Ford Falcon 1966 News

Ford Australia has confirmed the decision in a media statement this afternoon. The announcement will likely come as a shock to Ford fans, many of whom were planning to buy one of the last Falcon GTs and keep them as collector pieces. Ford will instead revive the Falcon XR8 when the new model goes on sale, using a less powerful version of the GT Falcon's supercharged 5.0-litre V8. A media statement issued by Ford this afternoon said the return of the XR8 is timed to coincide with the introduction of the 2014 Falcon sedan and Territory SUV update, ahead of the closure of Ford's Broadmeadows and Geelong factories no later than October 2016. As the Falcon XR8 returns to the Ford range, the Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) range -- which includes the iconic GT Falcon -- will retire, the Ford media statement confirmed. Ford plans a series of limited edition GT models during 2014, the company said. Ford took control of FPV late last year and brought production of the GT back in house in February 2013 for the first time since 1976. But Ford has now decided to wind up production of the GT as well. It's the second dose of bad news for Australian V8 fans in two weeks. Last week, News Corp Australia exclusively reported that a leaked SA Government document revealed that Holden will not have a V8 in its lineup by 2016 or 2018. Buoyed by a string of Bathurst victories Ford sold more than 12,000 Falcon GTs in the eight years from 1968 to 1976. As a sign of the changing market, however, it took 21 years to sell the same number of Falcon GTs from 1992 to 2012. "FPV has been very successful for the last 12 years and our relationship with Tickford for many years before that," said Ford Australia Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service Graeme Whickman. "We appreciate all of the great team members, dealers, customers and fans who have supported FPV through its history. We look forward to sharing further details of the final FPV models and the new XR8 over the coming months." "We have received a lot of interest and continued requests from Falcon fans to bring back the XR8. Re-introducing the XR8 sedan, packaged in our updated Falcon, will make our renowned locally-engineered and manufactured V8 engine available to a broader group of people." This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

The car Ford should have had in the noughties. The four-cylinder engine enhances economy and driving enjoyment. "It's the Falcon of the year. It's what Ford needed to do, but four or five years ago," Karla Pincott said at the COTY judging.It’s an unpalatable fact of life for our local carmakers that big sedan sales are slumping everywhere from Germany to Geraldton as buyers scale down and step up.What the EcoBoost mill does prove is just how good Ford’s new generation of engines are. Ironically, that’s one of the reasons why the Focus will supplant the Falcon as the Blue Oval’s biggest seller this year.But for those who can’t fit in a Focus, the Falcon’s ride and handling makes it a better option than an SUV. The EcoBoost makes the six-cylinder redundant, unless buyers need the extra towing capacity - 2300kg against 1600kg.The four-cylinder prefers premium leaded, in which case sub-seven second times to 100km/h are easily within reach. More impressive is the mid-range acceleration and the way the six-speed auto has been calibrated to bring out the EcoBoost’s best.It lopes along at under 2000rpm at 100km/h and a quick dab of the pedal provides instant overtaking response. It's the same at 60 and 80km/h and at any speed this car turns-in better than bigger-engined Falcons, courtesy of the 60kg weight cut over the front wheels.The ride is also near XR levels of firmness but never feels unsettled. The seats need upgrading though - bolstering support is marginal at the cornering speeds the EcoBoost is capable of.The EcoBoost Falcon makes sense at a time when big cars don’t. It has the interior space to deal with a mushrooming family and the baggage that comes with them, backed by decent fuel economy and well-sorted road manners.Ford Falcon EcoBoost G6Price: from $40,835Engine: two-litre turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinderTransmission: six-speed automatic, rear wheel drivePower: 179kW @ 5500rpmTorque: 353Nm @ 2000rpmFuel use/emissions: 8.5 l/100km, tank 68 litres; 201g/kmBrakes/safety systems: Driver and front passenger airbags, front seat side/thorax, curtain airbags, stability control (Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Traction Control), rear parking sensorsDimensions: Length 4966mm, width 1868mm, height 1483mm, wheelbase 2838mm, cargo volume 535 litres, weight 1648kgWheels/tyres: 17in alloy wheelsWin $5,000 in our People's Choice competition. 

