When the Ford Falcon rolls off the Broadmeadows production line Victoria, Australia, for the last time, it will take the avian name and more than half a century of history with it. But Ford Australia will continue to play a vital role within the Blue Oval's global group, and is "highly regarded by Detroit [Ford HQ]" says Trevor Worthington, Vice President of Product Development, Asia Pacific.
Ford Australia is currently working on a number of new regional and global products, says Worthington, and with the group's design staff well on its way to doubling in size, and being the only Ford design studio alongside Michigan to have a FiVE (Ford immersive Virtual Environment) lab, the company's status as a key design outfit will only grow.
Although he laments the loss of local manufacturing and death of the Falcon and Territory, Worthington notes Ford Australia will be a driving force within the multinational Ford corporation, but wouldn't comment on what new vehicles are on the way.
"There's a number of projects we're in the process of working on that I can't talk about. But to say the factory is full and being fully utilised would be a true statement. We've got a lot on," he said.
"We've got a range of different work, we've got really good facilities, and a great design studio. The initial investment [for upgrading product development facilities] was for Ranger, but we've been able to use that investment very well to deliver products that you've seen and some you haven't seen yet," observed Worthington.
The latest global vehicle to come from the Ford Australia studios was the Everest, a rugged ladder-chassis 4WD that looks set to take on the Toyota Prado in the large SUV segment when it arrives in Australia in the third quarter.
It is vehicles such as this, along with the Ranger, which is sold in over 180 countries, that will cement Ford Australia's position within the company globally, and continue to see it thrive after the closure of manufacturing in late 2016.
"We're highly regarded by Detroit," explained Worthington.
"We wouldn’t be doing this work if we didn’t have that regard. It's been proved over a long period of time. Falcon, Territory, Figo, four-door Fiesta, Ranger, and now we’re talking about Escort.
"I always had a view that there were local products, regional products and global products. Now we do all these things. I think there's some expertise here that is appropriate globally and Ranger has been a good example of that."
When asked if the doubling of the design staff in Australia will see a doubling of vehicle research and development, Worthington was reserved.
"I don't want to talk specifically about percentages and growth. We work to a cycle plan," he stated.
"The ideal space is that we get to a number [of vehicles in development] and stay at that number and tailor the work."
Despite the engineering, design and research side of Ford Australia looking brighter than ever, Worthington was matter-of-fact when talk turned to how he felt about the death of the Falcon, one of Australia's most enduring icons.
"It doesn’t matter how I feel. But I'm personally disappointed.
"There was an inevitability of what's happened. You didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to see it was going to be difficult down the track. But I'm absolutely convinced not just the Aussie leadership team but the company globally worked very, very hard to find a solution."
As the Blue Oval's Australia arm moves forward and evolves into a crucial product development hub, Worthington says much of this success is due to the local talent.
"I've always had the view that Australian engineers, designers and scientists are a very talented pool of people. And to some extent it's all of our jobs that we make the best use of that talent. What we try to do in product development for vehicles developed globally, to some extent, is give those designers, scientists and engineers a voice," said Worthington.
Although he holds a senior role within the international Ford Motor Company, Worthington is still technically a Ford Australia employee, and will have been for 30 years come January 2015.
"It's not just about charity, it's about using that skill to deliver products that customers love and want," he noted.
"Touch wood, we’re on the path to do that, and have been doing that, and we have to continue to do so."
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