Ford to develop green engine at the expense of Focus

[Mothers Worry]

Ford to develop green engine at the expense of Focus

From ABC News:

Ford to develop green engine at the expense of Focus

Posted July 24, 2009 13:44:00
Updated July 24, 2009 14:32:00

Ford Australia has cancelled plans to build the Ford Focus at its Broadmeadows plant and will instead develop new green engines for its Falcon and Territory.

The $230 million green engine initiative will develop a new 2.0 litre, four cylinder turbo-charged ecoboost engine.

It is part of a broader technology development strategy that includes an advanced LPG engine for the Falcon and a clean diesel engine for the Territory.

The Federal Government will contribute $42 million from its green car innovation fund.

Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr said it is a significant victory for Ford because the Australian-built Falcon will be the first rear wheel drive vehicle in the world to receive the new engine.

"The new, greener Falcon will emit significantly less carbon dioxide than current six-cylinder cars," he said.

"This announcement is a big vote of confidence in Ford's local capabilities and comes at a time when the global automotive industry is going through its biggest shake-up in a generation."

Senator Carr said while he regrets the loss of the Focus project, there will be no job losses at Ford's plants in Geelong and Broadmeadows.

Ford president Marin Burela blamed changing global economic conditions for the decision to dump the Focus, saying the company could not make a business case for profitably manufacturing the car at its Melbourne plants.

"Although difficult, this is the right decision for Ford Australia," he said.

"Our investments today demonstrate not only our commitment to address climate change, but to bringing leading edge technologies to the Australian market."

[Courtney No. 1]

Well done Aus government, you've managed to commit sin number 1 of subsidies, turn a profitable long term business venture in the long term interests of the country into a short sighted money grab that provides no long term stability to the business.  Then again this government is so pathetically cynical that it is only interested in initiatives that will gather headlines and get it re-elected.

To provide a comparison to this $42 Million farce this government cannot find $150 000 (yes that really is 0.36% of this announced amount) to ensure the viability of the Formula SAE competition that provides the Australian automotive industry with the vast majority of its graduate engineers (last year every graduate mechanical engineer hired by Toyota was an ex-FSAE participant).  Once again this government goes vote grabbing with a massive fistful of tax payer dollars, what will we be left with at the end of it?  A heap of rich private schools with nice libraries that have solar cells on top of them.  Great KRudd, thats precisely what the country needs.  I want my vote back, clearly it went to the wrong out of touch retard!

[Everso Biggyballies]

Well done Aus government.......

Lol..... I was about to launch into an abusive response Court,..... and then I decided to read past the first four words of your post that upset me!

I agree with what you are saying if not only for the SAE project funding.  The whole issue is to me very short sighted, unless they have an ace or two up their sleeve, which I dont believe they will have.

[Mothers Worry]

This government played a green vote card and has managed to disenfranchise those voters since. Now they have to be seen to do this to claw back some respectability in environmentland.

I saw this reported on the news and the Minster who was with the Ford head honchos made some totally lame comment that was instantly forgettable.

The Ford dudes said the world has changed since they made the original announcement on the Focus. The auto unions are backing Ford on this as there is a lot of fear about job cuts out there.

It's a shame. I haven't driven a Focus but it seems like a pretty decent small car..........

[bpratt]

The TV news implied that we were going to get a four cylinder motor put in to both the Falcon and Terror-tory !!!!

I sure hope they manage to bring in a decent turbo diesel power plant for the Falcon, as I'm sure that'll bugger up the Condomodores sales ! 

[Everso Biggyballies]

The TV news implied that we were going to get a four cylinder motor put in to both the Falcon and Terror-tory !!!!

I sure hope they manage to bring in a decent turbo diesel power plant for the Falcon, as I'm sure that'll bugger up the Condomodores sales ! 

Talking about condom sales, I believe that Rudd is planning to market Rudd branded 'Slippery Sams' as the next Stimulus Package!

[Courtney No. 1]

This government played a green vote card and has managed to disenfranchise those voters since. Now they have to be seen to do this to claw back some respectability in environmentland.

I think you've knocked the nail clean through the coffin and out the other side there MW.

To me the true tragedy of the whole thing is that the country could be investing the $4+ Billion dollars that will be going to the automotive industry alone (let alone the $3million going to just about every one of the richest private schools in the country) in constructive research.  We could be researching things such as innovative catalytic methods of water electrolysis, geothermal energy capture, things that Australia has in absolute abundance that could lock up patents that would guarantee Australia riches unheard of outside of Dubai for the next hundred years.  But instead we stick a solar cell on top of a school and we spend $40 Million dollars on a low level R&D project being undertaken by a US company.

I suppose somewhere there is some logic, but you will have to forgive me because I really can't find it, if anybody can please point it out to me.

[f1engineer]

I was only thinking about all this the other day Court, the government has pledged 20 Million in funding to "Save the Reef"???? WTF?
The reef has been there for millions of years, survived the last 7 glacial and inter-glacial periods during the last 1.5 million years.
It is only public perception that they are concerned with, not the reef, or enviroment as a whole. As you say mate, there are better things to spend money on, but unfortunately, you must be mates with those who are handing it out (like a ute salesman perhaps) and then you may get some.
And I wonder why they rthink there are goverment conspiracy thoerist out there???

