With the end nigh for Ford's final Falcon, here's the full genome map of the Blue Oval's blue-collar hero car
Ford Falcon History 1960-2016
Watching the owners of the cars in our opening shot roll in and engage with each other, you soon understood the true significance of the Falcon brand to this country. It was about a lot more than the proverbial few bits of tin holding four wheels together. Much more. It was about community and – believe it or not – family. Some cars were clearly treasured to the point where they were being passed down the generations. Many represented the realisation of a personal dream, a reward for all the hard graft over the years. Somehow it seems unthinkable that, after 56 years, it’s coming to an end.
Join us as we celebrate the cars, the people and their finest moments.
Ford Falcon XK, XL, XM, XP Series
1960-1966
Falcon learns to fly
In its brochure for the XK Falcon we find this claim: ‘The Falcon is Australian with a world of difference. It is built entirely in Australia, for Australian conditions.’
Read more on the XK-XP series Falcon…
Ford Falcon XR, XT, XW, XY Series
1966-1972
Falcon-bred Mustang spurs Mustang-bred Falcon
Ford had taken the battle to Holden with the XP. The next job was to set the lead. Enter the ‘Mustang-bred’ XR.
Read more on the XR-XY series Falcon…
Ford Falcon XA, XB, XC Series
1972-1979
All-Australian Falcon
Within eight months of each other the Big Three produced all-new models for the 1970s. While the VH Valiant was barge-like and the HQ Holden seemed at the time to be soft and European, the XA Falcon defined the middle ground.
Read more on the XA-XC series Falcon…
Ford Falcon XD, XE, XF Series
1979-1988
Why not buy the larger car?
Within Ford Australia during the months leading up to the launch of the XD ‘Blackwood’ Falcon anxiety prevailed. A clever marketing campaign, ‘We’ve got your new car on ice’, was aimed at persuading prospective Commodore buyers to wait; gradually the ice melted to reveal the elegant XD in March 1979.
Read more on the XD-XF series Falcon…
Ford Falcon EA, EB, ED, EF, EL Series
1988-1998
Beautiful, but mostly crude
The EA was to 1988 what the XD had been to 1979: the body beautiful promising more than it delivered. There was also the slow-leak campaign with international Ford spokesman Jackie Stewart as champion.
Read more on the EA-EL series Falcon…
Ford Falcon AU, BA, BF Series
1998-2008
Falcon loses sales leadership to Commodore (forever)
The AU Falcon, launched in October 1998 to mixed reactions, was a much better car than it looked with its global Ford ‘New Edge’ design. The car was the victim of poor marketing and confused design – marketers and engineers alike to blame.
Read more on the AU-BF series Falcon…
Ford Falcon FG-FG X Series
2008-2016
Too late, she cried!
The first decade of the new century was marked by a huge decline in demand for ‘traditionally’ sized Australian sedans and wagons and the Falcon was hit hardest.
Read more on the FG-FG X Falcon…