1998 Ford Falcon Reviews

Not a lot of new Ford Falcons are sold these days, so there's a shortage of late models on the used-car scene, but certainly no lack of offering built prior to 2010. For many years Falcon was a huge seller in Australia as the car suits the needs of many local buyers, particularly those in country areas. Built tough for Australia may sound a bit corny, but Falcon certainly answers to that description.Falcons have seating for five occupants, though four works better if they are all adults because the transmission tunnel takes up a lot of footroom in the centre-rear position. Legroom and headroom are ample for all but the largest adults in the remaining four seats. Comfort is very good and passengers can step out of a Falcon after a trip of hundreds of kilometres still feeling fresh and relaxed.The boot in the sedan is relatively shallow, but it's easy to load thanks to a good-sized opening. From the BA Falcon model onwards things are better, though the boot's still on the shallow side.Falcon station wagons are great load carriers as they are built on a longer wheelbase than the sedan so they have a long, wide, practical cargo area. The rear end of the BA is virtually identical to that of the older AU. Ford chose not to do an FG variant of the wagon. Instead, it created a Series III BF model to sell alongside the FG sedans. It wasn't a success, as SUVs were starting to make inroad in the wagon market, so it was discontinued in 2010.Handling is surprisingly good for a car of this size and mass. You wouldn't call it agile, but Falcons hold on when cornering at speeds far above those likely to be attempted by most drivers.Ford's six-cylinder engines all have a capacity of 4.0 litres but come in several formats, including one with a turbocharger. An interesting variant on the six-cylinder is a dedicated LPG engine. Very common in taxis, but less so in private cars (except in Victoria) this engine is all but indistinguishable from a petrol unit to drive. The LPG engine is thirstier than the petrol so fuel range suffers.The BA Falcon's six-cylinder engine is noticeably smoother and offers even better performance than the units it superseded. Ford fitted a 5.0-litre V8 to the AU, but it didn't have a lot more performance than the six-cylinder units and was on the thirsty side. Much better were the BA bent eights. There was a choice of two - both with a capacity of 5.4 litres. One has a single-cam cylinder head, the other a twin-cam setup.The EcoBoost Falcon has what many say is the best non-V8 engine of them all. It provides excellent performance and nimble handling, due to the lighter weight of the smaller engine. Buyers in this market segment can be on the conservative side and they stayed away from the EcoBoost in droves, so you can pick up a real bargain as a used-car.Automatics were all four-speed units until the launch of the BF, when a sophisticated six-speed ZF unit was installed. The ZF was originally only fitted in the topline variants. With the introduction of the FG range all received the six-speed auto, with the exception of the LPG powered models, which held onto the four-speed auto until the launch of the new-design LPG model in July 2011, when it received the six-speed.These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar spaceManual gearboxes are rare and probably best avoided in all but the sporting XR6 and XR8 because they can affect resale value. The manual was a five-speed until the BF series, when a six-speed was installed.Prices for spare parts, servicing and repairs are very reasonable and there are Ford dealers just about everywhere in Australia. Most spare parts for the Falcons covered here are readily available, although a few bits on some older cars may have to come from a wrecker.These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar space. We recommend having a workshop manual at your elbow before starting the work. Insurance prices are generally very reasonable and premiums for the everyday models are invariably at the lower end of the scale. It will generally cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six, and more expensive for a turbo six.WHAT TO LOOK FORMany thousands of used Falcons will have been taxis at some time in their life. Be wary of one running on dedicated LPG; while these are quite common in Victoria, they are rare anywhere else in Australia. Signs of an ex-taxi are vinyl, rather than cloth, upholstery, severe wear both inside and out, holes where signs and a taximeter have been removed, and possibly a paint respray.Engine wear is indicated by a reluctance to start and smoke from the exhaust and/or the oil filler cap when the engine is revved after it has been idling for more than about a minute. Four-speed automatics can cause problems on hard-driven cars, especially if they have done a lot of work. Check they change gears cleanly and don't hunt up and down through the ratios.Be suspicious of any automatic that's slow at going into gear from Neutral or Park. Listen for a whining differential when driving at around 60 to 90km/h. Check the cabin for damage caused by bored kids. In station wagons have a good look at the load area for signs of commercial use.Rust is more unusual in these newer Falcons than old ones. If you do find rust the Falcon may have been poorly repaired after a crash.CAR BUYING TIPBig old used cars that have been looked after properly and driven correctly can be picked up for pretty low prices these days. Don't forget to have a professional inspection, though.

