Ford Working on RWD
01-09-2008, 08:16 PM
#1
Safety Car
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Ford Working on RWD
We're Working On It
Ford has been notoriously quiet on the subject of rear-wheel drive development over the last few years. The company showed two RWD concepts at last year’s NAIAS - the Ford Interceptor and the Lincoln MKR - but Ford never tipped either for production reality. Today, however, Ford confirmed a RWD plan is in the works. The RWD platform will share the global platform from Ford’s Australian-market works. That means it will probably be based on the same underpinnings as the next-generation Ford Falcon - and given the performance of the current Falcon platform, it would be a welcome addition to Ford’s arsenal.
Ford’s Australian division recently released an updated Falcon that sports a 302kW (404hp) 5.4L V8 engine in several FPV (Ford Performance Vehicles) models, and in standard trim has the option of a 260kW (349hp) V8, a 245kW (328hp) turbocharged six-cylinder or a normally aspirated 190kW (254hp) six. Available with either four or six-speed automatic transmissions or a six-speed manual, the Falcon has a drivetrain feature set not found in many sedans offered in the U.S. The next-generation Falcon should be even more impressive. As the success of the Cadillac CTS is proving, there is room for powerful, luxurious American-made sedans - even in the otherwise stagnant U.S. car market - and Ford has all the tools it needs to build one.
Ford’s recent announcement of it’s EcoBoost (renamed TwinForce) turbocharged engines might mean the upcoming RWDs could skip the massive V8s found in the Australian market cars. But skipping out entirely on the V8 - at least as an option - would be a mistake in our opinion. Even the best twin-turbo six-cylinders can’t match the magic and muster that a big V8 can produce. We’ll have to wait for Ford to build the mythical beast before we can measure its horn, however.
And of course, it won’t actually be built in Australia because of practicality issues - it’s just too far from the U.S. to make shipment economical and the exchange rate between the Aussie and U.S. dollars is not favorable at the moment, reports Automotive News. But leveraging the work done in Australia to build a better North American-made car is just what the newly-number-three U.S. automaker might need to right its ship in the performance sedan market.
Ford has been notoriously quiet on the subject of rear-wheel drive development over the last few years. The company showed two RWD concepts at last year’s NAIAS - the Ford Interceptor and the Lincoln MKR - but Ford never tipped either for production reality. Today, however, Ford confirmed a RWD plan is in the works. The RWD platform will share the global platform from Ford’s Australian-market works. That means it will probably be based on the same underpinnings as the next-generation Ford Falcon - and given the performance of the current Falcon platform, it would be a welcome addition to Ford’s arsenal.
Ford’s Australian division recently released an updated Falcon that sports a 302kW (404hp) 5.4L V8 engine in several FPV (Ford Performance Vehicles) models, and in standard trim has the option of a 260kW (349hp) V8, a 245kW (328hp) turbocharged six-cylinder or a normally aspirated 190kW (254hp) six. Available with either four or six-speed automatic transmissions or a six-speed manual, the Falcon has a drivetrain feature set not found in many sedans offered in the U.S. The next-generation Falcon should be even more impressive. As the success of the Cadillac CTS is proving, there is room for powerful, luxurious American-made sedans - even in the otherwise stagnant U.S. car market - and Ford has all the tools it needs to build one.
Ford’s recent announcement of it’s EcoBoost (renamed TwinForce) turbocharged engines might mean the upcoming RWDs could skip the massive V8s found in the Australian market cars. But skipping out entirely on the V8 - at least as an option - would be a mistake in our opinion. Even the best twin-turbo six-cylinders can’t match the magic and muster that a big V8 can produce. We’ll have to wait for Ford to build the mythical beast before we can measure its horn, however.
And of course, it won’t actually be built in Australia because of practicality issues - it’s just too far from the U.S. to make shipment economical and the exchange rate between the Aussie and U.S. dollars is not favorable at the moment, reports Automotive News. But leveraging the work done in Australia to build a better North American-made car is just what the newly-number-three U.S. automaker might need to right its ship in the performance sedan market.
01-09-2008, 11:50 PM
#5
The Third Ball
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ecoboost, ecotec....turbos....rwd from australia....
sounds like that are just copying chevy at this point.
sounds like that are just copying chevy at this point.
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01-10-2008, 09:50 AM
#8
Senior Moderator
Ford has always had RWD vehicles in it's lineup... Mustang and Crown Vic, now, tbird back in the 90's, etc... So this is merely a continuation down that path... They have to have a replacement for the Crown Vic, and it makes sense to source that from the Aussies...
This really isn't news to me...
This really isn't news to me...
01-10-2008, 09:53 AM
#9
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by Sarlacc
sounds like that are just copying chevy at this point.
01-10-2008, 10:48 AM
#10
The sizzle in the Steak
Good...bring on the RWD....and bring on the Euro models/designs.
01-10-2008, 01:38 PM
#11
I'm Down Right Fierce!
Originally Posted by Moog-Type-S
Good...bring on the RWD....and bring on the Euro models/designs.
And while they're at it, bring the AU line up here.I'm a huge import fan, but if Ford actually offered the AU Falcon here in the states, I guarantee I'd be in line to buy one.
01-10-2008, 03:42 PM
#13
_____ like a rabbit
Originally Posted by Sarlacc
ecoboost, ecotec....turbos....rwd from australia....
sounds like that are just copying chevy at this point.
sounds like that are just copying chevy at this point.
01-11-2008, 10:27 PM
#17
The Third Ball
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Originally Posted by titan
Hell yeah. But only if the unions make it so Ford can be competitive to Toyota, etc.
01-12-2008, 09:33 AM
#21
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by mystikk
Did you fools forget Acura's working on an NSX replacement ..
H/A still has the RWD s2k in production (for now).
01-12-2008, 05:14 PM
#23
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Originally Posted by Sarlacc
ecoboost, ecotec....turbos....rwd from australia....
sounds like that are just copying chevy at this point.
sounds like that are just copying chevy at this point.
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