When Dick Johnson hit The Rock at Mount Panorama in 1980 his Tru-Blue Falcon won an instant place in Australian motorsport history.  Now, on the 50th anniversary of the Bathurst 1000, the Tru-Blue Falcon is back - with a twist. It's one of a series of retro liveries that will be run this October including, if rumours are true, an FPR Falcon for David Reynolds that will mimic an XR Falcon from 1967.  The Tru-Blue livery is unveiled today thanks to Dick Johnson and the current sponsors of James Moffat's DJR Falcon, including Norton.  They have agreed to the retro look that includes the same bright blue bodywork and Tru-Blu sign writing on the sides, although the use of Johnson's signature racing number - 17 - is likely to be changed to Moffat's regular number by Bathurst time.  The Rock is also likely to make an appearance at the press call this morning, as it lives in a display case at Johnson's workshop and museum on the Gold Coast.

Ford is rolling the dice on a last-ditch effort to win a stay of execution for its homegrown Falcon.  It has installed a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine in the nose of the car that was once Australia's favourite but is now spiralling downwards on the sales charts as buyers flock to new-age SUVs and abandon old-style Aussie family cars. The Falcon EcoBoost promises impressive fuel economy and performance that almost matches a traditional six-cylinder engine, with parity pricing starting at $37,235 despite the extra cost of the imported powerplant. The EcoBoost package is more than just an engine, as Ford has overhauled its green leader with everything from improved aerodynamics and smoother suspension to a quieter cabin.  Ford denies it is too little or too late, even though it is only committed to the Falcon until 2016 and the successor is likely to be a global car with minor local tweaking and a Falcon badge for the Ford faithful. "I don't think it's make-or-break for us, but EcoBoost continues to fill out the portfolio," says Bob Graziano, president of Ford Australia. "The timing is right. There are people who want four-cylinder cars and this provides us with an advantage, so hopefully we'll get onto some buy lists."  He says Ford is being deliberately conservative in its EcoBoost planning, only targeting 2000 sales by the end of the year despite the seachange switch in a car that has always been a six-cylinder and V8 staple. "We're continuing to improve the Falcon. The efficiency, the performance, and moving with customer expectations and demands," says Graziano. "It's a very important launch for us. If you look at what customers want, EcoBoost is another tool in the toolkit."  The raw numbers are impressive, from the pricing to 179 kiloWatts of power and fuel economy of 8.1 litres/100km that is a huge improvement over the 9.9 of the Falcon six and 12.3 for the LPG-fuelled Falcon. But there is no four-cylinder engine for the Falcon ute or XR models, and towing capacity is down, although Ford says the engine will run happily on standard 91-octane unleaded petrol.  "It does provide us with an advantage. It also hopefully gives us an opportunity to talk to some folks that we haven't been able to with the existing powertrain lineup," says Graziano. He will not reveal the cost of the EcoBoost program, but says funding came from a $232 million local investment package announced in 2009.  Ford won another $103 million at the start of the year to continue improvements on the Falcon through to 2016, but it still amounts to another appeal for a car that's sitting on death row.  

In June, the marque’s prime asset, the Falcon, turned 50 and Ford wasted no time producing a special 50th anniversary edition of the iconic car.  You’ll be able to get up close and personal to the Falcon XR6 50th anniversary special at this year’s Australian International Motor Show.The XR sedan models feature unique “dark stealth” colour accents on the upper and lower grilles, go lamp bezels and rear bumber insert, along with higher side mirrors with G6-spec tail lamps.  The car looks extra cool on the outside with special XR50 badging and body stripes, while the interior also carries the XR50 brand on carpet mats and door scuff plates.There is a new partial leather seat trim and 18-inch alloy wheels the base edition. The Turbo edition jumps to 19-inch alloy wheels and also carries a premium audio system and reverse sensor system.  All the usual Falcon comfort and performance measures are on hand, from engine efficiency to the sleek design.Alongside the Falcon on the Ford stand at this year’s Show will be several of Ford’s 2010 big guns, including the Australian introduction of the Focus RS.  With only 315 Focus RS models being made available to Australian consumers, the Show could well be the best place to see this popular small car.The hot three-door hatch boasts a turbocharged five-cylinder engine that churns our near-V8 style performance, with 224kW of power and 440Nm of torque.