Ford's Falcon has slipped from the minds of many new-car buyers in recent years, resulting in the sad news that production will cease late in 2016. However, the iconic Falcon has long been a favourite with used-car buyers and there’s no sign of that changing anytime soon.To some extent we blame the demise of the Falcon on over adventurous styling. The radical shape of the AU was years ahead of its time when it was introduced in September 1998 and many conservative buyers didn’t like it.Facelifts to create the AU Falcon Series II in April 2000 and to the AU III in November 2001 lifted sales slightly. In September 2002 a major facelift to produce the BA Falcon started to put the Falcon back on track in new sales. The BA Falcon was upgraded to the BF Falcon in October 2005.The introduction of the rather conservative FG-series Falcon saw sales slip again, and history shows that Ford Australia never did recover after that.Falcons have seating for five adults, though four makes more sense because rear-wheel drive means the transmission tunnel takes up a lot of footroom in the centre-rear position. Legroom and headroom are ample for all but the largest adults. Some find the relatively steep slope of the roof in the AU to BF Falcons make it awkward to get in and out; naturally the back seat of the wagon doesn’t have this hassle.Comfort is very good and passengers can step out of a Falcon after a trip of hundreds of kilometres still feeling fresh and relaxed.The boot in the sedan is rather shallow in the older models and the slope of the bootlid on the AU reduces its practicality. It’s easy to load thanks to a good-sized opening. The BA Falcon is better, though still on the shallow side.Falcon station wagons are great load carriers as they are built on a longer wheelbase than the sedan so they have a long, wide, practical cargo area. The rear end of the BA is virtually identical to that of the older AU. Ford chose not to do an FG variant of the wagon. Instead, it created a Series III BF model to sell alongside the FG sedans. It wasn’t a success and was discontinued in 2010.Handling is surprisingly good for a car of this size and mass. You wouldn’t call it agile, but Falcons hold on when cornering at speeds far above those likely to be attempted by most drivers.Ford's six-cylinder engines all have a capacity of 4.0 litres but come in several formats, including one with a turbocharger. An interesting variant on the six-cylinder is a dedicated LPG engine. Very common in taxis, but less so in private cars (except in Victoria) this engine is all but indistinguishable from a petrol unit to drive. It’s quite a bit thirstier than the petrol so fuel range suffers.The standard AU six-cylinder unit is good enough, but the BA’s six-cylinder is noticeably smoother and offers even better performance.Ford fitted a 5.0-litre V8 to the AU, but it didn’t have a lot more performance than the six-cylinder units and was on the thirsty side. Much better were the BA bent eights: there was a choice of two, both with a capacity of 5.4 litres, one with a single-cam cylinder head, the other with a twin-cam setup.A powerful four-cylinder engine, tagged the EcoBoost gave us arguably the best Falcon ever, thanks to excellent performance and nimble handling, the latter due to the lighter weight of the smaller engine. Buyers in this market segment can be on the conservative side and they stayed away from the EcoBoost in droves.Automatics were all four-speed units until the launch of the BF, when a sophisticated six-speed ZF unit was installed. The ZF was originally only fitted in the topline variants, with the introduction of the FG Falcon all received the six-speed auto, with the exception of the LPG power models, which stuck with the old four-speed unit until the launch of the new-design LPG unit in July 2011.Manual gearboxes are rare and probably best avoided in all but the sporting XR6 and XR8 as they can affect resale value. The manual was a five-speed until the BF series, when a six-speed was installed.Prices for spare parts, servicing and repairs are very reasonable and there are Ford dealers just about everywhere in Australia. Most spare parts for the Falcons covered here are readily available, although a few bits on some older cars may have to come from a wrecker.These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar space. We recommend having a workshop manual at your elbow before starting the work.Insurance