I6 may be exported: GoAuto

[Road_Warrior]

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25756D00020D94

Ford’s local I6 on shopping list for overseas makers

By IAN PORTER 3 March 2009


FORD’S engine operations at Geelong, which late last year were saved by government intervention and the injection of $21 million, could soon receive a shot in the arm from other car-makers wanting to buy the straight-six engine.

Ford is also increasingly confident that the financially troubled supplier of its four-speed automatic transmission for Falcon – Drivetrain Systems International (DSI) – will survive, with receivers getting enquiries from up to 18 parties interested in investing in the Albury operation.

Speaking to GoAuto at the Melbourne International Motor Show, Ford Australia president Marin Burela said the Geelong-made inline-six (I6) engine was secure for the medium-term, and that the outlook for the operation had been strengthened by approaches from manufacturers who wanted to use the engine.

“We are getting all sorts of interest from different sectors on whether or not we would be prepared to sell them some engines, for different applications,” he said. “They want to know would we be willing to sell them some I6 engines.

“That’s a different angle on the Geelong engine plant story.”

Mr Burela would not say which companies were making the enquiries or what sort of vehicle they would be used in. “There are different groups around the world. I don’t want to talk volumes.”

The Ford chief said negotiations were in the early stages, but there was strong interest – “it’s really encouraging”.

He said that even without any export orders, the engine would “probably” be kept in service until 2015 or 2016, although a decision will be made earlier than that.

“When we get to 2012 we will look at it again and we will then understand where the emissions standards are heading. Then we’ll make some decisions on whether we can continue to upgrade the technology or make a change (to an imported V6).”

Mr Burela said he was also confident production of the Falcon range would not be interrupted by the troubles at DSI.

He said Ford had enough four-speed automatic transmissions on hand to carry it through to March 9, when the DSI receivers plan to resume production.

Mr Burela said Ford would prefer to keep using the four-speed unit rather than switch to the five- or six-speed units used in other Falcons and the Territory.

“We are quite happy to stay the way we are,” he said.

Mr Burela said the prospects for longer-term stability improved after the receivers had called for expressions of interest in DSI.

“When they were appointed, I thought their biggest challenge would be to find suitable investors,” Mr Burela said. “They were overwhelmed by the level of interest. There were 18 different parties.”

At least five of the approaches were from serious operators, two of whom already source some of their transmissions from DSI.

“I am getting more confident by the day supply will continue,” he said.

Mr Burela scotched suggestions that the Falcon wagon – will is built on the previous platform architecture – would be discontinued in light of its reliance on a DSI-supplied gearbox and the launch in Melbourne last week of the imported Mondeo medium-sized wagon.

“We have no plans to drop the Falcon wagon. It is alive and well,” he said. “We hit a real nice sweet spot with the Falcon wagon and it just keeps selling.

“The Mondeo wagon brings a completely different customer to the brand. It’s a younger family, versatile, lifestyle, great package selling so well in Europe.”

Mr Burela said it was difficult to be certain about the outlook for the domestic vehicle market given the current financial crisis, but he was pleased the forecast he made last year was still in the game.

“Last year I predicted the 2009 year would run at 900,000 units. I was delighted when January came in at (an annualised rate of) 917,000,” he said.

February, however, had been “an interesting month, a bit up and a bit down”.

“I think the first half of the year will be rocky, very turbulent. Our view is that in the second half of the year we will start to see more stability and I think we will start to see that in the global economy,” he said.

“Things are starting to shape themselves, but it will take six to 12 months to get there.”

The I6 for the F150? A stationary engine application perhaps?

The tidbit about the wagon is interesting too.

Discuss.

[ThePistonHead]

Never in my wildest dreams would I have have imagined this! Great signs, although i realise its all talk at the moment.

I6 until 2016! Wow.... The mind boggles at the opportunities. Hmm, what sort of power would the 2016 F6 be making?

[Cookie-XR8]

why not

[Paxton]

If this rumour eventuates, this news will make a couple of members here very very happy.

Anybody else think there has been a complete culture change at Ford Australia since Burela started?

[Gobes32]

Originally Posted by Paxton

If this rumour eventuates, this news will make a couple of members here very very happy.

Anybody else think there has been a complete culture change at Ford Australia since Burela started?

Amen to that..........

I think you will find that the Falcon will be reviewed in 2012 and if they continue with Falcon then the I6 will continue. By 2016 I would imagine the Mondeo will replace Falcon. Maybe?

[imugli]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

Amen to that..........

I think you will find that the Falcon will be reviewed in 2012 and if they continue with Falcon then the I6 will continue. By 2016 I would imagine the Mondeo will replace Falcon. Maybe?

My money is still on a jointly developed Taurus/Falcon - perhaps being a stretched / widened version of the EUCD that will underpin next gen Mondeo / Fusion twins.

[vztrt]

This will be great news if it does happen. Also with our dollar nice and low it would make it nice and cheap for export.

Burela is doing a great job and obviously wants Ford Australia to survive....unlike the incompetent yanks before him.

[GK]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Burela is doing a great job and obviously wants Ford Australia to survive....unlike the incompetent yanks before him.

For sure!

You need a local bloke to be passionate and proud of the local product, and go in hard to fight to keep things here alive.

He's exactly what Ford Aus need right now and into the future. I hope they don't take him away to the US and sacrifice him in the muck, as they did with another awesome Ford Aus chief, Jac Nasser.

GK

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by GK

For sure!

You need a local bloke to be passionate and proud of the local product, and go in hard to fight to keep things here alive.

