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Falcon's exported overseas (new thread)

2K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  IPhido 
#1 ·
After several lengthy fairly off-topic posts (yes I am guilty here too), I thought it would be beneficial to start up a new thread here.

Here are the previous posts...

Posted by viperspit01 17-09-2003, 21:16
I would be interested to know if anyone knows whether or not the Falcon BA would or could possibly be exported overseas, to say the USA, its such a fantastic car, I dont see why not, they are exporting the highly over-rated Manaro, -why not the Ford Falcon BA, I would have to say the BA would have to be the greatest car that has so far been released in Australia to this date, without any doubt, if you can name a better, more successful more reliable and fantastic looking car, then I won't say anything further, I really can't think of any other car better than it in Australia. With its superb handling, and comfort, you couldn't possibly want anything else?

Personally I think the BA will go down as one the most successfuly cars to ever grace Australian roads.

Not only that, Ford Falcon will become Australias favourtie car again, against its rival the Commodore VY, a truly aweful looking car, When you next see a VY check out the back, it looks like a damn UFO!! I swear, a flying saucer....and plasitc under the bumper...!!

This era kind of reminds me of the XD, XE, XF era (1979-1988) when Falcon truly dominated, in both sales and racing, against the smaller VH, VK, VL; to this date Holden have never made a smaller sedan since, they copied Ford with the larger sedan (VN), and look where its got them (for now).


Posted by noel 18-09-2003, 15:09
We get them in NZ and we love them...............


Posted by viperspit01 18-09-2003, 15:24
Do they sell like hot cakes over there in NZ like in Oz?


Posted by outback_ute 18-09-2003, 16:33
Does anyone know if the BA’s they had at the centenary celebrations in Detroit were tested by the media?



Posted by noel 18-09-2003, 19:41
Yes ,they are selling like hotcakes,there are waiting lists for XR6t,XR8 and of course the GTs.
Unfortunately due to the popularity of the BA in Australia we are getting very few over here.
Had a few mates sell there oil thirsty Holdens to buy BAs.



Posted by bossxr8 18-09-2003, 21:44
I got a memo that was passed around work with impressions of the BA by some of the development engineers in Detroit that had driven the BA and they were absolutely blown away by it. They could not believe that it wasn't available in the US. One guy said "if we had these over here we would sell a million of them". They were very impressed with the handling and the brakes and they loved the power of the Turbo. A GT and a Fairlane G220 were sent over there recently and I think they will be extremely impressed with them also, just waiting for some feedback from them in the future. I'm sure the Fairlane will be thought of as a brilliant replacement for the aging Crown Victoria.



Posted by viperspit01 18-09-2003, 23:14
bossxr8 do you work for the Blue Oval in geelong?

Why don't the Yanks import the BA then? They import the extremely over-rated Manaro, whicjh isn't as cranked up to what its mde out to be, the Barra is by far better, and would be cheaper.

The funny thing is they were even bagging it (Holden) on a known TV show, Punk'd on channel Ten tonight (Thursday).


Posted by outback_ute 19-09-2003, 12:26
BossXR8, make sure the Yank cops know the BA has the fuel tank ahead of the rear axle – they’ll sell heaps.
[Edit]
Re: Re: Falcon BA's Exported Overseas?
Post #9

Posted by RPO83 19-09-2003, 12:40
Quote:
Originally Posted by outback_ute
Does anyone know if the BA’s they had at the centenary celebrations in Detroit were tested by the media?


I don't believe they have been given to the media.

Long story short, Ford US will have a new range of passenger cars for the North American market so the chances of the current Falcon being exported there is slim.


Posted by corbz 19-09-2003, 17:19
probally not for the timebeing, first the falcon has not been enginerred for LHD where as the commodore had been engineered for LHD for middle east exports, so it was an easy change for monaro, you make it sound like getting a car to the US is easy but you better beleive how much time/money holden has spent getting the car upto US specs, emissions and regulations, it would be alot of work to get a falcon over there. It would also take a person high up in Ford detroit to be very close to ford aus and aprove of the deal, like bob lutz with holden. Lastly ford simply dont have the production like holden to do it, they are already runing flat out, and with the territory coming, at the moment they simply cant export.


