Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26697
Its a rumour....
But I just read on another forum that Solihull is to close!!! RR and Disco production to USA and Defender to Far East. Can't find anything official, but shocking news if its true.
20th Jan 2006 8:54 pm
BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
Well the Santana and Pathfinder are made in Spain so the Defender is more viable in a cheaper labour cost country. After all Ford own it, not LR anymore
20th Jan 2006 9:06 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26697
Can't find any official news, and it was on the LRO forum in the Military section, so I don't know if its true. It will be a shame if it is, but I think it must be on the cards.
20th Jan 2006 9:12 pm
BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
Well, I think I may keep a couple of my 110's in that case as their price will soar
20th Jan 2006 9:14 pm
Winger Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
As I recall, Ford has given Lode Lane until 2007 to become competitive with Jaguar's performance and to 2009 to be world class. Given Rover's demise, I'd be very surprised if there was any action prior to 2007. But the threat is still there, for certain.
The new Freelander is coming from Halewood, isn't it?
20th Jan 2006 9:31 pm
steveho
Member Since: 07 Jan 2006
Location: lincoln
Posts: 74
Ford need to do someting about the reliability/build quality of the current range of vehicles and maybe this is the answer.They won't continue taking massive hits with warranty repair bills.
20th Jan 2006 9:53 pm
BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
I think the site has hit at this from day one. Quality control appears to be a big problem with Ford.
20th Jan 2006 9:58 pm
MVS
Member Since: 18 Jul 2005
Location: People's Republic of Yorkshire
Posts: 419
Cost cutting may also have a part to play in the reliabitility QC issues, as parts used in development hacks and proven, then seem to have been dropped in favour of cheaper alternatives for production.
As I understand it they have had to go back to origionals in some cases as they have got bitten by the others.
20th Jan 2006 10:32 pm
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
I don't think Ford themselves have quality issues - certainly not on LR scales considering the numbers they make. Jaguar have made big advances, maybe Solihull can do the same. I guess to an extent it is in their hands. DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
My eldest is at Coventry Uni studying automotive design and one of his tutors works for LR and has hinted that Solihull is for the axe..... Alive and kicking..who's round is it anyway ??
21st Jan 2006 7:37 pm
espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
BN wrote:
Quality control appears to be a big problem with Ford.
I doubt that we can blame Ford for everything. There seem to me to be five aspects involved in the overall quality of the product:
1) Design.
2) Component quality.
3) Build quality.
4) Checkout quality.
5) How much money is invested to support the above.
Ford is presumably in control of 5. Of the others, 3 + 4 (and largely 1 as well, I imagine), are the responsibility of Solihull, though, if 5 means costs are cut, then probably those aspects would suffer too. But, as others have said, it is certainly in Ford's interests to ensure that conditions at LR are good enough that the customers are happy with the product. However, I have a horrible feeling that management nowadays is often only interested the short term, with the result that some essentials are overlooked.
Eric
21st Jan 2006 9:26 pm
lee01277
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Shed
Posts: 821
Ford: binning 30k jobs in USA
Spotted on BBC news feed.
Tough times ahead for the people involved over there, and who knows how this may impact LR stuff if it ships out of UK ?
Member Since: 02 Dec 2005
Location: A fun place
Posts: 485
ooooh no, a car build in the UK is one thing, but build in Spain????
At the same plant where they build the Suzuki's???
No thank you, quality will go down big time.
(if you have the chance of comparing a Japan build Suz with a Spain build one, you will be suprised by the difference)
Rumor I heard production will move to RussiaIn a time of chimpanzees, I was a penguin. www.m-release.com
24th Jan 2006 11:58 am
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
I can't see all production ceasing they spent millions setting up the pressing plant and paint shop. LR lost the Freelander because of staff attitude and performance which resulted in the road map deal. I think in time the Defender may not be built there, but if the replacement isn't so meccano like even that might not happen.
Lets face it CKD LRs have been built all over the world not just the Santana factory.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
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