BluAU2

Just finished reading the Wheels and GoAuto articles.

Perhaps I'm biased, but if Holden spent $250M for their mostly cosmetic changes and Ford spent $500M for a complete new car and engine(s) I think someone got ripped off (and it wasn't Ford).

....and Ross McKenzie reckons Holden won't lose any volume!!! Ouch that's gonna hurt in a year's time!

JR

I've been thinking exactly the same thing!


I'm wondering though, how much of the 'real' cost of developing this car is in the R7 budget (another $500M).

BA & R7 are going to share basically the same floorpan, drivetrain and most probably nearly all the major mechanical components (including, I'll bet, the 4WD system further down the track), and just have different body shells dropped on top. (And, yes, I know that's a bit over-simplified.)

Perhaps we should be saying $500M for the BA/R7 floorpan & drivetrain development and $250M each for BA & R7 bodies.


If you start talking $1 Billion compared to $250M, then and only then does it look like Holden got value for their money.

Curls

Raptor (4x4) (don't you love the internal development names that Ford place on their cars at the moment!!) is apparently a very complicated piece of machinery to put together. Saw a BMW X5 left hand drive at rear of Broady a long while back as Ford were one of the first to import the X5 into Australia. They are obviously using this as a benchmark for their own. Wouldn't mind the dropping of the Barra wagon if the new 4wd wagon is as good to drive as a Barra sedan/BMW X5. Just don't shrink the rear cargo area so that you can't put a pram and a BIG dog in the rear..... Hint, Hint, Hint.....

puts99

Ford AND HOLDEN got the first two avaliable in Aus:oo1:

Curls

Spot on priteshpatel99, I don't know if you saw the R7 as displayed at the Melbourne Motor Show/Car mags, however it is very BMW X5 in design including full IRS, while Holden (I think) is looking more at the Subaru style AWD car setup and their 4wd commodore at the same motor show had a Rodeo rear setup matched to what is now the VY Commo front end. The rear was leaf sprung although it would be safe to say the actual cars will be IRS apart from a full commercial/1 tonne version maybe.

Cheers

Troutman

More importantly to me, the VR Commodore only cost Holden $100 million and was a much more revolutionary update than VY. I suppose cars were cheaper all round in those days, and finesse was less of a priority...

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falkon

To put it all into context, VT cost $500 million, AU $700 million...

$500 mill is nothing compared to the many billions of dollars that car makers outside Australia throw at their new car programs...
Why does it always have to be so competitive on this forum?? Both VY and BA were developed on tight budgets. No where else in the world would you find so much change for so little investment.

8EHiND

I'm sure atleast $200m of that would have been on advertising to try and maximise the poor sales...I didn't think it was that much. Don't tell any ghay Holden fans otherwise they will rub it in :dead:

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VXLS1

TOO LATE.

you could Look at it this way ford spent double what holden did so ford should have 2times the quality and make 2 times the sales. to be where holden is . But i am guessing noone will

Driver

Geoff Polities is not concerened if he does not sell more Falcons than Holden does Commodores. As long as Ford makes a profit he wll be happy. But he does believe that the Falcon will get at least close to the sales of the Commodore.

I believe and so do most of the people on this forum (by the sounds of it) that the Falcon wil exceed his expectations.

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