Ford ends production of Falcon

Appropriately enough, the last vehicle off the Broadmeadows assembly line was a Falcon, specifically a Kinetic (blue) XR6 sedan. Coming off the line at around 10:30AM, the last Falcon built in Australia ends a lineage that goes back to August, 1960, when the first XK-model Falcon was produced at Broadmeadows.

The final Falcon was preceded by the last Territory; the Australian-designed and built SUV based on the Falcon that was released in 2004.

The last Falcon and Territory, along with the final Falcon ute that was built on 29 July, will be retained by Ford for their 'Heritage Collection' and never, Ford says, be offered for sale.

"Today is an emotional day for all of us at Ford. We are saying goodbye to some of our proud and committed manufacturing employees and marking an end to 91 years of manufacturing in Australia," said Graeme Whickman, president and CEO, Ford of Australia on the shutdown day.

"But, as the country's largest automotive investor and soon employer, we have been able to transfer many employees from our plants to our design, engineering and testing facilities across Victoria.

"We also appreciate the partnership and assistance provided by our unions and the federal and state governments as we have delivered retraining and other assistance programs for our team members," Whickman added.

 

Ford stresses that while the closure of Broadmeadows and Geelong plants will mean 600 job losses and the end of Ford vehicle manufacturing in this country, it doesn't mean the end of Ford Australia, or 'Ford of Australia' as it's now officially known.

"Ford will remain a major presence in Australia and we will carry forward the legacy of our manufacturing team by continuing to design and engineer world-class vehicles for Australia and the world for many years to come," said Whickman.

Ford's former Head Office building at Broadmeadows is being transformed into a new regional Product Development Centre, while the Design Centre next door will be retained and continue to produce designs for Ford vehicles for the world.

In Geelong, Ford's Research and Development Centre will also be retained, to support advanced engineering work. The nearby 950-hectare proving ground at the You Yangs near Geelong will also continue to operate.

Ford say they have invested $300 million in local R&D this year alone, and by late 2017 (after Holden and Toyota shut their production facilities), will be the Australia's largest auto industry employer, with a claimed 2,000 staff, including 1,100-plus designers and engineers.

 

With Falcon production now officially at an end, prices for selected models are expected to rise in the short term, with the broader Falcon range to attract more collector interest in the longer term.

Initially, the focus is likely to be on the models at each end of the Falcon timeline: the XK and FG X. In the case of the former, interest will come from FG X owners looking to "bookend" their final Falcon with an example of the first one, while for the latter, interest is likely to see owners pay premiums for the desirable XR6, XR8 and Sprint models to salt away as investments.