Falcons testing in the US
 

Not strictly Mustang related, but as the Falcon platform could underpin the next generation Mustang, I thought it worth posting here (I leave it for the mods to decide if it should be moved).

http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-fal...html#more-6954

Contradicting reports have been flying back and forth as to whether Ford will move its rear-wheel drive operations to the U.S. from Australia, but it looks as though a recent round of spy shots might have put the debate to rest.

Spy photographers have spotted two Ford Falcon prototypes testing outside of Detroit. It still remains unclear if Ford has given the U.S.-spec Falcon the green light, but these could be the first images of Ford's Australian-born Pontiac G8 fighter.
If the project is allowed to progress, the new rear-wheel drive platform would likely underpin the next-generation Ford Mustang and a replacement for the aging Ford Crown Victoria (think more along the lines of the Interceptor concept). A rear-wheel drive Lincoln model based on the same architecture would also be a distinct possibility. Mercury fans, don't hold your breath for a new rear-wheel drive sports sedan.

http://images.leftlanenews.com/conte...lcon-spy-1.jpg
http://images.leftlanenews.com/conte...lcon-spy-7.jpg

At this point I think the possibility of the Falcon coming here and the GRWDP development are two different though related stories, like how the 2010 Mustang differs from but relates to the 201X. Ford may be thinking they'll bring the Falcon over here in the short term in order to pave the way for the GRWDP sedan that will come along later.

That's a good point. The new Falcons pictured are NOT using the new global platform but might be a good stopgap for a few years to stop the Pontiac G8 taking all of the market.

Probably worth shifting the to the "Other Fords" section - sorry mods.

Ford has had falcons parked outside their research buildings for the last few years (with and without camo) I drove past them everyday when I worked there... and everytime I saw them I hoped they would start building them here. They are pretty sweet!

:drool:

I cannot wait for the day when I can go to the Ford Dealership and come home with one of those

Moving, but will leave a link . . . .

While Ford may be toying with the idea of bringing over the Falcon as a modern near term RWD sedan, ala the G8, I would tend to think it less likely than more so.

For one, the Falcon, IIRC, was not designed with LHD in mind, thus any adaptation would be that much more difficult and expensive than for the G8, which was designed with LHD in mind from the start. Secondly, Ford is/will be designing a new GRWD platform presumably to hit the streets in the next few years. This will presumably spawn a North American variant(s) including full size sedans and the next Mustang much as the Theta platform has resulted in the G8 and Camaro.

In the meantime, I could see Ford focusing their very limited resources on existing platforms, perhaps bolstering the Taurus and Fusion with Econoboost motors and AWD to better meet the G8 performance challenge until the GRWD platform comes to fruition. A well done 350hp AWD mid-sized performance sedan could be quite enticing, just ask any Audi S4 owner, and may make more sense in these more fuelish times than a big V8 platform, not to deny that a big, powerful V8 RWD platform has many of its own highly desirable qualities too.

I imagine the Falcons lurking about Dearborn are probably more for a general evaluation of the type rather than representing a specific intention to bring this particular car to the American market.

I would like to see Falcon in the USA, but I would rather have Interceptor.

The Interceptor is cool, but I'll still take a Falcon :drool:

You can call me obsessed :grin:

Could be just doing cold weather testing?

Ford needs to lose the big tri bar chrome grille and go with that grille for the corporate look. I think having too much chrome on a PLASTIC grille makes the car look cheap, kind of like those jc penny blue blazers with the gold buttons on the cuff. Most high end or good looking cars these days have a little chrome trim, but it doesn't dominate the front end.

Like I said on other posts, I want one of those Falcons!!!!! Really, I do! Not instead of my Mustang but ot go with it!!

As I've said in other posts... I would trade my Mustang for one of them :drool:

I agree. That said, I am surprised that these Falcon-based GRWD stories are still so common when you realize that the only insider information leaked at this point is that GRWD development is already under way in Dearborn.

My '98 F150 had that grille design 10 years ago. Seems stale to me.
http://www.t-n-t-auto-sales.com/TNT-...d-F150-XLT.jpg

Ford Oz has been pushing against that info and stoking the rumor mills in order to keep attention on themselves. I'm getting the feeling that Oz is one of the last and most stubborn holdouts of the worldwide Ford Fiefdoms, and they have some sort of anti- Global Ford PR offensive going.:dunno:

I tend to agree. In fact, I think FOA's fight to retain relevancy in this 'New Ford Order' may ironically prove to be their ultimate undoing. In the world of Alan Mulally there apparently exists a concrete idea of command structure and a high importance on team play. If rumors that GRWD is already under development in Dearborn are accurate then I have a feeling Mulally may not find rogue press releases by Oz amusing.

I think that they stand a chance of losing a lot in this transition. Ford of Europe will be designing all the golden child cars for Ford globally, while I know Ford of Australia has had some struggles lately and some plant closings. They announced that their inline 6 was being discontinued in favor of the US 3.5 not too long ago. Without them designing rwd cars, they won't have much in the way of development, which will pretty much make them insignificant compared to NA and Europe; I'm sure a lot jobs could be lost too. They're probably trying to keep themselves relevant.