50 years of Aussie Falcons

[irlewy86]

Originally Posted by STHSV8

plus Bud Tingwell is dead, that can't help either.

I'm fairly sure even Bud Tingwell would rise from the dead to do a Falcon commercial.


The anniversary logo looks good. should put to rest the fears Ford aren't taking the birthday seriously.

[mrbaxr6t]

holden fans continue putting obama motors bowties on your cars and leave this alone alright

[Ghiadude]

Originally Posted by mrbaxr6t

holden fans continue putting obama motors bowties on your cars and leave this alone alright

Nice !

[R-Design]

Originally Posted by 1 April 2010 By MARTON PETTENDY

Aussie Falcon’s 50th anniversary will be just the first Blue Oval milestone in 2010

AUSTRALIA’S longest surviving automotive nameplate will notch up half a century at the crease on Monday (June 28) and Ford Australia has produced a 50th anniversary Falcon logo to mark its unbeaten innings.

Released yesterday, precisely 85 years after the Ford Motor Company of Australia was officially established (on March 31, 1925), Ford says the logo will titivate “a range of product and celebratory activities” in the Falcon’s 50th year.

Among them will be a range of facelifted Falcon models powered by upgraded six-cylinder and (new) 5.0-litre ‘Coyote’ V8 engines that meet the tighter new Euro 4 emissions standard, which binds all car-makers from July 1 - three days after the Falcon turns 50.

Representing the first facelift for the FG Falcon since it went on sale in May 2008, the 2010 Falcon sedans and utes will be Ford’s direct answer to Holden’s MY10 Commodore sedan, ute and wagon line-up, which went on sale last September and will be joined by a 3.0-litre E85 ethanol-capable version late this year.

Ford’s new liquid injection LPG Falcon has has been pushed back from October to early 2011 and, while Holden is yet to commit to a Euro 4-compliant replacement for its LPG Commodore, Ford now says its first ever four-cylinder Falcon (powered by FoMoCo’s new direct-injection turbocharged EcoBoost four) could also be just a year away.

“Falcon has a history of being first to market with a wide variety of technology and safety advancements,” said Ford Australia marketing, sales and service vice-president Beth Donovan.

“We will continue that tradition in the next 12 to 18 months with the introduction of an all-new liquid phase injection LPG system and the world's first rear-wheel-drive EcoBoost four-cylinder engine.”
While Ford has also promised to produce the first diesel Territory in 2011, the Falcon news comes just a week after Ford announced it will eliminate the longest-running Falcon model ever, the 1998 AU Falcon-based BFIII wagon, which will be directly replaced by a diesel-powered version of the imported Mondeo wagon from July.

It also follows increased speculation about the future of the Falcon, which Ford says will not be decided before 2012.

It has, however, declared that as part of its new ‘One Ford’ global model strategy, the current (seventh-generation) Falcon will be the last to be designed and engineered exclusively in and for Australia, which means the next all-new Falcon – due by 2015 – is likely to be based on either Ford’s next-generation (rear-drive) Mustang or (front/all-wheel drive) Taurus.

The first Aussie Falcon – like the model of the same name that was produced by the Ford Motor Company of Argentina between 1962 and 1991 – was itself based on an American design, but the Falcon model name only lasted a decade in the US, where it was discontinued in 1970.

Australia’s inaugural XK Falcon went into production on April 28, 1960 at Broadmeadows, almost exactly two months after Ford Australia’s first straight six was produced at Ford’s engine plant (April 29, 1960), and went on sale on September 14 that year.

Apart from its Melbourne assembly plant and Geelong engine factory, 2010 will also mark 85 years since Ford Australia commenced production of the Model T (on July 4, 1925), although Ford vehicles have been sold in Australia since 1904.

Ford’s Fairlane nameplate, which was killed off in Australia in December 2007, dates back even longer than the Falcon, to 1959. While it was originally also based on a US model of the same name, some versions were imported, handing the title of ‘longest-running nameplate in Australian motoring history’ to the Falcon.

Meantime, Ford’s now arch-rival General Motors purchased Holden Motor Builders to form General Motors-Holden's Ltd (GM-H) in 1931 and the company produced the first “all-Australian” car in 1948 – the 48-215 ‘FX’ Holden.

While that was 12 years before the Falcon, the first (VB) Commodore did not roll off Holden’s production line for another three decades, in 1978.

As with the Falcon, Commodore sales are at their lowest level ever after a decade of decline in Australia’s large-car market as customers downsize or buy SUVs instead, yet the big Holden has remained Australia’s most popular car for the past 13 years.

“There is no doubt that Falcon has been a true icon of the Australian motoring scene since 1960,” continued Ms Donovan. “2010 is a very special year for Ford in Australia. In addition to celebrating the 50th birthday of Falcon, we are also marking our 85th year as a company in Australia.”

Designed to commemorate its five-decade milestone, Ford says the 50th anniversary Falcon logo was inspired by the original Falcon bird logo from the early 1960s.

"We wanted to recognise the heritage in the original Falcon motifs of the early sixties, but it was also imperative that we created a new design that reflects the contemporary and dynamic vehicle that Falcon represents today and will tomorrow,” said Ford Australia design manager Todd Willing.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2576F7007FD467

[TC200six]

Originally Posted by vztrt

http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-conte..._Years_002.jpg

There is one of those XP Falcon Squire wagons getting around the Brisbane area with most of its fake wood missing off the side. It looks like it's been used as someone's bomb vehicle. I hope its owners realise how valuable that car is and that it's no ordinary XP so they take extra car of it.