prices are generally very reasonable and premiums for the everyday models are invariably at the lower end of the scale. It will generally cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six, and more expensive for a turbo six.WHAT TO LOOK FORRust is far less of a problem in these newer Falcons than old ones. To be on the safe side, check the door lower corners, door sill panels, mudguards and bootlid. If you do find serious rust the car may have been badly repaired after a crash.Many thousands of used Falcons will have been taxis at some time in their life. Be wary of one running on dedicated LPG; while these are quite common in Victoria, they are rare anywhere else in Australia. Signs of an ex-taxi are vinyl, rather than cloth, upholstery, severe wear both inside and out, holes where signs and a taximeter have been removed, and possibly a paint respray.Engine wear is indicated by a reluctance to start and by smoke from the exhaust and/or oil filler cap when the engine is revved.Four-speed automatics can cause problems on hard-driven cars, especially the older models. Check they change gears cleanly and don't hunt up and down through the ratios. Be suspicious of any automatic that’s slow at going into gear from Neutral or Park.Listen for a whining differential when driving at around 60 to 90km/h.Check the cabin for damage caused by wild kids. In station wagons have a good look at the load area for signs of commercial useCAR BUYING TIPBeware ex-taxis: they are run hard and often not driven in a sympathetic manner. 

Ford's Falcon is a rugged family car that copes well with rough and ready Australian bush roads so are very popular out there. They can be on the large side for close city work but have good outward visibility and a reasonably tight turning circle so aren’t too hard to drive in confined spaces.The radical styling of the AU was years ahead of its time when it was introduced in September 1998 and many conservative buyers didn’t like it. Facelifts to create the AU Falcon Series II in April 2000 and to the AU III in November 2001 helped a bit. However, it wasn’t until September 2002 that a major facelift to produce the BA Falcon started to put the Falcon back into buyers’ minds again.The BA Falcon was further upgraded to the BF Falcon in October 2005. Visual differences are minor, but there were significant changes to the transmissions at this time – more about them later. The introduction of the new FG series Falcon in May 2008 lifted awareness, but its shape was on the conservative side (it’s hard to please people…) and sales didn’t return to the record levels Falcon had enjoyed in the past.Falcons have seating for five adults, though four makes more sense because the use of rear-wheel drive means the transmission tunnel takes up a lot of foot room in the centre-rear position. Legroom and headroom are ample for all but the largest adults.Some find the relatively steep slope of the roof in the AU to BF series makes it awkward to get into the car. This applies to both front and back seats in sedans, naturally the back seat of the wagon doesn’t have this hassle. Comfort is very good and passengers can step out of a Falcon after a trip of hundreds of kilometres still feeling fresh and relaxed.The boot in the sedan is rather shallow in the older models and the slope of the bootlid on the AU reduces its practicality. It’s easy to load thanks to a good-sized opening. The BA is noticeably better, though still on the shallow side. Falcon station wagons are great load carriers as they are built on a longer wheelbase than the sedan so they have a long, wide, practical cargo area.The rear end of the BA is virtually identical to that of the older AU. Ford chose not to do an FG variant of the wagon. Instead, it created a Series III BF model to sell alongside the FG sedans. It wasn’t a success and was discontinued in 2010. Handling is surprisingly good for a car of this size and mass. You wouldn’t call it agile, but Falcons hold on when cornering at speeds far above those likely to be attempted by most drivers.Ford's six-cylinder engines all have a capacity of 4.0 litres but come in several formats, including one with a turbocharger. An interesting variant on the six-cylinder is a dedicated LPG engine. These are very common in taxis, but less so in private cars, with the exception of Victoria, and the engine is all but indistinguishable from a petrol unit to drive. It’s