Ford Falcon coming here as a Mercury??
03-19-2003, 08:20 AM
#1
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Ford Falcon coming here as a Mercury??
"Ford’s Crown Victoria police car saga could turn ugly for the enduring rear-drive model, but an answer could be located far, far away in a largely unexploited corner of the FoMoCo Empire.
Ford Australia’s Falcon family is rear drive, comes with the option of a 390-bhp V-8 5.4-liter Canadian-sourced engine and, in certain states of tune and trim, is a firm favorite with Aussie police forces.
Now with its high-tech plastic fuel tank mounted between the axles, the Falcon would certainly avoid the outboard tank hassles blighting the Crown Vic.
GM potential too
If the thought of Aussie sourced cop cars seems far-fetched, GM was keen to lay its hands on Holden’s Commodores not so long ago.
Powered by the 5.7-liter Gen III V-8 Corvette motor and mated to a six-speed gearbox, the large sedan does duty with the forces in Australia as well as many Middle East countries, notably Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Two years ago there was a substantial investigation into the feasibility of bringing the rear-drive Holden sedans into the U.S. to sell to police forces, and the forces that turned up to several test drives held by private importers went away more than keen.
Felled by import regulations that effectively barred the car from the U.S. through official channels, private entrepreneurs had hoped to import several thousand a year, but nothing came of the plan. This was possibly because Holden had bigger supply issues to focus on, not the least of which was the Pontiac GTO program.
The Middle Eastern Commodore/Caprice police supply program has dispatched more than 2000 police cars annually at the last count. The police versions of the Commodore and long-wheelbase Caprice ship with push bars, flashing warning lights, internal screens, handcuff restraints and extra wiring fitted at the factory.
Mercury wings?
But Ford’s Falcon platform, while unique to Australia could also provide a solution to the issues furrowing the brows at Mercury. Mercury is struggling to find a strong icon car, and the Falcon GT sedan, just unveiled, would make for a pretty interesting study.
With its rear-wheel drive, decent four-door, five-adult accommodation, a thumping 390-bhp V-8 engine with 384 lb-ft of torque, a close-ratio Tremec TR3650 five-speed manual gearbox and massive Brembo brake package, the GT is one helluva cruiser. It will soon be available with a four-speed Tiptronic-style automatic transmission, too. Independent tests suggest a 6.0 second 0-60 mph time, dusting the quarter in about 14 seconds.
But Ford has not been in any rush to pull Falcons into the U.S. from Australia even though four of the new BA-series range are sitting in Detroit at this present moment and more, potentially including the GT are in the wings. Ford’s J Mays signed off on Scott Strong’s Falcon redesign, latterly tidied by former Jaguar X-Type designer Simon Butterworth. A high-ranking Ford Motor Company evaluation program involving four Falcon models, not including GT, is at present underway.
Ford Australia president Geoff Polites is not counting on any momentous bolt of lightning to strike Detroit any time soon that would order up a few thousand Falcon GTs, but for Mercury, a niche high-performance sedan that rivals the Mustang for grunt, grip and overwhelms it in terms of build quality and finish (if Mustangs exported to Australia are any guide) could be a major winner.
“We think there would be a market for that product there (GT in U.S.), but the U.S. has to make the decision,” Mr. Polites told TheCarConnection.
“They have not yet seen a GT. I would plan on shipping them one there,” he added.
What if?
The Detroit Auto Show in January 2004 would be the ideal time for Ford or Mercury to test market the Falcon GT with its blatant bonnet bulge, 18-inch rim and even the option of go-faster stripes.
“It’s a demand pull not a supplier push,” Mr. Polites said. “If they wanted it they could have it. We will send a GT over there anyway.”
Badged by Mercury the Falcon GT would avoid potential conflict with Mustang, appeal to family buyers with back seat access issues as well as thrill enthusiast drivers from Dallas to Detroit.
In U.S. funds, it’s priced at $36,600, or $42,700 for the up-spec GT-P model complete with Brembos, more leather and a few added interior fancies. The GT Falcon is not cheap by American standards, but close to what GM is charging for the Aussie-made Pontiac GTO.
For hard-core fans, the GT engine is also fitted to a ‘Ute’ version called ‘Pursuit’; think of it as a two-door sports car with a huge luggage bay that’s a handful in the wet.
The Falcon GT has met with much enthusiasm in Australia, having been absent from the family — as regular member — for 30 years since a political outcry over muscle car performance killed them off in the 1970s.
A brief drive of the GT reveals the rumbly V-8 to be flexible, powerful and rewarding coupled to a chassis displaying BMW-style ride quality. At idle, the V-8’s rumbustious tick-over shakes the entire car, and the fat, raucous exhaust note will delight the less subtle members of the go-faster community.
If Mercury is truly searching for a quick-fix icon car, the Falcon GT must be worth a trial."
Ford Australia’s Falcon family is rear drive, comes with the option of a 390-bhp V-8 5.4-liter Canadian-sourced engine and, in certain states of tune and trim, is a firm favorite with Aussie police forces.
