Dad worked at GM for 25 years but ended up driving a Ford FG xr6 because he enjoyed it the most. It's funny how life turns out. Thanks Mark. I've enjoyed every video.
@@markbehr88 however for those of us that still drive Falcon variants day and day out we are reminded of how bloody good they were. Love the AU S2 Futura E:Gas I own and of course the AU S3 XR8 and the XE Fairmont Ghia ESP.
The end of the Ford Falcon was a greater loss to both me and Australia, in my mind, than the loss of the GMH vehicles. They continue to hold a special place in my heart.
After watching the history of the Falcon, it's truly sad the way the car ended as well as the whole of Australian Automotive Manufacturing. Even though I never got grow up around these cars as an American, I've come to appreciate Australian Cars for they are truly unique.
Thanks for watching the series and I hope you are enjoying the other series too? It is very sad that there is no more Falcon and no more Australian car manufacturing. Very sad. 😢
I've never owned a Holden or Ford but have driven a lot of them. Just when both manufacturers actually nailed it with great cars they both died off. Cars are one thing but the fact stuff like this is going away is a part of a huge problem with who's running our country into the ground.
Same here mate , as a young bloke back in the 70’s I worked at Bayfords and Watson Holden , in years later I ended up driving semi’s, and a lot of the time I was carting car parts , for Toyota , ford and Holden , but the lions share of my truck work came from Holden . Some people poo poo the car makers , but in my view the car makers did a lot for our country apart from supplying us with cars. Car makers gave a lot of people steady work for many years so they could pay off their houses , put their kids through school and put bread and butter on the table . And sadly , our government policies drove them out of the country, you can add Nissan , Mitsubishi, Leyland. It’s a sad reflection our government wanted us to be a trading nation rather than a manufacturing nation . , and here we are today.
@@mikldude9376 Absolutely. There were so many associated businesses that the car industry supported. Right down to the corner shop, the milk deliveries, the power and water, tyres etc etc. 👍
Love your work Mark. We might be the lucky country but we are also the dumb country for selling out our manufacturing industries. An economy needs diversification. All of the items we consume will not be manufactured cheaply in China for ever. It will surely go the way of Taiwan which is now a first world country where nothing is cheap anymore. The closing of Ford Australia was very sad indeed and this county’s only got worse since!
Sadly, we as a family were to blame for the downfall of Australian vehicle manufacturing. I remember we bought a brand new G6E in 2008, which unfortunately had a few quirks, such as the boot constantly opening at random and the ICC having a few hiccups. My parents made the poor decision to let it go in favour for a BMW, which we had for many years, only to return to Australian vehicles last year (with a minor exception being a HSV Clubsport R8 Tourer E3 in 2012), starting with an FG X XR8. I’ve already travelled 20,000 km in it and it is quite possibly the best car I’ve driven. Australia lost something special when we stopped manufacturing in 2017, but at least we have our cars to look back and reminisce on all the good times we had. We truly didn’t know how good we had it here
Out of all the cars I've owned the FG XR6 is the only car that I wished I had never sold. It was the best car I ever owned. Just unfortunate that an unexpected change in life meant I had to say good bye to the FG XR6. When the time comes and I can go back to a big 6 cyl again I wouldn't hesitate to get an FG-X XR6. Maybe even a turbo model.
Dad worked at Ford for 37 years. He still tells so many stories about all the areas he worked in and about how he and his team built so many great cars. He worked across Geelong and Broadmeadows and managed many teams to deliver many parts.
@@Redpepper7376 All of them. But probably the XA and EA. He tells so many stories about the AU and how everyone was saying it was going to be a disaster while still in clay models.
Parks did a great job with what must have been a tiny budget to make a tired car look desirable. I remember having an FGX XR6 rental in Brisbane and thinking it was a sharp looking vehicle, which given my personal car was an Audi S3 at the time was a compliment. I was also a little sad, as in a couple of months it was the end of the line.
Tragic story for Australian manufacturing falcons have been in my family since the ef and have grown around them with my dad owning many throughout his time in Australia his last one was a BF before he switched to European. He tells me how reliable and good his cars did and treated his everyday travels to and from work and pushed me to buy an Falcon for a first car. I am proud to continue to drive a FG xr6 and have the feel of driving a car that was designed for our country and roads farewell Ford Australia manufacturing gone but not forgotten.