[Mothers Worry]

It is only public perception that they are concerned with....................

That's politics. Sucks doesn't it?

[Oldtony]

Agreed the politics are pretty dodgy, but as a business model for Ford this could be a much more sensible program.
Let's face it building the Focus can be done in a whole heap of places cheaper than Geelong or Broadmeadows.
A deisel Territory makes a lot of sense for Australia, and would be a much better offering in many overseas markets than the Explorer.
The basic FG is a good car for markets requiring a fairly big RWD platform, and if it can be made more fuel efficient to suit fleet operations it doesn't matter if it looses a bit of performance. The turbo 4cyl should match the basic 6 in most areas while delivering better economy and lower emmissions. I'm presuming that it will come with something of a weight advantage.
Gas is probably the most available and cleanest transport fuel, and getting it more convenient and efficient is an area of technology that is worth doing.
The surprise to m is that Ford don't seem to be targeting the niche export markets that the FG and the Territory could be fitted into. Why not? In it's own segment it is a very competitive car.

[Mothers Worry]

Agreed the politics are pretty dodgy, but as a business model for Ford this could be a much more sensible program

I hear what you're saying OT.

My perception (opinion) is that the government wants to attach itself to any business model that it considers positive or good (in this case Ford's) so that it can back slap itself and tell the public how good a bunch of blokes they are for getting on board with Ford (read vote buying).

[Cammos]

What's more significant is the fact Ford are trying to push their Global Front Wheel Drive platform into the Australian market. This coupled with the new green engines will be fairly good actually. Though, if they want to get serious, drop the DINN engines and put in an SAE engine! Have you're 4cyl engine, but introduce the Direct Injection Liquid Gas System instead of the antiquated E-Gas!

I'm Holden all the way but after working where I work now, mainly comes down to quality and the fact my fam have Holdens and my friends Falcons and they spend more time in the shop than a $2 hooker on street corner, I'd never be inclined to buy any Ford or Holden again no matter how environmentally friendly they are.

It also pisses me off that I can go to the USA get a Pontiac G8 - can't now as GM killed Pontiac or the Chevy Caprice - can't now as the SSV is no longer going to the USA as a chevy Caprice (never did go over, but was thrown around the other month but was called off last week - after GM CEO said it was too good to not sell); though it's still going over to be used as a police car... can't remember what state. Back on topic. The G8 was sold for USD$25 000. I can import that and have it as RHD cheaper than the AU$54 000+ it sells for here!

I'd be more interested to see the combined ADR81/02 fuel consumption test figures of this falcon, myself.

edit: Please take note too, that the Lexus RX450h is exempt from all LCT as it uses 6.4lt/100km. If Lexus can get this from an SUV, then please Ford, have something around the ZVW30 prius' 3.9lt or the Yaris  (not sure off the top of my head what it is) or even better, the Getz!

[Cammos]

Some good reading in the latest GoAutoNews concerning Ford and their Eco things.

http://mellor.net/mellor/mellorweb.nsf/weben/GoAuto%20e-News

[Richarbl]

Jaysus! Some of you blokes are hard to please. We should all feel lucky that we have a Motor Industry in the first place. And not just one that builds pieces of crap but one that has a rich history of producing some truly excellent cars such as Falcon GT, Monaros, Torana XU-1, L-34, A9x, Chargers, Cortina Gt 500, Chargers, Pacers, Falcon XR6, XR8, Turbo, HSV, FPV... the list goes on.
And all this from a country with a tiny population, limited export market, a large car focus, a history of anti-achieving and both Ford and Holden being owned by crippled parent companies.
In global terms it's a bloody miracle that we have any car industry at all!

Much less a company that is about to invest in the worlds most advanced LPG powered engine, a Jaguar derived V6 TDCI for the Territory and a twin turbo Direct Injection 170 KW four cylinder for the Falcon.
All of this investment means the Falcon and Territory are going to be with us for the foreseeable future instead of being deleted like so many other product lines that have been over the past few months by every major corporation in the world.
How easy would it have been for Ford to just cease production of the Falcon and introduce some piece of junk like the Taurus to replace it

So what if the government tips in a few dollars of taxpayers money, in real terms it is a miniscule amount and for a change it is government money going somewhere I agree with.

[Oldtony]

Agreed Rich.
In general I think the local auto industry, particularly Ford, have zeroed in on areas that are a niche that can be developed here to suit both the local and overseas markets. The direct LPG gas injection program supports not only getting our cars cleaner and greener,but, in light of the fact that our gas reserves are now starting to be developed rapidly, they are a technology that we can export to go with the energy products we are exporting. If we are to export A$50 billion of Gas to China and A$20 billion to India they are an obvious target for efficient gas technology in motor vehicles.
Get on with it Ford, it is a much more useful tecnology for us to be developing than trying to compete with bigger players in the hybrid or straigh plug in electric market.