quite a bit thirstier than the petrol, so fuel range suffers.The standard AU six-cylinder unit is good enough, but the BA’s six-cylinder is noticeably smoother and offers even better performance. Ford fitted a 5.0-litre V8 to the AU, but it didn’t have a lot more performance than the six-cylinder units and was on the thirsty side. Much better were the BA bent eights: there was a choice of two, each with a capacity of 5.4 litres, one with a single-cam cylinder head, the other with a twin-cam setup.An impressive four-cylinder turbocharged engine was introduced midway through 2012. It has plenty of power and torque and lower fuel consumption than the big engines. The four’s lighter weight gives the big car a nicely nimble feel during cornering. Automatics were all four-speed units until the launch of the BF, when a sophisticated six-speed ZF unit was installedlpgThe ZF was originally only fitted in the topline variants, with the rest of the range using the four-speed. With the introduction of the FG Falcon in May 2008 all received the six-speed auto, with the exception of the LPG power models, which stuck with the old four-speed unit. A six-speed auto was finally installed behind the new design of LPG engine in July 2011.Manual gearboxes are rare and probably best avoided in all but the sporting XR6 and XR8 as they can affect resale value. The manual was a five-speed until the October 2005 BF series, when a six-speed was installed. Prices for spare parts, servicing and repairs are very reasonable and there are Ford dealers just about everywhere in Australia.Most spare parts for the Falcons covered here are readily available, although a few bits on some older cars may have to come from a wrecker. These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar space. We recommend having a workshop manual at your elbow before starting the work.Insurance prices are generally very reasonable and premiums for the everyday models are invariably at the lower end of the scale. It will generally cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six, and be dearer again for a turbo six.WHAT TO LOOK FORRust is far less of a problem in these newer Falcons than old ones. To be on the safe side, check the door lower corners, door sill panels, mudguards and bootlid. If you do find serious rust the car may have been badly repaired after a crash.Many thousands of used Falcons will have been taxis at some time in their life. Be wary of one running on dedicated LPG, while these are quite common in Victoria, they are rare anywhere else in Australia. Signs of an ex-taxi are vinyl, rather than cloth, upholstery, severe wear both inside and out, holes where signs and a taximeter have been removed, and possibly a paint respray.Engine wear is indicated by a reluctance to start and by smoke from the exhaust and/or oil filler cap when the engine is revved. Four-speed automatics can cause problems on hard driven cars, especially the older models. Check they change gears cleanly and don't hunt up and down through the ratios. Be suspicious of any automatic that’s slow at going into gear from Neutral or Park.Listen for a whining differential when driving at around 60 to 90km/h. Check the cabin for damage caused by wild kids. In station wagons have a good look at the load area for signs of commercial use.CAR BUYING TIPNo matter how good a car looks on the surface it may have problems under the skin, never buy without a full inspection. 

The XR6 has been a stunning success for Ford since its introduction in 1990. It was a bold move by Ford and Tickford at the time to build a six-cylinder sports sedan for a market that was brought up on a diet of performance V8s, but it has been a shining star through the tough times that Ford has recently endured.Much has been said and written about the AU’s edge styling, much of it justified, but the XR6 was a tough looking car that didn’t deserve the same criticism as the mainstream AUs.With a sharp body kit, hot motor and sports handling the XR6 is one AU you’d be proud to park in your driveway.MODEL WATCH The XR6 had the same edgy lines as the other AUs, but with some clever reworking of the front and rear cosmetics it took on an aggressive look that clearly separated it from the rest of range.A unique grille and four headlamp treatment and a lower lip that evoked images of the AU V8 Supercar distinguished the XR6’s front end. Out back the spoiler was larger and was claimed to