Spy Shots: Next-gen Ford Falcon
Ford Australia's at work developing the next version of a car we can't have here in the US. Australian website CarAdvice snagged spy shots of camoflaged Falcons undergoing tests in the Melbourne area. Suspicions are that base models as well as turbocharged XRs were pirouetting around getting a variety of workouts to ensure that the next generation of not-available-here RWD sedans will continue to make us pine for them. Of course, Falcons on these shores would likely snag sales from the Taurus and Sable, but Ford's shuttered plants could offer a place to put these cars together from knock-down kits, or CKDs. Maybe it's just a case of the grass being greener on the other side, but the Falcon strikes our fancy, those Aussies know how to make cars that appeal to the way we roll. Click through the picture to see more. Thanks for the tip, Dylan!
[Source: CarAdvice.com.au]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Avinash machado 8:51AM (6/06/2007)
Actualy the Falcon could have made a better Taurus rather than the 500.
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Steve 9:38AM (6/06/2007)
Damn you Ford!! Damn you!!
Bring us some decent friggin' sedans already! Why does the rest of the world get your best offerings!
Are you sure you are an American company?
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Cliff 10:06AM (6/06/2007)
Did anybody click on the link? whats with the Cadillac comercial video in the middle? Cool, but seems out of place.
The Ford however is a very nice looking piece of steel.
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iamhoff 12:49PM (6/06/2007)
The tastes and vehicular proclivities of Oz land seem to run almost in exact lock-step with American enthusiasts' tastes. Look at Ford's Oz offerings, and which ones sell better. The RWD offerings, both body on frame and unibody certainly outsell the FWD American imports. The Taurus (which was a decent car, especially in SHO trim) almost killed Ford Oz, because they tried to replace the Falcon with it. Holden has been consistently making great cars and selling them around the world (Middle East, China) as Chevys and Buicks. Hell, even the version of the Camry sold down there is more interesting than the one we get here. C'mon Ford, act like the global company you are. The Contour/Mondeo didn't work here because you brought over a smaller car at a time when sizes were trending up...the idea was good, just poor execution. Why not look past the idea of being a segment sales leader, and focus on overall sales. Here's a good lineup, pulling from Ford's global offerings:
Focus (Euro model, including hybrid or diesel, and the ST)
Mondeo (smaller than Falcon, 4 cyl, 6 cyl, hybrid)
Falcon (6 cyl, 8 cyl, diesel, include AWD "outback" 7 pass)
Large RWD sedan (combine Crown Vic/Fairlane replacements, 8 cyl, diesel)
Mustang
Ranger (include crew cab and ditch Sport Trac, 6 cyl, diesel, maybe 8 cyl)
F-Series/Super Duty (6 cyl, 8 cyl, diesel, 10 cyl)
Escape (4 cyl, hybrid, 6 cyl)
Explorer CUV replacement (5 and 7 pass, 6 cyl, diesel, hybrid 6 cyl like the Accord Hybrid or GS 450h)
Expedition/EL
E-Series
Focus/Mondeo would be on one platform, and there would be some powertrain sharing. Offering a 4 cyl turbodiesel and/or hybrid Focus would eliminate the need for a B-car like the Fit/Yaris (Fiesta or Ka). Falcon, Mustang, and large RWD sedans could share a modular platform and some powertrains (6 cyl, 6 cyl turbodiesel, 8 cyl). Including a wagon or "outback" awd version of the Falcon (i.e. Territory) would fill the role of the Taurus X/Flex, and a turbo diesel would provide the economy model. It would also allow for Ford to stay in the livery and law enforcement game, not to mention create Halo cars to go after the Hemis and LS3s, or create a niche market 'Ute. Trucks are obvious. At a minimum, share the Ranger chassis with the one used around the world (unless that's the same one we've already got, in which case do a new one off of a smaller F-Series chassis, like Nissan does with the Frontier/Titan). Keep the Escape as an entry/economy model with the hybrid. Since the Explorer is going crossover next time, make it off of a larger Escape platform (maybe the Mondeo platform) 5 and 7 passenger, offer 6 cyl, 6 cyl turbodiesel, and hybrid 6 cyl instead of a V8, ditch the Sport Trac, ditch the Edge, and leave the bigger needs to the Expedition and E-Series, which would share platforms with the F-Series.
There. That gives Ford a global lineup of distinct vehicles that can be tailored to individual markets, using several shared powertrains, and 3 distinct platforms (small-mid modular fwd/awd, mid-large modular rwd/awd, and rwd/4wd trucks. And yes, I know that it's not as easy as it sounds, but start now. The Way Forward. Here it is, free of charge.
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chris 1:30AM (6/07/2007)
iamhoff, I don't think the Taurus was ever sold here in Australia. Just basing this off the fact that I've never, ever seen one. The only FWD American Ford that I can think of being sold here was the Probe, the only American Fords being sold these days are a couple SUVs, the rest all being European Fords.
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Sam 6:00AM (6/07/2007)
uh, the taurus was sold here. they didn't sell very many though.
for some reason, i've only seen some ridiculously riced one around though.
Warren Smith 12:05AM (6/25/2007)
Well the Taurus was sold here in the late 90's too 2001. It was in tended to replace the hirer end falcons but never did well, mainly due to poor design for our conditions, being even uglyer than our au, front drive - useless in a car of its size and finally dare i say it poor build quality. Which at the time was the norm for pretty much every usa import!