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The Pub For General Automotive Related Talk |
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#1 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,706
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Interesting arcticle. If you go to the website each one of those 'Featured articles:' is a URL taking you off to another article.
From: http://ninemsn.carpoint.com.au/reviews/2010/-19861 Quote:
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#2 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,876
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To me the best Falcon was the XD. It was a Falcon exactly what the community and country wanted. Big body, plenty of ground clearance, modern styling, big boot, bench seat option, practical, good power, good fuel economy, full range including panel van, ute, wagon and sedan. I remember in my town it seemed that nearly every family had a XD Falcon in their driveway when it was released, definatley hit the spot with us rural buyers.
Since then, the Falcon has kind of turned into a car the 25 year old Marketing graduates at Ford want to buy, not the kind traditional rural Falcon buyers want (which may be a good thing!!). Luckily the SUV market has stepped in and filled the gap in the market to a certain extent. |
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#3 | |||
Chasing a FORD project!
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: adelaide
Posts: 5,114
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A very interesting group of articles. They really seem to hate/love AU!! At least they had the decency to write about how much better a car mechanically it was than the VT.
Some interesting facts regarding early falcons. I did not know about the XP's success and the XK's "failure"!
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1996 BMW 740iL V8. TV, phone, leather, sunroof, satnav, all as standard. Now with 19" TSW Brooklands, 2 1/2" stainless steel exhaust, plus more coming soon. |
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#4 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,876
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Quote:
The funny thing, out my way, the AU was very very popular. Even though it wasnt the prettiest thing it actually looked new and different hence it gave people the reason to trade-in so they can be seen in the lastest thing - which is an appeal the FG dosnt have as much of (it looks good but not necessarily new or different). Also the AU had the factory bull-bar, EA levels of ground clearance - which got a lot of older folks back into Falcon, aerodynamic design which country people thought would help highway fuel consumption (which it did). Engine which could run on no coolant (great if you hit a roo), a new wagon, and a new three seat column shift with front individual buckets. Ford were selling 5000-6000 a month when I got mine even against the stunningly good looking VT, and the dealer reckons he had overtaken some metro dealers in Falcon sales. Great country car! |
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#5 | ||||
Chasing a FORD project!
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: adelaide
Posts: 5,114
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Quote:
My pick as number 1 falcon would probably be XD or EL, XD for reasons listed above, EL for being a fantastic looking car With massive reliability, selling tons and having one of the best looking sports models around.
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1996 BMW 740iL V8. TV, phone, leather, sunroof, satnav, all as standard. Now with 19" TSW Brooklands, 2 1/2" stainless steel exhaust, plus more coming soon. |
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#6 | ||
Walking with God
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 7,321
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EF or EL won a Bathurst also.
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2009 Mondeo Zetec TDCi - Moondust Silver 2015 Kia Sorento Platinum - Snow White Pearl 2001 Ducati Monster 900Sie - Red Now gone! 1999 AU1 Futura Wagon - Sparkling Burgundy On LPG Want a Full Life? John 10:10 |
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#7 | ||
RAGE Engineering
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 651
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Funny, I still remember looking at the scoop photos of the AU in Wheels back in 1998. I was so stunned - I could not believe Ford could design something so ugly. The XR's were particularly bad. It's only as of the last year or 2, that I think the AU has hits its prime styling wise. It now looks more modern than the VT. It has aged well.
Ford has rarely had its ducks all lined up, despite some very good product over the decades. Either great styling and ancient mechanicals (XD), great mechanicals and bad styling (AU) and everything in-between. A pity, as Holden have seemed to get away with murder, but the marketing has been better.
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If it doesn't fit, use a BIGGER hammer |
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#8 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Gren A Waverrey
Posts: 2,371
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Quote:
![]() I personally think the AUs look magnificent still. They really need a spoiler at the back and when they do, they look fantastic. VTs look tired, as do VXs. Magnas and Camrys from the same era also look severely dated, though I thought the Camry from 1997 was dated the day it entered showrooms...
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Practicing - Sleeping with a guitar in your hand counts, as long as you don't drop it. Don't snap my undies. |
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#9 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Gren A Waverrey
Posts: 2,371
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Quote:
I remember standing outside my music classroom (Year 8) and talking about Bathurst, and you had your Holden fans making excuses, while the Ford people sticking it in. I really didn't care...but I do remember 1998....
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Practicing - Sleeping with a guitar in your hand counts, as long as you don't drop it. Don't snap my undies. |
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#10 | |||
GT-P #0336
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 2,360
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Quote:
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#11 | |||
Regular Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 252
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Quote:
back on topic sorry! very good articles long live the mighty falcon!!!!!!!!!! |
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#12 | |||
Nutty Professor
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 548
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It is very strange how times change. I remember when the AU was new, I was shocked and appalled at how my beloved Ford could design something so catastrophically ugly. Then I found out that the looks were a trade off, that the Yanks were allowed to style it in an agreement to keep it RWD.
Now, I think the AU is one of the most modern looking cars around, with that big sloping forehead, and the basic design first went on sale 11ish years ago. I wish we had done the styling locally so I could be proud of it, it's a good looking car. Of course, happy to be corrected...
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#13 | ||
T3FTE -099. OnTemp Loan
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Down Under
Posts: 1,506
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As a T-Series owner some might call me biased, but personal rides aside, the AU is more relevant now as a design than it was at its launch.
Its an example of forward thinking design and proof that square/edge is timeless. Its funny how many folks not in the know now perceive the AU to be the more current evolution / facelift of the B series. Steve Parks was a visionary.
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Warning - This users posts are classified (G). G (General) – Contains material intended for general viewing. The content is very mild in impact. IT IS STRONGLY ADVISED SENSITIVE ADULTS VIEW IN THE COMPANY OF CHILDREN ![]() |
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#14 | ||
Solution Was Boost 4?, 6 & 8
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 23,624
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Interesting he rates a GE6 Turbo in 4th overall, I doubt you find a Ford enthusiast who would pick a GE6 Turbo ahead of a XA GT Hardtop.
I know which one I would rather own. Ed: author John Wright reckons his top five individual Falcon variants are: (1) XY GTHO (2) XP Futura Hardtop (3) XT GT (4) FG G6E Turbo (5) XA GT Hardtop PS: lets not bog the thread down in bagging and or defending the look of the AU, its a Falcon its part of the Blue Oval history.
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#15 | |||
T3FTE -099. OnTemp Loan
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Down Under
Posts: 1,506
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Quote:
Many folks WILL argue that the XA Gt hardtop is ofcourse an enthusiasts car and should rate higher than the FG G6E turbo. I myself however believe that as desirable as ALL the old classics are, a true "enthusiasts" choice picking would see the FG turbo in number 1 spot. Yep i hear ya all screamin, but no hoey ever, can nor will accelerate, corner, brake and drive like an FG g6e turbo - and it would just be a reflection of non product improvement at FOMOCO if it did. ![]()
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#16 | |||
Blue Blood
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SA
Posts: 1,507
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Quote:
I understand exactly what you are saying. There is a difference between a 'driving enthusiast' and a 'nostalgic enthusiast'. The true 'driving enthusiast' will have to admit that the G6E turbo is the way to go. Having said that, I will take the XA GT ![]() |
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