generate greater down force.There were two 4.0-litre single overhead cam six-cylinder engines available, the High Performance HP engine fitted as standard to the XR6, and the optional Variable Camshaft Timing VCT engine, which was fitted to the XR6 VCT.Both were virtually new from the sump plug up. They had a new stiffer block, new ‘high swirl’ cylinder head with higher compression, new crankshaft, con rods, pistons, gaskets and a cross-bolted alloy oil pan, and that was on top of sequential fuel-injection and new lightweight valve train.Power of the HP six was up to 164 kW at 5000 rpm with torque peaking at 366 Nm at 3150 rpm. The VCT version developed more, 168 kW at 5300 rpm and 370 Nm at 3500 rpm.Compare that to the VT II V6 Commodore S with 147 kW at 5200 rpm and 304 Nm at 3600 rpm and it’s clear the XR6 is a barnstorming sports sedan.Many of the changes were aimed at making the Falcon six smoother, something that was desperately needed. With the extra block stiffness, along with the rigid cast aluminium sump and a new eight counterweight crankshaft that was both stiffer and lighter the AU’s Intech engine was much smoother than any previous Falcon six.Transmission choices were a clunky five-speed manual or a four-speed adaptive shift auto.The XR6’s suspension was a combo of double wishbones at the front and Watts Multilink live axle with coil springs at the rear, all of which was retuned for sportier handling with revised springs, shocks and anti-roll bars, and a lower ride height. Double wishbone IRS was an option, but standard on the XR6 VCT.Braking was by discs all round with ABS standard. Alloy wheels, 16-inch five-spoke, were standard, and there was a 17-inch option available.Inside was typically Falcon with lots of cheap looking plastic components made to look even worse by the styling which was mix of edge and the oval as previewed on the Taurus.That aside there were plenty of features to satisfy, including a leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel, air-con, remote central locking, immobiliser, six-speaker sound, and sports seats.IN THE SHOP The Falcon generally stands up reasonably well, but not as well as some others that have better build quality. Every car maker has build quality problems, but Ford does seem to suffer its fair share.Electrics are a problem, particularly things like the electronic control modules, which are expensive to replace.Expect to replace brake rotors between 50,000 and 75,000 km depending on the type of driving you do. Smart mechanics will skim the rotors when they change pads to extract extra life from them and save you some money.Watch the temperature gauge for any tendency to climb into the upper range. Also keep an close eye on the coolant level for any loss of coolant, and make sure to use the correct coolant as the alloy head can give trouble if not looked after.Check service records, as Falcons are typical of cars that are neglected by uncaring owners, although XR6 owners tend to be more caring in the way they maintain their cars.OWNERS VIEW Holden fan Steve Phillips had his heart set on a V8 Commodore when a dealer suggested he drive a white AU XR6 manual he had on his lot. Steve says that after driving it he couldn’t get the smile of his face. “As a Holden man through and through, and having owned a couple of XF Falcons and knowing that they rust and have major problems here I was in love with a Ford,” he says. The XR6 has been on many XR club outings, up and down the coast, drive-in nights, dyno days. Even though he spends a lot of time on the roads he says it's still great to get in the XR, even if it's to drive to the shops for milk.LOOK FOR • Distinctive styling with an aggressive body kit including rear spoiler that sets it apart from its rather drab AU cousins.• Heavily modified six cylinder engines delivers both performance and smoothness in a package that easily overpowers its main Holden rival.• Great road manners means sharp responsive and well balanced handling along with a firm but comfortable ride.• Forgettable interior with awful plastic parts that make it feel cheap. Coupled with the overuse of oval shapes in the fascia make it one of the worst interiors in recent memory.• Stiffer engine block and new cylinder head with improved gaskets made significant inroads into Falcon head gasket problems, but basic design of water passages in head can lead to pockets of steam and potential blown head gaskets. 

