Australians Now Favour Fuel Economy Over Power - Page 3

Ben73 · 30-10-2016, 04:28 AM

My missus loves her new "powerful" car.
She went from 60kws to just over 100kws. She loves getting up big hills without putting her foot to the floor.
For regular people 0-100 in ten seconds is powerful enough for day to day use.

Whitey-AMG · 30-10-2016, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eb2fairmont

If economy now floats people's boats at ford then why is ranger and mustang thier top sellers?

Like the economical stuff sells in huge numbers...

I reckon most of the buying public are buying their small economical cars from other Marques... Just sayin

Ford are pretty much the "truck company" now.

eb2fairmont · 30-10-2016, 01:02 PM

Well they ain't buying fiesta,Mondeo or focus.

Whitey-AMG · 30-10-2016, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eb2fairmont

Well they ain't buying fiesta,Mondeo or focus.

That's what I'm sayin.
They are buying boot full loads of toyotas and Mazdas.
Ford doesn't figure in the volume Dept for small cars.
Just like in the good Ol USA... Ford will best known for trucks here as well.

**Rallye Sport** · 30-10-2016, 02:45 PM

Don't see many ford trucks, that segments dominated by import stuff too, isuzu, mitsi, volvo, scania etc

**Rallye Sport** · 30-10-2016, 02:46 PM

Sorry dis-regard that last post, just worked out we were talking about 'utes'

Whitey-AMG · 30-10-2016, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Sorry dis-regard that last post, just worked out we were talking about 'utes'

Yes
Trucks and Pickups.

The last Utes have "left the building" so to speak.

Mercury Bullet · 30-10-2016, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevypower

But what if you are getting beaten by electric cars all day long, AND they are saving $100 a week on running costs? At some point, the performance deficit won't be worth the engine sound.

All day long? I won't post any details but we would have left a Tesla on the side of the road with no power left after 15 minutes of driving.

The performance deficit is solely Tesla's when it comes to hard constant WOT driving.

**Rallye Sport** · 30-10-2016, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluey-GT

Yes
Trucks and Pickups.

The last Utes have "left the building" so to speak.

Utes haul people and dirt bikes, Trucks haul cargo and can't be driven on a basic licence...

Whitey-AMG · 30-10-2016, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Utes haul people and dirt bikes, Trucks haul cargo and can't be driven on a basic licence...

Guys. You're missing the terminology. when I say Truck , I'm talking Ranger...

Haven't you seen the ford ads. It's also the yank terminology and just like in the USA where the F series Truck is Fords biggest selling product , so too will the Truck become Fords bread and better here in Aus.

**GasoLane** · 30-10-2016, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluey-GT

Guys. You're missing the terminology. when I say Truck , I'm talking Ranger...

Haven't you seen the ford ads. It's also the yank terminology and just like in the USA where the F series Truck is Fords biggest selling product , so too will the Truck become Fords bread and better here in Aus.

Unfortunately Seppo's also call Prime Movers 'tractors'.

Thankfully, in Australia we speak English.

Whitey-AMG · 30-10-2016, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Unfortunately Seppo's also call Prime Movers 'tractors'.

Thankfully, in Australia we speak English.

Try as I might , there's no way I can call the Franger ( Ford Ranger..lol ) a UTE..
Truck , Pick Up , whatever , but it ain't no Ute.

Mercury Bullet · 30-10-2016, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluey-GT

Try as I might , there's no way I can call the Franger ( Ford Ranger..lol ) a UTE..
Truck , Pick Up , whatever , but it ain't no Ute.

Hahaha, now there's a word I haven't heard in a few years.

Classic, lol.

Junkyard-Dog · 30-10-2016, 07:51 PM

I would say that most people choose cars based on fuel economy now more than in the early 80's (for example) because the average small car is so much more tolerable now than they ever were in the past. Back then there was just as much reason to buy a car based on fuel costs but the options were mostly pretty bleak, especially if you needed a car that could actually fit a family of 5 in comfort.

