Ford Archives - Swadeology

Mid-Week Reading: Volvo, Benz Do New Models; Audi, Ford Do Interiors. Saab 96 Does Boston

[hr] [dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s time for a little mid-week reading, combing through the more interesting news and entertainment from the automowebopshere. This week, Ford and Audi take interior functionality in two different directions. Volvo and Mercedes Benz show some new product, both real and imagined.

And there’s a couple of nice Saab stories, too.

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Let’s start with one of those Saab stories.

The more obsessive Saab nuts would be familiar with this old publicity shot from the launch of the Saab 99 back in the late 1960’s.

Via the Saab Museum’s facebook page comes this story, reuniting the three ladies that first climbed into the back to show the generous accommodation on offer in the 99.

Non-Swedes will need Google Translate as it’s in Swedish.

Quick tip: they weren’t models from an agency called in for a photo shoot, but regular Saab employees. And they were happy to recreate the photo for the reunion. Well done, ladies. 🙂

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I like what Volvo are doing at the moment. They really are becoming a car that a Saab fan can get seriously interested in and not just because they’re Swedish.

Volvo has just shown their XC Coupe concept car, which will make its real life debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week.

Websites are tipping that this is the basis for a new XC90, albeit with fewer doors and fewer seats. I’ll wait and see on that one. Volvo aren’t exactly Honda when it comes to concept cars mimicking reality.

But this is nice. And the video’s very Saaby. I wonder how much crossover there is between former Saab and current Volvo PR/Marketing staff and agencies 🙂

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Via Jalopnik…..

I like what Audi are proposing to do with their interior electronics.

I’m not (and never have been) a big fan of large touchscreens outside the driver’s field of vision. While I have a lot of admiration for Tesla’s tech in general, I can’t stand that giant black brick they’ve got for a control centre inside the car. What Audi have done here is use the electric display in the binnacle to display the more vital centre console information and for me, it looks fantastic.

Next, they just need some chunky knobs, buttons and sliders for the HVAC system and entertainment (a-la Saab 900) and we’ll really be rolling.

I like the temp display on the vents, too.

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In contrast, Ford is introducing a new function whereby your car’s controls can order a Domino’s pizza for you.

The automaker has teamed up with the pizza maker on an app for its Sync AppLink system that will allow driver’s to order Domino’s through voice commands. Users will have to set up a Pizza Profile with pre-configured menus through their Domino’s mobile app, but it’s relatively straightforward and expected to be available later this year on more than 1 million Ford products that have Sync AppLink.

America – sometimes you really do ask for it, ya know?

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Mercedes Benz might have the answer for all those people wondering what they’re going to do when the lease on their 9-3x comes up (I’m looking at you, Hugh 🙂 ). The GLA45 AMG looks a fair bit smaller than the 9-3x (ok, a lot) but it’s got the jacked up exterior trim bits and with that new MB turbocharged 355hp engine, it’ll go like stink.

I’m not sold on the exterior, to be honest, but the interior looks pretty damn nice. Check out the shifter. That’s some nice attention to detail (and yes, it’s probably been seen before but it’s the first time I’ve really noticed it).

Like the Volvo mentioned above, it’ll make a debit at the NAIAS. Price, as yet unknown, but it’ll add a nice premium to your 9-3x changeover, I’m sure.

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Given that we’re talking classics a bit at the moment, it’s timely that US insurer and collector experts, Hagerty, has just announced their 2014 Hot List – the cars released in the 2014 model year that Hagerty believe will become collectable classics in the future. Note: they only consider cars under US$100K base price.

The 2014 Hagerty Hot List (along with base price):

1. Jaguar F-Type R ($99,000) – The British marque makes a triumphant return to the sports car scene with the growling F-Type. Boasting a healthy V8 engine and rear drive platform, the F-Type will surely be a driving enthusiast choice soon enough.

2. BMW M5 Sedan ($92,900) – A performance-oriented sedan with an old school manual transmission is quickly becoming an extinct species. While more drivers shun the thought of using three pedals, we applaud BMW for keeping this option alive in this segment.

3. Chevrolet COPO Camaro ($90,000) – Chevrolet basically guarantees future collectability of the drag- strip ready COPO Camaro by limiting production to 69 units. It is only appropriate that the first production model will be sold at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson auction in Arizona.

4. Maserati Ghibli S ($75,000) – The Ghibli returns for a third time, and this time as a four door. The twin turbochargers feeding the 410 horsepower 3.0 liter V6 ensures the Ghibli is more than just pretty curves.