[burnz]

50th anniversary, isn't that diamond??
so a diamond coloured fifty, I6 with all the extras at no extra should be good.

[Road_Warrior]

Nah 50th is gold

A gold 50th anniversary XR6 Turbo would be nifty. 50 years of Aussie Falcons and 50 years of the I6 being made in Australia. How far we have come.

[FERG_51]

I hope they do something similar to the 75th anniversary celebrations, that was an orsom event.

[whynot]

Which raises another question ... when will we find out details about the engines that will be installed post 1 July? Considering that it is now April, I would have thought that some details would have emerged by now.

[castellan]

Originally Posted by Boss315

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...2576F7007FD467

So the 144 ci motor was first made on 29/4/ 1960.
And the first inaugural falcon went in to production on 28/4/1960. two months after the motor ? something wrong :

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by castellan

So the 144 ci motor was first made on 29/4/ 1960.
And the first inaugural falcon went in to production on 28/4/1960. two months after the motor ? something wrong :

Building up stock for first production run.

[castellan]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Building up stock for first production run.

Yes but witch is the true date there is 'two months' difference. and it has 29/4/60 for the motor and 28/4/60 for the car

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by HSE2

I think this is where you will see XR50.

AH! How did I let that one slip.

That was TM'd ages ago IIRC, it would be really nice to see a coyote XR8!

[outback_ute]

Originally Posted by castellan

Yes but witch is the true date there is 'two months' difference. and it has 29/4/60 for the motor and 28/4/60 for the car

29/4/60 is the date the first engine left the line, and 29/6/60 is the date of the first car. I got these dates from photos of the events, you know with the "First... " banner, which also have the dates on them.

[HSE2]

Hmmm and the date for the first E4 is said to be around the 27/4/10.

[mm31]

Ive just been given the job of getting xk falcon no1 ready for the anniversary
have 3 week to get her into shape it only has 220 miles on the clock
love my job (for this week any way)

[GoldCoastGTP]

http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Conte...YPage&site=FOA

[Dodge]

the badge will go good on my mini cooper s , its their 50th too

[draxx]

Originally Posted by mm31

Ive just been given the job of getting xk falcon no1 ready for the anniversary
have 3 week to get her into shape it only has 220 miles on the clock
love my job (for this week any way)

What's the plan, just a detail or a bit of a freshen up?

Here's some photos I took of it last time I went to FDC http://www.projectxk.net/photo-galle...scoveryCentre/

Unfortunately my XK's nowhere near ready to go for the 50th - but mine's a 62 model anyway, so I'll have it ready for IT's 50th!

[barra240t]

Hi all,

If any one is on the Sunshine Coast and has an XK please let me know as we would like to display on in our showroom.

Thanks!

[mm31]

it's not running at the moment needs a fuel pump and the brakes are stuffed plus they want it roadworthied and registered otherwise its in pretty good nic

[outback_ute]

Welcome to the Forums mm31! Good to hear about car 1. Has it ever been registered before?

[Bossxr8]

Ford have put a big billboard out the front of the toolroom in Geelong facing the highway. It has the 50th anniversary XR6 on it with the slogan "For 50 years we've been Geelongs engine room".

[Kingsley]

Originally Posted by mrbaxr6t

holden fans continue putting obama motors bowties on your cars and leave this alone alright

Stands to reason Holden boy's put Chev badges on Holden's. It a tradition started by GM in the U.S itself when the three very first 48/215's ever made were assembled and shipped to Australia from America complete with Chev identification tags. The Commodore guy's are only upholding tradition....!!! Either that or they're embarrassed to own a Holden.

I hope Ford has something planned for this landmark occaision. 50 years in the auto world is a long time.

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Ford have put a big billboard out the front of the toolroom in Geelong facing the highway. It has the 50th anniversary XR6 on it with the slogan "For 50 years we've been Geelongs engine room".

Nice! That is some good local pride.

[vztrt]

Received the My Ford mag and it has a nice little 4 page article on 50 years.

[Watto_Cobra]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Ford have put a big billboard out the front of the toolroom in Geelong facing the highway. It has the 50th anniversary XR6 on it with the slogan "For 50 years we've been Geelongs engine room".

Any chance you could post up a photo mate?

[mm31]

Originally Posted by outback_ute

Welcome to the Forums mm31! Good to hear about car 1. Has it ever been registered before?

car was sold and registered in 1960 from what ive been told fords came to thier senses and bought it back not long after and put in storage. hasn't run in about 15 to 20 years.
i was cruising the plant in it yesterday it drives like new except the brakes are still a bit dicky.

[FG XR]

i remember years ago seeing a poster / picture of every falcon aus produced up until the au model... looked great! especially seeing the evolution of the model... would be good to find that again and add the ba /f and fg model on there

[Watto_Cobra]

Originally Posted by Coyote V8

i remember years ago seeing a poster / picture of every falcon aus produced up until the au model... looked great! especially seeing the evolution of the model... would be good to find that again and add the ba /f and fg model on there

I have that poster. Will take a pic and post it tomorrow.