Ford ruled the road when the EL Falcon was launched in 1996. The company had assumed the top sales spot in the early 1980s and cruised into the 1990s still comfortably ahead of archrival Holden, which was recovering from its financial meltdown in the mid-1980s.The EL was the last in the line of aerodynamic Falcons that began with the EA in 1988, and arguably the best. It was also the last model before the ill-fated AU, which sent Ford into a financial tailspin that rivalled Holden’s of a decade earlier.MODEL WATCHFord spent $40 million on what was a comprehensive facelift designed to fix the problems that had plagued the all models of the Falcon since the EA, including the EF that immediately preceded the EL.Compared to the EF there was a number of relatively minor cosmetic changes, including new grilles, headlamps, bumpers, tail lights and wheel trims.Thicker, tinted glass and added dash insulation reduced noise inside the Falcon, while new seats increased headroom, which made it more comfortable for taller drivers.While the external changes were welcome the big improvements on the EL were underneath where changes to the suspension and steering dramatically improved the handling.The EF had been criticised for a handling imbalance that made it seem as though the front and rear were having a domestic dispute and weren’t talking to each other.The problem was that the rear suspension roll rate was markedly different to the front roll rate which manifested itself in the feeling that the car was lurching into oversteer when changing direction. The perception was worse than the reality, but it was enough for many customers to feel uncomfortable and the complaints rolled in.Ford responded by lowering the rear roll centre and altering the geometry of the front suspension to improve the steering response. Other changes to the front suspension bushes, shock absorbers, and steering made the handling more linear.It was a major improvement and the EL felt much more stable on the road.Ford offered a choice of two familiar engines. There was the 4.0-litre single overhead camshaft six-cylinder engine that had an alloy cylinder head and fuel injection and produced 157 kW at 4900 revs and 357 Nm at 3000 revs.The other was a 5.0-litre overhead valve V8. It was also fuel-injected and boasted 165 kW at 4500 revs and 388 Nm at 3000 revs.It was possible to link the six to a five-speed manual gearbox, but most buyers opted for the four-speed auto. The only choice for V8 buyers was a four-speed auto.On the road the Falcon six delivered heaps of torque, which made it easy to drive and great for towing, while delivering reasonable fuel consumption for the time. A GLi sedan would typically return around 12.0 L/100 km in city traffic and 8.0 L/100 km when cruising the highway, while the V8 would do 14.5 L/100 km and 9.0 L/100 km under similar conditions.The Falcon model range kicked off with the GLi sedan and wagon, which came with a decent array of standard equipment for the time, including power mirrors, cloth trim, lumbar adjustment in the front seats and remote central locking with an engine immobiliser.Move up the range to the Futura and you got cruise, ABS, and power front windows.Then there was the prestige Fairmont, which came with alloy wheels, auto air, trip computer, six-speaker sound, and power windows front and rear.Next came the Fairmont Ghia that had a more powerful, 162 kW engine, nine-speaker sound system, six-stack CD player, LSD, leather trim and lashings of chrome.IN THE SHOPThe EL is fundamentally sound. Without abusing them it’s really hard to kill them off, but irritating little things that stemmed from questionable build quality and development shortcomings also plagues them.Check everything on the car to make sure they work, from lights to wipers, radio, heater, and air-conditioning.Falcons of the era are renowned for problems with the air-conditioning controls and they’re expensive to replace so make sure all is well there.There are also reports of the door locks opening by themselves on hot days. It was more of a problem on earlier models, but reports still come in about the EL, which suggests it too had problems.The six-cylinder engine is prone to head gasket leaks, even with as few as 50,000 km on the odometer. Water pumps can also be a problem so check to make sure there are no signs of coolant in the oil and the temperature gauge is sitting where it should. Water pumps can give trouble, and oil leaks are common from the rear main bearing seal and the timing cover seal.The four-speed electronic auto transmission is a problem area depending on use. The transmission carries barely enough oil for the job and it’s not uncommon to see them being rebuilt after 140,000-150,000 km. Signs of problems can be flaring on upshifts and a reluctance to engage top gear.Brake wear is a problem. To achieve short stopping distances, most manufacturers, Ford included, fit the cars with hard brake pads and soft disc rotors. This means it’s usually necessary to replace the disc rotors at the same time the pads are replaced, which occurs at intervals of 50,000-60,000 km. Most mechanics replace the factory-fitted pads with softer equivalents, which extends the disc life and makes ongoing maintenance less expensive.IN A CRASHPrimary safety was upgraded in the EL with the adoption of the then latest generation of Bosch ABS anti-skid brakes, which were standard on all models except the GLi where they were optional.An important safety consideration now is that the EL Falcon was the only Australian-built car at the time to feature a driver’s airbag standard on all models, with a passenger’s side airbag available as an option.LOOK FOR• Squeaks and rattles in body.