CarPoint Confidential: week ending September 23, 2006
Every Saturday CarPoint Confidential features the latest news snippets and the good oil other sources either won't publish, don't care about or don't know. Heard an automotive rumour or new model tip? Then let us know at editor@carpoint.com.au
F-Series out: for 12 months at least
There is not a single mass-market commercial that can generate better resale and respect than a genuine, Australian-delivered Ford F-Series. The final Australian-assembled 1992 models still fetch well over $20,000 even with over 200,000km and 14 years of hard work under their belts. Even the current series imported from Brazil depreciates in tiny increments compared to comparable vehicles.
Such depreciation can only further flatten out as Ford's recent withdrawal of F-Series from its line-up starts to bite. How can Ford Australia let an icon model with such strong credentials simply fall out of its new vehicle price lists? The answer sheds some light on why Ford globally is in so much strife. Can anyone imagine Toyota doing this with its LandCruiser?
The current F-Series is due for replacement by an all-new model late in 2007 for the 2008 model year. Meantime, the 7.3-litre V8 turbodiesel that was the cornerstone of 75 per cent of all Australian F-series sales (as well as the complete local F-Series four-wheel drive range) has been taken out of production. Indeed, all Australian 2006 deliveries had to be complianced in 2005 as it was not feasible to re-engineer the petrol or diesel powerplants for the Euro III emission requirements which came into force in January 2006.
Clever local stockpiling has kept the F-Series diesel and petrol models alive Down Under. The petrol engine stocks have lasted slightly longer but they are due to run out before the end of 2006. There might be worse ways of spending a vehicle dollar than buying one of the last examples of the iconic monster trucks given the circumstances.
For Ford Australia, this is not a good outcome. Despite the relatively low volume of sales, the F-Series owned the local market for this type of vehicle and will be challenged by new (and larger) models from Nissan and Toyota during its enforced absence. The F-Series has traditionally also cast a very tough halo over Ford's local Courier and Falcon commercial ranges.
The big problem is that Ford Australia cannot at this late stage get an allocation of the 6.0-litre diesel available in the US-market 2006 facelift (pictured) of the same model sold here. With barely a year to go before an all new F-series, the cost of putting this alternative diesel into RHD production in Ford's US or Brazil plants and meeting local Euro III requirements doesn't add up.
It is no secret that Ford US has been forced to fast track a new technology clean 6.4-litre diesel for its new F-Series due to be previewed in 2007. Ford Australia has been forced to lobby hard for this engine and a RHD version of the all new F-Series but even the best case scenario won't see it arrive in Australia until well into 2008.
Meanwhile, Ford is set to launch an all-new Courier range before the end of 2006. This butch-looking new model will not fill the vacuum left by the departing F-Series.
Moreover, the loss of the F-Series places extra pressure on Broadmeadows to lose the Courier name in favour of the more upmarket Ranger badge that it wears in virtually every market except Australia.
Manual option for M5
CarPoint Confidential readers are an eclectic -- and observant -- bunch. From Gavin Brown comes news regarding a manual transmission version of BMW's M5. Long rumoured for the US market -- which ironically (given the Yanks' love of autos) has not warmed to the SMG-equipped E60 M5 -- the manual variant now looks almost certain to see the light of day... Perhaps as early as this December's Los Angeles Auto Show.
The image shown hereabouts appeared on an enthusiasts' bulletin board after allegedly being snapped on a mobile phone at the Nurburgring recently. Notice the lack of paddles behind the steering wheel and the boot disguising the conventional H-pattern gear lever. Not shown but sighted is the addition of the clutch pedal.
CC's backroom BMW sources have confirmed the existence of the car but are equally adamant it is not coming Down Under. Indeed, reportedly, there will not be a right-hand drive version of the manual M5 engineered at all.
Will the current Z4 M Roadster and upcoming Z4 M Coupe be the last conventional manual gearboxed M Cars ever to come Down Under? There seems to be conjecture whether the as yet unannounced but definitely confirmed V8-engined E92 3 Series coupe-based M3 will be offered as a SMG-equipped model only.
Look out Detroit
Speaking of the LA Show, the west coast show has moved dates and is increasingly looking like a threat to the once dominant New Year Detroit Motor Show.
This December's show is being advertised with the theme of "A New Beginning" and has attracted the attention of a number of automakers with Acura (Honda), Aston Martin, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Audi, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan and Volkswagen all stating they will have production and concept world debuts at the show.
For the first time in the show's history, Los Angeles has also received international sanctioning from the Paris-based Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA). The international automotive trade association also acknowledged the significance of this year's LA Auto Show by placing it on the international show calendar. Further GM Chairman Rick Wagoner will open the Nov 29-30 press days.
The show itself is open to the public from December 1-10. Anyone who has visited both cool but clear Los Angeles and ice-bound Detroit in December and January respectively will need little explanation as to why the Motown organisers should be worried.
Showtime here too
Closer to home, don't forget that Australia's own international motor show, the imaginatively named Australian International Motor Show, opens its doors next month at Sydney's Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre.
CarPoint will bring you all the highlights live from the media-only open day on Thursday, October 26... Unless we can't be bothered and head off to Rally Oz in Perth instead and party up!
Drives your Lexus further
Spotted in the rental car marshalling yards at Tullamarine this week, an unseemly quantity of Lexus RX330 SUVs. The darling of the St Ives and Berwick set, the RX has been a substantial success for Toyota's presitige offshoot, which makes the appearance of the all-wheel drive softroaders on rental fleet(s) all the more surprising.
Could petrol prices have caught out the L Team with a glut of 330s at a time when the new 350 is hitting the marketplace? Answers on the back of a cashback cheque to...
GTS is the punters' pick but the panelshop's not happy
Early order patterns for HSV's new E-series range of VE-based hotties confirm that the new GTS is the unexpected winner in the new range.
It seems the ClubSport R8 without the GTS's more lavish leather interior, 20-inch wheels and HSV's pioneering Magnetic Ride Control suspension may not be offering enough over Holden's hard-edged and well-equipped SS V. Hence HSV buyers are going straight to the GTS despite the price premium.
Compounding this skew in demand, which is slowing GTS deliveries, HSV has had to take extra care in addressing bonnet fit issues and ensuring there are no production concerns over the HSV-specific cut-and shut vented front guards. Minor production tweaks to finesse the rear tail light section in the VE shell has also prompted closer monitoring of the replacement cap and tail lights fitted to HSV models. That said deliveries are now in full swing according to CC sources.
How big a market in 2010?
Suzuki's announcement this week that it plans to sell 40,000 cars a year Down Under by 2010 had more than a few pundits muttering under their collective breath. Not that's there's anything wrong with the Flying S's product -- the new Swift's a cracker, the SX4 looks likely to follow its stablemate's mold in the mini softroader arena and there is seemingly more goodies to come.
It's not even the company's sales target -- significantly up on its 2005 stats... Well, not in isolation anyhow.
You see, at every briefing CC's attended this year, the various auto maker and importers chiefs have espoused sales targets for 2010 and they are starting to add up. The prestige marques reckon they'll near double their volumes, the so-called near-prestige brands say they're going to see unprecedented growth, and the volume makers and importers -- well, they're gearing up with cars for Africa...
By our reckoning (though we're admittedly not good at maths) if all the estimates are true, every family Down Under will be buying a new vehicle in 2010. Hmmm, better start saving, and collecting aluminium cans... Oh, and old car batteries. You can get good money for old car batteries can't you?