NEW FALCON: Engineering boss says FG is all-new

"With all-new upper architecture and more than 80 per cent of FG underbody parts being new; with major engine upgrades, the addition of two new transmissions and with a comprehensive design and engineering programming spanning more than four years and countless hours of validation in Australia and across the world, this exciting all-new Falcon is the next major step in the evolution of Australia's longest running nameplate..."

These were the words with which Ford Australia Vice President Product Development, Trevor Worthington, kicked off the embargoed technical briefings on the new-generation FG Falcon range almost two weeks ago today. And with them, Ford Australia's top techie made it very clear how 'all-new' the carmaker views its latest and potentially most important large car.

Even before the 'Orion' Falcon project that became FG was given a name, there's been speculation on the extent to which this car would be a carry-over from the BF range.

While key dimensions such as wheelbase and overall length have yet to be confirmed as this content is being written, in the main the millimetre measurements are moot. The FG is for all intents and purposes a new car.

Some sub-assemblies like brakes have been carried over, but the car has been significantly re-engineered in almost every area. An all-new aluminium front suspension system, substantially upgraded engines, new gearboxes and significant improvements to the base structure have yielded a car that will be faster, more economical, safer and more refined, says Ford.

"Unlike some in our industry, we don't intend to use the amount of our total investment as a marketing tagline," Worthington said, in a thinly veiled dig at Holden's 'Billion Dollar Baby' VE Commodore.

"However, I can tell you that FG Falcon is our largest fully-integrated design and engineering Falcon story since the introduction of AU Falcon in 1998," Worthington said.

When quizzed on the spend on the FG in reference to the $500m AU program, Worthington was quick to point out that it was the scope of the FG development that prompted his comments -- not necessarily the cost of the program

Worthington would not confirm the cost of the FG program, saying:  "We have found ways over the last ten years to spend our money significantly more efficiently to deliver a better outcome. If you look at the total magnitude of the change (from BA/BF to FG), my view is this is as big as AU."

According to Worthington, Ford Australia enlisted the assistance of a diverse range of partners within the Ford world. These included Volvo (the FG's new inset door system) and Ford of Europe which builds the new five-speed automatic transmission that will be used on lower-spec FG models. That said, the FG is very much the work of the local team.

Significant effort has been expended on improving the quality and refinement of the car -- a process that started at design stage, says the engineering boss. For example, the new car features 'modern' construction techniques such as single-piece body sides -- a component which required the company to invest in a multi- million dollar upgrade of its stamping plant at Geelong.

"So much of the customer's expectation is around quality. There's a whole story around designing [the FG Falcon] for robustness, manufacturing for robustness and understanding the quality processes the manufacturing system [of FG Falcon] has been designed to deliver," explained Worthington.

"It isn't very sexy but it's really, really important and it's what some of our Japanese competitors have been doing for years."