FG Falcon: FoMoCo boss wants one

[jpd80]

Global Ford chief proclaims his love of the new Falcon G6E Turbo that blew his mind

 

http://www.goauto.com.au

FORD Motor Company president Alan Mulally was so impressed with the new Falcon G6E Turbo that he will drive one in the US.

 

Any plans to export the new car to America might have fallen over, but the man who calls the shots at the US car giant plans to import one of the new sports-luxury Falcons.

 

Ford Australia product development vice-president Trevor Worthington told GoAuto about what happened when the ex-Boeing boss called in to check on some FG prototypes at the You Yangs test centre last year, including the new G6E Turbo.

 

“He went and sat in it and I sat next to him. He is a very considered guy and he sat there for 10 seconds and he said:

“There is nothing like this in our company.”

 

Mr Worthington agreed, before Mr Mulally said: “I want one”.

 

When Mr Mulally was at Boeing he drove a Lexus, reportedly because he liked the look and feel of the car.

 

“So when he sat in that (FG Falcon) car and then drove it, he said it was as good as the Lexus he had,” Mr Worthington said.

 

Mr Mulally was also impressed by the performance of the 270kW boosted Falcon.

 

“This car had a level of performance that he had never seen before,” Mr Worthington said.

 

After a rapid test drive, Mr Mulally added “It must be very easy to get tickets in this car.”

 

Mr Worthington compared the premium Falcon to the Lexus GS which he said was all about a particular look and feel with adequate performance, while the new G6E Turbo “is about the look, the feel and performance that will blow your head off,” he said.

 

I could say something smart here but I can't think of a damed thing!!

 

:happy feet: :happy feet: :happy feet: :happy feet: :happy feet:

Edited February 19, 2008 by jpd80

[Ford-150]

i want one

[papilgee4evaeva]

Would he have it just to have it, or would he have it converted to LHD and make his rounds in it?

[jpd80]

I'm sure there will be a Left hand drive model for him, you can count on it!

 

It's left hand drive preserved, meaning all the have to do is design the whole dash module,

it contains steering, wipers and brake package, the rest of the car is fine with LHD headlamps.

 

I'm sure there's a demo cockpit around somewhere!

 

Edited February 19, 2008 by jpd80

[armadamaster]

And here I thought he was into last gen Tauruses.

 

Somebody get this man a Marauder...oh..oops....

Edited February 19, 2008 by Armada Master

[Blueblood]

That's what sucks, Ford exec's get to drive the good stuff but we don't, hopefully this sort of thing makes Mulally realize that we could use a similar vehicle here too.

[LincolnFan]

Wait, but I thought Richard said if it's not made by FoAm, it has to suck. What is the meaning of this? A 63 years old man prefers the Falcon to the Taurus? lol.

[jpd80]

Gee, I forgot he was in that age range, maybe he should have a instead!

 

 

Edited February 19, 2008 by jpd80

[P71_CrownVic]

Gee, I forgot he was in that age range, maybe he should have a instead!

 

 

Thats what Armada said...get this man a Marauder.

 

I think it says a lot when Mr. Airplane skips over the appliances he sells here for a product that is not even sold on this half of the Earth.

[LincolnFan]

Thats what Armada said...get this man a Marauder.

 

I think it says a lot when Mr. Airplane skips over the appliances he sells here for a product that is not even sold on this half of the Earth.

 

I find it even funnier that he skipped on the dead panthers that are sold where he live, especially when he can find one for half of what he makes a day.

[suv_guy_19]

I find it even funnier that he skipped on the dead panthers that are sold where he live, especially when he can find one for half of what he makes a day.

 

 

Now that was good.

[Watchdevil]

Mulally is smart. He is aware of what makes Ford's North Amercian products lackluster and unexciting in the US market while he is investigating what is offered in other markets so he can work to apply some of that magic back into the US market Fords and drive up sales leadership. You cannot sell cars if you are not making what people want. Perhaps Mulally is placing himself as a US consumer and discovering what excites his own personal tastes. Perhaps his own emotions are representitive of many consumers emotions about the current US Ford offerings. Some people buy appliances and some people buy on pure excitement and emotion. What is lacking in the Ford lineup is what excites people to buy Ford vehicles over anything else. Yes Ford quality is now good. Yes there are some well engineered platforms in place. Now the vehicles have to be packaged with looks and content that capture people's attention.

 

This is why Mulally is leading the Taurus to a quick resdesign. After all it is NOW proven that slapping the Taurus name on a boring recycled Passat design does not bring in sales no matter how well engineered or high quality the vehicle is...

[Ford Jellymoulds]

Clarkson liked the new Mondeo but he said it was very good, but offers nothing new, it brings nothing new to the marketplace. In a market flooded out with similar boring bland cars its a shame the Mondeo did not offer something new & fresh to a very boring range of cars, everybody has a Mondeo in its line-up, cars are becoming stale & boring.

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/06/20/ford-ad...tion-to-mondeo/

Edited February 19, 2008 by Ford Jellymoulds

[MarkFive]

I think it says a lot when Mr. Airplane skips over the appliances he sells here for a product that is not even sold on this half of the Earth.