A Mustang is a wild brumby in the USA but also one of the all-time best muscle cars; the LandCruiser does just what the name says, even if the land is the worst of the Australian outback; and the Enzo is a tribute to the man who founded the world's best-know supercar company, Ferrari.But the name game can go badly wrong.  The Nissan Cedric was never going to be a hit in Australia with a name that creates a picture of an aging uncle Arthur in a cardigan, Taurus is tough in the USA but was always going to flop against the Falcon, and the Skoda Roomster has just been dumped after failing to find a home down under.Holden was careful to avoid the VD in its Commodore line, but why did it start with the VB and not the VA? And what about the Statesman, which went well as the WB but was never updated into the WC?  Just this week I was following a Citroen Jumpy delivery fan in Portugal, and wondering if the name was a reflection of the driver's behaviour or the way it runs on the road.The craziness goes on and on, like the Citroen Picasso people mover which is anything but an oil painting.  Today's showrooms also have cars whose names have more numbers and letters than a cryptic crossword, with just as much meaning. Who really knows the difference between an A7 and a C350?But head back in history and there are some absolute clangers.  Henry Ford named the 1950s Edsel after his son, but is now recorded as one of the biggest flops in blue-oval history.  Japan has given us everything from the Daihatsu Rocky and Rugger to the Honda Ascot and Acty Crawler and on through the Isuzu Big Horn to the Subaru Justy.Nissan created the Tiida name from nothing, even though it claims it has something to do with waves breaking on a beach, and Lexus is even a made-up brand name, in contrast to Mercedes which was named after an early Daimler customer's daughter.  Over in America, the AMC Gremlin was a flop, the Dodge Neon never went up in lights, Plymouth Reliant never lived up to its promise, and the Lincoln Town Car was so big it needed its own postcode.Even some of the names which have worked create more questions than answers about their creation.  The Kia Mentor is more likely to need one, the Honda Jazz is not much of a music machine and the Suzuki Cappucino was too frothy to sell in Australia.Some names also paint a picture because of their history.  Mention Celica and lots of people in Australia think hairdresser.  Ask about the Nissan GT-R and you'll hear about Godzilla.Camry is shorthand for fridge-on-wheels, Kingswood is classic sixties kitsch, and then there is the Goggomobil.  So, what's causing a Rukus today? The Toyota Rukus, for a start.We could also get the Nissan Cube, which is as boxy as its name, although Nissan Australia is also pushing for a return of the Pulsar badge which worked so well before the silly switch to Tiida.  Right now we have the Skoda Superb in Australian showrooms. If that's not a name which creates a serious expectation then we don't know our Falcodores.When Toyota was looking for a new name for a mid-sized car alongside the Camry it thought it had the ideal choice. It settled on Centaur - the mythical man-horse - because it sounded tough.  But no-one at Toyota Australia had taken into account a nasty incident in World War II during the battle for the Pacific.A hospital ship called the Centaur was sailing towards Brisbane when it was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine. The idea of a Toyota Centaur sunk even faster.  The Centaur badges were crushed, all the paperwork was changed and so was the advertising. The Centaur quickly became the Avalon for Australia.  How do we know? Carsguide made the call to Toyota to warn about the problem. Japanese cars have always led the way in the silly-names race.  How about the Mazda Bongy Brawny? No, not the name for an off-road tough SUV, it was the badge on the back of a city delivery van with a 1.3-litre engine.Everyone has heard the story about the Mitsubishi Starion, and whether the company's sales team actually meant to call the turbo coupe the Stallion.  And then there is the Pajero. It's called the Montero in Spain, because Pajero is the word for something usually done alone in private.