Now with its high-tech plastic fuel tank mounted between the axles, the Falcon would certainly avoid the outboard tank hassles blighting the Crown Vic.
GM potential too
If the thought of Aussie sourced cop cars seems far-fetched, GM was keen to lay its hands on Holden’s Commodores not so long ago.
Powered by the 5.7-liter Gen III V-8 Corvette motor and mated to a six-speed gearbox, the large sedan does duty with the forces in Australia as well as many Middle East countries, notably Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Two years ago there was a substantial investigation into the feasibility of bringing the rear-drive Holden sedans into the U.S. to sell to police forces, and the forces that turned up to several test drives held by private importers went away more than keen.
Felled by import regulations that effectively barred the car from the U.S. through official channels, private entrepreneurs had hoped to import several thousand a year, but nothing came of the plan. This was possibly because Holden had bigger supply issues to focus on, not the least of which was the Pontiac GTO program.
The Middle Eastern Commodore/Caprice police supply program has dispatched more than 2000 police cars annually at the last count. The police versions of the Commodore and long-wheelbase Caprice ship with push bars, flashing warning lights, internal screens, handcuff restraints and extra wiring fitted at the factory.
Mercury wings?
But Ford’s Falcon platform, while unique to Australia could also provide a solution to the issues furrowing the brows at Mercury. Mercury is struggling to find a strong icon car, and the Falcon GT sedan, just unveiled, would make for a pretty interesting study.
With its rear-wheel drive, decent four-door, five-adult accommodation, a thumping 390-bhp V-8 engine with 384 lb-ft of torque, a close-ratio Tremec TR3650 five-speed manual gearbox and massive Brembo brake package, the GT is one helluva cruiser. It will soon be available with a four-speed Tiptronic-style automatic transmission, too. Independent tests suggest a 6.0 second 0-60 mph time, dusting the quarter in about 14 seconds.
But Ford has not been in any rush to pull Falcons into the U.S. from Australia even though four of the new BA-series range are sitting in Detroit at this present moment and more, potentially including the GT are in the wings. Ford’s J Mays signed off on Scott Strong’s Falcon redesign, latterly tidied by former Jaguar X-Type designer Simon Butterworth. A high-ranking Ford Motor Company evaluation program involving four Falcon models, not including GT, is at present underway.
Ford Australia president Geoff Polites is not counting on any momentous bolt of lightning to strike Detroit any time soon that would order up a few thousand Falcon GTs, but for Mercury, a niche high-performance sedan that rivals the Mustang for grunt, grip and overwhelms it in terms of build quality and finish (if Mustangs exported to Australia are any guide) could be a major winner.
“We think there would be a market for that product there (GT in U.S.), but the U.S. has to make the decision,” Mr. Polites told TheCarConnection.
“They have not yet seen a GT. I would plan on shipping them one there,” he added.
What if?
The Detroit Auto Show in January 2004 would be the ideal time for Ford or Mercury to test market the Falcon GT with its blatant bonnet bulge, 18-inch rim and even the option of go-faster stripes.
“It’s a demand pull not a supplier push,” Mr. Polites said. “If they wanted it they could have it. We will send a GT over there anyway.”
Badged by Mercury the Falcon GT would avoid potential conflict with Mustang, appeal to family buyers with back seat access issues as well as thrill enthusiast drivers from Dallas to Detroit.
In U.S. funds, it’s priced at $36,600, or $42,700 for the up-spec GT-P model complete with Brembos, more leather and a few added interior fancies. The GT Falcon is not cheap by American standards, but close to what GM is charging for the Aussie-made Pontiac GTO.
For hard-core fans, the GT engine is also fitted to a ‘Ute’ version called ‘Pursuit’; think of it as a two-door sports car with a huge luggage bay that’s a handful in the wet.
The Falcon GT has met with much enthusiasm in Australia, having been absent from the family — as regular member — for 30 years since a political outcry over muscle car performance killed them off in the 1970s.
A brief drive of the GT reveals the rumbly V-8 to be flexible, powerful and rewarding coupled to a chassis displaying BMW-style ride quality. At idle, the V-8’s rumbustious tick-over shakes the entire car, and the fat, raucous exhaust note will delight the less subtle members of the go-faster community.
If Mercury is truly searching for a quick-fix icon car, the Falcon GT must be worth a trial."
03-19-2003, 09:18 AM
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: The Golden State
Posts: 13,711
More than federal issues are factory capacity issues.
Australia's total annual car market roughly equals the total sales of Ford F150s....ALONE!! Holden has the bigger factory because it also supplies derivitives of the Commodore to the middle east, South Africa, New Zealand & it's associates (New Zealand has quite a few South Pacific island nations under it's commonwealth) and a few South American countries. Ford of Australia doesn't export to anyplace beyond New Zealand.
