Anyone heard anything on the Falcon wagon yet?

[bernadette86]

Originally Posted by The-ShowStoPPa

Yes! I re-read that issue again the otherday, unreal project.

doesnt look that hard to do get some information, parts and a little know how or pay a workshop and its a great alternative to buying a 4x4. i will have an rtv by end of the year in few years time i had a family i know what i would do.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by irish2

I think there is a simple answer as to why Ford is not producing a new wagon. Cost vs benefit is nil.

Another answer is that they have no money to develop it.... Ive seen a lot of projects which would have been highly profitable or help sustain production but they dont go ahead due to financing.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Another answer is that they have no money to develop it.... Ive seen a lot of projects which would have been highly profitable or help sustain production but they dont go ahead due to financing.

Well in fairness, why would you 'waste' precious R&D funds on a limited niche vehicle like a Falcon wagon when you have far more important (and profitable) projects like Territory II and the FG Falcon to push out...the FG alone would have gobbled up most of FoA's development quota and Dee-troit keeps a very tight rein on the purse strings...

[Joe5619]

Confirmed, Wagon is died!!

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...0324-qwce.html

[block58]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

Confirmed, Wagon is died!!

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...0324-qwce.html

oh noooooooooooo!! : :

[Road_Warrior]

The move is an ominous sign for the rest of the Falcon range

Up yours, Hagon.

[Brazen]

Gee end of era, 50 years of wagon. Now only boring sedan left, at least the Falcon range can now migrate to Taurus seamlessly.

[TheInterceptor]

What a shame..

Id say bring on the deisel terri, then maybe...just maybe...

[g220ba]

Is anyone really that surprised, there is no market for the wagon anymore. Ford will simply use the extra capacity on the line for more profitable territory and falcon variants. Ford are making the tough decisions to get through the hard times. It may not please some but ford are looking to the future.

Just because the sportwagon sells quite well doesn't mean there's a market for a wagon, simply because overall commodore sales haven't really improved with it in the line up.

[HSVKILLA]

After years of speculation Ford has finally announced the last Falcon wagon will be built in June.

Ford has finally killed off its ageing Falcon wagon, just months shy of its 50th birthday.

The move is an ominous sign for the rest of the Falcon range, which has struggled to attract buyers in recent years as people have moved to smaller, more efficient cars.

Amid an imminent move for the Falcon to become a global car as part of the One Ford policy to produce near identical cars around the world, Ford Australia president Marin Burela said the Falcon wagon would be “retired” towards the end of 2010.

“After a lot of detailed review … we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s time to retire the Falcon wagon,” he said.

“It’s done an outstanding job for us over the years and has certainly delivered to customer expectation.”

The Falcon wagon missed out on the substantial FG Falcon update that included fresh engines and styling, instead relying on a minor tweak of the old BA/BF Falcon wagon formula.

It has continued with an archaic leaf-spring rear suspension that’s associated with work utes and commercial vehicles.

Ford says it has spoken to fleet buyers who continue to use the load lugger as a tool of trade vehicle and begun pitching the mid-sized Mondeo wagon as an alternative.

The Mondeo wagon is available with a more fuel efficient diesel engine, which will be added to the local line-up in the third quarter of this year.

“Not only does it bring great styling, European styling, great package … it also brings with it an unprecedented level of fuel efficiency that currently doesn’t exist in the marketplace with the introduction of the diesel,” he said.

The Ford boss said the Falcon had served Australian businesses and families well over many decades but it was time to move on.

“We’re very, very comfortable with the decision,” he said. “It was a great car then … it still is a great car now, but we’re now moving forward.”

Burela confirmed the much awaited – and delayed – turbo-diesel version of the Territory would go on sale in 2011.

Ford is also working on a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine for the Falcon sedan, which is expected to bring fuel economy gains of at least 20 per cent.

As the new-vehicle market continues to gather pace, Burela says the demise of the wagon will free up space on its Broadmeadows production line (which has been working on overtime) for other variants.

“My expectation - even without wagon as part of our mix in 2010 - is that our build volume will increase between 10 and 15 per cent.”

The Mondeo wagon went on sale in Australia last July and has so far failed to make a dent in the popularity of Holden’s rival Commodore Sportwagon, which has proved a sales success

[vztrt]

Finally some more room for more units.

[XRtowcar]

Welcome to your new Falcon:

[xrford]

Big fan of the wagon but unforntunantly you cant keep selling something that basically has the same rear end as a 99 AU.
It was either spend money and develop an FG platform with a couple of sport models or just stop making it.
Was becoming embarrassing in the end when even non car enthusiasts would turn around and say "it looks just lke the old one"
No one in Australia is going to want to buy a mondeo wagon no matter how european they look they dont even compare! you may as well just go buy a mazda 6 and save your money!

EDIT:

Mazda touring


Mazda Classic (sedan or wagon)


Mazda diesel



Notice how they have 3 different models?
Where was the same logic with the falcon wagon? holden sure seemed top get it right....

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by xrford

Mazda touring wagon


Mazda diesel wagon


Mazda diesel sport wagon


Notice how they have 2 different model diesels one for work and one for play?
Where was the same logic with the falcon wagon? holden sure seemed top get it right....

Where ?

The last picture is the sedan / hatch !

The first two wagons are the same - there is only one Mazda Wagon body..

Do more research....

[My poor XF]

So much doom and gloom. I don't see this as a bad thing and nor do I think it's the beginining of the end for falcon. I see increased production and further sales increases as a result.

[xrford]

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

Where ?

The last picture is the sedan / hatch !

The first two wagons are the same - there is only one Mazda Wagon body..

Do more research....

Edited...

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by xrford

Edited...

