Orion Falcon fast-tracked!

[adrenaline]

Ford’s crucial new large car is ahead of schedule
By MARTON PETTENDY 21 March 2007, for GoAuto

KEEP an eye out on Victorian roads for disguised versions of Ford’s crucial new Falcon, which is now well into its prototype build stage and will be released ahead of schedule early next year.

Ford Australia president Tom Gorman has confirmed that development of the redesigned Falcon sedan, which had been due on sale in March, has been brought forward by weeks in an effort to shorten the BF MkII Falcon’s lifespan in the face of declining large-car sales – as well as renewed competition from Holden’s all-new VE Commodore sedan and utility, which is now also expected to break cover within months.

“If we could get it earlier we would. We’re probably weeks ahead of our plan – not months,” Mr Gorman said on Friday. “We would like to (bring its release date forward). I have to say our development process is going very, very well.

We have several levels of prototype and we’re well into the process of building prototypes. The car is coming together very well – we’re very happy with it.”

Ford will also begin a slow-release launch campaign for its vital new volume-seller in the coming months. Similar to the approach adopted for the Territory and BA Falcon, Falcon’s drip-feed launch program is still expected to culminate in an Australian public debut at the 2008 Melbourne International Motor Show in March.

Asked for an official on-sale date for the next-generation Falcon sedan, which will be closely followed by an all-new Falcon ute, Mr Gorman said: “We’re not going to do that yet. This is called the tease, in case you’re wondering.

“We haven’t really disclosed that to our full dealer body yet, but as we get closer to that over the coming months we’ll start to talk to you a lot more about it and talk to you about what you can expect in terms of powertrains and so forth.”



Mr Gorman (Above) said LPG would play an increased role in the new Falcon’s alternative-fuel menu, but poured cold water on suggestions by KPMG industry analyst David Gelb that Australian car-makers needed to embrace hybrid propulsion systems to remain viable.

“The market is moving pretty rapidly and radically around the world, but I don’t know that you can say one particular technology is going to drive the overall survival of a particular industry,” Mr Gorman said.

“We’re very optimistic about hybrids going forward and will continue to invest in it as a corporation globally, but I don’t think you’ll see it become the centre of excellence that some may be looking for. There are other ways to survive.”

Codenamed Orion and based on existing BA/BF chassis architecture, Ford’s next-generation Falcon sedan is expected to be clothed in a radical new exterior design language. Previewed by both the Iosis concept and Ford of Europe’s new Mondeo, it comprises higher boot/bonnet lines, a flatter roof, aggressive wheel-arch flares, pronounced upper and lower side character lines and headlights featuring a split-level lower edge, as hinted by the updated BFII.

Falcon’s 4.0-litre straight-six and 5.4-litre V8 engines (mated to six-speed ZF autos across the board) are expected to bring only modest performance upgrades to perhaps 200kW and 270kW (for XR8) respectively.

However, redesigned steering and front suspension systems should bring improvements to dynamics via a front-mounted steering rack and two-piece lower A-arms like those seen on Territory.

Meantime, Mr Gorman said Ford’s top-selling medium SUV will not be facelifted this year, but that it would receive turbo-diesel power before Falcon did. And he did not rule out the possibility of a Territory diesel emerging this year.

“We’re not going to change the face of Territory this year,” he said. “All our efforts are going into Falcon – we’re working all out to get out the sedan and the ute.

“From the product front we’re anything but sitting still. You’re just not seeing that domestically at the moment because for us to do the sedan and ute is a big effort and that’s where our energies lie at the moment.”

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I hope to start seeing prototypes soon.

Also, I thought that the launch was always going to be the Melbourne show. So they intend to launch it before Melbourne?

[fpv_gtho]

Some people have been hinting Ford are already into their hot weather testing around Alice Springs etc, but so far the only spy shots being caught are of Korean sedans.

[adrenaline]

Originally Posted by fpv_gtho

Some people have been hinting Ford are already into their hot weather testing around Alice Springs etc, but so far the only spy shots being caught are of Korean sedans.

Are you talking about the shots taken by OutBackJack? They were Ssangyongs and Roewes IIRC.

All I know is that he says that a Ford dealer principal told him that Ford was testing a new large car there.

[Falcon500]

Originally Posted by ADRENALINE

Are you talking about the shots taken by OutBackJack? They were Ssangyongs and Roewes IIRC.

All I know is that he says that a Ford dealer principal told him that Ford was testing a new large car there.

well we had simlar things like the happen we had vzs testing the next gen drivelines and stuff go through and we also had pre realse models sit in the showroom for a day or 2 pretty cool stuff

Every weeks gonna help but we need months not weeks here!

[SlickHolden]

If i sat outside on the ring road i'm sure in the early hours of the morning some might pass doing freeway testing, Like the VE that popped up in my street i hope this does, But atleast this time i got a better camera phone to snap pics.
I'll be at the motorshow looking for it in 08.

[fpv_gtho]

Which really, could be anything....

Who's to say Ford will keep refering to the Falcon as their "large" car whilst we're at it. The new Mondeo for instance is longer than the current Falcon, whilst Orion is supposed to be same wheelbase, with possible shorter overhangs...

[Mr. Jinx]

Mr Gorman (Above) said LPG would play an increased role in the new Falcon’s alternative-fuel menu, but poured cold water on suggestions by KPMG industry analyst David Gelb that Australian car-makers needed to embrace hybrid propulsion systems to remain viable.

So glad that someone from an auto company had the chutzpah to say it.

IMO, hybrids are pretty useless - unless they are mated with diesels.