The Ford Falcon - end of an era?

[Sojourner]

Rumours are running around that Ford will no longer be producing the Ford Falcon past the current model with a replacement likely to be based on the Front Wheel Drive Ford Taurus Platform.

Have Ford Australia become the new Mitsubishi Australia with all these rumours and denials and so on?

Fifty years ago the American XK Falcon killed off the English Ford Zephyr in Australia which was interesting because the Mk2 Zephyr was IMO a much better vehicle, especially the 289 V8 Prototype, yet the wheel turns and 40 + years has been a long time for the manufacture of the Falcon, yet to see it replaced by a front wheel drive platform vehicle is going to give some Ford fans some issues to deal with one might think - if it does actually happen!

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/falc ... -mkfq.html

[Booney]

I heard the Renault Clio is being merged with the Taurus.

Sad day if it does, but the value can only increase for those holding any model Falcon..

[tipper]

supposedly the latest suggestion is that the next gen falcon will be based on the mustang "platform" and will be a "global car". in other words it might not be an australian designed car, but it will supposedly still be a rear wheel drive large car.

[Gingernuts]

Yes, already expressed my dissapointment at this on another thread. Like Booney said though, it makes me very happy to have one paid for and tucked away in the shed.

[Sojourner]

Its hard for me to decide exactly which was the best ever model Falcon - the XY GTHO is clearly the punters favourite, yet for me its the XB GT - Black and Silver! As for the coupes the XC Cobra again is the popular sought after one, yet I still go with the XB series the John Goss Special.

Very sad if it is the end of the era of these cars, with the demise of the Fairlane it does suggest that a stand alone platform is not going to be the most popular suggestion.

[Booney]

If funds were unlimited I'd go for a XB GT in the Orange and black. I also like the XR/XT too.

Perhaps an XE ESP might be a fun toy too.

[Gingernuts]

My younger brother has an XR6 XF ute - I would argue that it would be up there as the best falcon ute made. Absolute beast.

[Booney]

True Fantapants, they are nice.

[Bum Crack]

Ford's suck

Just joking

[Choccies]

I always thought the XA in a red and black was a nice GT...

[Sojourner]

You can shut the gate on this one.
It's the duck's guts.


Yeah, she's the last of the V8 s.


Sucks nitro.


Phase head.


- Twin overhead cam.
- Tell him about the blower.


- horsepower.
- The blower, man.


She's meanness put to music
and the bitch is born to run.


- He's in a coma, man!
- He loves it.

[Bully]

<<<<< thats all i have to say about this topic. good ridance to the falcon!!

[Wedgie]

At least the Commodores will have a chance in the V8s if they're only racing themselves!

2 door XB or XC was my fav.

I was always a Holden man as a kid (pride of place in my wardrobe was the whie HRT jacket and Brocky was my favourite driver) but when looking to buy a car when I was about 19 the commodores were just too small for a strapping lad of over 6 foot so I ventured over to the enemy and got a XD falcon. Was amazed at how good the engine kept going while all my mates Holdens broke down and had more room to boot so have never bothered to change. Current cars are a EF wagon (my old man has it) and our BF XR6 which drives like a dream.
Even as recently as when we got the XR6 we considered the Commodore SV6 and the Aurion but those 2 just fell well short of the Falcon especially in comfort so we stuck with the blue circle.
Will be sad when they go, been produced for about 50 years haven't they?
I'm sure we'll all survive though, we all moved on when Kingswoods got would up.

[JAS]

I heard the Renault Clio is being merged with the Taurus.

Sad day if it does, but the value can only increase for those holding any model Falcon..

If you want to use Renault forget the Clio just use the new Twingo...even one of their ad's is aimed at you blokes in fact forget a merger why not just upgrade from Falcon to Twingo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdpjM3OeLSo

...in the interests of fair play here's the one for the girls...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByMJBCwYsh8

Regards
JAS

[Felch]

:D <<<<< thats all i have to say about this topic. good ridance to the falcon!!

Short sighted statement mate. Once Ford stop making the the Falcon here, how long do you think it will be before GM start thinking along the same lines. The only thing saving the Commodore at the moment is its export sales, and they are not rock solid.

The Chinese-made Commodore is sure to be a fantastic car...

[the joker]

i cant see it happening, i think Ford Australia is looking to get the australian Falcon on the American market like the VE commodore

[Psyber]

I never owned a Falcon, but I had 3 Holdens - an FJ, an HR, and an HK Monaro 327.
At least they didn't steer like barges like the Fords of the era.
Later, I drove someone's HQ and discovered that Holdens had turned into Fords.
I haven't driven either since the HQ, apart from one Falcon hired from Hertz in 1998.
It still had the same handling issues.

So, I guess I won't notice when all the Australian makes are gone, but it is sad that all our manufacturing is dying and, gradually, everything is coming from overseas.

[mick]

:D <<<<< thats all i have to say about this topic. good ridance to the falcon!!

Short sighted statement mate. Once Ford stop making the the Falcon here, how long do you think it will be before GM start thinking along the same lines. The only thing saving the Commodore at the moment is its export sales, and they are not rock solid.

The Chinese-made Commodore is sure to be a fantastic car...

I agree it is a sad day when Australian designed and manufactured cars cease to be made, unfortunately a sign of the times. If Ford Australia could sell the Falcon in the US they might get a reprieve.

[Felch]

i cant see it happening, i think Ford Australia is looking to get the australian Falcon on the American market like the VE commodore

Wont happen. The cost of producing a lefthand drive Falcon would be excessive, and Ford are looking at cutting costs, not increasing them.

You need to remember that the Australian car market is tiny compared to of rest of the world.

[Wedgie]

Agreed, maybe the opposite will happen and they'll import Mustangs here to fill the niche?
I've always wanted a Mustang!