Also, although GTO was announced last year, and Holden was already operating at peak capacity, GTO wouldn't have happened if Holden hadn't found a way to streach production farther since it's plant expansion won't even begin to be complete till early next year.
The other thing to consider is what happens when production is moved to the US. Holden is marking a place till GM-NA get's it's cars on line. When that happens, Holden is going to need new product to fill in the loss. GM-NA intends to give Holden all the low volume RWD vehicles, while Holden also plans to go global under it's own name. That way, they will keep their factories going even after GM starts making some RWD models here, and our own UAW and CAW unions won't have issues.
Ford, on the other hand has no such battle plan. At this point, bring any Falcon to the US is years away, NOT because of federal issues (the new Falcon was designed more compatable with US standards... unintentionally or not) but because of the need of expanding production.
One possibility (which seems much more likely) is copying what GM has done, and have it's lower cost division (again, Australian based) develop it's RWD program. The difference is that in this instance, it will be using the US based Mustang chassis as a starting point whereas GM-NA is using the Australian version V chassis to jump off.
Later in the decade, the Falcon is supposed to get a new chassis, while both Ford & Lincoln are to get new large cars (though not nessesarily replacing the Panther chassis), so to a degree, it seems that they will infact share chassis & components. It's just unlikely anything from Ford will be exported from Australia at this point.
Australia's total annual car market roughly equals the total sales of Ford F150s....ALONE!! Holden has the bigger factory because it also supplies derivitives of the Commodore to the middle east, South Africa, New Zealand & it's associates (New Zealand has quite a few South Pacific island nations under it's commonwealth) and a few South American countries. Ford of Australia doesn't export to anyplace beyond New Zealand.
Also, although GTO was announced last year, and Holden was already operating at peak capacity, GTO wouldn't have happened if Holden hadn't found a way to streach production farther since it's plant expansion won't even begin to be complete till early next year.
The other thing to consider is what happens when production is moved to the US. Holden is marking a place till GM-NA get's it's cars on line. When that happens, Holden is going to need new product to fill in the loss. GM-NA intends to give Holden all the low volume RWD vehicles, while Holden also plans to go global under it's own name. That way, they will keep their factories going even after GM starts making some RWD models here, and our own UAW and CAW unions won't have issues.
Ford, on the other hand has no such battle plan. At this point, bring any Falcon to the US is years away, NOT because of federal issues (the new Falcon was designed more compatable with US standards... unintentionally or not) but because of the need of expanding production.
One possibility (which seems much more likely) is copying what GM has done, and have it's lower cost division (again, Australian based) develop it's RWD program. The difference is that in this instance, it will be using the US based Mustang chassis as a starting point whereas GM-NA is using the Australian version V chassis to jump off.
Later in the decade, the Falcon is supposed to get a new chassis, while both Ford & Lincoln are to get new large cars (though not nessesarily replacing the Panther chassis), so to a degree, it seems that they will infact share chassis & components. It's just unlikely anything from Ford will be exported from Australia at this point.
03-19-2003, 02:46 PM
#3
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Yadkinville, NC USA
Posts: 3,180
After just coming from a GTO-based thread, I have some sarcasm to spread...
If it came here, shouldn't Mercury call it the Cyclone or Cougar or Montego or Talladega or something else that's been dead a while? That way we can have a huge debate over whether or not it resembles the old car in any way, and whether it should or not.
Surely they wouldn't just call it the Falcon - like the Aussie's who designed it are doing?
I actually hope it comes here. If it does, especially in a GTHO version, I'll be owning one.
If it came here, shouldn't Mercury call it the Cyclone or Cougar or Montego or Talladega or something else that's been dead a while? That way we can have a huge debate over whether or not it resembles the old car in any way, and whether it should or not.
Surely they wouldn't just call it the Falcon - like the Aussie's who designed it are doing?
I actually hope it comes here. If it does, especially in a GTHO version, I'll be owning one.
03-19-2003, 04:20 PM
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: The Golden State
Posts: 13,711
Originally posted by ProudPony
After just coming from a GTO-based thread, I have some sarcasm to spread...
If it came here, shouldn't Mercury call it the Cyclone or Cougar or Montego or Talladega or something else that's been dead a while? That way we can have a huge debate over whether or not it resembles the old car in any way, and whether it should or not.
Surely they wouldn't just call it the Falcon - like the Aussie's who designed it are doing?
I actually hope it comes here. If it does, especially in a GTHO version, I'll be owning one.
After just coming from a GTO-based thread, I have some sarcasm to spread...
If it came here, shouldn't Mercury call it the Cyclone or Cougar or Montego or Talladega or something else that's been dead a while? That way we can have a huge debate over whether or not it resembles the old car in any way, and whether it should or not.
Surely they wouldn't just call it the Falcon - like the Aussie's who designed it are doing?
I actually hope it comes here. If it does, especially in a GTHO version, I'll be owning one.
I'd better change my tune, and mellow out more. My sarcasm is starting to spread.
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