Each 50th anniversary model will get special exterior design elements, exclusive interior finishes and more standard equipment. The range will include G Series and XR models, with six individual variants available across both sedan and ute models, including a G6E, G6E Turbo, Falcon XR6 sedan, XR6 Turbo sedan, XR6 Ute and XR6 Turbo ute. Ford will build about 750 G-Series and 4000 XR birthday specials. The Falcon XR 50th Anniversary sedans will feature "Dark Stealth" colour accents on the grille, fog light bezels and rear bumper insert, and "Medium Stealth" accents on the alloys, along with high series side mirrors with integrated indicators and G6-spec tail lights. Anniversary features for the exterior include "XR50" graphics, body stripes and a "50th Anniversary" badging. Inside there is an embroidered XR50 logo on the seats, carpet mats and door scuff plates and 50th Anniversary instrument graphics. Other highlights include special interior trim on the centre console, dashboard and front doors, along with standard dual zone climate control, premium audio system and high series sports leather steering wheel. Features specific to the Falcon XR6 50th Anniversary include new partial leather seat trim and 18-inch XR alloy wheels with the detail accent treatment. The Falcon XR6 Turbo 50th Anniversary receives new leather-detailed seat trim, reverse sensors and 19-inch XR alloys with full colour accents. Production of XR anniversary models start in June, with G Series anniversary models to follow a month later. The longest running vehicle name in Australian motoring history marks its 50th birthday on June 28. It will be half a century after the first XK Falcon rolled off Ford Australia's Campbellfield production line. Ford Australia's marketing, sales and service vice president Beth Donovan, says 50 years of continuity in any industry is a remarkable achievement "but it's especially rare in a dynamic field like the car industry". "The Falcon's long and distinguished heritage is unmatched by any other car in the history of Australian motoring." Prices for the 50th Anniversary range will be announced closer to the on sale date. "But as with previous limited edition models, customers can expect these special vehicles to come with some equally special pricing that will deliver exceptional value for money," Donovan says. The timing of the anniversary anniversary Falcons also marks 50 years since the first inline six-cylinder engine was built at Ford's Geelong engine plant. The 144 cubic inch (2.4-litre) overhead valve (OHV) engine developed 67kW when it was introduced, which was class-leading at the time but only average for a 1.5-litre four-cylinder today. By comparison, the advanced design of today's Falcon engine would have been unimaginable back in 1960, with high-tech features like a dual-mode split plenum composite intake manifold, fast burn cylinder head, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and dual independent variable camshaft timing (DI-VCT). The current Falcon's six-cylinder engine produces almost three times the power and more than twice the peak torque, while being significantly more fuel efficient despite a 50 per cent increase in total vehicle mass.

So far, in fact, that the traditional Holden versus Ford tribal war doesn't mean much to Irish butcher Paul Lawless, born in Tiperrary, even though he has lived in Australia for more than 30 years."I don't have a preference for Holden or Ford," says the 2002 Australian sausage champion who runs a butchery in Annerley, south Brisbane, and now owns two pristine examples of '60s Australian automobilia. His 1961 EK Holden and 1966 XP Falcon ute look like they have just rolled off the factory floor."I've been interested in Australian cars since the 1960s when I first arrived in Sydney," he says in his strong Irish accent. "I used to go to the auctions and I bought and sold a lot of cars, mainly Holdens and Fords because I grew up with the culture."There's not really a lot of money to be made (buying and selling at auctions); we just wanted to have different cars all the time." He says he onced owned a 1968 Monaro he bought for $1350. "I only had it for 12 months and sold it for $1500. I wished I'd kept it. In the '60s I went more for Holdens and in the 1970s I veered off into Fords and then I followed Dick Johnson, so I was into Fords. "At Bathurst time my allegiance all depends on what car I have at the time."So come that special Sunday in October this year and he will be in a real quandry as he now owns one of each, although the odds are in favour of Holden as his third car is a 1972 Kingswood he bought six years ago for $2500.Lawless says that despite his past buying and selling habits, he would never sell his XP or EK. "I can't see the point," he says. "I just want to keep them and hand them on to my sons."He bought the XP ute recently for $10,000. Lawless says it had a "clean body" with the rust cut out and had 43,000 miles (69,201km) on the odometer. The only modifications he has done is to reupholster the seats, install a new tonneau cover and replace the steering wheel with a "pearl" model. "That was fairly popular in the 1960s," he says. He has also had the original AM radio restored by John Carr of Yass."I bought hubcaps on the internet from America for $450. They are the only non-original part. Everything else is completely original," he says. It's his daily driver, while the EK only comes out for Sunday drives and car shows."I bought it about 12 months ago for $5000 from a woman who only used it to drive to the shops," he says. "No one has sat in the back since the 1960s. It's absolutely lovely. It is completely original. It was just always kept under cover. You will never get another car like that." He turns over the 170 cubic inch six-cylinder and it purrs into life. "Listen to that. You wouldn't even know it was running," he says.An EK cost 2500 in 1962 and for an extra 180 you could get a Diamond Dot radio which this one has. "That's the only thing I've had to fix on this one," he says.

