So your the CEO: what would you change with Falcon?

[Brazen]

Lets do something fun, lets pretend you have been given the job of CEO of Ford Australia, what would you do to improve Falcon sales, and all you could do was make (relatively) inexpensive changes to the lineup, including changes to variants, options, trim levels, etc. So ignoring things like marketing and dealers.

Would you make LPG availale on everything, Get rid of XT to focus the range, bring in a model below XT etc?? Its all harmless fun, but I guess there is a serious aspect to it in the current climate...What I would do:

*Align RRP closer to actual transaction prices so your not giving prospective buyers sticker shock.

*Give base Falcon ute an extra inch of ground clearance so it no longer looks like a toy ute

*Make the 3 seater, column auto an option on the entire XR ute range to steal sales from dual cabs and to give it a point of difference from the SS utes

*Replace the G6 name with Fairmont and GGE name with Fairmont Ghia, broaden Falcons appeal so that the XR goes for the younger crowd and the Fairmont range goes for the older crowd.

*Bring back the RTV ute, this time with Downhill Descent Assist (stolen from the Territory, a simple ABS program in the ECU).

*Bring back the XR8

*Introduce the G8E (crazily in 2011 with petrol prices and the environment etc, I feel the V8 is more important long-term for the Falcon than most other things, I feel the Falcon's greatest hope is to align itself closer to the premium/sports sedan segment rather than the churn and burn fleet market)


So what are your suggestions? Not to be a dig at what Ford is doing wrong but more about positive suggestions from enthusiasts.

[TheInterceptor]

Bring back Fairmont nameplate, also Ghia.

Bring back RTV

Bring back 3 seater column shift

Bring out more exciting colours

Bring back the country pack

At the very least as an option.

I think thats all..basically what Brazen said.

[In Focus]

Really push the upcoming turbo 4's - "Get six cylinder power with four cylinder economy".

If it can outrun the Commodore small 6, play that up to the max. The market has proved it is willing to go smaller to save fuel/money. If you can convince people that they don't have to sacrifice size/power to get better fuel economy, then a lot of them will come onboard.

[Iggypoppin']

Bring back RTV

keep the G6 and G6E nameplates but drop XT.

Broaden the colour palet

G8E-S with the GS motor, and G8E with NA 307 coyote.

Incorporate RTV with Terri AWD driveline(although I know this is probably impossible) but if you had a diesel powered AWD dual locked RTV falcon bodied ute, it'd be an awesome trady/off road tool. But it'd want to be built right the first time!

[SteveJH]

Falcon

* Diesel Falcon

* Longer Warranty period

* Convince Ford US that if RWD Next Gen Falcon is possible, that AWD (only) falcon with North-South motor should be developed as local falcon, global lincoln.

Ford Australia In General

* Pay by the month servicing (pay $x per month, with the car given its services at the appropriate service interval)

* Fixed price servicing

* Online purchase of car from ford website (fixed price), car is delivered through dealer with dealer taking a fixed fee from ford for doing pre delivery etc. Can also purchase car through dealer as currently.

* Book servicing through ford website


Question: Is there a penalty amount for paying off finance on a car early? Or no matter how quickly you pay it off you pay the full amount of interest?

[flappist]

Build a "smart Australian car"

Featuring:

A smart reversing camera with split screen that also showed left and right from the rear for car park exits when you park in the middle on nowhere and some dropkick in a 4WD just has to park next to you blocking your view.

Optional second fuel tank as most of Australian is not 10 minutes from a petrol station.

Significantly improved build quality so bit don't start falling off until at least you get out of the dealership on the first day.

Optional suspension that RAISES the car as most of Australia is not in the capital suburbs.

Diesel engine option.

Enhanced road noise reduction.

Enhanced visibility with far less pillar blockage.

Satnav with integrated traffic data standard on all models

Models that change only every 5 years or so to retain some slight resale value. No more "mark 2" or "facelift" that instantly devalues your current car prematurely.

These are just a few ideas to make Falcon competitive with euro/jap offerings.

As opposed to AFF the majority of car buyers are not all that interested in a cheap V8 that can do a 12 second quarter while demonstrating "fabulous" stripes and badges.

The majority of BMWs do not have a M on them, the majority of Mercedes do not have an AMG and the majority of cars sold in Australia are front wheel drive 4-6 cylinder family cars.

[Brazen]

Yeah I also think at least some variants need to be a bit higher off the ground... Please dont shoot me. Im probably the only one who thinks it anyway.

People like being a bit higher off the road, makes them feel safer and its easier to park. Getting in and out of a Falcon can be back-breaking, but im showing my age now.