5. Alfa Romeo 4C ($54,000) – A budget-friendly Italian sports car might sound like an oxymoron, but the 4C is saying all the right words. With a carbon fiber tub leading to a curb weight of just over 2,100 lbs., this sporty two-seater isn’t pulling any punches as it aims at the U.S. market.

6. Chevrolet Corvette ($51,000) – The Corvette is the most popularly collected vehicle in the U.S. so GM had no choice but to make the new C7 great. It is a nice mix of Corvette heritage with real world performance figures and technology goodies. Dollar for dollar this is the best performance buy on the market.

7. Nissan 370Z NISMO ($43,000) – The Nissan Z car has amassed a following and the 370Z NISMO is the latest and greatest in this lineage. With Japanese cars now representing a standalone class of collectables in a way that we have not seen in the past, 350 and 370Zs will not be ignored by collectors in years to come.

8. Dodge Challenger Shaker ($36,995) – While the styling of the new Challenger has always harkened back to the glory days of muscle cars, nothing says horsepower wars like a bulging hood scoop. Dodge went back to the roots and added the iconic shaker hood to atop of a healthy HEMI engine and R/T options package. We will take ours in Plum Crazy Pearl.

9. Jeep Wrangler Rubicon X ($35,095) – Vintage SUV’s are the fastest growing segment and Jeep leads that pack. While more comfortable than its bare bones workhorse ancestor, the Rubicon X is highly capable for not a lot of money. Many of these now compete at events, which means they will one day command respect at vintage off-road demonstrations.

10. Ford Fiesta ST ($21,400) – Following the enthusiasm surrounding the Focus ST, the little brother Fiesta ST has been pumping the same iron. Youthful buyers attracted to compact cars don’t always want to sacrifice performance. The Fiesta looks, sounds and acts the part of a modern day enthusiast’s car.

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I can see numbers 1 to 8 being possibilities.

As much as I like the idea of the Fiesta ST (and I’m sure the Jeep’s great), I think they should have stopped at 8. Trying to go to 10 for sake of round numbers just gets you in trouble sometimes.

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And a Saab story to finish off with, via Autoweek.com

When I first read the headline – Tackling Boston in a Saab 96 – I really hoped that this would show the Saab 96 conquering the arctic windex, or whatever it’s called that’s causing the snowy conditions in the US right now.

Sadly, it seems to have been written pre-vortex so the photos don’t show cars neck-deep in the white stuff while the Saab happily trundles by.

This is a wonderful piece, though. It’s the story of a guy in Boston who’s recently bought a 1973 Saab 96 and uses it as much as possible, even leaving his Saab 9000 at home in deference to the old V4.

“I suppose you don’t get much road rage?”

“Well, you saw that person let me out of my driveway?” Charles had made a left onto Cambridge Ave, and a woman in a Jetta — perhaps a curiosity-seeker — had stopped to let us pull out. A rarity in Boston. In this car, nobody gets mad at you. Probably because they’re wondering what the hell it is in the first place.

That just about sums it up.

Fantasy Friday – Ford Falcon XP Coupe

Fantasy Friday is for cars that you might want to add to your dream garage, featuring a car that’s actually for sale right now. This week: the Ford Falcon XP Coupe.

It was the early 1980’s and I was taking some additional trumpet lessons from a teacher not far from my home in Macleod, a suburb of Melbourne.

The teacher had this old red car sitting in the driveway and the big bird-like hood ornament (an option, not shown on any of these cars) grabbed my eye as soon as I walked up the driveway. When I walked further and saw the full side profile of the car – it was the more rare coupe version – I was instantly smitten. I’ve been a fan of the Ford Falcon XP Coupe ever since.

Ford bought it’s Falcon model to Australia from the USA in 1960. The first cars met with tempered success. The cars were considered a little too flimsy for the rough roads that marked our country in the early days. Ford Australia sorted that out, making the cars a bit more durable.

The XP Falcon was released in 1965, right when the Falcon nameplate was teetering on the edge. They must have done it right because the XP went on to win Wheels Magazine Car Of The Year and over the next 40 years, the Falcon became a legend on roads, racetracks and boulevards around the country.

The Ford Falcon XP came to market with three engines – 2.3 litres, 2.8 litres and 3.3 litres. All were straight-six cylinder engines. The larger ‘170 Pursuit’ and ‘200 Super Pursuit’ engines were most common in the coupe. Buyers could choose between a 3-speed manual gearbox or either of two automatic transmissions, a 2-speed or 3-speed.

The styling of the XP Falcon – both the outside and inside – retained a lot of American influence. The white-over-red is still a popular theme on restored XP’s today. Another popular modern-day XP configuration is the transplanting of a big V8 into the spacious engine bay, which would certainly add a bit more punch as well as a soundtrack to suit the car’s star quality looks.