@@breemsp591 Good on you. It is so sad we have lost our ability to manufacture these cars in Australia. Those that remain need to be looked after as there are no more being made. 👍
Yep , and if you look at all the plastic fantastic cars of today, many of them imo are just rubbish, and not only have we lost our Aussie cars , we lost cars that where built to be serviceable, relatively easy to work on, spare parts where for the most part plentiful. A lot of the new cars today are throwaways, once they are worn out , they are too pricey to fix, you just junk them and buy a new car. Sad indeed.
Ford Australia's marketing used to leave me shaking my head. I remember the ad for the dedicated LPG Falcon. Instead of highlighting the performance and economical running costs, they made a point of showing that you lost some boot space! I couldn't frigging believe my eyes! I mean were they trying to sell Falcons or Camrys?
Having met the marketing company that had the contract for Ford Australia marketing at the time - not a single one of them that worked there, not one - was a car person. None of them knew how to sell a car to any sector or cohort of people. They did zero research about the brand of nameplates, how different models were sold OS in years gone by, what buyers were looking for in the real world. It was a real eye opener and quite saddening to think FoMoCo Aus was paying these clowns good money for poor marketing. Such a waste.
Thank you Mark for such detailed history series of the Aussie Falcon! I still remember when Dad bought a brand new XL Falcon wagon to cart us five kids around through highways, dirt roads and creeks. Bullet proof!!!
Ive owned my Fgx Xr6 for 6 years as my daily and i can say its been the best ford ive ever owned it just ticks along with no issues always flys through its warrant of fitness every year thanks mark great video history as per usual
An enjoyable look down memory lane. It's often said that Ford Aus didn't market the Falcon enough but I'm not sure if that really mattered by the end. Other than the odd Falcon enthusiast, no one wanted them. I understand that V8 Commodores made up a large portion of private purchases and I suspect those were people who already knew about it. Everyone else realised they didn't need such a large car so they bought a Corolla or 3. And if they did need a big car, they bought a SUV. If it wasn't for big government fleet sales, I suspect that the Falcon/Commodore/Camry/Magna/380 would have died much earlier. The other issue is the poor reputation Ford dealers have. I've since converted to another brand but prior to that I purchased new FG-X XR8s and a Focus (I realised that I didn't need such a big car for just myself) and both dealer experiences weren't great.
@@PaulStewartAviation Yes, the aftersales experience can be a deal breaker for future brand allegiances if not carried out effectively. I still think some basic marketing as to the attributes of the local large cars, including road holding versus SUVs and fuel efficiency, could have swayed a few people. 👍
I still remember my first time seeing the FGX, it was actually in a shopping centre and I only saw the front at first. I thought it was a 4 door Mustang until I saw the taillights and Falcon badge. In this iteration, I particularly like the XR6 Sprint. Despite being a Holden person, I commend Ford and the Falcon for going out with dignity. As such, it doesn't have the tarnished heritage the Commodore now has
I really liked the styling of the FGX, its hard to believe the sales were so flat. Here's hoping that Australian manufacturing comes back in the future!
@@markbehr88 - lucky we have Walkinshaw (ASV, Toyota and GMSV and potentially doing the VW Amarok enhancement again), Premcar (NISSAN and potentially Mitshibishi) and RMA (well RMA is doing a bad job with the F-150 and probably wont be around much longer doing F-150, I hear Ford Australia is going take all jobs in-house to get compliance issues right and then outsource probably to Tickford (well that is word on the street) who are keen to do that job as well as enhancing Ranger/Everest.
Fabulous series Mark! Well the FGX was certainly a fabulous way to bow out . Will always be a shame we all got affluenza and moved to our posh European cars. Puts a smile on my face when I see great Australian design - FGX, and VE commodores - they were great days .
Thanks Mark for this series on the Falcon. I still have my aero blue FGX XR6 with luxury pack bought new in 2015 and thoroughly enjoy driving it. I don’t think I’ll ever sell it 😂. It’s such a shame that Ford didn’t market these cars.