[onfire]

Screw what the original post outlines. The problem isn't the cars, nor the line up.

I'd hire some of the best people in marketing, and advertising world wide. Combined with establishing a core production team of some of the world's best commercial directors, leaders in new-media ( the internet, social networking ) & technical writers & designers with the goal to reinvent the brand and establish firmly across different demographics that Ford Australia are producing some of the world's top vehicles.

[Elks]

I n no particular order.

1. diesel Falcon sedan, why not. It would go well and get 7 per 100.

2. 1st redesign be it facelift or new model, move to forward set front axle design. Much better balance and turn in.

3. invest in electronics, Sat nav, with traffic, phone integration, garage door opener, internet (when parked).

4. G8E or whatever you call it.

5. Announce NOW long term plans. Inc RWD, I believe all the speculation is way more harmful than the spec.

6. Market the thing aggressively, and lock that in for 5 years. Don not do it for 4 weeks and measure it. It takes longer.

7. Look for ways to make the thing cool. Ecoboost - Envirocool, GT fastcool, Ute Practicool, but no matter how or which model it must always be desireable. Image is everything, perception is reality.

8. Quality & Service - including everything a dealer does.

9. Options, lots of options. allow the consumer to mix and match the car as they want it. This is not an engineering exercise its a logistics one. Being that modern production lines run a mixed model sequencing to balance production speed, it wouldn't matter. You can also charge more and hold up better resale if they are not all the same and harder to compare.

10. Forget column change, buttons on the dash with a flappy paddle or tipmatic column shift (see 7 series) overide as an option for ALL utes. basic to FPV. 3 seats is a big plus.

phew, there is probably another 50 things I could add, but I might have lie down now instead...

[SM1DY]

- 2.9% finance
- XR8 and Sprint
- Extent Focus range to include RS as a regular in the line-up
- Revive the Territory Turbo
- Push a diesel model into the FPV line-up
- Keyless ignition across the range (like in the Outlander)

All in good fun ; )

[Ford_The_Win]

I don't think there is a whole lot wrong with the car as it is, but there needs to be some serious marketing and re-establishment of Falcon. A nameplate doesn't stick around for 51 years without developing a reputation, and over the last 10 years the Falcon name has turned to garbage.

[vztrt]

Get the LPG out there. Its costing lots of sales.

I would want it developed across the range. Then I would be marketing the LPG to get people to drive it. If the new LiLPG is what people are hyping it up to be more people would go down that route when you can get rid of the misconception of modern LPG it should go down well with private, commercial and government buyers.

[Gaz]

Let's face it, the large car market is falling - it won't revive, people just don't want them any more. We don't need 6 models of falcon (XT, G6, G6E, G6ET, XR6, XR6T).

Don't set stupid RRP's that no one gets close to paying. Don't think anyone has paid 40k for an xt and 44k for an xr6 for a long bloody time. Set a good price and don't offer so much wriggle room.

Drop XT
G6 (34k)/xr6(36k)/xr6t(44k) - standard bluetooth, ipod, colour screen, option - camera, sensors and sat nav, leather
g6e(42k)/t(50k) - standard - all of the above.

Fix the damn boot. Yes the litre capacity is big, but you can't fit anything under the parcel shelf, and you struggle to fit 2 suitcases side by side without them sitting on strangles angles cause of the boot floor.

My cousins maxima can fit 3 golf bags in the boot, and 1 or 2 buggies, I can fit maybe 2 bags or 1 and a buggy.

more to whinge about, but that's the basics.

[chevypower]

This is what I would do, looking at it from a global perspective. Trying to make it work well on every continent. I would leave room for both Taurus and Mondeo, so I would want the Falcon to be very different. Not just in drivetrain.

Styling: I would make it retro. Think 4 door Mustang or Challenger for a second, with the retro styling. Not saying I would make it exactly like that, but it would be a retro 4 door, on either the current Falcon platform, or a new version of it. I like Mustang's live axle, but it wouldn't suit a 4 door.

3.7L V6, 5.0 V8
2.0 I4, 3.5 V6, 5.0 V8 EcoBoost
3.0 TTV6 diesel.

I would have something like the SEL (base) 3.7 V6, 2.0 EB
Limited (with 2.0 EB, 3.7, V6 diesel, 3.5 EB)
XR6 3.5 EB
GT 5.0
GTHO 5.0 EB

I don't know... something like that.

