Looks like I will have to keep the AU XR6 keep the kms down and use the datsun once it is up and running I might be sitting on a manual goldmine!

Oh if this does fail... I think I will support holden as the "v8 supercars" will be "V8 holdens" unless TRD/Toyota get into the sport running nascar like cars.

I am curious about the idea of a twin turbo AWD tariun.. but not enough to lose the falcon...

right now I think it's brand loyalty keeping the XR6 and up in business..... lose that in Australia and they will be just a pi$$ant little importer like Kia... and it will serve them right.

Correct me if i'm wrong but Ford is basically saying yes of course you can have a powerful rear wheel drive large car just as long as you want a V8 coupe which handles like a shopping trolley. Unless they're going to build both the mustang and a sedan varient based on their "global" RWD platform.

EDIT: I stand corrected, I looked on the mustang site and it comes with either a 4.6l V8 or a 4l V6. The V6 develops a whopping 157kw @ 5300rpm and puts out a staggering 325nm @ 3500. Sounds like a fine successor to the XR6T.

The V8 does 235kw @ 6000rpm and 441nm @ 4250.

So it's a rear wheel drive, coupe which handles like a shopping trolley and is has the same engine output as a 10 or 15 year old falcon.

I also looked at the fuel usage figures and this is what I got (correct me if im wrong).

V6 5spd auto- 14.7l/100km city, 9.8l/100km highway (a bit worse then current falcon 4.0)

V8 5spd auto- 13.8l/100km city, 10.2l/100km highway

I so want one!

Last edited by chewie_86 on Wed Jan 13, 2010 12:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

The 2010 taurus doesn't look that bad..and I understand there is an AWD version?

http://www.edmunds.com/ford/taurus/2010/review.html

Weren't they having issues with the ecoboost?

If they stop making the Falcon I will never buy a Ford again

[/quote]
have you ever worked in the industry? If you had you would know the 'cream' as you put it is in volume not in the sale of the luxury items, otherwise the fairlane may still be with us. The only real seller in the retail non fleet market is the non turbo xr6 and I dont know how much the factory makes but the dealership and sales person makes sweet fa out of these.[/quote]

no but i have taken an interest in watching these trends as reported in several magazines, but it doesnt take a rocket scientist to realise you can make a profit by selling fewer cars at a higher price. You musnt have noticed that Ford Australia turned a profit in the last quarter of 2009 (quote carsales.com.au).

Unfortunatly the Fairlane was left on the vine to rot, it is a Ford thing to do, leave it alone long enough until sales falter to a level unviable then use the low sales to kill it, a current Fairlane such as the G6E Turbo would sell rather nicely i believe, if it has actual marketing behind it.

There is a long waiting period for both Turbo versions as well as the Territory(i believe three months as Ford had to increase production to clear the backlog of orders). The Falcon and Territory are currently being built to order, with both Ford and Holden noteing that sales have changed from fleet to user choosers.

Yes the standard XR6 is a large part of the mix but it isint the sole part, the ancient BF3 wagon is still selling at 400 - 500 per month (quote AMC magazine), and it unfortunaly is being left to rot like the Fairlane, while Ford look to see if people will purchase the smaller Mondeo wagon in its place.
The wagon is apparently going to be phased out mid way through this year (quote carsales.com.au) thanks to no development meaning it wont pass emissions.


I think the next model update will decide its fate, updated V8s as well as a refresh of the base car, an updated LPG engine, and a current model wagon will all help, not to mention actually having some decent marketing.

The most important thing is to let Ford know what people want, if there is enough people out there waving their cash around, they will build what they want.