He's exactly what Ford Aus need right now and into the future. I hope they don't take him away to the US and sacrifice him in the muck, as they did with another awesome Ford Aus chief, Jac Nasser.

GK

Ditto

[InfernoSR]

Sounds like a good opportunity!

[JPFS1]

Believe it when i see it, and if it happens at all, I suspect it's of low volume, niche applications.

[eyes87]

very pleasing. I thought they were planning on scrapping the falcon wagon though. i may be confused on that tho.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by eyes87

very pleasing. I thought they were planning on scrapping the falcon wagon though. i may be confused on that tho.

That's what the plan was in the Gorman days, yes. A local boy running the show (and consistent sales) has obviously changed that. Simple fact is that tradies and reps who can't use/don't want a ute still keep buying the wagon because there is no other car available for the price with the same payload and load space capacity.

However it begs the question: what will happen to the wagon in 2010? It can't continue past July 1 2010 without a Euro 4 compliant engine.

[Charliewool]

Was talk of putting them into airport tugs/push backs, globally?

[Bud Bud]

Also in turbo form it has proven a great unit. Maybe there is an application in F series trucks for the turbo I6 instead of the smaller cubed modular V8 in the near future. Good news either way.

[chevypower]

The F150 is getting the 3.5 V6 in EcoBoost version only

[Airmon]

Go Auto can't resist an opportunity to sink the boot.

Then we’ll make some decisions on whether we can continue to upgrade the technology or make a change (to an imported V6).”

Talk about putting words into his mouth.

[nommic]

Originally Posted by Airmon

Go Auto can't resist an opportunity to sink the boot.


Talk about putting words into his mouth.

GoAuto is one of the less-biased, better researched publications in the auto industry. I don't see anything particularly evil about that quote?

[sleekism]

The way Holden people talk the Ford I6 belongs in a "dirty truck"

FPV Kenworth here we come lol..............

[StealthAu]

Originally Posted by sleekism

The way Holden people talk the Ford I6 belongs in a "dirty truck"

FPV Kenworth here we come lol..............

Yeah, and their 6L pushrod engine is engineering at its best, nothing truck like there

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by sleekism

The way Holden people talk the Ford I6 belongs in a "dirty truck"

FPV Kenworth here we come lol..............

they're just jelous because they have a rough rattler of a engine. I6 will allways be greater.

[mrbaxr6t]

the I6 Ford has created is a work of art crafted from steel on a shoe string budget, what if (extreme long shot) Nissan are looking at it for a Skyline, that engine strapped in a Nissan AWD would be a leviathan of a car! This type of thing is somewhat difficult to research cause I cant read japanese But that engine is better than the one in the R35. As everybody knows its hauling a large car so that slows it down (a little) - Nissan have dealt with ford in the past Ford maverick (Patrol) nissan utility (XF ute) as examples they have dealt in the past. And maybe are about to again.

[Gobes32]

You could be right, the next global chassis might be a Mondeo in Europe, Taurus in the US and a small Falcon down here in Oz. Why build three separate cars when you can build three off the one chassis? However, Falcon will then become a FWD car. Has it's good and bad sides to it.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

You could be right, the next global chassis might be a Mondeo in Europe, Taurus in the US and a small Falcon down here in Oz. Why build three separate cars when you can build three off the one chassis? However, Falcon will then become a FWD car. Has it's good and bad sides to it.

They want the Taurus to be a AWD as well as a FWD so if they design the drive train tunnel correctly RWD should still be a possibility. Also the new robot they have in body build would allow changes to the body.

Originally Posted by Gobes32

I don't know if you apply for jobs or you just get told that the job is yours, too bad if you don't want it.

If its like the managers when I was there, you really have no choice. You get told and move. I wonder if GP had some influence on Burela?

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

Stationary engines, generator sets, airport tugs/hauler vehicles...possibly even marine applications...

Wouldn't really see it in the gen sets (tied up by cummins (land) and CAT (off shore) or marine. But the Chinese and Indian vehicles would be a very good bet. I know in the heavy machinery section then China wanted to export their products they went O/S for engines so they could meet emission requirements.

[SM1DY]

This is good news, I hope Ford never cans the I6.

[Nikked]

awsome news! A massive turn around of events. If this is sucessful, imagine the development dollars towards the engine!

[XR6_190]

This is good news, I have noticed a lot more good news stories for Ford Australia, since Marin Burela took over, First the I6 got revived, then the Fiesta with mileage of 3.7 L/100, now this, the words that should quash peoples thoughts that Ford will be flogging FWD Falcons by 2012. I think that this has got to mean Falcon is in a better situation than Commodore for the future.

[Falc'man]

What happened to the doomsayers? The ones who said "They kept the I6 because Falcon was dead in a few years, so no point wasting more money on it to make the V6 fit."

Long live the "250".

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

What happened to the doomsayers? The ones who said "They kept the I6 because Falcon was dead in a few years, so no point wasting more money on it to make the V6 fit."

Long live the "250".

Heh, I still remember your reaction when I told you about the I6's future last October. We never thought then of the repercussions of Ford keeping this engine alive. Even if it adds twenty or so engines a day, it is adding valuable dollars to Ford's bottom line (which costs them nothing in turn to produce the engines).

I just hope that Ford USA finally realises what a hidden gem is being made here decades after the mother land abandoned it.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

What happened to the doomsayers? The ones who said "They kept the I6 because Falcon was dead in a few years, so no point wasting more money on it to make the V6 fit."

They all got jobs at drive.com.au