Ford strike back with police cars

[Ghiadude]

Official press release

ALL-NEW FORD POLICE INTERCEPTOR PURPOSE-BUILT TO LEAD MARKET, SUPPORT THOSE WHO SERVE, PROTECT

* Ford reveals its all-new, purpose-built Police Interceptor, engineered to exceed durability, safety and performance of today's leading police car – the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor
* New Ford Police Interceptor sedan will offer two fuel-efficient powertrain options – including EcoBoost with all wheel-drive – along with an array of safety technologies; interior has been designed to meet unique law enforcement needs
* Ford's new Police Interceptor will be offered without interruption when production of the Ford Crown Victoria ends in late 2011
* Ford confirms production of an additional Police Interceptor, a utility vehicle that will be pursuit-rated to complement the sedan; vehicle to be revealed later this year

Las Vegas, March 12, 2010 – Ford reveals its all-new, purpose-built Police Interceptor sedan today, showcasing a car for law enforcement officials that will exceed the durability, safety, performance and fuel economy of the industry's leading police car – the Ford Crown Victoria – while also confirming production of a Police Interceptor utility vehicle.

Ford, the police vehicle market leader for 15 years, specifically designed and engineered an all-new Police Interceptor to handle the rigors of police work, including industry-leading powertrain, safety and technology innovations.

Ford will also add a second Police Interceptor to the lineup, a utility vehicle to provide customers a choice of the best vehicle to suit their needs. More details will be released in the third quarter of this year.

"Police nationwide asked for a new kind of weapon in the battle for public safety, and Ford is answering the call with a purpose-built vehicle – engineered and built in America – that's as dynamic as it is durable," said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas.

To develop the all-new Police Interceptor, Ford engineers worked hand-in-hand with Ford's Police Advisory Board of law enforcement professionals, which provided input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver comfort and functionality.

"Their feedback mattered to us," said Scott Tobin, Ford vehicle line director for cars and crossovers. "Safety and durability were at the top of their list. So safety and durability were at the top of ours."

A focus on safety
Continuing Ford's safety leadership includes engineering the Police Interceptor to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing. Currently, the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is the only pursuit sedan to meet this test.

The new Police Interceptor also features Ford's exclusive Safety Canopy® side-curtain air bag rollover protection system to help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollover and side-impact crashes. The multiple side-curtain air bags use Ford's unique Roll Fold technology to help them slip between the occupant and the side window.

Increased power, enhanced sophistication
Ford's Police Interceptor engine strategy will provide a V-6 lineup that performs equal to or better than V-8 engines. The lineup comes with two powertrain options, allowing police to choose the powerhouse that best meets their patrol requirements.

A highly efficient 3.5-liter V-6 engine delivering at least 263 horsepower and E85 compatibility is 25 percent more efficient than the 4.6-liter Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) V-8 offered in the current Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.

Plus, an all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ V-6 twin-turbocharged, direct-injection engine will deliver at least 365 horsepower and 350 ft.-lb. of torque across a broad rpm range.

"We have an extremely powerful standard engine, and to top that off, we also offer our exclusive EcoBoost technology," said Tobin. "Both are designed for the severe-duty cycle that police engage in on a daily basis."

EcoBoost brings municipalities and police fleet administrators the first ultra high-performance, yet environmentally friendly, police pursuit vehicle. Offering performance that bests normally aspirated V-8 powered police cruisers and comparable fuel economy and CO2 emissions to the standard V-6, EcoBoost represents a triple-win for police departments, the tax-paying constituents they serve and the environment they help collectively to preserve.

A high-capacity six-speed SelectShift Automatic™ transmission delivers the power of EcoBoost to the road via the sophisticated torque-sensing all-wheel-drive system.

"Ford remains committed to leading the police vehicle market, and our new Police Interceptor demonstrates how much engineering and innovation we're willing to invest to address the unique needs of those who protect and serve communities throughout America," Fields said.

Rigidly tested, police-tuned
Throughout its development, Ford's new Police Interceptor has been put through the paces, undergoing a battery of torture tests to ensure its individual components can hold up to the rigorous driving styles of police professionals.

