Ford Falcon (Australia)

Ford Falcon
2013 Falcon FG II G6
Overview
Manufacturer	Ford Australia
Also called	Ford Fairmont Ford Futura Ford G6
Production	1960–2016
Assembly	Australia: Broadmeadows New Zealand: Lower Hutt (1960s–1973); Wiri (1973–1990s)
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size (1960–1966) Full-size (1966–2016)
Body style	4-door sedan 5-door station wagon 2-door utility 2-door panel van 2-door coupé
Layout	FR layout
Related	Ford Fairlane/LTD Ford Territory
Chronology
Predecessor	Ford Zephyr Ford Zodiac
Successor	Ford Mondeo (for sedan) Ford Endura (station wagon)

The Ford Falcon is a full-size car that was manufactured by Ford Australia from 1960 to 2016. From the XA series of 1972 onward, each Falcon and range of derivates have been designed, developed, and built in Australia, following the phasing out of the American-influenced Falcon of 1960 to 1971, which had been re-engineered locally as the XK to XY series for the harsher Australian conditions. The luxury-oriented Ford Fairmont model joined the range from 1965. Luxury long-wheelbase derivative versions called the Ford Fairlane and LTD arrived in 1967 and 1973 respectively with production ending in 2007.

Over 3,000,000 Ford Falcon and its derivatives were made in seven generations to 2016, almost exclusively in Australia and New Zealand, but also South Africa and some RHD Asian markets.^[1] Along with its closest rival, the Holden Commodore that was also Australian-made, the Falcon once dominated the fleets of taxis in Australia and New Zealand, as well as police and company fleets.

In its last incarnation as the FG X series, the body style of the Falcon range consisted of sedan and utility body styles. Luxury variants of the current model Falcon, collectively known as the G Series, were marketed as the Ford G6, G6 E, and G6 E Turbo, which replaced the long-standing Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia models. Previously the Falcon range also included a hardtop coupé, panel van and station wagon (respectively up to 1978, 1999 and 2010).,^[2] as well as the Futura variant. The Falcon platform had also spawned luxury models such as the Landau coupe and long-wheelbase Fairlane and LTD sedans.

In May 2013, Ford Australia announced the end of local production, which consisted of Falcon and its closely related Territory crossover SUV, by October 2016.^[3] This decision was attributable to Ford Motor Company's "One Ford" product development plan introduced in 2008^[4] to rationalise its global range. Under this plan, Falcon's indirect replacements are the fourth-generation Mondeo from Europe and the sixth-generation Mustang from North America, the latter to retain Ford's Australian V8 heritage. The final Ford Falcon, a blue XR6, rolled off the production line on 7 October 2016.^[5]