The XR8's future?

[Red F6310]

That doesn't explain the bazillion young fella's (and a surprising number of girls as well) who either want or have an LS powered Holden.

Thats mainly because holden dont have a decent "performance" 6 in there stable.

If they had released the twin turbo 3.6 as displayed a few years ago in that torana concept car then maybe there would be some holden fans that would go for the 6 (just look back to the VL commodore days and how many young guys picked them up when the turbos got a name for themselves) BUT having said that i also guess that alot of young people like the V8 commodores cos they can say they have a "Chevy V8"

There always seems to be a stigma against Ford australia and no matter what they do they always seem to cop flak, which most of the time is unwarrented.
The hardest part for Ford is breaking that mindset that Holden is "Australias own".
As i said in another post its the old "my dad drove a holden and so did his dad etc etc" and then theres there mates that get a holden and of course they dont wanna be the odd one out so they get one too and its a flow on effect.

Glad when i was teenager growing up in country SA (in the late 80's), i wasnt a "Sheep" like my holden loving/owing mates who would always follow eachother with the cars they bought and would always always rib me for owning crappy falcons or "jap crap" turbo lasers .... Funny thing was it was always my car to the rescue when there holden would break down and it was a saturday night out....

Moving on to nowdays and most are married with kids and guess what they are driving.... You guessed it either "jap crap" Toyota hiluxes/landcruisers or korean built craptivas.... Only 2 of them have seen past there rose coloured holden glasses and bought AWD SY2 territorys, with 1 of them saying fuck i wish id bought one of these earlier, this thing is so much nicer out here than my craptiva was.....

I will also say though that most of them who have been for a thrash in my F6 have said that its damn nice car but..... "Pity its a Ford"

[4Vman]

I get the whole "bang for buck" thing with the XR6T, that's possibly one of its main draw cards, its been popular amongst modders for that simple reason, its cheap to buy and cheap to mod and get significant results, but it isn't just the domain of young blokes, even fat old blokes like the turbo because its cheap to mod. That said if the GS was the same price as the XR6T how many XR6T's do you think Ford would sell....

Look at the F6 now... an outstanding car in its own right but they cant give them away because the S/C 5.0 ticks all the boxes the 6T does plus 25% more..

But most people don't modify their cars.

In the technology stakes the S/C 5.0 is a far more advanced engine and has more technology than the 6T does, Hell, even when the F6 was quicker than the GT it was outsold by it 2:1, so that says to me people WANT the V8, regardless of technology..

Whilst the 6T powered cars have been mildly popular you could argue the uptake just hasn't been anywhere near what it should be given its outstanding performance against its competition.. there has to be a reason for that which is my point..! :-)

In an ideal world Ford/FPV NEEDED Miami 6 years ago.

But things aren't that simple, the 5.4 was definitely not the dog some people make it out to be.

[Red F6310]

Thats cos BOGANS will never own a T6 no matter how good it is, its part of the reason why the falcon is on its knees BUT unfortunately the future for big sized engines (turbo 6 and V8) are in decline ford know that and so do holden.

You have ur opinion and i have mine which we are both entitled to. At the end of the.day the 5.4 didnt appeal to me and neither did the SC5L despite me spending a lot of time 1 before buying my F6

[FTe217]

BAXR8 was quicker than the first BA XR6T, pretty sure BAXR8 outsold it too, BF onwards is where the drift occured....

Ofcourse it started off in the XR8's favour (XR6T was an unknown not a fair comparo) and outsold purely from the loyalists wanting it but in time diluted

Having owned 3 XR8's now im what you would consider a "brand loyalist".
My opinions on this are in no way my opinions on the XR6T/XR8 product itself, but more a broader view of how and why XR8 died.

Agree so is my comments

In my opinion every XR6T sale has ultimately cost Ford atleast 2 XR8 sales.... Why? well for a host of reasons;

1) like it or not the VAST majority of Ford/Holden performance buyers are V8 buyers first, its got NOTHING to do with their age, or "technology", look at the absolute plethora of 20 something SS ute owners.... The LSX engines are the lowest tech engine on the market, so i dont buy the "youth tech" angle or "old V8" angle at all.

20 something SS/ute owners were always there before BSeries nothing new - they protected their market share and gave what their market desires even if to us at low tech whereas we/Ford need the youth to come in hence the 6T is good for NEW customers whereas many of us Ford V8 buyers have been reluctan

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2) The media have slaughtered the XR8, unjustly IMO.

Yep they have kept doing this for years against Ford just as AU days

3) Forum parrots who have neither owned or driven a new XR8 recite magazine dribble like they've owned 1 for 5 years and are scathing of the product, largely without challenge....

Agree

4) the performance deficit between XR8 to XR6T has "embarrassed" Ford buyers to leave the brand.