Certification testing designed by the Michigan State Police and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department evaluates the durability and capability of the vehicle through a variety of tests where the car's systems are pushed to the limits for nearly an hour and a half – far exceeding the demands most patrol cars ever experience.

To meet the rigors of the durability testing, the brakes have been increased in size and performance. The cooling package is purpose-built as well, featuring a heavy-duty alternator and larger radiator. Its honeycomb grille is designed to work in harmony with the interior components, offering more air flow throughout the vehicle. Plus, the standard 18-inch steel wheels are vented, designed to work in concert with the enhanced brake system.

"This vehicle is pursuit-ready," said Carl Widmann, vehicle engineering manager. "It's no nonsense, through and through."

Functional, inside and out
Special features continue inside, too. "Working with our police partners, we've considered every detail," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service. "Approximately 90 percent of the interior has been redesigned to meet the needs of our special police customers."

Front seats have been specially designed, with a lower bolster removed to better accommodate officers' utility belts. Inserted into the seatback are anti-stab plates, designed to protect front-seat occupants.

The Police Interceptor second row also has been optimized to address police-specific needs.
The vinyl seats are specially sculpted and set back to improve second-row space and maximize legroom. The back door hinges are modified to open up another 10 degrees versus traditional rear doors.

The Ford Police Interceptor also is equipped with a column shift specifically designed so the console area is free for the ever-increasing amounts of aftermarket police equipment necessary for officers to do their jobs.

The new vehicle also features:

* BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System): The system uses two radar sensors located in the rear quarter panels to detect vehicles in the surrounding lanes. If a vehicle enters the driver's blind-spot zones, the system alerts the driver with a warning light in the side-view mirror.
* Cross Traffic Alert: This system uses the existing BLIS radar modules to sense oncoming traffic when slowly backing out of a parking spot. This industry-exclusive system functions only while the vehicle is in reverse and warns when cross-traffic appears within three car-widths.
* Rear View Camera System: When the vehicle is in rear camera mode, a color image with guidance markers on the rear view mirror will assist the driver in backing up.
* Reverse Sensing System: An audible tone will alert the driver to certain objects up to 6 feet behind the vehicle.
* Standard AdvanceTrac® ESC (electronic stability control): This helps maintain the intended path by measuring side-to-side yaw, or skidding, by the vehicle's speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When wheel slip is sensed, AdvanceTrac reduces engine torque and applies selected brakes.
* Ford SYNC®: The Ford-exclusive, hands-free information system has the potential to be customized and remapped to work specifically with police aftermarket equipment such as lights and sirens, allowing officers to focus on the task at hand.

Ford's new Police Interceptor sedan will be manufactured at Ford's Chicago (Ill.) Assembly Plant and will be offered without interruption when production of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ends in late 2011.

[Chilliman]

Well there goes my prediction of using the 3.7Litre V6 - at least it seems they've put some real effort into strengthening the car.

Now what does it all mean for GRWD and Falcon post 2015?

[Ghiadude]

Originally Posted by Chilliman

Well there goes my prediction of using the 3.7Litre V6 - at least it seems they've put some real effort into strengthening the car.

Now what does it all mean for GRWD and Falcon post 2015?

I was and still am of the opinion that the falcon and taurus will meet and become the new falcon here, taurus there. eb4,v6,v6tt and v8 options in a range of RWD AWD products including territory, mustang, ute and coupe and tbird. Whether or not itll be developed here, there or both ??

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Having watched the full video I'm not sure of that. The huge array of standard features available and allowance for aftermarket equipment installations is amazing.

Plus just a thought to those that think this might degrade the buyers of the luxury versions, do you think Holden SS buyers feel cheated when they see local interceptors on the road? In fact a remember a past Holden Marketing chief saying a Holden police car was a far more positive image leader then a taxi.

PS. I know I'd love the 8" kerb durability test on our G6ET so that I don't fret when my wife heads off to work, lol.

Don't our Fords and Holden cars have the bogan perception in Australia for this very reason? that they are used as common Taxi's or police cars can go along way to why some buyers don't purchase Australian made cars, they go for the euro brands to escape the bogan image. Road Warrior is right Ford has now made on of it's top line cars look like a bottom feeder.

