Ford killing its 4.0L straight six

Australia’s famous RWD 6-cylinder cars are under attack from high fuel prices. Aussies are moving to smaller cars and smaller engines and it’s just not worth building them locally when you can import them without the added production costs. The current inline six will be replaced with a new global Duratec V6 engine, including high performance derivatives, for use in the company’s locally made Falcon, Falcon Ute and Territory model lines. Sadly, this means the current factory will be shuttered in 2010, leaving 600 workers out of jobs.
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Htay7500 - 7/18/2007 12:42:59 PM

+1 Boost

oh shit, we're never gonna see the lite of the falcon coming here?

M35MT - 7/18/2007 1:05:21 PM

+2 Boost

the 600 workers have over 2 years to find another job...not that sad

keyzi747 - 7/18/2007 2:57:54 PM

0 Boost

I really like in-line engine designs. Kinda sad that Ford is discontinuing them.

M316 - 7/18/2007 9:39:10 PM

+1 Boost

I have read a couple Aussie forums and guys complain alot about quality issues. The term lemon comes up a lot. There is one in my country and it is a beast however. Good looking very quick, nice growl. Always thought it was the regular V6 never realized its an I6.

EnnNorak - 7/19/2007 10:16:24 AM

+1 Boost

Big mistake to kill the I6 because I6 engines are inherently in near-perfect balance. It's not the first time Ford has been silly about engine configuration. I met a retired guy in Florida a few years ago who told me the story about a supplier of diesel engines who was asked by Ford to resubmit a bid with a deliberately wrong angle between cylinder banks and which had a higher cost structure. Marketing and sales guys should leep their noses out of technical issues and learn how to communicate technical superiority properly to their customers. The auto industry has suffered greatly under sales and marketing ignoramuses.