These days basically every manufacturer is making a hatch that is suitable for families, the small car is no longer actually small and the performance of Corollas, Mazda 3s, i30s etc is more than adequate for legal road use.

Rastas · 30-10-2016, 10:44 PM

Can't wait for the 1.0 Ecoboost Hybrid Mustang!

wobblysauce · 31-10-2016, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brazen

I have had a Camry Hybrid for about 4 years. Happy with it, it actually feels more grunty off the line than my Falcon as you have the electric motor kicking in max torque at effectively 0rpm.

Lifetime average is 5.6 L/100km. The only car I have ever owned that gets basically the same fuel economy no matter how hard you thrash it. In my situation I save about 2 grand a year over a conventional family car equivalent.

That is what I hear from other drivers/taxi ones mainly.. most still miss the wagons space, but for most trips it is not needed.

Fuel wise they love it, as some times you can be sitting around for a bit doing nothing with the car on, and there are a number of hills where I am and regen brakes are fun.

2011G6E · 31-10-2016, 10:03 AM

And this is a surprise why exactly?

Ford and Holden both failed to see this coming. Ford made a hard try with the Ecoboost Falcon, but never advertised it. It could have been so much more and been a real sales success with some simple adverts.

Surely...surely with modern materials and modern manufacturing processes, there was a way to prevent for example the Falcon ballooning from, say, the XD which weighed only about 1360kg, to the FG which weighed over 1700kg. Hell, the XC with massive steel bumpers and heavy steel panels only weighed about 1450kg.

Whitey-AMG · 31-10-2016, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

And this is a surprise why exactly?

Ford and Holden both failed to see this coming. Ford made a hard try with the Ecoboost Falcon, but never advertised it. It could have been so much more and been a real sales success with some simple adverts.

Surely...surely with modern materials and modern manufacturing processes, there was a way to prevent for example the Falcon ballooning from, say, the XD which weighed only about 1360kg, to the FG which weighed over 1700kg. Hell, the XC with massive steel bumpers and heavy steel panels only weighed about 1450kg.

"Kerb" weight of a Mazda 3 is @ 1300kg...
Modern cars are loaded with electrics , gizmos and safety equipment so weight is a given. FWIW , those pressed steel bumpers on the rustys weren't that heavy anyways.
IMHO eco boost failed because of the falcon stigma. Falcon could have had a hybrid electric motor and sales still would have waned. Same old same old and people just got sick of it. Big boofy and subjectively lacking modern styling with minimal tech.
Euro and Japanese cars were generations ahead and people were prepared to pay for it because there was a perceived pay off with economy and better resale and the "cool" factor.
Would have been nice to have had a mid sized stylised version of the falcon loaded with tech and 250kw + option Eco boost engines with a hybrid future.
Too late now.....

chevypower · 31-10-2016, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

All day long? I won't post any details but we would have left a Tesla on the side of the road with no power left after 15 minutes of driving.

The performance deficit is solely Tesla's when it comes to hard constant WOT driving.

Future tense, as in 'not now, but what will happen.' Like trucks for example. Right now they hold us up while pulling a trailer up a hill. An electric truck will be able to pull a fully loaded trailer up a 6% grade at 110km/h and not hold everyone up. Also, the electric truck will be able to move the same trailer from city to city for hundreds of dollars less on each trip. Since the truck driver wants to save time and money, that alone will make the diesel obsolete. Fortunately technology doesn't remain static.

4vxc · 31-10-2016, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

And this is a surprise why exactly?

Ford and Holden both failed to see this coming. Ford made a hard try with the Ecoboost Falcon, but never advertised it. It could have been so much more and been a real sales success with some simple adverts.

Surely...surely with modern materials and modern manufacturing processes, there was a way to prevent for example the Falcon ballooning from, say, the XD which weighed only about 1360kg, to the FG which weighed over 1700kg. Hell, the XC with massive steel bumpers and heavy steel panels only weighed about 1450kg.