Posted by RPO83 19-09-2003, 17:53
Quote:
Originally Posted by corbz
probally not for the timebeing, first the falcon has not been enginerred for LHD where as the commodore had been engineered for LHD for middle east exports, so it was an easy change for monaro, you make it sound like getting a car to the US is easy but you better beleive how much time/money holden has spent getting the car upto US specs, emissions and regulations, it would be alot of work to get a falcon over there. It would also take a person high up in Ford detroit to be very close to ford aus and aprove of the deal, like bob lutz with holden. Lastly ford simply dont have the production like holden to do it, they are already runing flat out, and with the territory coming, at the moment they simply cant export.


Robert Lutz didn't get the export program approved because he had some sort of friendly connection with GM-H, there was just a good business case for it due to some forward thinking by the directors at GM-H who pushed it hard.

GM-H expanded to meet the demands of its export program so if Ford were to obtain an export program and the capital outlayed to expand can be recouped through the program then there is no reason why it couldn't be done, so I would rule out that as a barrier to export.

IMO the only future the Falcon could possibly have in the global market is that of a niche one.


Posted by ^RedHot-EL^ 19-09-2003, 23:11
Id love to see the Utes being exported to america. truely an aussie icon and such a great workhorse and much more affordable compared to the big bulky f-series.

Maybe the FPV's could also be something to look at exporting in the future being the top of the line sports performace. Especally as there powerfull and not too expensive compared to other models.

The only problem is how much time and cost it would have on ford and im guessing it would be too much


Posted by viperspit01 19-09-2003, 23:59
I think the major factor we have all missed on in terms of exporting, is the exchange rate in US Dollars, its like 65.7554 at the moment, so basically they would be purchasing these BA vehcles for half pirce, this is pretty much why the Manaro is actually selling over there, or at least accoring to Holden they are, but if we look else where in terms of sales figures we are told they aren't selling too well at all.
 
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#2 ·
The only reason for Ford to export is for prestigous reasons. It is selling pretty much all they can make domestically in australia. I don't think it makes alot of sense for the factory to export directly. If your talking about exporting the designs and having it built somewhere else thats a diffrent case.

The BA has had some favourable looks from various overseas sources. But thats along way from building up a profitable business case for export.

Your two export markets are europe and the US. For the factory to sell to the us even in very limited volume (say 100 a year) would be extremely difficult, Ford US doesn't like anyone comming in on home turf. Really, I think 100 cars per year is all you would be able to make LHD anyway.

Europe would be a easier market to get into, and really you could sell the same small volume with higher margins. The AU was sold there in limited numbers. But it was sold the wrong way, by a importer, that looks like its gone broke now, with the wrong products. Image is overtly important in europe, more so than in the US, so you absolutely have to get it right. You have to have the right products, by just offering almost the entire range means added costs, confusion, dispersing of the core good qualities. But in the US you would have to do alot of buyer education, and although a lot of people would say they would buy them, you actually have to convince the people who would buy them.

Sedans only, maybe a LWB model but you would have to check with buyers. These would have to be built to diffrent spec than normal. You would require factory co-operation as there are something you just can't do on your lonesome, such as adjusting the ICC language, maybe even RDS support. Then some ECU trickery etc. I would also at looking a HID lighting, some suspension changes, maybe diffrent exaust.

Then you would have to figure out what falcon base products would offer buyers over Jaguar, BMW, Merc, Lexus, because you eventually joing to be running into that patch not matter how cheap you can get them over there. Look at a way of keeping running costs low, figure out your parts supply, warrentee etc etc etc ..

Just because the falcon is a great car, maybe even if it was the greatest car in australia, doesn't mean it would make a profitable export opportunity.

I happen to think there may be a very good exporting possibility for the Falcon, but not as a 100% factory, nor as 100% non factory effort. At the very least would need some co-operation from Ford Oz, atleast some temp approval from the Ford managment in the country you will export to, some understanding finance, and some very smart people to run it.

People that speak half a dozen languages, sell ice cubes to eskimos, and know the product inside out and be able to run a company on the razors edge day in day out.
 
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