[theboxmike]

• Drop XT falcon
• Add NA G8E
• Bring Back RTV
• Upgrade Turbos for G6ET and XR6T to 310 (assuming FPV update)
• Fire Marketing Department and hire Holden marketing Department
• Eventually try and combine Mustang and Falcon platforms
• Bring in a diesel Falcon model
• Update electronic systems to euro standard (aka slightly less than M3)
• Get the word out there that the Falcon is a far supriour product to Commodore and much more Australian (and it is)

[Zero_PSI]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NisCkxU544c

Exactly what I'd do.

[MAGPIE]

Falcon Wagon (including XR versions)

Diesel Falcon

Xenon/LED lights

Airbags all round on all models

[chevypower]

Yes LED Headlights and taillights would be good
Plus Electronic Power Steering
6 Speed Auto on base V6
8 Speed Auto on premium engines (with paddles)
optional 6 speed manual on sports models (only for people that just have to have it).

The GTHO with 5.0L V8 EcoBoost would be aimed at destroying the SRT-8, M5 and E63

[The Yeti]

fix the quality issues
Bring back the station wagon
Bring back fairlane (Giha) is.just a falcon
Fix the quality issues
Shoot marketing
Fixed price servicing

[jpd80]

A change in perception for Falcon, it must be able to span mid size and large vehicle categories.


1) keep the shell and cabin the same
2) use I-4 and V6 petrol and diesel engines
3) look at making nose around 125mm shorter
4) shorten boot overhang slightly by increase wheelbase 50mm
5) Keep sedan and add Hatchback (with short tail like Focus).
6) Reduce weight by lightening framing where possible

End up with two vehicles that look completely different = perception change.

[Sox]

Introduce a diesel and turbo diesel to the Falcon range.

Reintroduce the Falcon station wagon.

Reintroduce the 5L Windsor and 5.6L Windsor in all alloy form, optional across the entire range, including Territory.

Ditch the G6 & G6E names and revert back to Fairmont, Ghia, etc.

Ditch Coyote.

Ditch FPV.

Ditch blow dried I6, not needed with new found oomph in Windsors.

Reintroduce the RTV.

Don't bother with LPG, ever.

Don't bother with turbo 4 pot, ever.

Reintroduce the XR8, with the above mentioned 5L.

Reintroduce GT, with the above mentioned 5.6L.

Introduce manual Territorys.

Reintroduce some mongrel.

And the Pièce de résistance, reintroduce the best 'Coon of all time, the mighty AU.

.

[Nikked]

Import Taurus and rebadge it.

[banarcus]

Falcon is iconic to Australia. Please Ford, do a retro looking Falcon such as a XW or XY. Falcon needs to stand out from the crowd in this very crowded market, there are many choices so the Falcon needs to recognised and stand out.

[TZENU]

I would be happy if they simply adressed their quality control. That is it!

[duaned]

I would have Ford fit an actual "Premium Sound System" that is actually premium in sound rather than the rubbish they put in now.

[xe351]

i like jpd80s comment about changing the perception of the falcon, as i think thats where the main problem is

*size down the car to a medium, like a mazda 6 size and 1400-1500kg max (dont get me wrong i like big cars) as the trend is going small or suv. Keep it rwd, so there is the option for the fpvs, and good for towing etc

*fixed price servicing, and make the customer service high on the list - happy customers are repeat customers.
*lpg
*diesel
*build quality
*wagon
*much better marketing
*make lhd an option

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Sox

Introduce a diesel and turbo diesel to the Falcon range.

Reintroduce the Falcon station wagon.

Reintroduce the 5L Windsor and 5.6L Windsor in all alloy form, optional across the entire range, including Territory.

Ditch the G6 & G6E names and revert back to Fairmont, Ghia, etc.

Ditch Coyote.

Ditch FPV.

Ditch blow dried I6, not needed with new found oomph in Windsors.

Reintroduce the RTV.

Don't bother with LPG, ever.

Don't bother with turbo 4 pot, ever.

Reintroduce the XR8, with the above mentioned 5L.

Reintroduce GT, with the above mentioned 5.6L.

Introduce manual Territorys.

Reintroduce some mongrel.

And the Pièce de résistance, reintroduce the best 'Coon of all time, the mighty AU.

.

So you are a Sydney property developer looking at stealing some cheap land in Broadmeadows where the old Ford factory used to be?

[KITBAG]

Bring back the station wagon..............

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by 87 XF - AU11

Bring back the station wagon..............

Thats what i forgot in my first post in this thread

Definatly bring it back...

[Coyote mk3]

Bringing back station wagon and RTV.
Also have a country pack available.

How about making the XR6 an FPV, and actually making it different again?
Making less features available on the XT and making it cheaper?