Why aren't Falcons sold in America ???

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by chevypower

Sure, if you need to use rhetoric to make a point.


And it appears you do.

Rhetoric depending on the original delivery can be used flatteringly, or unflatteringly. I believe yours was the latter, but no matter.

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Yeah, right. There's never been an attractive American car. American styling has never been imitated in Australia or anywhere else.

There have been heaps of attractive american cars. Just not lately.

Originally Posted by jpd80

Precisely and that car is an example of why our Falcon's styling is seen as both dated and unsuitable.
They want bold styling, higher waistline and short overhangs, The Falcon styling is the complete opposite.

Charger is pig ugly. 300 is a little chintzy. Sure the Falcon is a little conservative, but that's how we like it, and it looks the better for it.

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

Rhetoric depending on the original delivery can be used flatteringly, or unflatteringly. I believe yours was the latter, but no matter

Yours is flattering? - it's not worth going to war over.

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

Charger is pig ugly. 300 is a little chintzy. Sure the Falcon is a little conservative, but that's how we like it, and it looks the better for it.

The topic is "why aren't Falcons sold in America?" Moby and I are trying to say what will make it work here and you are just defending why it doesn't need to be changed. I'm sorry, but that won't translate to sales.

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

There have been heaps of attractive american cars. Just not lately.

Tesla, Fisker Karma, Cadillac CTS, XTS, ATS; Ford Taurus SHO, Mustang GT, GT500, Charger, Challenger, Camaro, Dart. There are also non-American branded cars that are designed in America, such as the i45 - unless you think the fact it's front-drive ruins the design of the car.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

Charger is pig ugly. 300 is a little chintzy. Sure the Falcon is a little conservative, but that's how we like it, and it looks the better for it.

Yes, exactly what WE like and that makes a HUGE difference in other markets
and is the very reason Falcon has survived for so long in our part of the world.

[The Snout]

The yanks want a class leading car. So Falcon is automatically out. And we haven't even got to their tastes in styling, vastly different from ours.

[RASER]

Americans want Made In USA, and God bless'em!

USA has a oversupply of brands/models already, FoMoCo would not be interested and neither would the strong unions.

Exchange rate screws the deal, as does emissions.

Besides, they have the mighty F-Series!

[chevypower]

Ford will build any car it produces anywhere in the world right here in America if it thought the vehicle would do well in the US market. Many European-designed Fords are built domestically.

[Black F6]

Does the SS sell well in America?, if it does the Falcon is a better car, so should out sell it

[RASER]

Originally Posted by Black F6

Does the SS sell well in America?, if it does the Falcon is a better car, so should out sell it

If Americans want a HiPo Ford, they will always buy a Mustang [US Falcon DNA!]

Good in principal, it wont happen and would not sell, i think Ford are still burnt with the Aussie Capri [Mercury]

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Q. Why aren't Falcons sold in America ???

A. Because Dearborn could not tolerate a subsidiary of theirs located on the ar5e end of the world producing better cars than the parent company.

With that attitude can you blame them?

A lot of you guys seem pretty certain that Americans are too stupid to appreciate the glory that is Falcon, so why even bother trying to sell them over here?

Clearly it's too good of a car for 300 million tasteless morons, even if it does have an odd-looking grille.

[MAGPIE]

Originally Posted by Black F6

Does the SS sell well in America?, if it does the Falcon is a better car, so should out sell it

That theory doesn't work in Australia or New Zealand and wont work in the US

[TC200six]

I don't know why the belief is so strong about the Falcon being superior to any US Ford. I'd love to see a comparison between a Taurus or a Mustang before I go on the "American Fords are crap" bandwagon.

[Resurrection]

In the mid 1990s Ford sold the Taurus in Australia. I remember articles in car magazines where both the Taurus and the Falcon were tested and the Falcon was deemed the superior product on every occassion.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

In the mid 1990s Ford sold the Taurus in Australia. I remember articles in car magazines where both the Taurus and the Falcon were tested and the Falcon was deemed the superior product on every occassion.

That era or American cars was quite a low point though. I think the current Taurus has up-to-date tech as a plus point. But the FG Falcon has long term heritage and broad engine choice as it pro-points.

[Nikked]

How do Holden/chev expect to make profits on the Commodore/SS?

Is it just an exersise just to add to holdens product output? If australian cars can't be sold at "American" prices, its said they will be too expesnsive, and if the prices are low, then there is no/little profit...

[jpd80]

Well, a Dodge Charger SRT8 is just over $42,000, so if Holden and Chevrolet were looking at
something like A Clubsport, I think they would get those few thousand sales they are seeking

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

In the mid 1990s Ford sold the Taurus in Australia. I remember articles in car magazines where both the Taurus and the Falcon were tested and the Falcon was deemed the superior product on every occassion.

So? The mid-1990s Taurus was a completely different car. The only thing the current Taurus shares with that car is the name.

The current Taurus is built on a completely different chassis, originally sourced from Volvo. It debuted as the Five Hundred, a full-size car, while the last generation of the old mid-size Taurus was still being built. (Mulally himself revived the name for the current car.)

