Ford Aus v Ford UK

csv8 · 09-02-2015, 08:52 AM

Feb 8 The Sun on Sunday , UK newspaper. Ford have a full page ad.
New Mondeo Estate wins Estate Car of the Year. By What Car? .
And Fiesta is number 1 best selling car and Focus is number 2 best selling car in in UK in 2014.
But not here in top 10?? I know I bought an i20 but Ford dealer wouldn't deal.
Ford Aus needs a revamp from top down.

Yellow_Festiva · 09-02-2015, 09:58 AM

Is Focus still best selling small car for all of Europe? Thought that was the case 1-2 years ago???

I take it Corolla is number 1 in the UK? If so, by how much I wonder?

XR Martin · 09-02-2015, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Is Focus still best selling small car for all of Europe? Thought that was the case 1-2 years ago???

I take it Corolla is number 1 in the UK? If so, by how much I wonder?

Fiesta was #1 and Focus #2 he said.

Corolla isnt a big seller in Europe

new2ford · 09-02-2015, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Fiesta was #1 and Focus #2 he said.

Corolla isnt a big seller in Europe

Toyota isn't a big seller in Europe full stop. The big Asian there is Hyundai/Kia.

Yellow_Festiva · 10-02-2015, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Fiesta was #1 and Focus #2 he said.

Corolla isnt a big seller in Europe

Fair enough, I took those figures as applying to each segment not across the board.

1TUFFUTE · 10-02-2015, 02:22 AM

Considering Britain and aus are geographically totally different, I can't see how or why users would buy the same cars. Small cars are always going to be in more demand over their as a day trip takes you 50 klms, whereas a day trip in aus could take you hundreds!
But as our homemade market shrinks we end up left with only the options they want us to have.

As ford fans we have nothing to worry about as our lineup is the best in the world

new2ford · 10-02-2015, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1TUFFUTE

Considering Britain and aus are geographically totally different, I can't see how or why users would buy the same cars. Small cars are always going to be in more demand over their as a day trip takes you 50 klms, whereas a day trip in aus could take you hundreds!
But as our homemade market shrinks we end up left with only the options they want us to have.

As ford fans we have nothing to worry about as our lineup is the best in the world

Time for mythbusting. Smaller cars are in more demand in Europe generally because they're more economical. However, distance doesn't have anything to do with it. On the continent outside Britain (where many Brits also cross the channel and drive), people drive huge distances in their small cars, often at high speeds (130 - 200 km/h).

We have a myth going in our country about distances, but Europe is bigger than Australia, with much more driving going on over those distances because settlement is more evenly spread across the continent, not just on the edges and there is of course a huge population.

Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world and most of its population wouldn't be driving much outside cities except on holidays. Most small cars on the European market are capable of up to 200 km/h. They wouldn't survive on the market otherwise. Mind you, I'm surprised at the large number of big SUVs there, but that's people with money.

I suspect also that there is more long distance than city driving in Europe (opposite to Australia) because of the excellent public transport in the cities. In Australia there is more city driving because the public transport is poor.

Sprintey · 09-02-2015, 09:58 AM

It was the same in Canada - Ford of Canada very strong sales wise. Something is amiss here...

Enjoy your time in the UK.

mik · 09-02-2015, 10:30 AM

Perhaps they don't have the massive flood of imports and variety of cars we have here ???

**Polyal** · 09-02-2015, 10:41 AM

Dont they get Dancia and other cheapy's like that?

new2ford · 09-02-2015, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Dont they get Dancia and other cheapy's like that?

Dacia is from PSA group. The big manufacturers from outside Europe have assembly plants in Europe to build their cars.

The biggest manufacturing groups in sales, in descending order, are: VAG (VW etc) about 25% of the market, then PSA (Peugeot etc), Renault, Ford, Opel, BMW, FCA (Fiat, Jeep etc), Daimler (M Benz etc), Hyundai/Kia, Toyota, Nissan, Volvo, Mazda, Suzuki, Jaguar Land Rover, Honda, Mitsubishi. The last 6 or 7 are pretty tiny percentages.

Top selling cars include Golf, Polo, Octavia, Fiesta, Focus, Clio, Corsa, A3, 208, Qashqai.

I don't think much would be imported. Europe is an exporter.

Bossxr8 · 09-02-2015, 03:06 PM

I thought Dacia was Renault/Nissan aligned?

new2ford · 09-02-2015, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I thought Dacia was Renault/Nissan aligned?

Sorry, yes you're right.

SumoDog68 · 09-02-2015, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

Feb 8 The Sun on Sunday , UK newspaper. Ford have a full page ad.
New Mondeo Estate wins Estate Car of the Year. By What Car? .
And Fiesta is number 1 best selling car and Focus is number 2 best selling car in in UK in 2014.
But not here in top 10?? I know I bought an i20 but Ford dealer wouldn't deal.
Ford Aus needs a revamp from top down.

