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Viewing cable 08MELBOURNE150, FORD OPTIMISTIC EVEN AS AUTOMOTIVE SLOWDOWN

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08MELBOURNE150 2008-12-18 00:08 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Consulate Melbourne
VZCZCXRO9127
RR RUEHCHI RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHPB
DE RUEHBN #0150/01 3530008
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 180008Z DEC 08
FM AMCONSUL MELBOURNE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4839
INFO RUEHZU/APEC COLLECTIVE
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 1496
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MELBOURNE 000150 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/17/2018 
TAGS: EIND ECON ETRD AS
SUBJECT: FORD OPTIMISTIC EVEN AS AUTOMOTIVE SLOWDOWN 
CONTINUES 
 
REF: A. A) CANBERRA 1134 
     B. B) CANBERRA 1079 
     C. C) MELBOURNE 137 
     D. D) MELBOURNE 125 
 
Classified By: Michael Thurston, Consul General, Melbourne.  Reasons: 1 
.4(d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (C) Despite ongoing challenges in the Australian auto 
industry, Ford says it is holding its own.  Handouts from the 
Rudd government have been well received by the industry and 
Ford Australia's CEO remains optimistic.  However, Ford is 
reexamining its position in the highly competitive Australian 
market, and may cease manufacturing cars in Australia if 
market conditions dictate.  End Summary. 
 
Ford "Holding its Own" 
---------------------- 
 
2. (C) Ford, similar to GM/Holden, continues to face 
significant obstacles in Australia.  During a December 15 
meeting, Ford Australia CEO Marin Burela told Consul General 
that low consumer confidence, a fractured supply chain, tough 
international competition and tight financing remain 
challenges for Ford Australia (reftels).  Burela is "worried" 
about the future of Australia's components manufacturing 
sector and has already started to look overseas for parts as 
concern mounts over the reliability of smaller Australian 
firms.  He believes the components industry desperately needs 
a well thought out consolidation with support from the 
Australian government.  In addition, the auto industry has 
yet to develop a strategy for dealing with cyclical downturns 
despite their regularity in the car business. 
 
3. (SBU) Despite this daunting list of challenges, Burela 
said that Ford is "holding its own."  According to Burela, 
Ford's global board saw a "storm on the horizon" two years 
ago and raised a significant amount of capital by divesting 
premium brands Aston-Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover as well as 
borrowing from commercial lenders.  Burela, who was 
previously the lead for Ford's Global Small Car project in 
Europe, said that Ford would listen to a reasonable offer to 
sell Volvo.  For this reason, Burela believes that Ford will 
have enough cash to carry it well into 2009.  He praised the 
Rudd government's automotive assistance plan announced on 
November 10 (ref. A) as "comprehensive, providing the 
appropriate level of assistance to the industry."  Burela 
stated that the plan includes a "market reality check" that 
protects taxpayers by only reimbursing manufacturers for 
producing cars that the consumer wants. 
 
4. (SBU) Dealerships are feeling the brunt of the slowdown as 
consumer financing remains a challenge (reftels).  Burela 
noted, however, that the Rudd government's December 5 
announcement of a "Special Purpose Vehicle" fund will help to 
fill the void left by GE and GMAC's exodus from the auto 
financing market.  The plan, which is due to commence on 
January 1 with support from Australia's four major banks, 
will provide liquidity to dealerships for up to one year 
until a more permanent solution can be found.  He also 
described a strong effort on Ford's part to improve the 
customer experience when visiting Ford dealerships.  Turning 
to his competitors, Burela said that he was "worried" about 
GM/Holden and warned that the supply base in Australia would 
not work well without General Motors. 
 
End of Ford Australia Manufacturing? 
------------------------------------ 
 
5. (C) Burela has a three pronged strategy for seeing Ford 
Australia through the storm.  First, he acknowledges that 
Australians have shifted their preference from large cars to 
small, medium and lifestyle vehicles.  Burela is gambling 
that the newly designed Ford Fiesta - a small, stylish four 
cylinder vehicle that will be marketed globally - will 
capture the imagination of a new generation of buyers.  The 
Fiesta will also be available in a diesel engine and an 
after-market liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) conversion model; 
both of which are popular in Australia.  Once on the showroom 
floor, Burela hopes that these new customers will consider 
Ford's other models.  Second, Ford Australia will work to 
target its marketing plan in Australia.  Burela said that his 
company has struggled to communicate recent accolades such as 
the Ford Falcon G6E turbo winning Cars Guide's 2008 Car of 
the Year award.  Burela wants to give Australian consumers 
fewer, high quality choices that are accompanied by 
 
MELBOURNE 00000150  002 OF 002 
 
 
distinctive "ambiance." 
 
6. (C) Finally, Burela intends to right size Ford Australia. 
He said that the "build it and they will come" approach has 
not worked.  When asked about the future of the 6-cylinder 
Ford Falcon, which is manufactured entirely in Australia, 
Burela responded that Ford Australia may eventually cease 
production of the vehicle.  The proliferation of brands into 
Australia has squeezed Ford's market share and Burela 
believes that the company may not be able to maintain the 
volume necessary to sustain production facilities in 
Australia.  Burela went on to say that global platforms are 
becoming more important in the auto industry and the Ford 
Falcon, essentially an Australia-only platform, is in danger 
of becoming obsolete.  Burela described the Falcon as a 
"bridge" to hold Ford Australia over until the imported 
Fiesta could take hold and begin to rebrand Ford. 
 
7. (SBU) Although Burela touted his company's A$21 million 
(US$14 million) investment into its Geelong engine plant, he 
admitted that the engines would only meet Euro 4 regulations 
rather than the present Euro 5 standard.  (Note: In addition 
to the Falcon, Ford Australia also manufactures a sports 
utility truck, the "Ute."  End note.)  In addition, Burela 
said that Ford is tweaking the existing in-line 6-cylinder 
engine rather than developing next generation V-6 technology. 
 Ford Australia's business model is not heavily export 
oriented.  In 2007, Ford exported only 7000 vehicles, mostly 
to South Africa and New Zealand.  Burela stated that Ford 
Australia is more focused on exporting intellectual property 
and highlighted a A$600 million (US$402 million) pick-up 
truck designed in Australia that will be sold overseas. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
8. (C) Ford Australia's new CEO, who called for 450 
additional redundancies after arriving on October 1, is 
globally rather than locally oriented.  In contrast, 
GM/Holden's chief Mark Reuss sees his company as an 
independent business unit attached to General Motors.  When 
asked about Ford's troubles in Australia, Burela's first 
impulse was to discuss the relative strength of the global 
Ford brand vis-a-vis other U.S. manufacturers.  While Ford 
Australia is intimately tied to the fate of the U.S. parent, 
Burela exuded confidence that the Rudd government's recent 
assistance packages will help Ford, GM/Holden and Toyota 
survive in Australia.  The Australian auto industry is not 
yet out of the woods, however, and Burela's comments about 
the end of Australian manufactured Ford vehicles would surely 
be met with a healthy degree of opposition in many circles. 
THURSTON