[Chilliman]

Originally Posted by Ghiadude

I was and still am of the opinion that the falcon and taurus will meet and become the new falcon here, taurus there. eb4,v6,v6tt and v8 options in a range of RWD AWD products including territory, mustang, ute and coupe and tbird. Whether or not itll be developed here, there or both ??

If Falcon and Taurus are to merge it would be on the upcoming CD4 platform that will be the basis for Mondeo, Fusion and Taurus (Taurus will be on a stretched CD4). That would mean EB4, V6, V6TT, FWD or AWD but no V8 and no ute.

I'm really hoping that GRWD is not dead.

EDIT: Just going through my info - I'm now starting to believe that Falcon and Mustang will definately merge on a mid-size RWD platform meaning a smaller Falcon (there'll be a Licoln model as well) while any large car will be Taurus based (Stretch CD4) and FWD/AWD.

It just so happens that GM and Holden are planning the same things with Commodore and Camaro moving to the mid-size Alpha RWD platform and large cars like Caprice going FWD/AWD on the Super Epsilon platform.

[BigAL_250]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Having watched the full video I'm not sure of that. The huge array of standard features available and allowance for aftermarket equipment installations is amazing.

Do you have a link to this video?

[Ghiadude]

Originally Posted by Chilliman

If Falcon and Taurus are to merge it would be on the upcoming CD4 platform that will be the basis for Mondeo, Fusion and Taurus (Taurus will be on a stretched CD4). That would mean EB4, V6, V6TT, FWD or AWD but no V8 and no ute.

I'm really hoping that GRWD is not dead.

EDIT: Just going through my info - I'm now starting to believe that Falcon and Mustang will definately merge on a mid-size RWD platform meaning a smaller Falcon (there'll be a Licoln model as well) while any large car will be Taurus based (Stretch CD4) and FWD/AWD.

It just so happens that GM and Holden are planning the same things with Commodore and Camaro moving to the mid-size Alpha RWD platform and large cars like Caprice going FWD/AWD on the Super Epsilon platform.

re the falcon - i hope your right
re the crumpledoor - Alpha doesnt exist yet ?? and GM doesnt have a lot of money to splash around. i think this is why the sigma and epsillon platforms are being spokenn about in most media circles

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Chilliman

If Falcon and Taurus are to merge it would be on the
It just so happens that GM and Holden are planning the same things with Commodore and Camaro moving to the mid-size Alpha RWD platform and large cars like Caprice going FWD/AWD on the Super Epsilon platform.

The cost savings using a common platform happen at the supplier level, not on
the manufacturing floor. By using common power trains, electrical systems and
suspension components, almost the same amount of savings can be achieved
even though bodies are different, Falcon can survive by being integrated this way.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Having watched the full video I'm not sure of that. The huge array of standard features available and allowance for aftermarket equipment installations is amazing.

Plus just a thought to those that think this might degrade the buyers of the luxury versions, do you think Holden SS buyers feel cheated when they see local interceptors on the road? In fact a remember a past Holden Marketing chief saying a Holden police car was a far more positive image leader then a taxi.

PS. I know I'd love the 8" kerb durability test on our G6ET so that I don't fret when my wife heads off to work, lol.

What luxury versions of the Caprice are going to be available in the US? None.

The Caprice has 2 very impressive standard features that state HWP agencies will got for over the Toreass - V8 and rear wheel drive. Electronic knick-knacks are way down on the list of deal breakers for a cop fleet buyer. Most of it they will put in themselves anyway.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

What luxury versions of the Caprice are going to be available in the US? None.

The Caprice has 2 very impressive standard features that state HWP agencies will got for over the Toreass - V8 and rear wheel drive. Electronic knick-knacks are way down on the list of deal breakers for a cop fleet buyer. Most of it they will put in themselves anyway.

AWD and FWD Taurus kicks the Caprice's RWD *** in less than perfect weather conditions,
a huge factor in the States in Winter time.

Police accessories are high on the list with buyers,
I have a friend at Ford NA who has two Police departments as his clients.

[Brazen]

I think the Caprice will be a much more impressive police car due to its looooong body, rear wheel drive and V8. The column shifter in the Taurus is very smart, frees up a lot of space for equipment, although the Caprices touchscreen with all of the important features readily accessible will help free up space.