Don't know about that, the rego papers for my 5.8 XC say 1750kg,

**Burnout** · 31-10-2016, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

And this is a surprise why exactly?

Ford and Holden both failed to see this coming. Ford made a hard try with the Ecoboost Falcon, but never advertised it. It could have been so much more and been a real sales success with some simple adverts.

Surely...surely with modern materials and modern manufacturing processes, there was a way to prevent for example the Falcon ballooning from, say, the XD which weighed only about 1360kg, to the FG which weighed over 1700kg. Hell, the XC with massive steel bumpers and heavy steel panels only weighed about 1450kg.

Falcon planned obsolescence was already in place when the Ecoboost was introduced.

commodorenutt · 31-10-2016, 11:55 AM

Whilst "small" (which are as big as family size cars of the 80s) cars like the Mazda 3 are popular today - it's not a recent surge of buyers switching from large cars into small cars that killed the Falcon. The corolla was just as popular 15 years ago when the AU was still selling in huge numbers.

Many large car buyers drifted across into 4WDs. Manufacturers made them less truck-like, and clever PR turned them into soccer-mum status symbols.

In the 80s & 90s it was common to see a 3rd row seat in a wagon when a family had 4 kids. The VE Sportwagon doesn't really have the space to do this, and Ford hasn't had a suitable wagon since the BF3 - where did those people go? Into 4WDs with 3rd row seats.

Look at the boom in sales for 4WD/SUV/Soft-road vehicles over the last 10-15 years - it's almost the exact opposite of the decline in sales for large sedans & wagons.

Ford saw some of this coming with the Territory, and built a car that large car buyers were shifting into - the sales figures in the early days proved its success - but eventually it came at the cost of Falcon sales too. Many Territory owners that I know - friends & even relatives, replaced a Falcon with a Territory, and never went back - but at least they got to stay in a locally produced Ford.

Like I said in my previous post - the incredibly strong sales growth in the 4WD/SUV class is proof that many buyers don't give a rat's behind about fuel economy....

Mercury Bullet · 31-10-2016, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevypower

Future tense, as in 'not now, but what will happen.' Like trucks for example. Right now they hold us up while pulling a trailer up a hill. An electric truck will be able to pull a fully loaded trailer up a 6% grade at 110km/h and not hold everyone up. Also, the electric truck will be able to move the same trailer from city to city for hundreds of dollars less on each trip. Since the truck driver wants to save time and money, that alone will make the diesel obsolete. Fortunately technology doesn't remain static.

Physics remain static. There are very good reasons why there are no electric trucks. Hint: why do trains slow down going up hills?
This is not an electric vs petrol thread so I will stop here.

Junkyard-Dog · 31-10-2016, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Hint: why do trains slow down going up hills?

Lack of traction.

Sprintey · 31-10-2016, 07:17 PM

Ford commissions the survey, analyses the results, and re-releases the BF3 LPG Falcon wagon...

vztrt · 31-10-2016, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

Like I said in my previous post - the incredibly strong sales growth in the 4WD/SUV class is proof that many buyers don't give a rat's behind about fuel economy....

Yep. Market has been going down the suv route for a long time. Car manufactures are projecting 50% of sales will be some suv. Then add on the duel cab pickups.

Mercury Bullet · 31-10-2016, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

Then add on the duel cab pickups.

Pistols at dawn!

Sorry.

vztrt · 31-10-2016, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Pistols at dawn!

Sorry.

There not utes.

Sabantien · 01-11-2016, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Physics remain static. There are very good reasons why there are no electric trucks. Hint: why do trains slow down going up hills?
This is not an electric vs petrol thread so I will stop here.

Here's one in Brisbane in the 1920s towing an alternator for a power station.

Although it was primarily used to take coal into the power station.

FPV6 · 01-11-2016, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Unfortunately Seppo's also call Prime Movers 'tractors'.

Thankfully, in Australia we speak English.

yeah not for long