 

If I was Mulally, I would order one of everything and drive something different every day.

 

Are you calling him Mr. Airplane as an insult? How would you like it if you called the leader of the company Mr. Home Depot?

[Edstock]

This is wonderful news. When the #1 in the company gets that excited about a product, you know that the RWD platform that's coming to replace it is going to be really special.

 

If I was Mulally, I would order one of everything and drive something different every day.

 

IIRC, when Bunkie Knudson ran Ford for HF2, one of the first things he did was to drive every product Ford made.

Edited February 19, 2008 by Edstock

[Ford Jellymoulds]

Thats what Armada said...get this man a Marauder.

 

I think it says a lot when Mr. Airplane skips over the appliances he sells here for a product that is not even sold on this half of the Earth.

I find the Mondeo class of car about as exciting as a Fridge or Microwave oven they all bore me shitless why don't paint them all in white only, that will be the next big innovation in bland design. Ford will be selling the Mondeo through Walmart chain next. I wonder what the 2020 Mondeo will look like.

 

[P71_CrownVic]

I find it even funnier that he skipped on the dead panthers that are sold where he live, especially when he can find one for half of what he makes a day.

 

Yeah...thats smart...I've got a billion dollars...and I am going to buy a Crown Vic...did you miss the part where I said that he "skips over the appliances he sells here"

 

Your a moron that should be put down...for the common good of the world.

[akirby]

If I was Mulally, I would order one of everything and drive something different every day.

 

That was one of the first things he did when he took over so he's already done that, at least from a U.S. standpoint.

[Furious1Auto]

i want one

Yeah, why can't he import one for all of us that want one. I considered importing one here, the problem is the RSD. I saw one listed on E-Bay for $20,000 USD

Edited February 19, 2008 by Furious1Auto

[jpd80]

The story goes that FoA preserved the engineering for Left hand Drive but did not develop a model.

For quite a while, it was not known whether export contracts would be offered and it was not known

that the Inline 6 would be cancelled. They plain ran out of money to do the LHD version, probably a

good thing because it gives North America a chance to have heavy input. Also the Aussie engineers

are busy on the T6 at the moment, drawing resources to do the LHD model is possible but would slow

the other important project.

 

Perhaps they could shorten this product cycle and bring forward the GRWD. At the moment, they're

discussing the platform needs for all anticipated vehicles and it probably the perfect opportunity

for everyone to move towards a common platform, do it over three years instead of a major leap.

Edited February 19, 2008 by jpd80

[LaredoRV]

Could save them time redesigning the Taurus... ^_^

[Mark B. Morrow]

This is wonderful news. When the #1 in the company gets that excited about a product, you know that the RWD platform that's coming to replace it is going to be really special.

IIRC, when Bunkie Knudson ran Ford for HF2, one of the first things he did was to drive every product Ford made.

 

 

Bunkie was barely there long enough to drive all of the NA product.

[92merc]

I don't see it being made as a Taurus replacement. If we do get one of these, it'll be a CV/GM replacement. Setup as RW/AWD. It might be similar in exterior/interior dimensions, but be designed and marketed for a different crowd. And not the geriatric crowed either.

 

I think the days of two or three cars ruling the roost are long over. Now multiple cars for multiple niches. Maybe same platforms possible. Just not the same car.

 

I'd say it's more likely to have the OZ platform be turned into a RWD platform for Mustang, Lincoln performance, and CV replacement. And I mean 3 distinct vehicles. Not badged. CV would be a stretched version.

[Deanh]

I don't see it being made as a Taurus replacement. If we do get one of these, it'll be a CV/GM replacement. Setup as RW/AWD. It might be similar in exterior/interior dimensions, but be designed and marketed for a different crowd. And not the geriatric crowed either.

 

I think the days of two or three cars ruling the roost are long over. Now multiple cars for multiple niches. Maybe same platforms possible. Just not the same car.

 

I'd say it's more likely to have the OZ platform be turned into a RWD platform for Mustang, Lincoln performance, and CV replacement. And I mean 3 distinct vehicles. Not badged. CV would be a stretched version.

sorry Merc, that sort of undisputed common sense is inexcusable.....

[jpd80]

All I can say is that FoA have LHD preserved the car but done no LHD development, they are deep in T6 at the moment and anything

else would distract from that project. I can't see a RWD replacemen for the Taurus next year - the iming is way too tight unless

somebody in NA has been working on it in parallel - highly unlikely!

 

Bear in mind to this comes on a the back of a major product launch down here in Australia, every snippet of support will be reported.

Bill Osbourne has only been CEO for two weeks and he's hit the ground running with a lot of statements. Sure our Falcon is a great cat,

but we've done the sums before and exports didn't add up. Now, if Ford is chasing to change their market image and they can ware

a cost neutral product to do that, maybe the conditions are there.

 

Bottom line, the new Taurus and new Falcon are separate vehicles for separate markets but, both have been helped by Volvo.