Before we get all emotional about why Falcon failed to get traction outside the Australian market we need to be reminded of the major contributor to the end of this iconic model.
Monday, May 27, 2013
The Real Cost of Falcon's Demise!
Before we get all emotional about why Falcon failed to get traction outside the Australian market we need to be reminded of the major contributor to the end of this iconic model.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Hate To Say: "I Told You So, But."
On April 14, 2011 Driving and Life made a bold prediction, that the current Falcon would be the last one
designed, engineered and built in Australia - and today's news
confirms the accuracy of the Blog post.
Past chairmen and management teams of Ford Australia
deserve damnation for failing to conceive a post-Falcon business plan.
Successive Federal Governments deserve their fair share of shame too, for
failing to recognize and acknowledge the obvious outcomes. It is shameful that
thousands of loyal, and skilled workers will now lose their jobs, as a result of such
careless business management, and political expediency.
It was inevitable that Ford Australia’s manufacturing operations
would be shut down, once Falcon lost its lustre in the market.
Celebrations 1960 - What a sad end! (Photo - WHEELS) |
This great car,
and an Australian icon, was doomed over ten years ago, and would never survive the
growth of smaller, more fuel-efficient cars - and their complete apotheosis,
the SUV!
A recent drive experience in a Falcon XR 6 in Perth merely confirmed what a great car the current
Falcon is. Conceived by the same team which brought us the Figo, the Ranger and
the Territory - the Falcon drives well, is comfortable, quiet and a
good-looker. I enjoyed every kilometre behind the wheel - and it returned about
9.8 l/100km over 500km!
Indigenous Falcon, at Perth's Aboriginal Art Gallery with gumtrees |
Ford Australia
says that its local design and engineering centre will survive, to create more
great cars for Ford to sell around the world, and that is definitive
acknowledgment of the skills, experience and talent that resides here.
Why have we arrived at this point? Surprisingly it’s all because of
the cadre of Falcon supporters inside Ford Australia who prolonged the agony.
The people who created this great icon, are most probably the people who
brought about this s-l-o-w death. They simply didn’t want to see their ‘baby’
die. After all, it has ‘energized’ the Company for more than 50 years!
The same thing happened at Mitsubishi Australia when it ended
manufacturing. For more than 10 years prior, the Magna-380 team fought to keep
manufacturing going. A confidential source revealed that members of the product team
even hid the results of damaging research from senior Mitsubishi executives, to
delay a decision to end car making!
So, this means that the planning for a post-Falcon future was
entirely the responsibility of the management team - and what a weak bunch
they have all been. Vision, Leadership and Guidance have been completely
missing, and has now seen Falcon heading for the graveyard - without a viable
plan which could have kept more of the workers employed, and ensured Ford Australia could
line up a profitable range of imported models.
It staggers me to think that Ford Australia thought that Falcon was
its only option. Ford Australia could have developed the platform-sharing
venture with Mazda, and ended up with a car based on the Mazda 6 (like the
Ford Fusion in the USA); or, given how talented the Ford Australia
design and engineering teams are, they could have begun development of a
modular platform structure similar to that now being exploited by Volkswagen
Group.
Sketches - Victor Uribe Chacon |
But all this needed to be 'in the works' 10-15 years ago, or even
longer - as most car platforms are planned around an eight year lifespan.
At some point why didn’t someone have the guts to speak up and say: “What happens if
we don’t have Falcon?”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)