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The initial decision to launch an Australian-built Ford was made in
1955, when it was decided that Ford Australia would build the Zephyr locally
from the ground up, rather than simply assemble kits that arrived by ship from
Dagenham in the United Kingdom.
But in 1958, during a trip to the United States to view the Zephyr that was
being redesigned for Australia, Ford Australia Managing Director Charles Smith,
decided that the car was not right for the local market.
He was then shown a mock-up of the Falcon that was being designed for the
Canadian and American markets and decided that it was the car for Australia.
The Falcon made its debut with the XK in September 1960. At the time it was
described as a 'compact', as it was smaller than the popular family cars of the
period.
The car and its successor, the XL, were based on an American design, with
some minor modifications for Australian conditions.
With the launch of the XM in 1964, the Falcon had more serious claims to
being a car designed and engineered by Australians for Australian conditions.
Changes were made to the front and rear suspension, the braking system,
clutch, rear axle, engine mounts and exhaust - all as a result of extensive
research on the open road, the track and the dirt.
Ford Australia management went one step further with the launch of the XP
Falcon in 1965. In an attempt to convince local fleet buyers of the robustness
and durability of the Falcon, Deputy Managing Director Bill Bourke conceived the
XP Durability Run.
The bold scheme involved pushing five standard Falcons to the limit around
the demanding You Yangs Proving Ground driven by Australia’s top race and rally
drivers. The goal was to clock 70,000 miles at an average speed per car of 70
miles per hour. Some of the five cars rolled, but after 8 ½ days driven at the
limit, the five cars averaged a speed of 71.3 miles per hour.
That same year, the Falcon was named Wheels Car of the Year.
The following year, the bigger, more powerful XR Falcon was launched with an
entirely new shape. The new model incorporated more Australian design input than
previous models and featured a V8 engine for the first time. The XR Falcon also
was the first model to carry the legendary GT badge.
The XT Falcon saw more powerful V8s, a synchromesh gearbox, dual circuit
brakes and a choice of two automatic transmissions. It was followed by the XW
and XY, remarkable for the eminently collectable GTHO Phase II and III.
In 1971, with the launch of the XA, the Falcon became a uniquely Australian
car. There was no longer a US equivalent, the car was designed specifically for
the local market.
Three years earlier, local Ford designers traveled to the US and spent most
of the summer of 1968 working on the Falcon clay model. The design impressed
Detroit, which soon after gave the go-ahead for a design centre at Broadmeadows,
Victoria.
With the XB and XC came four-wheel disc brakes, four-barrel carburettors and
an all-time classic Falcon, the Cobra. The XC also brought a famous 1-2 victory
for Allan Moffat and Colin Bond at Bathurst in 1977.
The XD Falcon was the first to be designed in Australia from a clean piece of
paper. Efficiency, interior space and weight reduction were the key elements of
the new design. The car also featured a number of innovations, including a
plastic fuel tank and plastic bumpers. Bucket seats were optional.
The following model, the XE, marked the introduction of electronic fuel
injection and a Watts link coil-sprung rear-end. The car took Ford to number one
in the market in 1982.
The XF was notable for the introduction of Ford's engine management system,
EEC-IV, which managed the spark timing and air-fuel mix of the engine more
efficiently.
A new shape for Falcon came with the EA, which also boasted an all-new front
suspension and geometry. The new suspension was more durable than previous
systems. Other advances included a four-speed automatic transmission, the
high-security Tibbe locking system and a more fuel-efficient engine.
The EB and subsequent EB II offered handling improvements, the return of the
V8 and ABS brakes for the first time on a mainstream Australian sedan. Security
also was enhanced with the introduction of Smartlock.
The final facelift for the EA shape came with the ED, which offered more
modern exterior colours, better side-impact crash protection and a host of
under-the-bonnet changes to continue the refinement of the car's handling.
August 1994 saw a new shape and an Australian Design Award for the EF Falcon
in recognition of several engineering advances. The modified engine was smoother
running, with improved torque and power and a new EEC-V engine management system
developed through Formula One racing. A standard airbag, better ride and
handling and significant safety advances completed the upgrade. The car also
featured the world's first airbag-compatible bull-bar.
The $40 million EL program brought further ride and handling improvements,
latest generation ABS and an improved steering feel.
The $700 million AU Falcon saw the introduction of Computer Aided Design and
Engineering, allowing for significant advances in chassis stiffness,
aerodynamics and directional stability.
The AU program also saw the debut of a sophisticated double wishbone
independent rear suspension and variable cam timing on prestige models. The AU
was also the first car in its class to offer air-conditioning and automatic
transmission as standard features.
The AUII and AUIII continued the Falcon tradition of innovation and value for
money, featuring a standard passenger airbag, standard CD player, standard
16-inch wheels and 'Scheduled Servicing' to 60,000km included in the cost of the
car.
In 2002 Ford launched the all-new BA Falcon with a new DOHC 4.0-litre engine,
Sequential Sports Shift automatic transmission, a radical new Control Blade IRS
and sleek new styling inside and out.
With a potent turbocharged version and DOHC V8 version also in the mix, the
BA quickly won critical and sales acclaim, spearheading a sales revival by Ford
and securing many of the major motoring awards including the Australia's Best
Cars 'Best Family Car' title and the highly coveted Wheels COTY.
The latest MkII version was launched in 2004, adding numerous customer
focused features including a Tremec six-speed manual transmission for the high
performance XR range and cruise control across the sedan range.
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