Front wheel drive Falcons?

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 27th August 2008, 07:44 AM

Say it ain't so: Ford Falcon could go front-wheel drive

Posted Aug 26th 2008 10:28AM by Dan Roth
Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Ford, Australia, FPV

"You guys are obsessed with rear wheel drive," Alan Mulally mused to the Australian press after a browbeating about which pair of wheels might propel the Falcon into the future. Try as they might, the Ford Chief would not be pinned down about the chassis architecture of future Falcons, saying only that the choice would be customer driven, and plugging front and all-wheel drive vehicles as "pretty spectacular."

Mulally is right that Ford's global push to put exceptional small cars in showrooms is what the automaker's focus is and should be. The Falcon has long fallen off its sales peak from the halcyon days of two decades ago, and while Mulally agrees that it's "an absolutely dynamite vehicle," small cars in the future will prop up the more niche-y vehicles like the FG Falcon. Mulally went on to say that Australia will serve as an engineering and product development outpost for Ford, and the big-vehicle prowess in Oz will be useful regardless of layout. As Ford pulls its global platforms together, the Ranger and Focus will come at us from Australia, too.

While we all wish we could fill our driveways with an FPV GT sporting Paul Stanley eye makeup and Boss V8 motivation, we're not holding our breath. Ford doesn't appear to be following GMs lead bringing its Australian cars stateside, and the V8s days may be numbered. Mulally acknowledged that fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions are going to be tremendously important going forward, which will likely spur a shift to smaller four- and six-cylinder powerplants with forced induction serving as the performance option. An FG FPV with an Ecoboost four underhood? Heck, we'd still take it - it's bound to be better than the mush-tastic fleet-only Crown Victoria.

**Sprint** · 27th August 2008, 12:23 PM

it'll be the death knell for an already troubled Australian car industry...... Ford really screwd up when they didnt make the new Falcon platform available as a LHD option to allow for an export market

**81stubee** · 27th August 2008, 12:33 PM

Look how well the 380 went, if it had been RWD it would have been a different story.

I know there are people who say who gives a rats about ford and holden. But without automotive manufacturing this country will be stuffed. Look at whats happening to the economy.

I don't think Ford nor Holden can afford to screw up again. The only reason Holden are doing better is due to their export program. To some extent Ford owe Holden big time becuase it was exporting cars like the monaro, that got OZ the reputation for being the leaders in RWD.

Yes the Falcon should of been LHD ready, but i don't think the bean counters would of allowed it.

Stu

**Utemad** · 27th August 2008, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by 81stubee

I know there are people who say who gives a rats about ford and holden.

Who gives a rats about Ford and Holden?

Would be odd to see a front drive Falcon but I was never going to buy one anyway. The Aurions were first pick when we had a range to choose from at work. For me the last pick was the Prado though.

**DRanged** · 27th August 2008, 02:05 PM

I hope Ford fall off the face of the earth. I stuck with them from the AU through to the BA for our work utes and finally got sick of the reliability and service. I now have a Ssangyong ute with a Merc diesel in it. Never had an issue with it and parts and service are very well priced. Ford need to pull their finger out if they want the aussie tradies market back again.

Justin

**Slunnie** · 27th August 2008, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by 81stubee

Look how well the 380 went, if it had been RWD it would have been a different story.

I think there is a lot more to the 380 than just the platform. It was also a heavy vehicle to drive which made it very tiresome. It didn't do anything badly, just also nothing well. After driving one as a courtesy car my impression was that the best thing about it was the headlights. Even back to the VT was a lot nicer to drive and live with, and it most definately wasnt nearly the calibre of a Subaru.

**pop058** · 27th August 2008, 06:05 PM

ford are going to drop the I6 (inline 6 cyl) around 2010 or so, in favour of 3500 (?) V6. The FWD question is, in my opinion, a matter of evolution and has been out there for a while. I still think the Aussie market wants a family sized RWD sedan as a choice at least.

I am blue to the core (except for the obvious addiction) but I think the General has got the right idea with the export and model sharing options it has. (pommy vauxhall and yanky pontiac).

**rangieman** · 27th August 2008, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by DRanged

I hope Ford fall off the face of the earth. I stuck with them from the AU through to the BA for our work utes and finally got sick of the reliability and service. I now have a Ssangyong ute with a Merc diesel in it. Never had an issue with it and parts and service are very well priced. Ford need to pull their finger out if they want the aussie tradies market back again.

Justin

Well that just might happen along with GMH , Sad it is with all the small company,s that supply these global arms of the yanks

imagine how many ozzies will be out of work myself included

Ford Australia will put the last nail in the coffin if they proceed with front wheel drive

This is the Problem with Ford and Holden is they have yankee pupets as ceo,s of the ozzie side of things and these dumb ass yanks know nothing about Australia our culture or the enviroment , and bring there pig headed septic tank ideas here

**Slunnie** · 27th August 2008, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by pop058

ford are going to drop the I6 (inline 6 cyl) around 2010 or so, in favour of 3500 (?) V6. The FWD question is, in my opinion, a matter of evolution and has been out there for a while. I still think the Aussie market wants a family sized RWD sedan as a choice at least.

I am blue to the core (except for the obvious addiction) but I think the General has got the right idea with the export and model sharing options it has. (pommy vauxhall and yanky pontiac).

IT'll be interesting to see if they take the same approach as Holden, with economy models in the V6 and outright performance models with the V8. It certainly sounds like it if they are moving towards a 3.5V6.

Very interesting words also with exports and model sharing. The other thing that Holden have done well, is spent $1billion in developing a specific chassis for the Commodore, rather than adapting platforms from the GM catalogue. Apparently they handle seriously well.

**slug_burner** · 27th August 2008, 06:52 PM

FWD Falcon

Cheaper to manufacture. The Yanks have done it for years. It is only that they make them so ugly, then again Ford Australia have beat a few falcons with the ugly stick.

I think that the average fleet buyer, taxi company and average Mr and Mrs Smith don't give a fig if the car is FWD or RWD.

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