Ford Falcon

The Ford Falcon in Australian History:

XK (1960-62)

National Service ends. Jack Brabham wins F1 World Championship for second time. D.H. Lawrence's "The Trial of Lady Chatterley's Lover" banned.

The [XK] and its successor, the XL, were based on a Canadian design, with some minor modifications for Australian conditions.

XL (1962-63)

Aborigines in Queensland, NT and WA get the vote. Rod Laver wins Grand Slam. "The Twist" dance craze takes off.

XM (1963-64)

Beatlemania hits Australia. Donald Campbell sets a new world land speed record. Voyager sinks, 82 dead.

XP (1964-1966)

Government brings back conscription. Decimal currency is introduced. Australia sends 800 troops to Vietnam.

XR (1966-68)

Australian involvement in the Vietnam War escalates. Ronald Ryan hanged. Harold Holt disappears, feared drowned.

[The XR] featured a V8 engine for the first time. The XR Falcon also was the first model to carry the legendary GT badge.

To promote 1966 XR Falcon sales slogan 'The Mustang Bred Falcon' Ford Australia imported 161 left hand drive 1966 Mustang coupes and, between January and September, converted them to RHD at the Homebush Assembly Plant in Sydney. Ford had previously imported 48 1965 Mustangs and this spurred them on to bring in the 1966 models. All the `Australian' Mustangs have local ID plates fitted and small metal decals on the door sills identifying them as `Australian'. All 209 cars were automatics with 289 cubic inch V8 engines. All other RHD Mustangs have been converted by companies outside Ford [-Ford]

XT (1968-69)

NSW introduces the breathalyser. Australia's first heart transplant. Jo Bjelke-Petersen becomes Queensland Premier.

XW (1969-70)

John Gorton re-elected. More than 200,000 march in protest against the Vietnam War.

XY (1970-72)

Australian troops ordered home from Vietnam. Neville Bonner becomes first Aboriginal MP. Qantas launches Boeing 747. [There was also a 4x4.]

XA (1972-73)

Gough Whitlam elected. Shane Gould wins three gold medals in Munich. Cleo is launched with male nude centrefold.

With the launch of the XA, the Falcon became a uniquely Australian car. There was no longer a US equivalent, the car was designed specifically for the local market.

XB (1973-76)

Women secure equal pay. Voting age drops from 21 to 18. Opera House opens. Cyclone Tracey hits Darwin. FM radio and colour TV launched. Whitlam sacked.

With the XB and XC came four-wheel disc brakes, four-barrel carburetors and an all-time classic Falcon, the Cobra.

XC (1976-79)

Cigarette ads banned. ABBA arrives. Democrat Party launched. World Series Cricket begins. Queensland bans public protests. Melbourne's West Gate Bridge opens.

The XC [...] brought a famous 1-2 victory for Allan Moffat and Colin Bond at Bathurst in 1977.

XD (1979-82)

Australia's first uranium mine opened. Lotto launched. Judge David Opas shot dead. First test-tube Australian born. Azaria Chamberlain goes missing.

XE (1982-84)

Random breath-testing introduced in NSW. Chamberlains found guilty of murdering Azaria. Ash Wednesday bushfires.

The [...] XE, marked the introduction of electronic fuel injection and a Watts link coil-sprung rear-end. The car took Ford to number one in the market in 1982.

XF (1984-88)

Unleaded petrol launched. BLF deregistered. Crocodile Dundee released. Stock market crashes.

EA (1988-91)

Darling Harbour opens. Chamberlains acquitted. Pilots' dispute. Earthquake hits Newcastle. Australian troops to Iraq.

EB (1991-1993)

Labour drops Hawke for Keating. Sydney Harbour Tunnel opens. Compass Airlines collapses.

[The EB and EBII brought] the return of the V8 and ABS brakes for the first time on a mainstream Australian sedan. Security also was enhanced with the introduction of Smartlock.

ED (1993-1994)

Sydney wins bid to host 2000 Olympic Games. Bushfires wreak havoc in Sydney. Fred Hollows dies.

EF (1994-1996)

Backpacker murderer Ivan Milat on trial. Spanish Court refuses to deport Christopher Skase. Allan Border retires.

EL (1996-1998)

Port Arthur Massacre. Pat Rafter wins US Open. Dollar sinks to record low. One Nation outpolls Liberal Party in Qld.

AU (1998-2000)

INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence dies. Australia votes "No" to a Republic. Hailstorms wreak havoc on Sydney. Australia wins the World Cup triple crown in Cricket, Rugby and Netball.

- thanks to Ford (and some interesting choices) [6/2000]

2000: The Ford Falcon's 40th birthday.

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