Lets go back further - I believe Ford have embarrassed us since EB/EL GT's (5.6l wheezer come good but all too late) - then the piece of resistance the I6T became the Ford Godzilla - Ford in turn have etched away at our Loyalty and it hurts hence their current scenario when finally they have the powa - ironic isn't it

All this has done is ruined the image of the XR8.

yep

I believe many Ford performance buyers have simply said "pfft... if the XR6T is better than the XR8 ill just buy some other brand, i dont want a turbo 6" or "ill wait".

A % sure would have taken this view

Those people either are waiting, bought SS's or just walked away from performance vehicles into "A to B" vehicles...

yep

These people need to be drawn back if XR8 is to be a success but it needs to be a better accepted product that it was and the XR6T has to go to make room for it.
IF the XR8 is re introduced they cannot rely on the SC engine alone - it needs a little more bling inside and out and directly price pointed to SS to drag joe average back
Yep, controversial views but i believe them. Let me also say the XR6T is an outstanding vehicle, but there isnt room for it if Falcon and XR8 is to succeed.
I don't think controversial views - what are I6T sales any one ?

I hope the above quotes work out.......

Carrying on - sorry Norm I couldn't put myself in a 5.4 and possibly many Loyalists like me felt the same.
I really wanted to believe me - heck I have driven many and I just couldn't take myself over the line, even considered a F6 and drove them - friggen loved it but I know upon a year or so I'd yearn for my 8 sound and feel and being in business I won't accept the depreciation in that short time.
Anyway I hope they revive the marque - its part of the furniture but what a decision to make in this vast changing world.

[4Vman]

I hope the above quotes work out.......

Carrying on - sorry Norm I couldn't put myself in a 5.4 and possibly many Loyalists like me felt the same.
I really wanted to believe me - heck I have driven many and I just couldn't take myself over the line, even considered a F6 and drove them - friggen loved it but I know upon a year or so I'd yearn for my 8 sound and feel and being in business I won't accept the depreciation in that short time.
Anyway I hope they revive the marque - its part of the furniture but what a decision to make in this vast changing world.

yep all made sense!
Make no mistake, XR6T and F6 are outstanding cars with outstanding engines but the I6T engine itself just doesn't "do it" for the majority of Ford brand performance enthusiasts, young or old.

Ive even read somewhere someone claims the Coyote engine is cheaper to procure and land here than it costs to make the I6T??!!!!! Sheer lunacy.

[4Vman]

On a slight tangent, but relevant to the "XR8" price point has anyone actually taken the time to investigate the REAL cost of a SS? Advertised 11 plate cars @ 41990 drive away...
Well yes, if you want a manual and pox color... Auto is 43990 drive away... but same VERY limited stock situation.. So is this the REAL price or just gimmicky advertising to get you in the door.
Wonder what a Red or Alto Grey 2012 auto SS ordered with tint and a few minor options would REALLY cost.... Closer to 50k id suggest. A SSV would be north of 50k in same kit.

Cheapest SSV redlines are 55K... So GS isnt that far off the mark for "apples V Apples". In Fact GS sedans are now retailing drive away for 54K..

In real "i want my color and a few options" terms the SS and SSV aren't the 42K bargains everyone is claiming.

[FTe217]

Gimmicky PR gets them in - always demos but thats what keeps the numbers ticking over.
SS V Redlines new I see $55kish +/- either man/auto but compared to GS they have more fruit NO ?
Base SS at mid $40's isn't bad entry for the punter thats the thing.
From experience the GM dealer is far more willing to drop the pricing compared to the Ford and again the punter jumps.

[galaxy xr8]

That doesn't explain the bazillion young fella's (and a surprising number of girls as well) who either want or have an LS powered Holden.

No but it also resembles what else I said and that is in today's sense for the younger gen, Holden is a fashion statement.

[4Vman]

Gimmicky PR gets them in - always demos but thats what keeps the numbers ticking over.
SS V Redlines new I see $55kish +/- either man/auto but compared to GS they have more fruit NO ?
Base SS at mid $40's isn't bad entry for the punter thats the thing.
From experience the GM dealer is far more willing to drop the pricing compared to the Ford and again the punter jumps.

Yes base SS isnt bad price, but its a povo job compared to the XR interior and is really a SV8 not a SS...

SSVRL @ 55K V GS with some fruit for 59K V F6 @ 60K.... Got me stuffed why anyone would buy a SSVRL...

[Elks]

Im a way biased V8 owner so take this with a grain of salt. One of the great things about a V8 vs the T6, is they are still fun to drive at 1/4 throttle with the lovely V8 burble. They are slower than a T6 particularly the older ones, but fun. When you pull up people smile, whereas a T6 is a taxi until better than 50% throttle. An XR8 would address this.