Euro 5 for Ford's inline six?

Ford's 'venerable' inline six will carry on in the Territory SUV and the FG Falcon sedan and ute past July this year, now that it complies with the Euro 4 emissions standard. But what does the future hold for the highly regarded engine beyond that?

The Federal Government is currently in discussion with the automotive industry concerning the eventual implementation of Euro 5 and Euro 6 legislation to restrict tailpipe emissions. Drafted by the federal government's Department of Infrastructure, Transport Regional Development and Local Government, the RIS ('Regulation Impact Statement') outlines a proposal for cleaner, greener cars of the future.

The future may be closer than we expect, with a number of options in the draft including one that recommends earliest possible implementation of the Euro 5 standard (under the auspice of Australian Design Rule 79/03). That would mean a 2012 introduction for diesel vehicles or 2013 for petrol/LPG vehicles.

You can read the draft proposal from the department's website, but be advised, it's lengthy and heavily reliant on auto industry jargon -- eg: 'OBD' for onboard diagnostics.

Until one or other of the options proposed are accepted and adopted, the future for locally-manufactured engines necessarily remains unclear. The car companies won't embark on a costly upgrade exercise until it's proved necessary. In Ford's case, the whole future of a locally-manufactured large car in the current paradigm is in doubt beyond 2014.

Does it make economic sense to spend a substantial sum of money improving the engine that powers it for a new emissions standard due 12 months before the projected end of life for the car? No, to put it quite simply, but Ford needs to have a contingency plan in place nonetheless.

Ford Australia Communications Manager Sinead McAlary provided perhaps the clearest hint to date that the local manufacturer could and would commit to upgrading the big six to Euro 5 compliance -- in the right circumstances, presumably.

"It's an extremely complex engineering program which requires resources and funding and time -- but we've been able to determine that it is possible to do it," She told the Carsales Network during the announcement today that Ford's casting plant in Geelong had picked up brake rotor-supply business from Bosch.

"All the discussion papers had to be filed by the middle of March, which we've done."

At the very least, Ford plainly wants some input in whatever eventuates. It's fairly likely that Ford's imported passenger vehicles would be Euro 5-compliant by 2012, so it's the local product that would pose the greatest concern in light of changes to emissions-related ADRs (Australian Design Rules).

Currently, the Fiesta complies with Euro 4 only, but there's an upgraded Mondeo due later this year and an entirely new Focus arriving here next year, so it's only the light-segment car that misses the mark -- and possibly with its migration to Thai production this year, that may be addressed then.

As for Falcon and Territory, we'll keep you informed...

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