Falcon Hell....no more wagon!

[Just Do It!]

Bye bye Falcon wagon!!

2014 is when we will see the last of the Falcon as we know it according to this article which is farewelling the Falcon wagon.

Holden must be rubbing their hands with glee on this one!

[mountainstar]

Funny, I had just cracked open the latest issue of AMC I got in the mail today and was reading a blurb they had in there about the Falcon wagon and whether it would survive.

No surprise that it got cut as basically much of the car was the old, old, AU and there was no place for it anymore. Completely out of date with the rest of the line up.

I wouldn't panic yet about the end of the Falcon. Ford/Lincoln is not abandoning RWD and I'd presume the Falcon could share the same underpinnings with a US Lincoln. We'll see.

The new Taurus I have seen out and about on the streets now and I'd say it looks the size of a Falcon(sorry folks I don't carry tape measures around). Seems to be a stout car and better built as well compared to say 10 years ago.

[johnh875]

"He horrified Ford fans when he said a replacement would likely be based on the front-wheel drive Taurus."

That is a bit of creative reporting, I have not seen a quote attributed to Allan Mullally saying that. They have only said the decision is 12-18 months off, and provided no direct indication of which way it would go. The other option of course is that Falcon & Mustang could be built off the same rwd platform.

Here is a less-sensationalistic article: link

My interpretation is that a combination of a changing market and spiral of reducing sales & product development have reached the breaking point of a new set of emissions regs requiring money to be spent to re-certify the car.

The traditional "family truckster" market for station wagons has moved into SUV's, they basically only sold to fleets. That is why the 1998 AU wagon had a new front end only for the 2002 BA, and no change with the new generation 2008 FG model. Even the AU wagon was based on the same inner structure as the back of the 1988 EA model - keeping the development costs to bare-bones. Trouble is the lack of development shows, and sales move elsewhere.

In the bigger picture, there have not been more than 2 small wagons (C segment) on sale at once for probably 20 years, and no more than 3-4 in the medium class in the same time. Our market is similar to the US in that regard, wagons are now a niche segment.

On the plus side the reduced complexity on the production line is supposed to allow them to increase the number or sedans and Territory SUV's built, so they could end up selling more cars.

Personally I would like to see them try selling the Falcon G6E in North America as a replacement for the Mercury Grand Marquis. I agree it could tie in with Lincoln too. Although it is hard to see Mustang and Falcon and Lincoln all coming from the same platform!

[Marcos WTF]

Their demise is hardly a shock. As covered above the platform was based on something Noah found in his shed.

Still it kept some cart spring makers off the dole queue.But really, henry.
cart springs in the 21st century?

But they were a POS. My employer sold 2 Commodore VZ wagons and bought 2 BF's Noisy, poor interior trim, ride poor. They lasted until VE Commodore wagon was released.

[Amaroo Park]

Has to be seen as a mistake on Fords part to discontinue the wagon. Bean counters on the attack I think

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by Marcos WTF

Their demise is hardly a shock. As covered above the platform was based on something Noah found in his shed.

Still it kept some cart spring makers off the dole queue.But really, henry.
cart springs in the 21st century?

But they were a POS. My employer sold 2 Commodore VZ wagons and bought 2 BF's Noisy, poor interior trim, ride poor. They lasted until VE Commodore wagon was released.

I believe the Falcon uses a traverse leaf spring just like the Corvette... not really a traditional "cart spring".

[Another Bob]

No, just looked under the back of mine, looks like a good old leaf spring to me, god help us if this is whats under a Corvette, but in it defence they are built to be a work horse, hell I know mine is!!!

[johnh875]

I'm sure I've seen a brochure refer to Hotchkiss rear suspension - nice try to make it sound a bit more sophisticated. As you say it does the job it is designed to do, but its a sign the wagon had become a pure tool-of-trade vehicle rather than something that is desirable to own.

On the other hand it always amuses me that the Corvette suspension provides the opportunity for people to demonstrate they don't actually know what they are talking about, eg Top Gear for starters.

[Another Bob]

Bit of a shame to drop it, I personally think its a good solid platform for tradies either in a wagon, ute or tray format.

Just do a bit of engineering to modify the engine mount pick ups for Fords latest 6 cylinder and wham o another decade of trade vehicles for the Oz market with virtually no development cost.

Yes the SUV is a separate market.