Ford to shut down production in Australia?

[str8vy]

http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/pub/217829-ford-shut-down-production-australia.html#post2450862

Live stream on there some Ford head honcho talking.

Pretty grim looking stats.
Will be a sad day if Holden shuts up shop. Let's hope they go ahead with that medium sized car they were talking about after the VF.

Ford are keeping the design office here which employs 1100 people.
Will the Falcon come to an end for good, or will it be built overseas now?
Huge blow to local industry especially suppliers, which will affect Holden, and a huge blow to motor sport.

 

[TraidMarc]

Yep Holden probably won't be far behind because of the flow on effect of local parts manufacturers.
from what it sounded like the new cars for ford in 2014 will be part of the future new cars and they will just continue building the current model falcon, ute & territory until 2016.
They are adding 30% more models in 2014, so it sounds like there will be no new Falcon, the Falcon will remain the same until the end in 2016.

can't help but think that the announcment timing has alot to do with the fact that they have nothing that will compete with the VF, so they have let everyone know that these, although not as good technically as the new VF, will be the last Falcons ever, thus pulling the heart strings and perhaps making a few more sales over the next 3 years.......

 

[stockies]

Sad day to hear for the Australian industry. Glad I bought my Ford now. Can't stand the new facelift upgrades. Holden will now probably have to have a similar gas option for the VF. (If they don't already) because the taxi market is going to suffer.
As said above, Ford will still be around, just with cars built overseas. As for motorsport, Nissan will have to become the new rival for Holden.

The end of aussie built large cars is now looming even more closer....

 

[TraidMarc]

They crossed to Tony Abbot live for his response to the announcement, his opening words were"What a great day to be here in Davenport" what an idiot, Then they crossed to Julia Gillard her opening words "what a sad, sad day for Australia" tony Abbott, you are an idiot........

 

[Sabbath']

They crossed to Tony Abbot live for his response to the announcement, his opening words were"What a great day to be here in Davenport" what an idiot, Then they crossed to Julia Gillard her opening words "what a sad, sad day for Australia" tony Abbott, your are an idiot........

Your are an idiot?

/irony

Don't see an issue with Tony commenting on the weather, it's not his government in charge of the country when yet more "working Australians" have found out they are going to lose their jobs.


Sent from here, so you can read it there. via iPhone.

 

[MasterOfReality]

Lol yeah like anything that comes out of Gillard's gob is sincere........

 

[TraidMarc]

Your are an idiot?

/irony

Don't see an issue with Tony commenting on the weather, it's not his government in charge of the country when yet more "working Australians" have found out they are going to lose their jobs.


Sent from here, so you can read it there. via iPhone.

Well I'm pretty sure if I had just been told that I'm going live to respond to this announcement, I would not open with that line.......
And yes I meant You are an idiot, so i have removed the "R" ok, thanks.

 

[TraidMarc]

Lol yeah like anything that comes out of Gillard's gob is sincere........

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a julia fan, but I just find it Hilarious that Abbot would use a live cross to respond to a recent announcement as a chance to talk about where he is and why he is there......and not mention the subject that he had the live cross for ! he did later, but not during the live cross.....Once again, idiot!!!!

 

[c2105026]

My view of what happened

Well for last 15-20 years Ford marketing has completely lagged behind GMH. In the 1980s, us generation X/Y types grew up watching Brock win 5 Bathursts that decade in Commodores. At the same time Falcon won Bathurst only.....once. Holden had HDT/HSV arms. Ford had FTE...that went down like a lead balloon. Ford lead in the 80s-mid 90s for its cars were a bit bigger and more strongly built. Then the VT came along with IRS and very good engineering. AU came looking like a startled guppy with ancient suspension - flopped. BA fought back in '02 when petrol was 85 cents a litre, and 'An Inconvenient Truth' still 4 years off. 2006 - GMH launches the heaviest commodore yet after oil prices went from $20/barrel to $78/barrel, and people become more concerned about sustainability. The Falcon's lack of marketing starts to bite, and the launch of the FG (when fuel was $1.70/litre) was quite invisible. Ford given opportunity to build focus for our region but was squandered. Then the GFC hits and rather than buy a $40k family car people buy a $30k small car/SUV that uses a bit less fuel. From 2000-2010 society becomes much more sophisticated, cosmopolitan - coffee houses, gourmet food, cooking shows, fashion all go upmarket. People want VWs and Skodas, Big blokey cars no longer fashionable. Sales plummet. Bye bye big Aussie Six, 1948-2016......

I understand GMH has govt agreement to build here til 2022; I believe it will be a mid-size FWD car from 2016 but others have different ideas. Toyota has solid export market and will stay. Indeed, could Toyota buy Broadmeadows site and make another line (eg. Hilux/Yaris/Corolla?)

 

[MasterOfReality]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a julia fan, but I just find it Hilarious that Abbot would use a live cross to respond to a recent announcement as a chance to talk about where he is and why he is there......and not mention the subject that he had the live cross for ! he did later, but not during the live cross.....Once again, idiot!!!!

I don't really see it as a big issue? Its something that has been coming for a while, everyone knew it.

Its not like an event that has stopped the country in its tracks.