Comments on: Ford Falcon to go front-wheel-drive?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 00:44:16 +0000

This is a joke right. U can’t have an xr6 front wheel drive or an xr8 all wheel drive where the hell is the fun in that. Keep Mondeo”s and the focus like that. The rwd is a dying breed in Australia, it’s the last “MANS” car left. I would be very surprised n disappointed if this actually happens, it’s bad enough that the best 6 cylinder motor ever built is getting scrapped. If ford was smart they would not do this they will loose money.

By: Sumodog

Sumodog — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 05:32:45 +0000

Falcon rate of uptake of automatic transmission shows how many “enthusiasts” pick falcon for their car.
Real enthusiasts drive manuals.

By: greg

greg — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 08:29:26 +0000

I switched from toyota to a ford ba fairmont ghia.This was my first ever ford.I was extremely impressed with the finish and handling,economy of this car.It is the best car I have ever driven.

My next car was going to be the latest ford falcon ghia, however after reading that it may no longer be produced here, I am looking at other brands.

Australia is a large country and the new falcon , starting with the BA provided the handling, room,reliability,economy for this great country.I am still amazed as to why you would stop production of such a winning design.

By: Bent 8 Brigade

Bent 8 Brigade — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:12:04 +0000

The dry-sump Corvette 7ltr engine was not a straight bolt up to fit into Commodore and quite a lot of engineering work went into W427 to get the engine into Commodore’s engine bay.

By: Al Juraj

Al Juraj — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:38:04 +0000

The FG is a great car and should stay RWD or possibly add 4WD, but not FWD. It only needs a larger market. This could well replace the Crown Vic and a new Lincoln Town Car can spawn out of a stretched chassis. The IRS could also pretty much take over the Mustang’s primitive live axle layout. In Europe this could be the new Granada/Scorpio. It would be a waste to scrap this platform and replace it with inferior concepts.

By: Steve Mellish

Steve Mellish — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 12:15:03 +0000

The one thing that really needs to be considered here is that while there are folk who dont care about driving dynamics etc there is a huge chunk of FORD owners who do.Big cars in FWD handle like barges. What about the future of V8 SUPERCARS?Some how i cant see that continuing with one manufacturer.
I can say this is the beginning of the end of the true aussie cars. Holden included!

By: Johnny L

Johnny L — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:32:47 +0000

Wheelnut – That’s good to hear, nothing like a good RWD, these cars really need to have less weight too hopefully the more compact may mean less weight. I was looking at the performance of Corvette’s the 1lt with the ls3 has a 0-100 aprox 4.1 sec and not to mention the Corvette (z06,zr1)and Dodge vipers that do the 0-100 in under 4 sec. Wouldn’t mind seeing something with that kind of performance in AUS, most cars with that sort of performance cost as much as a house. A nice fast coupe like one of those with a affordable price tag would be nice. Corvette 1LT US$49000aprox = HSV GTS aprox price AU $, compare that to what HSV has done with the LS7 engine 150K. Some time it seems like we pay more for less in OZ.

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 02:37:13 +0000

Johnny L – Its more likely that the Commodore will remain RWD. mainly because its expected that by 2012-14 when the next generation Commodore is due to be released;
Holden will make it more “compact” [similar in size to that of the TT-36 Torana Concept Car] and will probably be built on the same platform as the Opel Insignia [which isn't confirmed for Oz] which can accept FWD RWD and even AWD layouts.
Engines are likely to include a 4cyl V6; and a 280-300Kw Direct Injection Twin-Turbo Optimised [DITTO] V6; and maybe even a Quad Cam V8 as well as a diesel

By: Johnny L

Johnny L — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:49:32 +0000

Looks like ford doesn’t really have a clear direction where they want to go. Don’t get me wrong the FG XR6T is an excellent car but dumping the inline 6 and v8 for other engines in 2010 and then now this FWD stuff in 2013 great way to lose customers. I originally decided to get an FG XR6T but after finding out the dumping of the inline 6 (INSANE)I was hesitant to hand over 50 grand, went for a SSv instead. Also the timing wasn’t right for me, released the FG’s but no XR6T, waited for a a month still nothing. Ford really need to get their house in order and sort out the internal politics. I’ve owned a ba inline 6, easy to mod and great to drive loved it. If this the direction Ford is going I’m sticking to GM. I just hope GM doesn’t go down this path otherwise my next car will probably be a something in the direction of a Z350 or Euro. This is all just cost cutting BS just look at how the FWD Japanese 6cyc are cheaper than a base model falcon or commie.

By: Jack Yan

Jack Yan — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:57:30 +0000

I have been saying this since EA241/FG was launched. As the CD345 Mondeo is wider, taller and has a longer wheelbase, it was clear the Falcon didn’t fit with Ford’s plans over in Dearborn. The problem is that the current fuel crisis could be over by 2011, and Aussies will want big cars again—making Ford look as stupid then as when they killed the V8 the first time in the 1980s.

I don’t know about Australia but with the Fairlane dead, cabbies wanting an LWB sedan have gone to the Statesman en masse. Ford is going to experience the same if Falcon goes FWD.