FalconFacts - Australian Ford Falcon Facts

XK Falcon (1960 – 1962)

Ford’s plan to take on the successful Holden relied on the Zephyr. But when Ford Australia bosses went to see it in the US, the styling didn’t appeal to them; so instead they were shown the mock-up of the Falcon intended for the American market. The Falcon was newer, better looking, lighter and would cost less to build, so Zephyr was scrapped. The styling was fresh and new, with cleaner, lower, wider lines proving very popular. Rival...

XL Falcon (1962 – 1964)

“Trim, Taut, Terrific” was the slogan for the facelifted Falcon, the XL. Visually, the roof line was given a squarer look, known as the “Thunderbird” look, and the grille became convex. A first for Falcon, the XL came with seat belt attachment points, although the belts had to be bought separately. The luxury Futura model was added and featured a padded dash, full carpeting and bucket seats. Also added was the very American Squire...

XM Falcon (1964 – 1965)

XM was launched in February 1964 at that very test circuit, and the press were shown how tough the Falcon really was. Promoted as “The Golden Quality Falcon,” the XM had many improvements. Styling changes included a facelifted sheet metal nose, making the car squarer and lower looking. The grille was divided into 8 rectangles and there was plenty of chrome. An elegant 2-door coupe was introduced, known as the Hardtop. The unpopular Squire...

XP Falcon (1965 – 1966)

As promised, Ford was given its own test track. Just west of Melbourne, the You Yangs was chosen as the location. Coarse surfaces, lumpy jumps and a nasty hairpin bend were created. It was a tortuous road designed to test a car’s dynamics. While You Yangs was still being designed, the XP prototypes were tested at Eyre Peninsula. In April 1965, two months after the XP Falcon was released, Ford marketing staged a very risky stunt. The plan was...

XR Falcon (1966 – 1968)

To match the standard of living, Ford went for a larger car, the all new XR Falcon. Designed in Australia, it was still based on the American Falcon. Styling of the XR was inspired by the hugely popular US Mustang, and turned heads right around Australia. It proved a winner, achieving big sales. The new Falcon came with an optional V8 engine, a 289 cubic inch unit that produced 200bhp at 4400rpm. The Pursuit 170 and Super Pursuit 200 six...