Thank you for another in-depth video, Mark, and this time for the last of the Falcons. Its obvious how much effort you put in these. Looks are subjective, but I think the FG-X is very handsome. The FG was inoffensive but was just a car. The FG-X is still eye-catching and really catapulted Falcon's styling into the modern era and was a great response to Holden's VF. I wish my March 2014 build FG was several months newer, as it looks bland and dowdy, especially in grey. Thanks for explaining the "FG-X" designation. I always wondered why it had three letters versus the rest of the Falcon series.
not only did Ford Australia not market the FG-X, they did very little development work on it other than a facelift over the FG, the difference between a Falcon FG-X and a Commodore VF was the latest safety features installed in the VF.
I will probably never own one unless i hit the lottery. Personally i feel they are the best looking and a nice way to send off, even though it sucks Ford AUS is done.
Australia use to make good cars. My first job was in a repetition engineering company employing 1300 people making engine valves, axles, king pins, bushes, bolts, etc. I was a trainee engineer. I lost my job when Leyland went bust which was of course many years before Ford shut down manufacturing in Australia. Those factories were the greatest place to work. A wonderful melting pot of people from all around the world that got on with with each other and could communicate even if you didn't understand each other's language.
I agree with you. As someone who worked for Mitsubishi, Holden, Holden NZ, Ford (advertising agency) , HSV, FPV - it was such a wonderful industry and experience. We made stuff here. We had great skills and our people (through necessity) could do a lot of everything rather than specialising in one thing - which is what happens in many US and Euro based companies. A great loss to the Nation. The impact is much greater than the cars themselves. Think for one moment the impact on apprentices as just a single aspect- and the lost opportunity for those thousands of young people to build out a career in manufacturing. Now, we are a nation of buying large screen TVs from ……….🤮
That Shannons ad! I always wondered if that was product placement. I was always a Ford man, my Grandfarther was a dealer, my first car was an XA 500 and growing up in Geelong it was very sad to lose the Falcon and manufacturing locally. Great series, really informative, thanks Mark!
Great series, Mark; what a pity local manufacturing all came to an end. Having from 1972 worked for Ford, AMI, Nissan and GMH here in Oz, the loss of the industry - largely due to various governments and their policies - is an indictment of the their shortsightedness. I'm still running a 2014 Territory (my second Terri) as my daily drive, after having had a string of various Falcons that commenced with an XP. Had an excellent P76 V8, plus a Commodore, a Gemini and a Camira (briefly; everyone's entitled to make one mistake!) and raced an HQ, so it's not like I was one-eyed! 😉
Such a good looker, although I always thought the FG mid body looked a bit too bulbous for the revised front and rear design. Shame the 4cyl didn’t catch on, if they had have marketed its quicker 0-100 time, who knows.
It was a great time as a kid waiting and then seeing the new model Falcon or commodore for the first time, now there is nothing to look forward to except electric space cars.
I think Holden buyers were prepared to overlook the Commodores Opel styling connections as long as they were made in Australia and used large Aussie sixes and V8's. Once this changed with the ZB, buyers and fans just gave up. With the entire range now fully imported and mostly four cylinders, there was nothing left to defend or admire.
Certainly a nice looking Falcon would have loved seeing a Fairlane version GMH were stupid they said the Commodore was finished then slap same badge on pure rubbish 👎 Great video 👍✌️🤠🐨🦘
As you pointed out, the Commodore originated as an Opel, so it wasn't that bad of a move. And in truth they're certainly not a bad car. Australians, like everyone else, were only interested in SUVs by that point. Which is a sad reflection, because sedans are fundamentally better cars to drive.
Hi Mark, When i was 12, 49 now. I remember (like it was yesterday) after much debate the decision to buy the 4 door xc over the 2 door xc being made by mum saying it will be a pain getting him (me) in and out of a 2 door. The price of the 2 door in century motors car yard was $1750 😢 We went with a white 200 crossflow 4 door xc. I often think of buying one for the memories, but with mum ederly and dad gone now driving in an xc with memories that would probably come back would probably only upset me 😢 Its funny how a car has such an important part in peoples lives like one of the family.