The old Taurus was FWD only. The current Taurus has standard FWD and optional AWD.

So you're assuming that current US Fords are inferior to the Falcon based on an article you read more than 15 years ago? Do you really think nothing has changed in all that time?

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

In the mid 1990s Ford sold the Taurus in Australia. I remember articles in car magazines where both the Taurus and the Falcon were tested and the Falcon was deemed the superior product on every occassion.

A comparison that was relevant in 1995

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

So? The mid-1990s Taurus was a completely different car. The only thing the current Taurus shares with that car is the name.

it'd make a good comparison test for a magazine. I've never seen a recent comparo of the two. especially important if they think they can sell taurus here to see what the best car is.

i think the yanks would find the Falcon tame and boring, but i'm sure both cars would have advantages over the other.

[EgoFG]

Hmmm - IHMO the better Question is "

Why isn't the Falcon/Fairlaine assembled/built in USA as a Lincoln ?"

[TC200six]

I've been led to believe the '96 Taurus was a complete lemon plus it looked like an extra terrestrial on our roads. It was also during a time when the Falcon was the cheapest car to repair so it's not surprising the Falcon was considered better, but that was 16 years ago. The current Falcon lacks the electrical gimmicks the current Taurus offers, so as I said earlier, if ever the Falcon was sold in the US the way it is here, it would need to be offered as a budget vehicle there.

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by TC200six

I've been led to believe the '96 Taurus was a complete lemon plus it looked like an extra terrestrial on our roads. It was also during a time when the Falcon was the cheapest car to repair so it's not surprising the Falcon was considered better, but that was 16 years ago. The current Falcon lacks the electrical gimmicks the current Taurus offers, so as I said earlier, if ever the Falcon was sold in the US the way it is here, it would need to be offered as a budget vehicle there.

The old Taurus wasn't the best car in the world, but I wouldn't call it a lemon. There are still many of them on the road in America with hundreds of thousands of miles. The Vulcan V6 was far from sophisticated, but they keep on going forever and get surprisingly good fuel economy. I think Australia only got the Duratec, which is more sophisticated.

[Black F6]

Though a mustang with a I6T in it would be sweet, lighter than our falcon, would be running low 10's once modified

[MAGPIE]

Originally Posted by Black F6

Though a mustang with a I6T in it would be sweet, lighter than our falcon, would be running low 10's once modified

Not sure why you would want to put an old I6T in the Mustang, it already comes with a sweet purpose built V8 and it is currently lighter than any Falcon bar the Ecoboost

[last fairlane]

Hi dont know how prices worked back in 1996
but for 42 big ones you had a choice and Im only talking local
there was the Holden Calais or the Fairmont Ghia
plus the Taurus Ghia and Mazda 626 all in the same ball park
the Fairmont was the best seller then the Holden
and last was the Taurus like someone said in another thread
if the Yanks liked the 96 Taurus they
would have loved the Falcon AU
both as pretty or as ugly as each other
but looks aside Ive had an AU Fairmont for 10 years now
and it will last me another ten
one trans one alternator and
one LPG converter that was factory fitted
I cant complain and it drives perfect

[Kieron]

Pretty sure the Americas didn't like the oval Taurus neither. Prior to that model the Taurus was the best selling sedan in the US IIRC, then overtaken by the Honda Accord.

As has been mentioned here, if the FG was attractive for the US market, For US was have pounced on it, just like they have with the Focus etc which are Euro designed but US build for the American market.


As for Aussie mags comparing the current Taurus to the Falcon to gauge opinion, i'd expect Ford are well and truly onto that and doing there own market studies/comparisons. Actually, the MKII FG has a more corporate Ford front that is a toned down Taurus look anyway.
Styling wise the Taurus is far more modern than the FG in my view (and I own an XR8 FG) and needs to be in order to compete with the highly style i$%'s of this world.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Black F6

Though a mustang with a I6T in it would be sweet, lighter than our falcon, would be running low 10's once modified

I'ld rather the lighter V8...

[Black F6]

Originally Posted by MAGPIE

Not sure why you would want to put an old I6T in the Mustang, it already comes with a sweet purpose built V8 and it is currently lighter than any Falcon bar the Ecoboost

All about the boost, id have to strap a charger or turbo to the NA one

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Black F6

All about the boost, id have to strap a charger or turbo to the NA one

Factory built 650Hp supercharged V8 not enough?

[Black F6]

Originally Posted by Nikked

Factory built 650Hp supercharged V8 not enough?

Its never enough

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

So you're assuming that current US Fords are inferior to the Falcon based on an article you read more than 15 years ago? Do you really think nothing has changed in all that time?

Well I'm not sure about driving dynamics or tech (US Fords certainly have the edge tech-wise) but having seen a new Fusion up close, the build quality is still very uncompetitive, even new with locally built Fords. Lots of horrible plastic and molding marks that just aren't acceptable in this day and age.

This is why American built cars never do very well outside of the US (since the 80s at least). This is a screenshot from a video of the new Chrysler 300 I saw on youtube. When they still have poor quality like this, there's no chance of competing. A European or Japanese customer would never accept that.