[JG34JA]

In retrospect...

Today, it's a smaller looking, surprisingly contemporary, still economical Falcon. In fact it'd come close to some of the FG/VE consumption figures. (From memory an AU1 Forte with 5sp manual would do in the 6's on the highway...)

I guess they planned the car with conflicting design inputs between FOA and Dearborn, but here in 2011 I'm glad they went adventurous: looks great to me today. I loved the curves in the design from new, nearly was able to buy a runout AUIII brand new. Highlights for me are the AU1 XR6VCT/XR8 with body kit, and the AU1 Fairmont Ghia and Fairlane Ghia - all before the company 'hardened up' the styling for S2 and S3. Also all the Fairmont wagons, and the curious 'XRS' packs on the wagon if you ever see them. To look at a later Mercedes 1st gen CLS, you know there were some wild lines in the AU that really have potential to look both different and inspiring. Personally, I like the way the FG 'tumbles away' at the corners in a similar manner.

I guess if you could find a cardinal sin in AU, it was that they crucially attempted to shift the market they were selling into by styling it smaller, more radically, and more friendly to women. It would be like Carlton United Breweries altering the taste of their #1 selling beer to something more like an alcopop to expand sales into a slightly different market.

What's done is done, despite all the vitriol, we ended up with a well built, frugal, rugged and reliable Falcon that could be spacious, economical, and in certain guises, very good to look at. It was the last upper spec Fairmont wagon as well - I can't believe it's been a decade since these were offered to the market...