Ford Set to Announce Future of Geelong Engine Plant
July 18, 2007 by Paul Maric
Ford Australia will today announce the future of the Geelong engine plant where all of its inline-six cylinder engines are currently produced.
Speculation began last week when GoAuto ran a story that rumored a V6 engine would be used in the local Falcon by 2010 to meet emissions regulations. From there, serious hype was built which sent workers into frenzy.
Despite an appropriation of over $52-million from the Howard Government last year to further develop Territory and Falcon, along with $28-million to improve fuel efficiency in 2005, Ford still insists that a V6 engine is the only way for the local manufacturer to meet impending Euro IV emissions regulations.
Ford spokeswoman – Sinead McAlary – hasn’t confirmed the fate of the workers, but confirmed to News.com.au that a decision with regards to the fate of workers is imminent and after employees were informed, the announcement would be made to the market.
With that, the closure of Ford Australia’s 82-year old engine plant is likely, from there the fate of 600 workers jobs remains uncertain.
Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks today said:
“We have invested in Ford and invested in new production, we’ve invested in making sure they can produce long term in this state and we’d be very disturbed to see any job loss,”
Mr Bracks also said that the Victorian Government would stand by Ford employees and make sure assistance and support is provided in the event of change.
Mr Bracks then went on to say:
“We haven’t had the details yet because, I understand, the workforce is being briefed by Ford today and the company will make an announcement,”
CarAdvice will keep you informed with the latest developments and any further news that comes to hand.
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David,
I am curious what year did you have a Falcon and/or a Holden ? Have you driven the latest variant with one of the slickest 6speed boxes ever in an Australian car let alone a car anywhere in the world ? A relic, please you really haven’t been in a Falcon lately. You are still in the 80’s. These days you can generally jump from Subaru to Holden to Ford to Volvo to Toyota to Mitsubishi etc and you couldn’t pick the difference in refinement. I have driven all sorts of these cars due to being able to rent cars whilst travelling around Australia, and apart from the different internal layouts you wouldn’t pick the difference riding along. Only that the Falcon blows the others away for standard performance.
I said in another forum that one day when we lose control of our destiny this globalisation will hurt us and then we will all be complaining about the increased prices of things we import because we lose all control once we do. No use complaining as it must be what we all want. NOT ME!.
Westy,
The last Ford ridden in & driven is the work LPG fuelled Sedan,a current model the other is the last Mitsubishi Magna 3.5 LPG fuelled again,as well as a current Ford Focus,nice except for the LHD controls,which is something no RHD market should have to tolerate.
No complaints about the engine performance of any but that is not where it ends.Falcon’s packaging is old,Focus feels a generation apart.
I suspect Falcon is a car designed around this old engine.Was the AU just another reskin of the last body shape & the one before that….?Ford & their followers would never admit to this of course.The rest of the world moved on from fitting light truck engine configurations to passenger cars which is what Ford Australia has been doing to cut development costs but has been caught out with in the longer term.Basic body design has too many 90’s Taurus elements,OK for Detroit but not here.Claustrophobic around the head for driver & passenger.6 speed gear boxes?I can live without them.These are mere bolt on enhancements.I guess you can’t compare what is a large cheap car with what is a smaller car made in much larger volumes.The Subaru was in the same price bracket as Falcon.But it fitted me & many others as a private owner which could be where Ford’s problem is.
Have yet to sample the new Commodore,it would need to be a major step forward.
Globalisation? Who is making the killing? Everyone has jobs,the Aussie $ is at an historic high but everything is costing more while wages are under downward pressure,something will give.
A high tech engine manufactured here should be possible? What is wrong?
I would hope that all is not lost.The engine could be shipped here in a kit ready for local assembly with some local electronic components & local adaptations for use with LPG.Are Ford Australia EXECS batting for the employees on this or are they looking after their bonuses.Time will tell.
Yes I can tell you are anti Ford. I get that. But to say there is more room in a Subaru is ridiculous. Deluded even. If you also need a car for towing loads the small cars won’t do the job. So you are buying as a niche buyer and yes I agree a smaller car will do you good service.
What do you mean by “….fitting light truck engine configurations to passenger cars which is what Ford Australia has been doing to cut development costs…” ?
Light truck ? The inline 6 motor has been in passenger cars for 50 years ? Obviously not a history buff when it comes to Ford and that’s no drama but a silly off the cuff remark.
Do you remember the ICC in the BA Falcon. It changed the game for the car interiors and certainly car makers around the world have now caught up but it revolutionised the car interior. This model is nearly 6 years old and so you would expect it to be dated. Comparing this model to newly released models is like comparing a new born baby to a 5 year old. There is a new release coming early 2008 so I would expect style improvements inside and out.
The 6 speed box is more than a ‘bolt on enhancement’ and unless you have driven a car that has it, then that’s another silly of the cuff remark. I have driven the old 4 speed Sequential, it was good, but I now own a Territory with the 6 speed box and they are light years apart. The best box of any locally built car and I would suspect one of the worlds best gearboxes. A good gearbox makes a world of difference to the way power is delivered and also the the way the economy can be utilised with premium gear selection for revs.
Yes the OZ $ is at historic highs but to think that will last is another regretful fallacy. Sure everything is bubbling along nicely ‘at the moment’. Jobs are great. Economy is strong. It won’t last. While in a boom the lastest bust is just around the corner and I can’t wait to hear all the bleating hearts when it does happen, and import costs go through the roof as will prices for cars. We will then see how GREAT a decision it is to import parts for our own locally made engines.
Globalisation means OZ$ heading overseas for services we can easily provide here. If more people supported local products then they would remain. That’s the core problem. We lose too many industries overseas therefore losing our ability to control our destiny. Sure it mightn’t affect us today but I can’t wait for the day when I can say I told you so! Problem is I too will be affected by the decision makers mistakes.
I maintain that this decision is the wrong one made by Ford Australia. The inline-6 is not a product of globalisation or “economies of scale” its a product of grass-roots automotive engineering, a product of spiritual familarity, a product of emotion-touching durability and smoothness, a product of the next best thing under v8 muscle. This philosophy that surely must of driven the i6’s continuity through all these years apparently is being driven by the same thing that delivered us the EA as early as they did, corporate foolishness. I would like to see the straight-6 return one day not under the guise of a money-obsessed American corporation but under the guise of a small-scale Australian manufacturer in direct-injected all-alloy form ready to return from the dead and take on the global heaps of ****. I think this deserves a rebellion and surely a place on Australian story.