Mondeo Titanium Diesel Wagon thanks !

[xrford]

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

Mondeo Titanium Diesel Wagon thanks !

good for you!

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by xrford

good for you!

Yep !

[XRtowcar]

Originally Posted by My poor XF

So much doom and gloom. I don't see this as a bad thing and nor do I think it's the beginining of the end for falcon. I see increased production and further sales increases as a result.

How? If you need a wagon you cant replace it with a sedan.
Less options for sale mean less buyers.
Not building the wagon to me says theres a lack of confidence and there isn't a future in Falcon manufacturing in Aus.
"One Ford" dosen't seem to allow country orientated niche models.

[Ghiadude]

Originally Posted by XRtowcar

How? If you need a wagon you cant replace it with a sedan.
Less options for sale mean less buyers.
Not building the wagon to me says theres a lack of confidence and there isn't a future in Falcon manufacturing in Aus.
"One Ford" dosen't seem to allow country orientated niche models.

Thats not the way that ive been led to understand it
If a car in australia uses the same engines, gearboxes and diffs as one in say North America for example then that is a substantial cost saving to the development and so on. falcon and mustang will be "twinned" from 2015 and that means that the niche mustang engines can be spread accross a greater number of cars. The mustang engines will now have more dev dollars it also means goodnight for our beloved I6 in 2015

[XRtowcar]

Reading Goauto the Mondeo is going to be the Wagon that Ford are going to push now.
How successful is the Mondeo going to be compared to Falcon and is it a genuine replacement?
Would like to hear some opinions whether a front drive four can replace a rear drive six.
Lot of people enjoy the power and space of the Falcon for towing.

[G6E Turbo 2]

Originally Posted by XRtowcar

How? If you need a wagon you cant replace it with a sedan.
Less options for sale mean less buyers.
Not building the wagon to me says theres a lack of confidence and there isn't a future in Falcon manufacturing in Aus.
"One Ford" dosen't seem to allow country orientated niche models.

Yeah I agree with you, very poor effort In that it
gives Holden further strength in the market place
and yet another way to increase sales over Ford
yet again
There is no sign of Holden going bad in Aust in
relation to bankrupcy like the US but Ford are
making all the market place adjustments

Got me stuffed

[BFZ Wagon]

Originally Posted by XRtowcar

How? If you need a wagon you cant replace it with a sedan.
Less options for sale mean less buyers.
Not building the wagon to me says theres a lack of confidence and there isn't a future in Falcon manufacturing in Aus.
"One Ford" dosen't seem to allow country orientated niche models.

Yes it does.. Just as long as the country orientated niche market is 'USA only'... That's all these companies care about.

It's sad that the Falcon wagon will be no more. But at least it had a decent run. Ford just have to concentrate on what Aussie built models they've got left now. Just gotta keep them going, and for the next few years (at least) there will still be Aussies employed building Fords in Australia.

[Stoney!]

Originally Posted by G6E Turbo 2

Yeah I agree with you, very poor effort In that it
gives Holden further strength in the market place
and yet another way to increase sales over Ford
yet again
There is no sign of Holden going bad in Aust in
relation to bankrupcy like the US but Ford are
making all the market place adjustments

Got me stuffed

They didn't need anymore strength.... The sportswagon is selling like hotcakes... hence why it baffles me ford didn't think there was a market. Wait till the VF with updated interiors and further fuel saving and sales may rise even more. It's not whether or not the markets there. its whether or not the market likes your product lol. I own a small car but if enticed enough by certain things I'd buy a medium car or small SUV like the Hyundai Ix35

Stoney!

[Silver Ghia]

Probably decided when they decided not to update the wagon when they were developing the FG. Inevitable decision really, but does not make sense as in lots of ways the Terry does not replace the Falcon wagon.

There is no way now that Falcon sales will exceed Commodore sales as it did not that long ago, Commodore has the #1 Australian built car status all to its own now with no Aussie challengers. And the publicity to go with it. Holden must be in party mode.

[XD 351 Ute]

Yet another chapter closes in 'Australian' car history.
All our local makers in one way or another have either carked it, or changed their product to align with the greater selling, overseas available offerings.

The 'Australian' in Australian cars is no longer sustainable, nor profit making for the manufacturers.

It's a shame really, but hey, at least we can all drive around in little boxes that all look just the same......

Ed

[bobthebilda]

Its all relative isnt it. Ford makes the territory, Holden makes the wagon. Theres not too much difference in monthly sales between the two. Ford oz makes 50000 cars a year, Holden makes 57000 cars a year. The important thing is that those iranians only managed to manufacture 1 million cars last year, and the turkish only managed to manufacture 1.4 million. Maybe the execs of these third world car companies understand the relationship between building cars that people want.

[joolz]

Originally Posted by HSVKILLA

After years of speculation Ford has finally announced the last Falcon wagon will be built in June.

Ford has finally killed off its ageing Falcon wagon, just months shy of its 50th birthday.

The move is an ominous sign for the rest of the Falcon range, which has struggled to attract buyers in recent years as people have moved to smaller, more efficient cars.

Its like he was praying for the Falcon wagon to die and now praying for the rest to follow. If his prayers do come true he will be out of a job as Ford in Australia wont be around to bash. Im sorry but he is a dumb ******** Holden biased reporter and contridicts with the smaller car comment. You simply cant fit a family of 5 in a Yaris on a weekend away so families do still want a sedan or larger.

[Joe5619]

They are only building 200 Falcon Wagon a month now (From one of the articles). Why spend so much money for 200 sales a month!! Waste, waste, waste.. Everyone also missed the increase line rate from 2009 comment in one of the articles too!! This is all good news if you ask me.