• Noisy suspension.• Floaty ride.• Unreliable electrics.• Auto transmission problems• Engine oil leaks.• Roomy interior and good boot.THE BOTTOM LINEAgeing big car with sturdy fundamentals that make them hard to kill, but they’re let down by small irritating things.RATING60/100

Ford launched the ill-fated AU Falcon with the slogan “You’ve come a long way baby” and proclaimed it as “dramatically different”. It was rather too dramatic for the conservative tastes of many Australians, and what was otherwise a decent car was crucified for its sad, down-in-the-mouth shape, but if you can put its depressing styling aside you’ll find a very competent family sedan that’s going for a song on the used car market.MODEL WATCHThe AU was doomed from the start when the motoring media jumped all over its radical styling. Some didn’t like the Forte’s waterfall grille, others the overuse of oval shapes, which was reminiscent of the imported Taurus, but most loathed the way it fell away at the corners, in particular the rear corners.It seems that there were plenty of Australians who agreed with the criticisms and either put off buying a new car and stuck to their older EF or EL Falcons or switched to a Commodore.While styling is a matter of individual taste, there were some practical criticisms of the AU’s shape. Headroom was limited, and it was easy to bang your head on the roof side rail as you got in or out of the front or rear. The shape of the rear door openings, and doors, was also criticised for the way it made it difficult to get in to the rear seat.AU’s interior also came in for some well deserved criticism. The extensive use of oval shapes and cheap looking plastics created a dash with a cheap and nasty appearance. Otherwise the Falcon’s interior was roomy and quite comfortable, although the aforementioned headroom problem was something taller drivers had to contend with.Power was predominantly from Ford’s venerable 4.0-litre overhead camshaft straight six that was more refined and smoother than before due to increased rigidity of the crankshaft, cross-bolted main bearing caps and a structural aluminium oil pan.Power from the base ‘Intech’ engine was 157 kW at 4900 rpm, while torque was 357 Nm at 3000 rpm, which gave it plenty of punch, and made it ideal for towing.For greater economy Ford offered a dual-fuel option, which allowed owners to take advantage of the lower price of LPG. While peak power of the LPG engine was down on the petrol version, the torque was the same; hence there wasn’t much loss of performance.Another neat feature of the AU was the fail-safe cooling which allowed you to limp home even if you lost all coolant from the system. The system simply shut down individual cylinders as needed to cut the running temperature of the engine.Naturally such a system required a level of reliability of things like the cylinder head gasket and Ford put a lot of work into improving it, which will be a great relief to Falcon owners who suffered head gasket failures on earlier models.The auto trans in the AU was more refined with smoother shifting, with claims that the service life would be as high as 250,000 km.The AU’s suspension promised improved comfort and handling, with revisions to the double wishbone front and Watts Link live axle rear. Independent rear suspension was available as an option.Forte was a new name to the Falcon range. The new badge, which has since disappeared in the BA, was fitted to the base model, while the familiar Futura and Fairmont badges were retained for the luxury and luxury sports models.IN THE SHOPContinuous development over many years has seen the Falcon evolve into a sturdy car that doesn’t have a lot of faults, at least major ones.Mechanics report few problems with the AU, there doesn’t appear to be the same issue with cylinder head gasket failure as there was in earlier models. A design revision on AU has cleaned up the problem pretty well, although further improvements to the head gasket in the new BA would tend to suggest that Ford didn’t think the problems were completely solved in AU.On the road, there is little to complain about, although the Falcon is not as economical as the Commodore, at least around town. Expect the Falcon six to use about 15-20 per cent more fuel in city usage, but there is little difference on the highway.WATCH FOR:• Sad styling has made the AU a laughing stock• Roomy interior ideal for transporting family• Robust and reliable with few faults• A little heavier on fuel than rivals