@@bears2604 Yes. Cars are so much more than metal, glass and plastics. They are beacons for great memories. That’s why I found and bought back my Dad’s Ford Galaxie LTD. 👍
Another great video Mark, I agree with you about how little effort Ford Australia put into marketing the FGX series. When they first started to appear on the roads, I confused them for the Mondeo due to the family resemblance and the very little marketing advising me otherwise. I'm sure that it was well known internally at its release that the FGX would be the last Falcon so perhaps Fords marketing department saw little sense in pushing a dead horse (or should I say dead bird with respect to Falcon) so maybe it was a case of "why bother". Who knows!
Loving the content mate ....I own an au fairmont and I definitely have a soft spot for the falcon's , definitely sad to see them no longer being made 😕
I was hoping to hear you confirm that the FGX XR8 had the same running gear as the GT R-Spec. I assumed that maybe it wasn’t advertised out of respect for the GT owners.
It did effectively have the GT engine as mentioned but I am sure with even more enhancements. And yes, parts bin special in terms of grabbing the R Spec (an option I developed with John Bowe in my FPV days). 👍
I only got the chance to drive an FGX xr6 between Cairns and port Douglas in 2016 wowsers what a gorgeous falcon great power in auto form and handling was superior compared to my ba v8 I still don't see any around here up for sale or on the road such a rare car now for a young car
Yes, they didn’t sell that many. The whole Gov’t abandonment of local sales made quite a difference. They all used to end up as late model family cars. 👍🤔
It was a nice surprise to see the FGX XR8 in the Shannon's add..thank you... Ive only ever owned Falcons from an XA Coupe , three XR8s and just about everything in between. My blood runs true blue as does my son"s ...Its a tragedy thats its all over now
Thanks mate for the Falcon serious, even though I left the trade in 1994, I still had feelings of sadness in October 2016 remembering my 15 years with Ford. I am a Holden nut even though I do not own one right now. It will be great to video's on the Cortina's and Escorts and some of the other smaller cars.
Thanks. I’ll do ZA Fairlane next and the R Series Valiant - and then do each model thereafter. I still need to work out which Holden but I will probably do 48-215 and work my way through or I may do a Kingswood series or a Commodore series? 🤔👍
No, Ford completely lost me here. The BF was the last decent looking Falcon in my view. The engine had a few more hop ups but nevertheless it was the end of Falcon as we knew it. I saw a 'Commodore' yesterday and I wondered what they were thinking when they tried to sell that as a Commodore. At least Ford didn't pretend to sell Falcons anymore. What I would like to say though is I've been along for the ride with Ford for decades. I've had many models from XK onward. I have 2 BA wagons, and I think they will see me out. So, thank you Ford for giving us this mostly wonderful car. I'm just sad we don't make an Aussie one anymore. Thank you to you as well Mark. This has been a good summary on the Falcon.
@@bossdog1480 Thanks very much. Like you, I wish Ford still made Falcons but these days, in a sea of SUVs, sedans seem to have fallen put of favour? Not with me though. 👍
I'm glad there was never a Ford equivalent to the ZB Commodore. Falcon meant LOCAL. I'm guessing the FGX wasn't heavily promoted because Ford knew they were doomed. They instead promoted the models they had to rely on for sales in the future. They were just being strategic I'm guessing.
These people lamenting the demise of the Falcon and the Commodore for that matter. Cars these days are super reliable and will last for many years if maintained and housed properly. There’s nothing wrong with picking one of these up as a daily and using it accordingly.
They really were very well done apart from the very old dash Such a shame they are gone I always said they should have put the territory diesel in the falcon commercials
I really enjoyed the series on the Falcon. I learnt a lot that I didn’t know before. I read your comment about what falcons you own and you have a really nice collection. We’ve got 3 Falcons. A 2008 Falcon BF XR6 Sedan, 2009 FPV GS 302 Sedan and a 2015 Falcon FGX XR6 Sedan. Looking at buying a FGX Turbo and FGX XR8 eventually. Looking forward to your next lot of reviews.
