regiulations for every little thing.

IF, IF I could afford it I be shipping something here from there.