2008 Paris Motor Show:
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Falcon put on hold[/align][/size]October 3, 2008
FROM THE FLOOR - Ford insider has dropped a bombshell at today's Paris show media day, telling Robbo that even the Falcon is being re-evaluated.
Ford's new global rear wheel drive program, including the all-new Falcon due in 2013,
is now "on hold" to raise further doubts about the long term future of the locally manufactured and designed Falcon.
The next Falcon was to be part of a massive new program to replace the old Lincoln Town Car, Mercury Marquis and Ford Crown Victoria with an all-new architecture to be jointly developed in Dearborn and Broadmeadows.
In July/August the then accelerating American financial crisis forced a complete re-evaluation of Ford's resources and lead to the current decision to prioritize development of a range of big front drive models based on existing platforms.
An ex-Ford designer (who commented on condition of anonymity) who worked on the program confirmed to Wheels that Ford has put the entire program "on hold".
"It was a global program, in which Australia played an important role. The decision for the Falcon was what form it would take and how much of the 'top hat" (body design) would be unique to the Falcon. They were looking at how to fit Falcon in with the American cars and to see if it could be exported to America.
"Dearborn favoured a (BMW) 5-series sized car (that is significantly shorter than the Falcon). If you plot the 5-Series over the decades, you'll see it remains much the same size, although it has recently been under pressure from the C Class/the much bigger looking new A4 and the 3-Series, which have all grown. The Falcon is outside that, because it is bigger on the inside and has a shorter wheelbase."
"The market turned down (for the Falcon) in Australia and now the US, and now they are looking at what could be achieved in front drive."
"Don't get me wrong, the (rear drive) cars are good enough that I think they could go back to it," he said.
When asked to comment, new Ford Australia boss Marin Burela told Wheels, "No decision has been made one way or the other. Like all things in our business we are looking at everything.
“Three years ago, who would have thought that we would be making small cars in America or the Focus in Broadmeadows (in 2010). The answer is, we need to look at everything going on - but it is not appropriate to say there is no longer a fit for a large rear drive car in Australia. We are evaluating everything."
"The world is changing, the focus at the moment is on fuel and emissions, we want to become more relevant for our customers when they are making choices."
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