Spot on, it is 6th generation falcon, Ford Australia started making falcons the same time as USA and soon found them wanting for Aus conditions. For the first 2 generations from 1960-72 we got pretty much a similar car to the USA with slightly different styling. and up graded suspension. They dropped the 289 V8 in the 67 falcon and by 72 it could be had with a 351HO cleveland producing enough power to make it the fasted 4 door sedan in the world at the time.Hatchdog wrote: ↑Fri Aug 26, 2022 10:11 am220 will be back to answer but as I recall he said it was a Falcon. Certainly not the Falcon we all grew up with here in “The States”.markiver54 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 25, 2022 6:13 pmWhat is it? A Ridgeline?
I only ask that because of the sloping rear quarters. Heck of a roo guard!
From 1972 - 2016 Australia went it alone and developed another 5 generations of Falcons at the same time the inline 6 found in the original falcons was the standard engine and continued to be developed into the Barra. The cleveland V8 was available up until the 5th generation We then had the 5L from the mustang that Ford Aus managed to stroke to 5.7L in some models, the 5.4 modular and finally a supercharged coyote V8 in the 7th generation.
Unlike the USA Australian muscle cars were all just regular model 4 door sedans running similar engines to USA muscle cars, also a bit of history with performance inline sixes with GM and Chrysler producing cars that could run with the big engined falcons in the late 60's early 70's and then Fords turbo barra in the 2000's.
Right through production both Ford and GM produced utilities (ute) (pickup) on the same platform as the 4 doors. Given their origins you could probably consider them as a mustang or camaro with a big trunk more than a USA style pickup.
At various times wagons, vans and 2 door hardtops were also offered. The original car from the madmax movie was a 3rd gen falcon 2 door hardtop.
I'm a fan of the falcon having owned everything from the 2nd generation and still driving a 7th generation car. It was sad day when production stopped in 2016, Toyota Australia stopped production of locally developed cars the year before and GM the year after, Our market just wasnt big enough to survive and the head offices for some reason didnt want Aus cars exported to the rest of the world. South Africa and NZ were the only other countries to get our cars in numbers although a few of the later GM 4 doors made it to the USA as the Pontiac G8 and Chevrolet SS and UK as Vauxhalls. If you ever get the chance to drive a G8 GXP you will see what we did have in Aus, it ran the LS3 from the same age corvettes only producing slightly more power, 0-60 in around 4.5sec 13sec quater mile in a full sized 4 door sedan but no one in the USA wanted them and they didnt sell in any number. A shame as no doubt the ute and wagons may well have followed if the sedan was a success.
If you are interested a couple of the clips from the old BBC topgear TV show when they had a play with GM ute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R29i_VEIc2E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FssQhpAqv1I
