Ford ends production in Australia

[mello yello]

Braking News

 

Ford is expected to announce they will end production in Australia

 

announcement shortly

Edited May 22, 2013 by loopy

[mello yello]

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/ford-announcement-plant-shutdown-mooted-20130523-2k22c.html

 

 

Ford is this morning expected to announce the closure of its Broadmeadows production line.

An announcement is due at 9:15 am, and a press conference at 10:45 am.

Ford Australia brand communications manager Neil McDonald told Drive he could not comment.

"I'm not in a position to comment on that. We have a 10:45 am briefing in Melbourne."

 

AAP reports Ford is expected to announce a huge cut to its Australian operations from 2016.

Fairfax Radio is reporting that it will close its Broadmeadows and Geelong factories from 2016.

A source told Drive that staff in the Broadmeadows have been asked to assemble this morning. 

An insider told Drive they understand an update due in 2014 for the Falcon large sedan may not proceed.

A Drive reader writes that insiders have been informed that Ford Australia will close its doors in 2016.

The locally-produced Ford Falcon has been in sales freefall for the last decade.

Edited May 22, 2013 by loopy

[Dolphy]

Braking News

 

I see what you did there...

[proftournesol]

Sad, but it looked inevitable for a while now. Ford were building the wrong type of car at the wrong price point at the wrong time. It's what happens when you have a multi-national owned manufacturer where decisions are made off-shore.

[mello yello]

I see what you did there...

 

 

the situation is fluid at the moment dolphy,

 

details will be announced at a press conference at 1045am

 

certain to send a few shudders around the economy in general

Edited May 22, 2013 by loopy

[firefly0071]

Ford plants are in ALP Federal Seats. No loss to the incoming LNP Government.

[Keith Anderson]

Yeah talk about 20 years behind the times, Holden are the same, build big fuel guzzlers (and not that well mind you) while the import market is flooded with fuel efficient European cars with more features and better build quality. Another Aussie Icon about to die

[Guest]

Sad day for a lot of workers in Vic and SA - components industry will be hit hard

[Keith Anderson]

Yeah it's interesting they say about 1200 workers will lose jobs but that is Ford only, the spin off effect will close other businesses down and more jobs will be lost because of that also

[Full Range]

I may not be 100% right

But I believe that the falcon subframe was copied from an early mustang model ? Late sixties perhaps

Apart from some superficial changes its still the same

[mrdave]

I may not be 100% right

But I believe that the falcon subframe was copied from an early mustang model ? Late sixties perhaps

Apart from some superficial changes its still the same

Not even close.

The Australian Falcon predates the Mustang by about five years.

[Sir Triode]

The car industry here has been artificially propped up by the government for far too long and the writing has been on the wall since the mid 2000s when small car sales over took sales of large cars. Yet the car companies here didn't change their marketing and manufacturing focus to suit.  Instead they doggedly continued churning out large gas guzzlers to a diminishing market.

 

The Australian/NZ market is far too small to support so many car factories and we hardly have any export markets for the car we make either. We only have 20 million in population (Tokyo city has that many ppl alone)

 

I think it is a blessing in disguise for the average consumer, hopefully this will end the protection of the local car industry and result in cheaper imported cars.

Edited May 23, 2013 by triode12

[proftournesol]

The car industry here has been artificially propped up by the government for far too long and the writing has been on the wall since the mid 2000s when small car sales over took sales of large cars. Yet the car companies here didn't change their marketing and manufacturing focus to suit.  Instead they doggedly continued churning out large gas guzzlers to a diminishing market.

 

The Australian/NZ market is far too small to support so many car factories and we hardly have any export markets for the car we make either. We only have 20 million in population (Tokyo city has that many ppl alone)

 

I think it is a blessing in disguise for the average consumer, hopefully this will end the protection of the local car industry and result in cheaper imported cars.

The problem is that the decisions about what is to be manufactured here is made in Detroit or dearborn. Australia is just one part of a global conglomerate that isn't flexible enough to change the type of vehicle manufactured here

[colinm1]

i bought a valiant many years ago just to see ,the factory close

now I have a ford !!!

is somebody trying to tell me something?

Edited May 23, 2013 by colinm1

[Keith Anderson]

Yeah buy European, I mean look at the new Merc A class, cheaper than a Holden Commodore with better fuel efficiency, better features and a hell of a lot better made. Obviously not as big but the way I see Australians that buy cars, is it's either a 4x4 or is a economical small/mid sized car. Mitsubishi was the first to go, now Ford and Holden won't be far behind.

 

Wonder what will happen to the V8 Supercars after Ford closes

[Orpheus]

The problem is that the decisions about what is to be manufactured here is made in Detroit or dearborn. Australia is just one part of a global conglomerate that isn't flexible enough to change the type of vehicle manufactured here

 

Well, say they changed to making a smaller, more efficient car. First, there would be the major cost of designing a new car and setting up the factory to manufacture it. Second, they would be competing in an incredibly crowded market. If they can't compete on large car, fleet sales, they can't compete full-stop.

