March26
Ford Australia — which last year denied it was even working on a new RWD platform — is now denying rumors that the program is being moved from the land of Oz to America.
Earlier this week it was reported that Ford would be moving its rear-wheel drive vehicle engineering back to the U.S. from Australia due to the weak U.S. dollar.
According to the Australian subsidiary, Ford's rear-wheel drive vehicle development will be staying where it is. When CarPoint asked Sinead McAlary, Ford's Australian Manager of Public Affairs, the response they got was "It's too early to speculate on that."
To us, it sounds like either the two divisions aren't on the same page, or that Ford Australia is none-too-pleased to be losing control over rear-wheel drive vehicle development — the setup that many of its vehicles are based on. The shift would also cost Ford Australia hundreds — if not thousands — of jobs.
But with value of the U.S. dollar falling, the move will likely be more about the bottom line rather than which continent wants the development more.
The appearance of Ford Falcon prototypes in America also lends credibility to reports about a realignment of R&D.
Stupid Yanks stealing our developments just cos they're better
Just when I was starting to get excited about some RWD Fords coming back Stateside. Hey Mr. Azza where do you think Ford's original RWD programs started??? Wasn't Australia.
No it wasn't but we've just about perfected it.
So much hatered in the world……..it's sad.
Who cares we get the EURO FIESTA!!!! Finally!
It's a good looking sedan in the picture. In my opinion RWD program belongs to Ozis. They have no snow to speak about and that is where RWD belongs. It is Europeans who started FWD and they had great reason to do so: weather and FWD stability. The fact that FWD cars are more economical is just added benefit.
Expertise center in RWD car development is certainly in Australia, not in US. Frankly I wonder what expertise US design & development studio has, except F150. Ford certainly has no engines to write home about, transmissions or decent (not great) cars. Let's call spade a spade: Ford better off relying on engineering and design expertise from Europe and Australia. Just like GM.
anything to help ford with their lineup.
leave it to ford australia and the next gen of RWD vehicles from ford will be the best in the world
wouldnt u americans want somthing like this….. http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1178841241534&pagename=FOA%2FDFYPage%2FFullwidth1024&c=DFYPage
Mr. Azza, as an American "I" give credit where credit is due. The Aussies I have met have always been very sociable and great to get along with. I felt GM should have kept the Holden nameplate on the Pontiacs and simply left the styling alone versus grafting noses and the like onto the vehicle thus destroying them.
No wonder Ford's in the Shitter, they can't even agree amongst themselves.
I hate to be the one to point out the elephant in the room.. but has anyone really looked at Ford and GM's Aussie sedans? The Falcon and Commodore have looked basically the same for as far back as I can remember, and their mechanicals and interiors have always struck me as a throwback to the US Falcons and Chevy IIs of the 1960s! Just because Ford AU has facelifted their sedan more than once in the past decade (unlike Ford US with their Crown Vic) doesn't mean their platform is any more advanced or modern than the US platform.
autonut is right once again. FWD actually is actually more suitable RWD in certain locations. That's why most of my germans are collecting dust in the garage while the SX4 and the Quattro gets to go out.
zoomzoomr u have no idea wat ur going on about, the Au was released in 1998 so the platform is 10 years old not 30 years old… and in between that there was a major upgrade costing AU$500 million in 2002, millions more was spent in 2005, and another large amount in 2008 i dont know the figure but its over 500million. look at the engine specs crown v falcon that alone will show u how much more advanced the falcon is, the suspension is technologically advanced most of that is carried over from Euro fords. many of the things that ford US want to do with the RWD programs if it goes to the US is already on the Falcon platform. it would be a disgrace if the program goes to the US its all there and ready to go in australia all they need is the go ahead.
well as long as it can fight the g8 and beat the bmw 5
Aussie#1 just told zoomzoomr what I was about to… IRS with control-blade on the rear in falcons, and LSD… what does the stang have? a big tree trunk between two wheels.