Also the fuel consumption on the Taurus will be pretty ordinary I bet.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by jpd80

AWD and FWD Taurus kicks the Caprice's RWD *** in less than perfect weather conditions,
a huge factor in the States in Winter time.

If that was the case then US PD's would have already been falling over themselves to get FWD cars. But the CVPI is still king, albeit for several reasons, but its still the king and still RWD.

[Sloth]

Video of reveal:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/v...e-interceptor/

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

If that was the case then US PD's would have already been falling over themselves to get FWD cars. But the CVPI is still king, albeit for several reasons, but its still the king and still RWD.

It's not king, the sales are dying every year as more sales go to Chrysler and GM.
Crown Victoria is down to Falcon type monthly sales and Ford is prepared to kill it,
the Grand Marquis and Town car, that should tell you something...

People keep comparing the Impala to the Taurus and saying it's a terrible car for PDs.
What is not apparent is that the Taurus and Impala are worlds apart on internal space, safety and performance.
Until now, there hasn't been a good enough FWD/AWD car available for police duty, time will tell whether police take up the new Fords or go with an imported Holden and its foreign electronics equipment....

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Also the fuel consumption on the Taurus will be pretty ordinary I bet.

You'd bet wrong.
Car for car the average fuel consumption of the 3.5 PI is much better than the CV PI.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by jpd80

It's not king, the sales are dying every year as more sales go to Chrysler and GM.
Crown Victoria is down to Falcon type monthly sales and Ford is prepared to kill it,
the Grand Marquis and Town car, that should tell you something...

Well...I'm not surprised seeing as the car has been allowed to wither on the vine for the past 10 years with little to no investment or tangible improvement. Oh wait...those symptoms sound just like what is afflicting another Ford that is made locally...hrrm..

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Well...I'm not surprised seeing as the car has been allowed to wither on the vine for the past 10 years with little to no investment or tangible improvement. Oh wait...those symptoms sound just like what is afflicting another Ford that is made locally...hrrm..

That's rubbish because in the past 10 years no less than $1.4 billion has been spent on the Falcon.

And as for the crown Victoria, most government fleet and police sales were more interested in the additional police equipment developed by Ford and its suppliers to make the cars ready for department use.

That Ford let the panther drift for the past 4 years or so is indicative of the lack of funding and priority given to other projects, Ford Australia for one, getting $700 million funding approval up front for the FG Falcon in 2006.
In that respect, we should be grateful that Ford saw fit to divert funds to the Falcon and not the panther...

Even the tired looking Grand marquis at US$29,000 managed to out sell the Pontiac G8,
it just shows that the US market is completely different to the way we Aussie view the world...

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by jpd80

That's rubbish because in the past 10 years no less than $1.4 billion has been spent on the Falcon.

And as for the crown Victoria, most government fleet and police sales were more interested in the additional police equipment developed by Ford and its suppliers to make the cars ready for department use.

That Ford let the panther drift for the past 4 years or so is indicative of the lack of funding and priority given to other projects, Ford Australia for one, getting $700 million funding approval up front for the FG Falcon in 2006.
In that respect, we should be grateful that Ford saw fit to divert funds to the Falcon and not the panther...

Even the tired looking Grand marquis at US$29,000 managed to out sell the Pontiac G8,
it just shows that the US market is completely different to the way we Aussie view the world...

I was referring to the Territory. I should have been clearer.

[Ghiadude]

I thought the Territory was the victim of Tom Gorman and his inability to see the value in it?

[Wretched]

From what I have read it seems to be a decent bit of kit.

The Ford Crown Victoria has been the chariot of choice (well necessity really) for police officers and cabbies all over America since the demise of its numero uno competitor, the Chevrolet Caprice, back in the mid-'90s. The Crown Vic and its ancestors have been around with a minimum of mechanical changes since roughly the same time as the Model T, or at least it seems that way. However, in recent years the Crown Vic has been increasingly challenged by the Dodge Charger and Chevrolet Impala. Even more troubling for Ford is the impending arrival of a new rear-wheel-drive drive police car from Chevrolet based on the departed Pontiac G8.

At a private fleet sales event in Las Vegas today, Ford finally took the wraps off a new generation Police Interceptor model based on the 2010 Taurus. The new car has big shoes to fill as the Crown Vic has accounted for 70 percent of all police vehicle sales over the past five years.

This isn't the first time the Taurus has been offered in law enforcement guise. Back in the late '80s and early '90s, a special service package was available and featured prominently as the preferred ride in RoboCop. But aside from that celluloid appearance, those Tauruses didn't really have a full interceptor configuration. First-generation cop Tauruses got beefier brakes and cooling systems, but the powertrain was not up to the task of high-speed highway pursuits.

With the Taurus now assuming the mantle of top cop at Ford, things are a bit different this time around. There were some big hurdles to overcome since police agencies generally shy away from unibody designs like the Taurus over durability concerns. Ford president Mark Fields emphasized that the engineering teams worked closely with police agencies to build a car that met their needs. As such, the unibody structure of the Police Interceptor has been upgraded to meet twice the body durability requirements of the Crown Vic model, which should help alleviate some of the concerns of police agencies.

Safety is job 1 for police cars and Ford has developed the new Police Interceptor to withstand a 75-mile-per-hour rear collision. Fields claimed the car is the first in the industry to meet this standard. The Police Interceptor also retains all of the standard electronic stability and roll stability control systems featured in the Taurus. The systems, however, have been re-calibrated to meet the needs of police use.

As Jake and Elwood said, a cop car needs a cop motor, cop brakes and cop suspension. As we speculated earlier today, the Police Interceptor will get two powertrain options. The base model gets the 3.5-liter V6 found in other Tauruses with over 263 horsepower and 250+ lb-ft of torque. This naturally aspirated 3.5-liter engine is flex-fuel capable and gets 25-percent better fuel efficiency than the 4.6-liter V8 in the Crown Vic. The base models are available with either front- or all-wheel-drive. The top end pursuit version of the new Police Interceptor gets the full SHO powertrain including its 365-hp twin-turbo EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 and all-wheel-drive as standard.

The Police Interceptor's brakes also have 60 percent more swept area than a standard Taurus and 20 percent more thermal mass to help resist fade. While police officers have generally favored rear-wheel-drive cars for their handling characteristics, Ford officials claim the newly calibrated stability control has been tuned to meet their needs.

Inside Ford has optimized the standard Taurus interior for Police Interceptor duty with new seats claimed to offer better comfort while easing egress with smaller lateral bolsters. They even have cut-outs for police-issue utility belts. The transmission shifter has also been moved from the console to the steering column to make room for all the gear that today's officers require be mounted in the center. Ford has even maintained the same nine-inch width between the seats to allow existing equipment to be mounted from older Crown Vic Interceptors. The switches on the steering wheel can also be re-mapped to control extra aftermarket equipment like lights, sirens and spot-lights.

The Police Interceptor's back seat has a new roomier bench to make getting prisoners in and out easier. The rear door panels have also been slimmed down to make entry/exit easier and they swing out an extra-wide 71 degrees,10 degrees more than a regular Taurus.

The Taurus is not the only new Police Interceptor coming from Ford this year. Fields promised a second un-named vehicle, though did say it would share most parts with the Taurus and be available in a utility version. That indicates it will be either the Flex or the new Explorer, both of which are based on the same platform as the Taurus.

Ford hasn't announced pricing for the new Police Interceptor yet, though did promise it will be price competitive with the outgoing Crown Vic and other vehicles in the segment. Service costs are another issue. Police agencies like the Crown Vic because they can easily swap out banged up body panels. Ford has worked closely with police agencies to keep service costs down on these new models as well. It will also work with agencies to help them upgrade their service facilities to straighten damaged unibodies, a process that is very different from straightening a body-on-frame vehicle.

The new Police Interceptor launches in late 2011, so don't worry about seeing a Taurus glowing blue and red in your rearview mirror just yet.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/p...ford-unveiled/

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

I was referring to the Territory. I should have been clearer.

Territory is a disappointment but we had $400 million spent on it at the start in 2000,
another $150 million for mid cycle up grade including ZF transmission and now close to
another $500 million for next Generation with diesel in 2011. That's close to $1 billion
inside 10 years when Ford could have made us keep going with original Explorer and then
make us take the new D3 unitary instead of blowing another $500 million.
But they didn't.............

When we critisize "One Ford' we should be careful to note that everywhere
else has been made accommodate this company line except Ford Australia....
The chiefs in Dearborn are accommodating our tiny market at the expense of others...

[Ghiadude]

Originally Posted by jpd80

When we critisize "One Ford' we should be careful to note that everywhere
else has been made accommodate this company line except Ford Australia....
The chiefs in Dearborn are accommodating our tiny market at the expense of others...

The question is why are they doing that? and also how long can we depend on them to do that... as soon as they stop we lose one of the most iconic brands in australian automotive history...

[Falcon Coupe]

I'd assume they are doing that as we make a world class product.

[banarcus]

Because we speak English??

Those seats in the interceptor are a darn side better than the Falcon or Commodore seats. They look far more accomodating for wearers of utility belts.

[Stoney!]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

HOw can anyone here hope that the US police choosea n american designed and built ford over a locally designed and built GM-H? I know its all about forc v holden and tribalism, but we talking about jobs for aussie families and export dollars if they use the statesman based car.

So unless its actually based on the falcon and built here go holden and good ont ehm for spotting aniche market, and designing thecommy to meet US design regs, that was a big SNAFU by ford.

+1 Well said

Stoney!

[Ghiadude]

Originally Posted by Falcon Coupe

I'd assume they are doing that as we make a world class product.

If they believed that, then surely they would have adopted the falcon/territory in export markets to amortise the costs over a larger market by now.

Originally Posted by banarcus

Because we speak English??

although that is funny - im not trying to be. Think about it. A US company is throwing billions of dollars at FoA and we havent been profitable for a very very long time. Why havent they cut the falcon loose?

[vztrt]

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/v...e-interceptor/

Video: Watch the live reveal of the 2012 Ford Police Interceptor

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) on Mar 12th 2010 at 7:29PM

Earlier today, Ford unveiled its next generation Police Interceptor (they'd rather you not call it a Taurus) at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway before a group of police agency fleet buyers. The event was webcast live, but you can now watch a replay as Ford president Mark Fields and vehicle line director Scott Tobin explain the process of developing the new cruiser and how it differs from a civilian Taurus.

The Dodge Charger has been stomping all over the Crown Vic and Impala in recent years during the annual Michigan State Police vehicle test, but that process could end this year when the new Taurus Police Interceptor hits the track. The 365-horsepower Ecoboost-powered Interceptor should be right up there with the Dodge and may well provide better fuel economy to boot.

Ford isn't talking price yet for the new cop cars, but it aims to make it competitive with the rest of the class, and a claimed 25-percent boost in fuel economy compared to Crown Vic should help ease the pain of transitioning.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Ghiadude

The question is why are they doing that? and also how long can we depend on them to do that... as soon as they stop we lose one of the most iconic brands in australian automotive history...

Thye are doing it not out of the goodness of their heart, it's because Ford Australia can demonstrate
that the business plan for Falcon and Territory has changed immensely since mid and upper series cars
now account for practically all builds. The bargain basement XT is now only built on request where it
was considered to be roughly 60% of sales in the original business plan - some change hey..

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

HOw can anyone here hope that the US police choosea n american designed and built ford over a locally designed and built GM-H? I know its all about forc v holden and tribalism, but we talking about jobs for aussie families and export dollars if they use the statesman based car.

So unless its actually based on the falcon and built here go holden and good ont ehm for spotting aniche market, and designing thecommy to meet US design regs, that was a big SNAFU by ford.

so aside from the US dollar and Aussie being at almost parity, there's actually a viable business plan?
Let's hope for the sakes of Adelaide workers that GM isn't just over there kite flying a car that
they know will be canceled before it launches.

I'm sorry but GM doesn't get a free pass, they've totally screwed Holden over for years with Zeta
canceling car after car after promising Holden they'd get exports.

I believe in Holden but don't trust GM, they switch camps too quickly...

[Ghiadude]

I don't think a large corpration can have "heart" especially when they are still in massive debt.
As for the GM model I don't think for one second it will be built here as the US government has a vested interest in GM. They want to see jobs being created and debts repaid