All 1500 cars were eagerly snapped up buy eager buyers.  Now it is hoping to repeat that success with a Series II Limited Edition G6.  The 2010 G6 LE is identical in specification to last year's model but gets prestige paint at no extra cost. The LE is $36,990 drive-away, $500 more than the previous LE.  Buyers get almost $4000 of additional equipment at no extra cost.  Ford Australia vice president marketing, sales and service, Beth Donovan, says the overwhelming success of last year's LE prompted its return. "The 2010 G6 LE offers customers almost $13,000 of net retail value compared to the regular G6, so we expect demand will continue to be strong," she says.  Rather than increase the build numbers, Ford is sticking with another 1500 LEs. Based on the popular G6, the LE version gets a host of additional features, including special exterior finishes and luxury interior.  There are 18-inch G Series alloys, special colour accents on the grille, fog light bezels and rear bumper insert, as well as "Limited Edition" badging. Inside standard equipment includes side curtain airbags, leather-detailed seat trim, leather-wrapped sports steering wheel with satin alloy audio and cruise control buttons, iPod integration and Bluetooth integration.  The LE is also available with a dedicated E-Gas LPG engine and four-speed automatic. E-Gas models get 17-inch alloys to differentiate it from the petrol model.  The dedicated LPG E-Gas version is an extra $2000, while a $2000 government grant from the LPG Vehicle Scheme is available to eligible customers.  The return of the LE marks a continuing attempt by Ford to lift its appeal. The performance XR sedans still overshadows the G Series cars.  Of all Falcons sold, more than 43 per cent are XR cars. Dealers are currently selling 2009 XR6 stock for $36,490 driveaway.

But this one is not just any old engine. It is the all-new 5-litre Coyote V8 that will soon be slotted into the Ford Falcon XR and, once a supercharger is bolted to the top, become the hero engine at Ford Performance Vehicles. In its most basic form it pumps out 307 kiloWatts of power and 529 Newton-metres of power, well up on the current Falcon V8 and even better than Holden's 6.2- litre Chevrolet V8. The Coyote is seen for the first time in Detroit as part of the unveiling of the latest Ford Mustang, and is a radical remake of the V8 blueprint with lightweight, all-alloy construction and twin- overhead camshafts.  "We will be taking an engine from the Coyote family," admits Ford Australia's spokesperson, Sinead McAlary, in Detroit. But that's as far as it goes. No-one is saying yet if the Coyote will be in the XR8, or used by FPV, or subject to a supercharged upgrade.  Even the American engineer in charge of the Coyote program is sworn to secrecy in Detroit.  "I keep getting asked all these questions but I honestly cannot say anything. My boss would kill me," he tells Carsguide. Ford Australia is moving rapidly towards a Coyote future as it also prepares for a four-cylinder Falcon, as well as an LPG upgrade and a diesel powerplant for the Territory.  Even its gearbox strategy is set for an overhaul, with the old- fashioned four-speed used in lower-grade Falcons and the LPG model heading for the scrapheap in favour of a six-speed self-shifter. The reasons for the changes _ and an investment of $230 million to keep the Falcon current through to its current replacement date in 2015 _ hinge around changing consumer tastes and new emission regulations.  Ford is well aware that it needs to make the Falcon more fuel efficient, which is why it has a local program tied into the goals of the Ecoboost operation. But it also needs to keep the car attractive to muscle-car shoppers. The big problem is that Ford's current 5.4-litre V8 cannot meet the next generation of emission-control regulations that come into effect later this year for new cars. The Euro 4 standards are much tougher and are compulsory for any vehicle sold in Australia from the start of 2011. So Ford is forced to find a new powerplant and Coyote is the key, with an easy entry to the world of Euro 4 together with better performance and economy.  There are rumours that Ford will keep the Coyote just for FPV and can the XR8, but Ford's president Marin Burela is not convinced. "The XR8 has worked, and worked well, for us," Burela says, without giving anything away.  "We're still doing the research. We have to find out what people want from us."