The end of the Aussie six at Ford

Maybe for my main blog later. The end of the full-size car is nearing, it seems. I got the following from the Ford Motor Company earlier today, as production of the old six-cylinder engine in Australia will come to a close.

Ford Australia today announced a key step in a new product manufacturing strategy that will allow the company to achieve production efficiencies and access global economies of scale.
   From 2010 Ford Australia will import a global new Duratec V6 engine, including high performance derivatives, for use in the company's locally made Falcon, Falcon Ute and Territory model lines. The improved economies of scale resulting from the globally-sourced engine will offer increased flexibility to potentially incorporate future alternative fuel strategies, particularly diesel technology.
   As a result, the company will discontinue its Australian I6 engine operations in Geelong in 2010. Redeployment opportunities will be maximised wherever possible and the company will work closely with its employees and unions to minimise the impact on the 600 people affected by the decision across engine operations. The company's remaining 1400 employees in Geelong and 3000 in Campbellfield will not be directly impacted by the decision.

   I feel for the Aussies affected by this, but given Ford has been streamlining its engine production, it was inevitable. This will also mean a streamlining of its full-size car platforms, so the next Mustang, Territory, Town Car, Falcon and other models will be engineered by one group, probably the Australians who have had plenty of expertise in this area. (The US, by contrast, has not changed its full-size platform since the 1979 model year.) The following was also in the release, which is good from an internal point of view, but cold comfort to the folks at Geelong:

Construction of the company's new Research & Development Centre, announced in 2006 as part of Ford's $1.8 billion Australian investment program, will continue and is due for completion later this year. Significant investment programs in new emissions laboratories and wind tunnel technology at Ford's test facilities at Lara will also continue, along with usual operations at the company's stamping plant and Ford Discovery Centre.

   Ford’s issue has always been internal infighting and Dearborn’s reluctance to accept anything that is “not invented here”. Let’s hope it gets over it, because my feeling is that there’s life in the full-size car market yet, and Holden, despite its slip-ups with the Daewoo products, has proved that with the VE Commodore platform and its derivatives.