I'm Holden at heart but I've always loved my many Falcons I've owned over the years. Still the two equal favourite cars I've owned was the XR and XA. And I'm the odd one who actually likes the look of the AU Forte, although admittedly the one I owned started falling apart until one morning the entire wheel still attached to the hub and other bits went one way and me and the car went the other way. Just left it there and walked away.
Being an Aussie car fan I remember getting increasingly angry at Ford after the launch of the FGX as it was receiving virtually no advertising or promotion, it was like they wanted it to fail.
@@markbehr88 have a few cars that you’ve covered but if your interested in doing a mustang, i have a 2019/20 steve McQueen Bukit your welcome to have for as long as you need it
I am more curious on your car collection as you have large selection and do like your more "quirky" or overlooked cars which you have, as well as some more "popular" cars too!
Yes, I have not even scratched the surface really. Mainly US cars, then Australian Fords, then Euro (Mercedes, Citroen and the 1938 Peugeot) plus my 1980’s Mazda 929 coupe (because I liked the styling when I was younger). 👍
@@markbehr88 Yeah I like your Magna styling too and also sedan version as looked fairly futuristic to me... I like popular cars as well but I like that others do look beyond "the popular" cars especially when is someone such as yourself too!
@@icascone Thanks. I have always collected what I like, rather than what is popular. Especially a lot of the cars I used to get brochures on when I used to write to the US car companies (in my school days) and they would air mail me large packages of all their brochures. You can imagine that was a big package when GM would send me all the Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac brochures! 👍
Great channel you got here Mark. I am the very proud owner of FG-X Turbo Sprint. Had THE BEST!!!!.....drive day at an open track day at The Bend back in march . Thankfully it was a coolish day so had an opportunity to really put it to the test. 4 litres of turbo goodness on boost.....the entire day except when braking!!!!.......So..... Much.....FUN !!!!!! THANK YOU FORD AUSTRALIA . BTW ...worst fuel economy ever😂😂😂....244km of track time used 68 litres of premium 98. And not a single issue, although i imagine the brembos are going to need a service,....i did drive it like i stole it. Have copped plenty of .....um, comment, about my treatment of a highly collectable classic. Guess what.? I proved, to my mind, they are built Ford Tough.Balance that with my return trip to The Barossa from Snowy Mountains 10L/100km. Thanks for you videos mate, they are great
@@andrewgiles4982 Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed it. Plenty more Falcon videos on the channel. My view is , it’s your car so how you use it is up to you. 👍
If the Aussie gov was serious about pollution and Aussie manufacturing without using tariffs they could have mandated all cars run on lpg. We’ve got plenty of gas, the infrastructure and the simple win that lpg is far better for the environment. We are the stupid lucky country.
I’m definitely looking hard to find the funds for one of these GT spec Falcons. I’ve had the pleasure of driving one 3 years ago. Boy she was loose. But the supercharger wow if only there was mooooore. ❤❤❤
Need to remove the oem Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres.The Fgx XR8 was fitted with them also.They are inadequate for anything with power.I have a 2016 Fgx G6ET which i bought new and as soon as the Maxxs wore out i put a set of Michelin Pilot Sports 4S tyres on and it improved the handling heaps and ability to put the power down.The G6E Turbo is still compromised by not having a factory lsd and i am not sure what Fords logic was as not to fit it.
@markbehr88 There are two spec Dunlop Sport Maxxs where one had a softer compound which might be the one you are referring to.When i had the harder spec on the G6ET the rear end would come out on a dry road when giving some throttle coming out of a corner and the traction control would come on.If going through a roundabout and a little wet and some speed it would understeer and you would need to back off to avoid smacking the kerb.Yes horses for courses with the softer compound and the wear rate.
For the North American market Ford should've slated the Falcon in-between the Fusion and Taurus, we missed out big time. Still hoping to import an EB GT 25th Anniversary eventually.
