RWD Falcon death is all but confirmed, Commodore is safe well into the next decade.

[Reaper]

Ford Falcon to ditch rear-wheel-drive

Years of heritage could be axed with the Ford design chief all but confirming the end of the traditional rear-drive Falcon.

The rear-wheel drive Australian-designed Ford Falcon is almost certainly dead.

Instead, the next generation Falcon due after 2015 seems certain to be part of a global front and all-wheel drive family of large cars.

Ford Motor Company’s global design chief J Mays all-but confirmed the news long-dreaded by Aussie 'Blue Oval' fans at the Detroit motor show today.

“I wouldn’t be holding my breath for a rear-wheel drive Falcon,” Mays told Drive. “I think the chances are we will be all-wheel-drive.”

Mays acknowledged the news would be met with shock and dismay among Australian Ford fans, who celebrated the nameplate’s 50th anniversary in 2010.

Ford Falcon to go all-wheel-drive | Ford axes rear wheel drive

Rear-wheel-drive 'critical' to Commodore future

Rear-wheel-drive is expected to remain a key selling point of future Holden Commodores well into the next decade with an imminent decision on the locally-made large car’s future.

Holden has reinforced that the locally-produced Commodore has a prosperous future as a large rear-wheel-drive car.

The brand that has built the best-selling car for 15 years running also says a return to a four-cylinder model to save fuel is not in keeping with the traditional six- and eight-cylinder engines found in Australian-made large cars.

Comments by chairman and managing director Mike Devereux ahead of the 2011 Detroit motor show suggest Holden will stick with a rear-wheel-drive architecture, which is considered superior for driving dynamics and high performance versions, well into the next decade.

Rear-wheel-drive 'critical' to Commodore future

[soop]

I always knew ford was run by retards but this just takes the cake, diidn't they take any notice of what happened with the Magna 380...

[somefool]

a FWD falcon? ew. an AWD falcon would go well as an optional extra. I dont like how aussie cars are being more and more americanized. both commos and falcons

[soop]

Easy, our general public is retarded and both companies are owned by american parents.

[VLC86]

front wheel drive falcon

an AWD would be alright but its just gonna be a big ugly nothing of a car.

[acarmody]

Wow, the Falcon 6 cylinder is fuel thirsty enough without installing an even more inefficient 4WD driveline.

[minux]

Wow, the Falcon 6 cylinder is fuel thirsty enough without installing an even more inefficient 4WD driveline.

9.9 combined for G6E is thirsty??? Calais V6 is 9.8 massive differences.

Damn.

An AWD XR6T would be bloody brilliant imho. RWD is hardly important to 95% of car owners. Most wouldn't even know they had FWD or RWD lol.

I'd certainly take the option of an AWD G6E Turbo

[old mate]

what are they doing for engines then? that new coyote v8 with the supercharger would be nice with AWD. horrendous with fwd though

[DLFHUB666]

I read somewhere that they were gonna axe the falcon full stop , then someone piped up an said they would lose to much business so this is what they come up with , yeah this will help them keep the loyal blue oval fans.

[acarmody]

9.9 combined for G6E is thirsty??? Calais V6 is 9.8 massive differences.

Damn.

An AWD XR6T would be bloody brilliant imho. RWD is hardly important to 95% of car owners. Most wouldn't even know they had FWD or RWD lol.

I'd certainly take the option of an AWD G6E Turbo

Touche Minux. I totally forgot about the new engines, I was still thinking in line with the 4.0L engines. Sorry, I guess I rather slow today.

And I agree, an AWD G6E-T or Coyote would be sweet, just as a AWD 6.3L would rock the house.

[f1tzy]

Touche Minux. I totally forgot about the new engines, I was still thinking in line with the 4.0L engines. Sorry, I guess I rather slow today.

And I agree, an AWD G6E-T or Coyote would be sweet, just as a AWD 6.3L would rock the house.

They are still a 4L six

[acarmody]

They are still a 4L six

Bad wording on my part, I mean like the EA-BA type 4.0L, they were pretty thirsty.

[old mate]

possibly the AWD models would sell like the AWD monaro. adventra models.

massive fail.

if falcon goes to FWD commodore will follow soon. explain how holden will be able to show how their RWD car is superior to a FWD car to the average person?

[soop]

Ever tried towing a big load with FWD?

Fark getting a whip up in that!

[DLFHUB666]

yep coupe 4 was a massive fail.

[soop]

that's because AWD is lame as aids.

People want to drive a car that is fun, not something just has all the right numbers and acronyms.

[naf33n]

the coupe 4 wasnt a fail, bit of a colletors item now

all the holden awd drives where a fail cause of the auto only option

just like the gutless supercharged v6, you get an extra 17 kw but you cant have a manual..

thats some poor descison making right there

[Reaper]

9.9 combined for G6E is thirsty??? Calais V6 is 9.8 massive differences.

Damn.

An AWD XR6T would be bloody brilliant imho. RWD is hardly important to 95% of car owners. Most wouldn't even know they had FWD or RWD lol.

I'd certainly take the option of an AWD G6E Turbo

I'd be nearly certain the current i6 won't see the light of day in another Falcon. As for the competence of AWD, it really depends on the rest of the platform. Great in theory but we need to see how good the execution is.

AWD Magra was terrible, AWD Monaro had a great 4wd system but the economy was worse than terrible + the chassis was never really up to it, but then it translates quite well in the smaller Lancers etc.

Reaper

[Reaper]

possibly the AWD models would sell like the AWD monaro. adventra models.

massive fail.

if falcon goes to FWD commodore will follow soon. explain how holden will be able to show how their RWD car is superior to a FWD car to the average person?

Nah - one thing Holden have done well is recognized the shrinking large car market and found other niches around the world to build a low volume car profitably even when GM have conspired to screw them over at every opportunity. Holden (and now it appears GM) know that RWD is critical to all this. Without it you have another Camry/Aurion.

Reaper

[STEEV888]

awd is the way to go imo.

i hope they do. coz then i would consider buying one.

[Darcon666]

V8 Supercars will be interesting event after 2015.

[old mate]

'v8 supercars' and 'interesting' should not be used in the same sentence.

except for when the words 'is/are not' are between them.

2012 v8 crap shit racing goes to a silhouette style anyway.

[wez84]

'v8 supercars' and 'interesting' should not be used in the same sentence.

except for when the words 'is/are not' are between them.

2012 v8 crap shit racing goes to a silhouette style anyway.

Well Said!

[Critical Jim]

I like large RWD sedans, I can tow my car trailer/caravan when I want without having to buy a 2.6 tonne overpriced 4x4, sorry I mean SUV..........