SS commodore off to the states

[Bossxr8]

Part of Fords goverment grant for the E8 was for making it LHD compatable, so its in the works. Being LHD will then open up markets in the Middle East etc. Ford realise that without export markets it will be very hard to keep going, and the only way to ensure a long term future in an export market.

[Jayden]

Originally Posted by au3 chaser

But if that national pride meant that Ford stopped building Falcons because there just weren't enough funds...

Yeah it would suck, I wasnt being serious. If that happened theres always the whole backlog of good falcons. Ill just have to upgrade down the line, there was never a falcon you couldnt make do with and turn into a beast, I want an old XT V8 anyway :togo:

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by MrSparkle

Well for starters, being a Pontiac, it will get a grille and front bar as ugly as a hatful of @rseholes. Apart from that I'd expect no significant changes - maybe a change to taillight design?

Well said... :

[coupdy do]

The "Super Slow's are heading to the good ol USA hey- hope they know how to drive em sick of being stuck behind morons with V8s that can't use em :

[Gobes32]

1. Selling the monaro in america was not a failure, it nearly paid for the monaros tooling / engineering costs. Holden would have lost millions otherwise.

2. Ford U.S have got their heads up their asses however it is the militant unions who will always stop us from having a crack at the enormous U.S market.

3. The next Falcon will be right / left hand drive, However it will be marketed to the middle east, asia and south african markets.

4. Ford OZ could not possibly keep up with American demand regardless.

5. The main reason for the same chassis in all cars these days is due to tooling / engineering costs. One chassis rail takes four dies at $200,000 each to stamp out. Now add up all the sheetmetal parts on the floor of your falcon.

[Iphido]

The key is to find a profitable niche market. In that regard the Monaro/GTO was a monster success. It was asperational, it was not heavily discounted. It proberly helped sales here.

Yes it had slow sales. But large volume wasn't the point. Either her or the US.

If ford Aus could find another 20,000 high profit car market, they would be rolling in cash and kudos.

[DTFRMONT]

Out if interest, a link to an international forum discussing the Commy. Some interesting comments from a couple of GTO(Monaro) owners.....

http://www.airliners.net/discussions....main/1490249/

[EXECJIM]

Originally Posted by FPV8U

Wonder if it will be as succesfull as the GTO :

Couldnt be worst than the Capri : :

[xafalcongs]

Originally Posted by Iphido

The key is to find a profitable niche market. In that regard the Monaro/GTO was a monster success. It was asperational, it was not heavily discounted. It proberly helped sales here.

Yes it had slow sales. But large volume wasn't the point. Either her or the US.

If ford Aus could find another 20,000 high profit car market, they would be rolling in cash and kudos.

I live in the US and the GTO was heavily discounted in many markets. In the South and MidWest States, you could buy a GTO with 0% financing and get up to $5K back from the dealer.....that's $5K off a US$35K-$40K price tag. One of the largest dealers near me had 2 sitting on his lot for almost a year.....he eventually sold them off to another dealer in another state. In many states in the US, dealers pay monthly or quarterly taxes on their inventory so they want to sell their cars. I've spoken to a guy at my new workplace and he only bought his because he could get the GM employee discount plus 0% financing. His total cost was a little over US$30K. I asked him if he would have bought the car at full price and he laughed. Said the car was nice but not that nice. He is now looking a a 2007 Mustang GT, full loaded it is around US$28K. The US/Canadian sales may have been a help to Holden but up here many car guys consider the new GTO a flop. 40,000 cars over 3 years is a flop in the 350 million US/Canadian market where the average household owns more than 2 cars. There is a differenet perspective here.

[xafalcongs]

Originally Posted by EXECJIM

Couldnt be worst than the Capri : :

Hahaha! Actually, Ford sold MORE Capris than Pontiac sold GTOs.

[Poetic Justice]

I think Alan Mulally has his head screwed on enough to ride 2007 out to find out what he needs to do. Already his actions have done well to show that he knows where Ford Global needs to head... and if it's to start sharing products between Ford US, Ford AU and Ford EU, then I'd say it will happen

[uranium_death]

Agreed. I reckon the Ford Falcon would have done well in the U.S.
I find all equivalent U.S Fords to the Falcon to be ugly as hell. They are still boxy and lack that sexy sleekness of the Aussie cars.

In the Drive section of the Herald Sun, some U.S. Falcon was featured that apparently gave hints on the Orion.I think it looked crap and if Australia dares to base anything on the U.S. tank, I'll pee on Ford Australia.

Nothing beats Aussie Muscle.

[Jayden]

I can understand right away why the Pontiac GTO would never have sold to its full potential. Because of its name, the original GTO was an American muscle legend, and suddenly its rebirth is as a foreign made rebadge. It probably should have been left as the Pontiac Monaro and the Monaro GTO. But we can only speculate to the effect this would have had if any.

Imagine for a sec if they brought in a Ford 500 and rebadged it as the new Falcon, I would be PIS SED!

[BadMac]

Originally Posted by Jayden

I can understand right away why the Pontiac GTO would never have sold to its full potential. Because of its name, the original GTO was an American muscle legend, and suddenly its rebirth is as a foreign made rebadge. It probably should have been left as the Pontiac Monaro and the Monaro GTO. But we can only speculate to the effect this would have had if any.

Imagine for a sec if they brought in a Ford 500 and rebadged it as the new Falcon, I would be PIS SED!

I think you are right. although its probably both, an american muscle car not made in America. And that the Monaro was alittle "soft" (read not baxy and angular) for American tastes.

I think you will see the reverse quite soon as the next Monaro (2008???) will be made in the US and sent to Aus. So an Australian Musle car made in the USA and rebadged, can't see that flying.

[Tiapan]

anyone got a pic of the hsv with the yank grill?