Before the hot XR6 was unleashed in 1992, fast Fords were V8-powered. So the six-cylinder sports sedan came as a surprise to everyone. The XR6 was a bent-eight beater, but it was much more than that.  It was not only fast, it also handled beautifully and was comfortable.Had we known then what we later found out about Tickford, now called Ford Performance Vehicles, it wouldn't have been such a surprise.  The EBII XR6 was the first glimpse of Tickford's ability to produce a refined sporting sedan that did everything well.  It had often been the case with Aussie-built muscle cars that power was everything.That relentless pursuit often came at the cost of handling, ride and comfort, but Tickford brought a European approach which balanced power and road manners.  Another surprise came in the styling, which was neat and attractive, without being look-at-me in the way of most other muscle cars.  But if the XR6 was rather reserved in appearance terms, there was nothing reserved about it when it hit the road.THE XR6 was based on the EBII Falcon S, a sportier version of the family four-door sedan.  The engine was the Falcon 4.0-litre single-overhead cam unit, an effective but rather harsh and lumbering lump. But it had come under the spell of the engineers at Tickford Vehicle Engineering, Ford's performance partners who started working with the men from Broadmeadows in 1991.By the time Tickford was finished tinkering with the Falcon's head, cam, valves, valve springs, exhaust system and electronics, the fuel-injected six was slamming out a massive 161kW at 4600 revs and 366Nm at 3650 revs. And all of that while running on regular unleaded.It was enough to have the 1529kg sedan sprinting to 100km/h in 7.5sec. The standing 400m sprint was covered in 15.5sec and it had a top speed of 223km/h.They were numbers that had the V8 brigade looking back in horror, but they didn't tell the whole story, which was that the XR6 had plenty of low-end and mid-range punch which made it very driveable.Gearbox choices were a five-speed manual and a four-speed auto which delivered the power to the live axle LSD rear end running a low 3.45-ratio axle which helped it jump out of corners.Back in 1992 Ford was committed to a live rear axle, but Tickford's engineers managed to tame it quite effectively. The XR6 rode lower and had a package of gas shocks, stiffer springs, larger anti-roll bars front and rear which, coupled with revised front-end settings, made the steering precise and responsive and brought an assured balance to the handling.Despite still having 3.1 turns lock-to-lock, the Falcon could be pointed at corners with confidence it would hold its line right through to the exit. There was still some evidence of the roll oversteer associated with the Ford rear end, but it would quickly settle under power.To match the go power, the XR6 was equipped with decent disc brakes, which worked in tandem with ABS. The XR6's rolling stock consisted of 15-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and 205/65R15 Michelin tyres. It stood out from the Falcon crowd with body-coloured bumpers and mirrors, red rub strip inserts and a small rear wing.Inside there were reshaped sports front seats which were more supportive and comfortable than the regular Falcon ones. They had velour facings, were highlighted with red piping, and there was also a leather-trimmed Momo sports steering wheel and gear shift knob.ALL alloy-headed Falcon sixes have a problem with head gaskets. It's not unusual to blow them at any time, but they seem to be more prone to it from about 80,000km onwards.Cylinder head reco experts say there is a problem with coolant circulation, which leads to a steam pocket at the rear of the head which can then lead to gasket failure and cracking of the head.Some even relieve the problem by tapping into the head and allowing the coolant to flow from the problem area through an external pipe.  Suspension bushes can be a problem at higher mileage, and require replacement to restore the XR6's renowned handling.Falcon electrics can also be troublesome. Body control modules are a headache and replacements are expensive, so check the system's operation as thoroughly as you can.  Engine oil leaks are also a common problem. Look at the front cover and power steering pump.MARK Harris bought his white XR6 new in 1993 and has driven it sparingly. It has just 51,000km on the odometer and is driven only on weekends, when he enjoys it very much.  Dion Coughlan bought his three years ago when it had done 175,000km. He has added another 80,000km, and says he drives it hard.It has had a near-death experience when it was hit by a bus. Despite a few rattles, Dion says it still performs well. Apart from minor things such as a fan belt, the only things Dion has had to replace are the front suspension bushes.