UK is is a very different market. What sells in Australia would never sell in UK and vica versa. Here Ranger is in top 10 :-)

simon varley · 09-02-2015, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

UK is is a very different market. What sells in Australia would never sell in UK and vica versa. Here Ranger is in top 10 :-)

totally disagree. having lived in England for 40 years and in Vic for 9 I'd say there is no reason on earth that the cars shouldn't sell equally well in both countries. The only difference seems to be advertising.

csv8 · 09-02-2015, 05:28 PM

I have seen Fiesta Titanium with DRL's , Fiesta van's , 3 & 5 door Models , Janes May likes Dacia , there are a lot of small cars we don't get, Citroen, Renault, Peugot, Fiat, Opel, Vauxhall, Seat, New Corsa looks good, Fiesta has a lot more competition than here,

simon varley · 09-02-2015, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

I have seen Fiesta Titanium with DRL's , Fiesta van's , 3 & 5 door Models , Janes May likes Dacia , there are a lot of small cars we don't get, Citroen, Renault, Peugot, Fiat, Opel, Vauxhall, Seat, New Corsa looks good, Fiesta has a lot more competition than here,

I reckon B-max, C-max and S-max would sell well here, and I'd kill for a Focus wagon....

**DJM83** · 09-02-2015, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csv8

Feb 8 The Sun on Sunday , UK newspaper. Ford have a full page ad.
New Mondeo Estate wins Estate Car of the Year. By What Car? .
And Fiesta is number 1 best selling car and Focus is number 2 best selling car in in UK in 2014.
But not here in top 10?? I know I bought an i20 but Ford dealer wouldn't deal.
Ford Aus needs a revamp from top down.

posting a thread like this.

Also different market here.

**Polyal** · 10-02-2015, 07:35 AM

Imagine if we had autobahn style highways connecting atleast the eastern cities...

new2ford · 10-02-2015, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Imagine if we had autobahn style highways connecting atleast the eastern cities...

Well there is between Sydney/Canberra and Melbourne at least - but its effectiveness is screwed by the "road safety industry"! It's easily safe for 130 km/h. After spending 6 months in Europe a couple of years back doing a weekly Plzen-Nuremberg motorway "milk run" at 130-160 km/h, imagine how I feel when I come back and get onto the identical-quality Hume.

As for the size of cars "for Australian conditions", I don't imagine our Territory could get much over 160 km/h (anybody tried?) whereas the piddling little BMW 3 series "town car" in our garage is capable of 200.

SumoDog68 · 10-02-2015, 07:42 AM

In UK top ten 8 are hatchbacks and 2 are hatchbacks on stilts. In Australia 4 out of top 10 are hatchbacks , 2 are sedans , 3 are Utes and 1 quasi suv .
UK favours small displacement engines due to higher fuel price, 1000 cc 3 cyl Focus anyone ? Or you can get a big block 1.6 diesel....
I don't know of many high selling cars in UK with engines over 3l , let alone V8s.

**Polyal** · 10-02-2015, 08:27 AM

Cars tailored to particular countries is BS..we all have the same basic wants and needs for transport.

And if you gave the majority of the population the choice of low or high consumption cars you dont need to be a genius to work out what they would choose.

There are some segments that are stronger in some counties, true, but those segments still exist in others they just are not as prolific.

Things change to obviously, 10 years ago who thought the pickups would be selling like they do now, we rode the SUV train with the Territory and that was a shift from the norm at the time.

SumoDog68 · 10-02-2015, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Cars tailored to particular countries is BS..we all have the same basic wants and needs for transport.

And if you gave the majority of the population the choice of low or high consumption cars you dont need to be a genius to work out what they would choose.

There are some segments that are stronger in some counties, true, but those segments still exist in others they just are not as prolific.

Things change to obviously, 10 years ago who thought the pickups would be selling like they do now, we rode the SUV train with the Territory and that was a shift from the norm at the time.

Australian market has specific requirements due to climate , fuel quality and ADR . Australian market also has preferences - bigger engines , automatic transmissions . Australia only models are on the way out but even global models will be OZ spec.

1TUFFUTE · 10-02-2015, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SumoDog68

Australian market has specific requirements due to climate , fuel quality and ADR . Australian market also has preferences - bigger engines , automatic transmissions . Australia only models are on the way out but even global models will be OZ spec.

Totally agree. The falcon and commadore are designed for our local conditions and culture and did good for many many years. It's only imports with better value for size that's changing that.

Even this forum started because of the FORD FALCON, not the fiesta or a Hyundai excel

Yellow_Festiva · 11-02-2015, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

Cars tailored to particular countries is BS..we all have the same basic wants and needs for transport.

Not entirely.

Kia got in trouble when they were importing cars with a suspension tune that was suited to the US (??) market.

They modified their cars to our tastes by firming up the suspension.

Then there is the taxi I caught in Bangkok:

Notice something missing?

malazn mafia · 12-02-2015, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Notice something missing?

Radio?

1TUFFUTE · 12-02-2015, 04:21 AM

The rest of the picture?

JG66ME · 12-02-2015, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Not entirely.

Kia got in trouble when they were importing cars with a suspension tune that was suited to the US (??) market.

They modified their cars to our tastes by firming up the suspension.

Then there is the taxi I caught in Bangkok:

image

Notice something missing?

No heater, just air con. This was common in locally assembled cars in Thailand. My dad lived there and his Nissan did not have a heater.

danzvtil · 12-02-2015, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG66ME

No heater, just air con. This was common in locally assembled cars in Thailand. My dad lived there and his Nissan did not have a heater.

The car in that pic doesn't have AC either, im sure a heater would be of zero use in Thailand.

Yellow_Festiva · 17-02-2015, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danzvtil

The car in that pic doesn't have AC either, im sure a heater would be of zero use in Thailand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JG66ME

No heater, just air con. This was common in locally assembled cars in Thailand. My dad lived there and his Nissan did not have a heater.

Bingo - no heater. I can't recall if the car had air-con or not to be honest (I'm almost certain it did) but yes, the temp control has no heat function at all, just degrees of coolness.