 

With the dollar as high as it is, and with practically no tariff protection, it is very difficult for a country with the small population of Australia to compete.

 

And Ford will never be a premium brand, so you can't do what small European companies like SAAB did (and weren't they successful in the end, anyway?). 

[Orpheus]

Holden are a chance to survive, with Ford out of the way as a competitor.

 

Toyota seem the best placed, long-term. Famous last words?

 

I think the government did a good thing, supporting the hybrid Camry. It's a good car.

[Juicester]

 It's a good car.

 

if you like the sensation of falling asleep at the wheel due to boredom.....

[Orpheus]

if you like the sensation of falling asleep at the wheel due to boredom.....

 

A Toyota Camry early generation hybrid is never going to be a "driver's car", Juicester.

 

The point is, it has a market, it is reliable, it is efficient, and it is a decent size.

[RockandorRoll]

Sad day really

 

I grew up with these brands and now the Holden vs Ford battle is over.

 

When you consider how fuel efficient the new Commodore is, how many features it has for the price and the functionality of it; the hesitance to buy is purely emotional.

 

The same story with Ford, they have a 4 cylinder model Falcon, they did what the market asked and yet the market refuses.

 

Its all brand perception, we all think we are to good to drive a fleet car/taxi. I wonder if our perception of the Merc A class will tarnsish once every hoon on the road has one. The class divide has been broken, and this is what the Falcodore drivers will get into. Soon no car brand will be exclusive enough for all the 'commoners' to buy. Then where will we be?

 

Smug aussies have ruined the lives of the average Joe. Its not about quality, its not about fuel efficiency, its about perception. The car is the biggest dick measuring tool we have. Apart from the HSV/FPV lineup (with the HSV already selling record numbers) The commodore just doesnt make your dick look big enough anymore

[kunalraiker]

if you like the sensation of falling asleep at the wheel due to boredom.....

Nice!

 

I personally would like to see a decent Australian car , but a large one like a Comodore or Falcon.

Don't like driving dingy matchboxes.

Love the heavy Robust Cars, its not always about the safety rating, the feel of the Car is important.

[betty boop]

its sad, I started my engineering career working at ford and years I worked there am sure were defining in my knowledge and experience. It was a great place to work especially the years I was there which was during jac nasser at the helm. probably the best years ! 

 

its a tough gig the car industry in australia right now. our high dollar making cheap to buy imports and very expensive unviable as a base for exports.

 

ford unfortnately also hasnt invested much at all in the falcon or years now because of the questions marks on its future. so the day had to come eventually.

 

no one should misinterpret the state of the overall car industry though. I know when I went to service my golf week before it got traded in the vw service centre guys told me how snowed under they were in the pre service for new cars and 1st services of cars bought in the last year. showed me the 40 cars in back log to head out to new owners. never seen sales like it. imported cars have never been cheaper and as affordable. supply cant keep up with demand. my a class merc is sold out till november and even then just for pre orders can buy one if wanted to get one now ! some makers can meet up to demand. it just shows how way off the mark ford is in its local manufacture of cars trying to sell here.

 

when the mazda 3 overtook the sales of the  falcon and commodore soem years ago that should have been the warning bell. sales of big huge cars is plummeting. car makers need to listen. holdens kit form assembly of cruze needs to be a manufacture here and take over to keep the current plants fully engaged otherwise they'll see the same fate in a few years time I suspect

 

with toyota only other maker, I've ben through the plant on a few times and have been told over and over they only sell their cars for what they can not what theyre worth. they loose on every car sold. the cars are the trojan horse that needs the parts and service they make their money in years to come once the car is out on the market place. given they import things like engines etc . not sure on their future too. perhaps if they keep their current thinking on what they do now as viable. otherwise they'll be gone too I suspect.

 

whats kind of ironic is suspect manfacture of fords might shift in some cases to countries like philipines and thailand which have massive tariffs on imports to protect their local industry.... 

[Sir Triode]

Well, say they changed to making a smaller, more efficient car. First, there would be the major cost of designing a new car and setting up the factory to manufacture it. Second, they would be competing in an incredibly crowded market. If they can't compete on large car, fleet sales, they can't compete full-stop.

 

With the dollar as high as it is, and with practically no tariff protection, it is very difficult for a country with the small population of Australia to compete.

 

And Ford will never be a premium brand, so you can't do what small European companies like SAAB did (and weren't they successful in the end, anyway?). 

 

They don't have to design a whole new car - they already have the Focus which they could assemble or make over here instead of importing them from Thailand. Perhaps in hindsight Ford should not have shut down the Laser factory in the early 90s.  Had they kept that going, they would still have a small car factory in Australia. IIRC, the Laser (Mazda 323 platform) sold quite well back them. 

Edited May 23, 2013 by triode12

[mello yello]

 what will this mean for Supercars and Bathurst I wonder

 

Holden vs Holden

 

Qld Holdens vs NSW Holdens ?

[firefly0071]

Carbon tax killed Ford.