[TriShield]

Falcon to Fly? Australian division may provide new vehicles for Ford

http://www.autoweek.com/weekart/2004/0802/falcoln345.jpg
Australia's Ford Falcon: sister of the Ford Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis?

By AMY WILSON | Automotive News
(08:30 July 27, 2004)

Ford Motor Co. is looking to Australia for a plan to replace the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis.

Ford engineers are considering the rear-drive platform used for the Australian Ford Falcon to replace the Panther platform in North America. The Panther, which dates to 1978, carries the Ford Crown Victoria, the Mercury Grand Marquis and the Lincoln Town Car.

Suppliers say Ford may replace the Crown Victoria and the Grand Marquis as early as the 2008 model year with cars based on the next-generation Falcon platform.

A Ford source acknowledged the study but said the plan is only in the consideration stage. Ford would have to lock this into the product cycle soon to replace the cars for the 2008 model year.

The new vehicles would be slightly smaller than the current Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis, which are popular mainly among gray-haired customers. Crown Victoria police cars have been criticized because fuel tanks have ruptured in rear-end collisions.

Ford is not considering a next-generation Town Car based on the Falcon platform, suppliers said.

But Lincoln is planning a large flagship sedan that would be built off Ford's Volvo-derived D3 platform. That all-wheel-drive car would be built at Ford's Atlanta assembly plant, possibly for the 2009 model year.

Ford could decide to keep the three Panther cars alive for a longer period. The reasoning would be to "keep making money," one Ford insider said. Panther's development costs have long been paid for, making the automaker's large cars a reliable profit center.

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[eatV8]

That sucks, I got excited then. Sharing platform, which means it wont be a Falcon... I want a XR6 Turbo or F6 :)

[ducatijb]

Are they still building that Taurus thing in the states.. :sick: You'd think the falcon would be a good replacement for that...

[eatV8]

The current Taurus (one after the shape sold in AU) is in its final runs now and will be replaced by a new FWD/AWD car of same size. This new car looks good, and will be fords car to compete with the Camry, Altima, Accord etc. The Falcon Range could slot one above that with the RWD to compete against chryslers new 300C and other RWD cars in that class to come.

O/T: I think Ford should send off the Taurus with a special CLI version... get it? :blush: CLI-Taurus! :spoton:

http://www.ford-car-for-sale.com/img/ford-taurus.jpg

This post has been edited by eatV8: 28 July 2004 - 08:46 AM

[Mondie]

Bad bad bad, Ford us will want inevitable changes made to the local car to suit their tastes ( or lack of).

Look what the yanks did with the USA made Honda Accord :sick: No wonder they import two versions into Oz.

[eatV8]

They have both versions here too, the Honda Accord which is a larger car and the Acura TSX which is the Euro Accord. Whats wrong with the new Accord? Is it just the styling you dont like or something else?

[eatV8]

Majority of Americans that I show pictures of Falcons, Commodores, Monaros, both companies utes love them all. They wish GM and Ford USA would do the simular. Majority prefer holden and HSV's coupe over the Pontiac front end too.

[turb06]

eatV8, on Jul 28 2004, 10:07 AM, said:

They have both versions here too, the Honda Accord which is a larger car and the Acura TSX which is the Euro Accord. Whats wrong with the new Accord? Is it just the styling you dont like or something else?

Both major motoring magazines Wheels & Motor hated the american accord, for every reason from what i can gather, my brother just bought the accord euro, and said the other one they drove was like driving a cheaper ugly version.

Why doez Oz even bother importing both accords.

[eatV8]

I don't really know much about the new accord, the TSX (euro) here has gotten some good reviews. I guess all the tooling etc was done on the larger car so why not bring it to au, some people may like it :)

[TriShield]

I too would prefer they simply sell the Falcon XR6T or XR8 here with left hand drive and be done with it. It would make an excellent niche performance vehicle for the brand if marketed correctly.

If they just use the structure, the only point would be to save money since they spent it all redoing the F-Series and on their new FWD line of cars. Not terribly exciting really.

[-carty]

hey, another OT'er
:hiall:
to me also having hte falcon over in US would be alright i guess, but depends what they do with the falcon when it goes over there, i mean look at what they did to the monaro... they made the front of it look terrible

[eatV8]

At least its only the front bumper on the monaro and that can be swapped :spoton:

This post has been edited by eatV8: 28 July 2004 - 03:14 PM

[TriShield]

-jep, on Jul 28 2004, 01:37 PM, said:

i mean look at what they did to the monaro... they made the front of it look terrible

I think the GTO looks better than the Monaro personally, but that's another discussion.

The Falcon wouldn't need any such changes, or a new name, because it already looks like a Ford, and Falcon is a familiar Ford name from the past here. Unless of course someone already trademarked it here in the US.

:spit:

[-carty]

TriShield, on Jul 29 2004, 02:00 AM, said:

I think the GTO looks better than the Monaro personally, but that's another discussion.

ok, personal opinion i guess...

the holden commodore is releasing a new model soon, and they have pics of the new Monaro, and i think its damn sexy...

from an american view, what would you rate this one to the GTO...

haha silly me, forgot the link :P
http://www.ls1.com.a...?t=27428&page=3

This post has been edited by -jep: 29 July 2004 - 03:00 AM

[TriShield]

-jep, on Jul 29 2004, 02:57 AM, said:

ok, personal opinion i guess...

Well, the HSV Coupes look better than any of the other versions I think.

But I can tell you all, if Ford sold the Falcon XR6T here I would buy it over the GTmonarO without hesitation. I hope Ford really sells them here, and SOON.

:w00t2:

[eatV8]

Well Ford USA have two firm orders with TriShield and myself :) I'm sure their is more people who want one after that car and driver article. I'm starting to think about putting the 4.0ltr T in a '66 Mustang. Anyone have any idea if it would be possible?

[TriShield]

eatV8, on Jul 29 2004, 08:15 AM, said:

I'm sure their is more people who want one after that car and driver article.

There is a ton of interest in the turbocharged Falcon. I'm doing my best to spread the word about it on all the US auto forums I frequent.

Judging from all the interest I'm getting I think the XR6T would be a big hit here, people really pay attention to cars with turbos, especially turbos with a load of potential and good looks.

[geea]

What would the costs be in importing 10 "T's" to the states and having them converted to LHD. If it wasn't too expensive would it be legal?


Geea. :glad: