Vfacts March 2011

[jpd80]

Sad fact is that Falcon is a great car and doesn't deserve the trashing it will
continue to get in the press, Ford really needs to act fast and do something
to shift all of those excess Falcons sitting out back of Broadmeadows.

[|||]

anyone know the sort of numbers the 380 was recording before it was put out of its misery?

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by Oldbugger

Local Production

Ford 3181 vs 4440 (2010) Falcon 1719

Holden 5218 vs 5507 (2010) Commodore 4170

That makes 8399. You gotta think with camry not being in the top ten, then aurion and camry sales are only going to come in at 2000 (or less) combined.

10399 local sales (plus drip in another 1000 cruzes) = 11399. Unless there were another 12000 exported (and I highly doubt it), then these first 3 months of the year are going to be the worst for the local manufacturers ever.

Doesnt matter if Toyota, Holden or Ford go first, once one goes, the rest will follow.

anyone know the sort of numbers the 380 was recording before it was put out of its misery?

For last few months of its life, Mitsy were making 50 a day for 4 days a week, thus around 800 per month. But that was with only 1000 employees.

[Geez Louise]

When would figures on the Holden Cruze likely be shown? I thought the sales of those would have had some impact.

[Brazen]

All I am saying is Ford doing that bad with Falcon? maybe there is not much Ford can do, maybe people just dont want big sedans.

Look at Aurion, Maxima and Accord - they are all effectively dead. heck the Magna/380 arnt even around anymore. These are all big cars from these manufacturers which used to be some of their biggest sellers.

Maybe we shouldnt be comparing Falcon to Commodore as much anymore due to Sportwagon bringing buyers to Commodore. I think without Sportwagon, Commodore would be in BIG trouble as well.

Commodore made the move to a more lifestyle bodystyle and look its the biggest selling car in the country when all large cars have been decimated. Falcon has to adapt as well, and Im not talking about LPG or a new ad campaign.

[Chopped]

Originally Posted by |||

anyone know the sort of numbers the 380 was recording before it was put out of its misery?

Year / Sales

2005 3,548
2006 12,423
2007 10,942
2008 3,272
2009 10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_380

[anto]

holy snappin' duck crap

Ive always been a believer things would come good, but those numbers are clearly point to one thing.

I really dont understand it, the FG is an awesome car and everyone whos driven one , or has one knows that. Al ot can, and has been said about the poor marketing of the car from day one but cmon..its almost as if there is some kind of stigma attached to the brand ? truly puzzling.

Sad days ahead.

[|||]

Originally Posted by Chopped

Year / Sales

2005 3,548
2006 12,423
2007 10,942
2008 3,272
2009 10

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_380

thank you. not looking great for the falcon if their break even point is anything like MMA's

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by |||

thank you. not looking great for the falcon if their break even point is anything like MMA's

Just guessing I would assume the MMAL would have a lower cost base, as it was effectively a rejig of the US galant, and the powertrain piggy-backed off the Pajero. Whereas Ford AU has to take on all the development costs of the Falcon and its drivetrain.

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by anto

holy snappin' duck crap

its almost as if there is some kind of stigma attached to the brand ?

Because there is! I know a lot of ex-Falcon owners that would never go back to one after repeated problems or dodgy dealerships...

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by anto

I really dont understand it, the FG is an awesome car and everyone whos driven one , or has one knows that. Al ot can, and has been said about the poor marketing of the car from day one .

Is it really a Ford marketing problem when Honda, Toyota, Nissan cant even sell a large sedan?

[Oldbugger]

Originally Posted by Geez Louise

When would figures on the Holden Cruze likely be shown? I thought the sales of those would have had some impact.

Cruze sales for March 2804 YTD 7446

[The G6ET Spot]

Originally Posted by Brazen

I am still stunned that Holden can be selling these many Commodores for a car which is effectively 5 years old. And it has no LPG in the wagon.

Commodore really should be selling as many as Falcon.

At least they have a wagon, which is more than can be said for Ford.

How many average joe's do you think actually know that the Mondeo comes in a wagon.

I know the bean counter's at my work never even looked at Ford for the new national fleet of over 400 cars as there was no Falcon wagon.

[Fordman1]

Fiesta second in class behind Mazda2

1,477 vs 1544

Won't be long before it is the best selling light car.

Mondeo also second best in class

772 vs Camry at 1,639.

The best thing is that it is outselling Mazda6, Liberty, and Accord !

Both these cars will increase market share over the next 12 months.


New Focus is coming too ...

Territory 881. SZ will do MUCH better.



Falcon is a REAL WORRY

[janddbone]

You can't compare other large cars such as Maxima, to Falcon and Commodore either. They have never had many sales. You have to look at the starting points and the history.

Territory is doing well all things considered!

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Is it really a Ford marketing problem when Honda, Toyota, Nissan cant even sell a large sedan?

i know some people don't agree, but there is an affiliation between the australian public and the holden commodore. commodore could re release the vb and it would still sell.

same applies to that silly hatch thing they call sportwagon. just because holden sell them doesn't mean it would work for another manufacturer.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by mr_br_johnstone

You can't compare other large cars such as Maxima, to Falcon and Commodore either. They have never had many sales. You have to look at the starting points and the history.

Territory is doing well all things considered!

I still think its appropriate to look at the 'other' large cars. Magna used to sell 60,000 a year at one point, then there was the 380 sedan - now its dead. The ugly Avalon used to sell 2 to three times the current Aurion. Maxima and Accord whilst always small used to sell a lot more than now. The Mondeo sedan was dropped due to low sales, Mazda 6 sedan is heading that way too.

I just think sedans over a certain size dont sell like they used to. Wagons, 5-door hatches, SUVs, CUVs, all offer something that buyers want nowadays.

I think we are placing way too much emphasis on hoping a new marketing campaign or a new engine which saves $1.23 a week in fuel will suddenly have Falcon sales going through the roof, when its the very bodystyle itself which is the problem.

[Oldbugger]

Originally Posted by Barraxr8

Fiesta second in class behind Mazda2

1,477 vs 1544

Won't be long before it is the best selling light car.

Mondeo also second best in class

772 vs Camry at 1,639.

The best thing is that it is outselling Mazda6, Liberty, and Accord !

Both these cars will increase market share over the next 12 months.


New Focus is coming too ...

Territory 881. SZ will do MUCH better.



Falcon is a REAL WORRY

Neither of these two models do anything for the folk who work on the B/M assembly line. With sales of Falcon off 30%+ and not looking like turning the corner the factory could be idle for more days to come

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Brazen

when its the very bodystyle itself which is the problem.

in your opinion.

[csv8]

FG2 needs to look very different to FG1. FG1 is too close to BF Mk2 in styling. FG2 needs a radical change in looks...

[Dr Smith]

The Falcon numbers are not good HOWEVER until all variants are on sale and time is allowed for numbers to settle only then can we celibrate or bring out the guns...If it's true that lpg is worth 25% and wagon used to be another 400 per month, plus what ever Xr8 brought in then sales would be around 2500-3000. Maybe there is no panic from Ford because they are exactly where they planned knowing all they were going to face. Add Ecoboost I4T.....it's a long and painful waiting game, the result is unknown however not all products are on the floor to have higher sales anyway.

One other thing to remember is that Ecoboost Falcon and TDi Terry will be globally engined for the first time in history (?) making any exports easier then ever before just on servicing/supply/spares for powertrains.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by csv8

FG2 needs to look very different to FG1. FG1 is too close to BF Mk2 in styling. FG2 needs a radical change in looks...

not this argument again. not to mention bf2 was intentionally styled to lead into fg.

i'm not saying that mr csv8 doesn't confuse the 2 models. i just can't see it. i've never looked at a g6e and though it looked like a fairmont ghia, or mistaken an fg xr6 for a bf2. the only model that vaguely resembles it is the xt, which is one of the lowest sellers these days.

i'd also guess that given ford's financial position, there won't be many sheetmetal changes to fg2. probably driveline and dash only. maybe some small changes to the plastic areas (bumpers). after all, you have to be a trainspotter to pick a ve2 from a ve. can't see ford being any different.

[au2000]

Originally Posted by Brazen

purcahse price, green car rating, crash rating, resale figures.... they all play their part. I think total cost of ownership is the primary, but its not necessarily directly related to purchase price- resale figures are just as important as the price paid.

maybe in other states, but in vic, that's not always the case, prius's get no where near a good resale rate from auctions for the state as by the time most have done the required 50,000 ks, they have eaten into half their battery life. we were quoted once a $7000 replacement bill for them however some gov depts will still buy them as toyota makes cars in vic, in vic a number of the state departments predominantly buy cars made in australia with a small percentage being imported vehicles....i've worked in the vehicle purchasing dept of a gov agency & it was commodores, magnas, camrys & falcons.... once the fuel figures came in for the magnas, they dropped them real quick & focused on falcons , commodores & camrys, since the "green ideal" for non emergency roles, the prius became the new car of choice so that it could be seen that the "state" was caring for the enviroment.....
things may have changed in the past 3 or so years but for those of us in vic, when was the last time you saw a police car that was not a commodore sedan, ute or a territory?

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Dr Smith

Maybe there is no panic from Ford because they are exactly where they planned knowing all they were going to face.

well said. every month the experts come out of the woodwork shouting gloom and doom, but i agree, ford would have known they would have to endure a bit of a bleak period.

[bobthebilda]

Its actually quite strange that you dont see some sort of resemblence in NZ figures (after all they are just another state of australia) as you do in the australian figures.

Pos Model Sales %
1 Suzuki Swift 351 7.2%
2 Hyundai i30 310 6.4%
3 Toyota Corolla 212 4.4%
4 Holden Commodore 191 3.9%
5 Toyota Yaris 159 3.3%
6 Mazda3 154 3.2%
7 Honda Jazz 119 2.5%
8 Ford Falcon 118 2.4%
9 Mazda6 114 2.4%
10 Holden Cruze 108 2.

[HULK EF]

Originally Posted by csv8

FG2 needs to look very different to FG1. FG1 is too close to BF Mk2 in styling. FG2 needs a radical change in looks...

No repeat AU though!...

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by HULK EF

No repeat AU though!...

They should wish for AU, it was selling 6000 a month.

[vztrt]

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2578690018E35F

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Last month, the Falcon – once Australia’s top-selling car – achieved just 1719 sales, placing its seventh on the best-seller list behind the Mitsubishi Triton ute.

This represents a plunge of 31.1 per cent on March last year, while YTD the big Ford is down an even more dramatic 39.3 per cent.

Falcon Ute sales last month slumped by 40.7 per cent, to 581 units. This year, Ute sales have slid 25.7 per cent.

The Ford Territory SUV, which is in run-out ahead of a major facelift, has held up slightly better, down 8.6 per cent in March to 881 units and down 6.8 per cent YTD.

Sales of the heavily discounted Ford Ranger 4x4 continued to roar ahead of the local launch of the all-new model later this year, up 86.8 per cent to 1175 units in March.

Likewise, the Fiesta (up 52 per cent), Focus (up 27.8 per cent) and Mondeo (up 69.7 per cent) all helped to make up the shortfall of the locally made products.
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March 2011 top ten makes:
Brand Sales Movement Share
Toyota 18,466 -9.1% 19.6%
Holden 10,816 -8.3% 11.5%
Ford 8698 +7.5% 9.3%
Mazda 8039 +7.9% 8.6%
Nissan 7789 +18.8% 8.3%
Hyundai 7126 -8.6% 7.6%
Mitsubishi 5626 +1.8% 6.0%
Subaru 3901 +6.0% 4.2%
Volkswagen 3223 +6.4% 3.4%
Honda 2634 -36.6% 2.8%

[uranium_death]

Originally Posted by The G6ET Spot

At least they have a wagon, which is more than can be said for Ford.

How many average joe's do you think actually know that the Mondeo comes in a wagon.

I know the bean counter's at my work never even looked at Ford for the new national fleet of over 400 cars as there was no Falcon wagon.

And if they had a wagon, they would never get the money back, which makes a bad investment.

Why should Ford do something just because Holden does it?

Do keep in mind that Holden has reported losses for the past five years. Should Ford Australia do that as well?

If Ford did actually have a wagon, it would probably be a sportswagon - completely unattractive to true fleets due do its lack of bootspace.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by uranium_death

And if they had a wagon, they would never get the money back, which makes a bad investment.

Why should Ford do something just because Holden does it?

Do keep in mind that Holden has reported losses for the past five years. Should Ford Australia do that as well?

If Ford did actually have a wagon, it would probably be a sportswagon - completely unattractive to true fleets due do its lack of bootspace.

spot on.