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For Sale

Being the darling of an era commands a higher price.

That red XP Coupe I saw in my early teenage years came up for sale a few years later for the princely sum of $3000. I should have bought it then.

This white XP Coupe – the higher spec Futura model – is currently advertised at carsales.com.au for $45,000!!!! It’s a genuine one-owner car in original condition and it does look pretty well preserved.

And check out the front-on engine bay photo. So spacious you can reach down past the engine and pick up some pebbles off the ground. Amazing.

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On Ford Closing its Australian Operations

We had some really sad automotive news here yesterday. Ford will close its Australian manufacturing operations in three years’ time, after around 90 years of manufacturing in this country.

The Fords, built in Australia between now and October 2016 will be the last Fords ever built here. Ford will close its engine building plant in Geelong and its vehicle assembly plant in Broadmeadows. It’s estimated that 1200 direct jobs will be lost, with the flow-on effect being up to several thousand more. Ford will continue to retain a vehicle development division here in Australia to work on global Ford vehicles.

A few random dot points about this news.

There are a lot of people here in Australia angry about this, especially in light of the substantial financial assistance given to all three manufacturers still present in Australia. Ford, GM and Toyota have all received financial help to prop up their Australian manufacturing operations.
Ford Australia CEO Bob Graziano stated yesterday that it costs them twice as much to manufacture in Australia compared to manufacturing in Europe. That’s staggering. Asian manufacturing is only a quarter of the cost of Australia.

Much of that cost problem has to do with our high dollar. A lot of it is to do with a lack of scale. Ford builds two vehicles here – the Falcon and the Territory SUV. Neither of them are exported and both are large vehicles where the buyers are buying smaller sedans/hatches or compact SUV’s. Sales of the Territory have been OK, though they’re falling. Sales of the Falcon have been in the toilet for some time now, despite them releasing a 4-cylinder turbo version that’s reported to be quite good.
There are two significant knock-on effect from this announcement, aside from the hardship it’ll cause those immediately involved. The first is the question mark this announcement puts on the Australian vehicle manufacturing industry as a whole. Holden and Toyota have both committed to continued manufacturing in Australia for around another 10 years. This announcement means their local component suppliers are going to lose one of just three customers, however. That’s going to put quite severe pressure on those suppliers and could make life quite difficult for the wider vehicle manufacturing sector.

The second knock-on effect is on racing here in Australia. The most popular racing series here is the V8 Supercars, which for years was a series comprising just two manufacturers – Holden and Ford. Nissan joined this year as well as a privateer team running some AMG Benzes. Holden and Ford remain the backbone of the competition, however, and removing one of those is going to make things very interesting (hopefully in a good way).
While this is bad news, credit to Ford for announcing it well in advance of the actual closure. Workers, government and Ford itself have three years and five months to sort out what happens next. It’s not good, but getting Ford to commit to three more years of losses is probably as good as it can be under the circumstances.

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I ended up owning Holdens when I got my licence, but I grew up in a Ford house. Dad had an old Falcon wagon. Mum had a couple of Cortinas and a Laser. My uncle still has the XC Falcon sedan that he bought new in 1977 and his son, my cousin, has worked for Ford since…… forever. I’m sure he will be affected by the closures announced yesterday.

How did I ever end up in a Holden? Rebellion? Peer pressure? A bit of both?

None of that matters (as if it ever did).

I got a chance to spend a week in a Ford Focus earlier this year and I was very impressed with the chassis, though not so much with the engine. It was my first time behind the wheel of a Ford in a long time and I could see why the Focus gets the respect that it does.

My last experience with the Falcon was some time ago. We had a Falcon here at my workplace for a few years and personally, I quite liked it. The decision wasn’t mine when it came to replace it, however, and we’ve had a succession of Subarus since.

I feel bad about the loss of Ford manufacturing here in Australia. I wish they’d responded to the market better than what they did because it’s their workforce that’s going to pay for it. Maybe they could have done things a little differently and planned it a little better with the help of up and coming software like ERP. This would have helped them understand the market better and implement their plan of action better, leading to a longer stay in the market! However, the first step to a successful ERP implementation without hiccups is planning. And that is what they lacked probably! That, and the will to upgrade to better technologies to help with their daily operations!

We’ve lost part of the motoring fabric of this country, too. That’s another sad thing.

The Ford Falcon was as Australian icon but Ford were either unwilling or too slow to adapt it to changing market tastes. Ford don’t plan to use the Falcon name on another vehicle brought into this country, so one of Australia’s past favourites will be gone forever once this decision is implemented.

I’ll take an XP Coupe, thanks. White on red would be just fine.

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