i dont think the average "Joe" really gives a s**t about a v8 nowadays

If its not selling for Ford, then why keep them in production just to please a couple of people

Economical, medium sized cars are unfortunely the way of the future, and Ford are just trying to keep themselves in business

yeah thats true fairmont, but wouldnt the 4lt supercharged v8 from the jag xkr be niiiice?? or even the powerplant from the rs4??? ford have conections although they sold them all recently *sad face*

Best be keeping my 2 Ford V8s in the garage then. Might be the future valiant or P76 or even Clevo.

Sorry, but I think it's a different society now than it was 15 years ago. Droping the V8 nowdays is not the same as droping it back then. When Ford droped it back then they didn't have a 6 clinder alternative that is faster - they do now. Also, V8's arn't the shibniz any more, look at all the rice boxs, etc. that people drive nowayday, that wen'te around during the time of XF-EA.

True. But the people who buy Jap boxes and rice them aren't going to ever buy a falcon, no matter what the engine. Conversely, the market that the Performance falcon is into isn't the sort of people who like cruising George St on Saturday night in their rice boxes.

The large car merket is shrinking over all, and the main target market and fanbase is, (for want of a better word) the "Bogan."

That is, the traditional high powered rear wheel drive large sedan market.

As HSV and the SS has shown, having a "halo" car (that people might not actually buy, but they can say "my car is RELATED to that" Helps the brand, and the nameplate.

Half the people who buy Lancers do so because the Evo model simply EXISTS, likewise the Impreza.

You'll notice how much bad publicity the Ford have copped from their fanbase by dropping the Barra V8, even though they were only selling a total of 10 per month.

Its like the people who loudly and stridently complain that they can't get a Manual XT V8 any more. The fact that the complainers never actually BOUGHT any. If only 10 Barra V8's per month were sold, and if only 10% of THOSE were manual, (which is about the right stat for Manual base models in this class of car these days) that means over the BA/F model cycle, there were roughly 60ish sold (about 1 dozen per year)

60 cars in 5 years? But how many compaints from Ford fans were there? A lot more I'll bet.

Its like Motoring Journo's complainging about there being no Manual of a model. The number of people buying doesn't make it worthwhile to the company, but they get brownie points deducted in the eyes of the public, because they "refuse to offer" it.

Its a catch-22 situation....

While Holden might not sell many V8 Manual Executives, (or Omegas now) they still offer it, simply for perception.

You reckon? I know a lot of people that have had both V8's and turbo Jap boxes, to them it's about the individual car - not whether they prefer V8 engines of turbo 4/6's.

Sure do reckon. I've known only one or 2 people who have had both (through choice,) But on the whole I'd found the Turbo 4 "crowd" as such wouldn't have a V8 on principle, even if the specs were better, and vice versa for the V8 "crowd" (although less so.)

My position is, that if you can drive whatever you want, then do so, and don't slag off anyone else for what they have. Peace man

The only reason I have basically owned a 4 or 6 is because the running cost is lower (rego, insurance, fuel and sometimes maintenance), if I had all the money in the world I wouldn't have owned any of them currently or years ago

I have always loved the sound of my V8s, I often just drove big distances listening to the 8 instead of using the stereo, which is the opposite when I own a 4 or 6.

drop the BOSS I say. Non of the engineers were happy with putting in the FG FALCON, but they had no choice there was nothing else left in the global parts bin (practical).
I will always be a V8 MAN, OK they don't have wild power but are dependable and are always on tap like your beer down at the local.

From a ford following it would be sad to see it go. No V8s are a damn shame.

From a business perspective probably makes perfect sense. (and eco-friendly-looking perspective). And since thats what the new guy is here to do (turn ford aus around) and battle the slump in large car sales...probably the right move.

Just glad I've got one of those thirsty 300km to a tank V8s in my garage already!

I see more XR8's getting around than XR6T's.. It might make business sense in the immediate future to drop the V8 range, but customer perception is very important, and very slow to change.

I would much rather see the V8 take back seat to the turbo 6 than be dropped at all. Fit a big lazy V8 in the line-up and use the turbo 6 for the hero model. Surely Ford can import something from the F series on the cheap??

Nothing suitable.

The only engine bigger and more powerful than the current Boss would be the Triton V10, which is 6.8L.

But its still a truck engine (like the 5.4) Undersquare, and designed for massive Torque for trucks, not for making revs.

Being that they are US engines designed for Pick Ups most likely means they aren't going to fit the Green/Clean image that Ford want

GM saw a problem with what to do to replace their Small Block V8 in the late '80s and started developing what would be the GenII, then the III and IV, which has helped them to have a lead in Passenger V8's today.

Here's a few interesting facts from the other camp. The last commodore executive V8 was the VT. From the VY onwards the lowest spec V8 is the SV8. Also the biggest seller for holden "In regard to private ownership" is the SS. The only people who buy omega's are govt fleet operators or pensioners who think the aurion is way too powerful a car for them.

I don't know why the total opposite is happening for ford. Is it because our base models are such a better car than the commodore equivalent? Or is it because our hero car is aimed fair at the much larger "ricer" market?

If Ford want their V8's to sell then they have to market the things. I think they got very put off from the new rules stating that any cars featured in adds can not be shown to be driven at speed or in a dangerous manner. Remember the salt lake adds with the falcon ute? Guess what the highest selling ute was during that time frame? the AU and BA V8 utes of course. Those adds got banned and all of a sudden people went out and bought couriers (didn't even bother with the pov pack xls unless they were well heeled). And look at the Ranger. For a bare bones commercial vehicle these things are selling like hotcakes because of the ads featuring old mate Roy.

Well, there you go! Thanks for the correction.

I think Ford is still suffering the effect of droping the v8 in the 80's. they lost a hole generation of young people to Holden. Holden had the persiption of being the Aussie high performance vehicle to have. The young people then could not afford to buy a v8 but you could still buy one if you had the money. As time gose on these young people become the main people that purchase new cars they still might not buy a v8 but there loyalty goes to Holden. It is only now that you can find some young folk that go for Ford Why because you can get a v8 Ford. If ford gets rid of the V8 they will have lost another Generation of people. might not hurt in the short term but long term it will hurt. Todays sales are a result of the 80's. Hope Ford thinks before they act.