G'day Mark, What a great series on all the Falcon's over the years thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them. The FGX would be the one I would buy for sure, & as a semi driver local in Melbourne up & down the Monash Fwy you don't see many of them in any form these days. I remember my very rich neighbour in Port Melbourne bought a white with black strip's XR 6 Turbo Sprint which was gorgeous & he mentioned it was a limited edition. What was limited edition & how many of these were made ? Looking forward to the Aussie Mopar's series. BTW a very good friend mine too old to press the clutch in & out is selling his VH Charger 4 speed fully restored in Vitamin C. If you know anyone happy to connect the dots. Cheers Louis Kats 👍
Hi Louis Thanks. There were 850 V8 Sprints and 550 Turbo Sprints made. Some went to NZ. I think 80 V8 and 50 Turbo? Look out for upcoming new series per my post on the Community section of the channel today. I would like to Hit 5,000 Subscribers before I launch the new series. 👍
500 XR6 Sprints & 750 XR8 Sprints for Australia.50 XR6 Sprints & 100 XR8 Sprints for NZ.I bought my XR6 Sprint new #395 in Smoke.The build numbers were random and not according to line numbers.Some dealers allowed you to pick a build number.
Thanks Mark, another great ep, do you follow what is happening in the US with Ford, they seem they are on a hiding to nowhere. cheers from all of us that follow you.
Thanks very much. I am looking at a lot of manufacturers and really wonder what the hell they are smoking when I see some of the products. There are some good ones but it is obvious to me they need more Car Guys heading up Product Planning. Kia and Hyundai are actually doing a much better job than most. 👍
@@markbehr88 Your comment reminds me what happened at Nissan in 09, when a few genesis thought that they didn’t need car people, they needed people with a piece of paper with no experience. The dealer group hatted it. Best I stop there.
Wow Only few cars were sold in last model range!! I still sometimes forget that Australia doesn't produce cars anymore as we do have our unique needs...
Mark, loved the Falcon video series but, a little disappointed with the FGX episode. I think you should have given a lot for information on the XR6 and XR8 Sprints, like how they were built and what was behind Ford’s thinking with the two great cars.👌
@@petermurgatroyd2002 Thanks. The episodes are really an overview. The Sprints were effectively a transfer of the Prodrive IP that had been a part of the old FPV - absorbed into Ford at FPV’s demise and brought in house. I guess the only thing I could have added was their respective production figures but I think that information is well known. 👍
@@petermurgatroyd2002 - I can sort of answer that: The FG X "Sprint" models were effetely a FG mk2 FPV F6 (XR6 Sprint Turbo) and R-Spec (XR8 Sprint) minus the badges and trim spec. That said Ford Australia did do some minor upgrades with over-boost and transmission maps (for the auto versions) and gave it unique "Sprint" trim. The whole end of FPV was messy as FPR (racing team) went to Tickford while Ford Australia took FPV in house, my understanding is that when ProDrive exited the market Ford were left with a huge mess and did not want to give the new team at Premcar any work (Premcar being the Australian based team that was FPV but not FPR, confused? yeah it was messy) which is why Ford Australia does not endorse any of the FPV/Sprint models getting the "Holly Grail" upgrade package from Premcar and why Premcar went to Nissan Australia to get work, which is eerily like in 1970's when Ford Australia shut down the "skunkworks SVO" in 1972 (and with that killing off the Phase IV) and most of that team went to work for Datsun/Nissan. motorsports operations re: Howard Marsden.
Yes, across that history. I didn’t want to get into all the politics but let’s say when Prodrive exercised its 51% in the FPV joint venture, while it may have appeared rosy on the surface, the Ford MD at the time felt like Prodrive had taken a giant dump on his dining room table. Actual quote.
I remember the old servo with the restaurant sign from when i was a kid but I cant think of which town it was at! Dont know if it was Cooma or Goulburn, but ive stopped in there before. The demise of Ford Australia still kills me today.
Short n sad part to long history of Ford Falcon, i was surprised with no V8 in the ute talk about wounded dog. Ford should done another 6 months or year with special tribute paying homage to successful models like Mad Max, ESP, racing legend DJ/Bowe, Geelong edition, Sandfire or Outback club?
They could have done a lot. For example, with the over boost. Why not make a GT and F6. Even with unique grille mesh, wheels, spoiler and seats. Not that hard and you could have charged more $$$. What about ESP, what about a Cobra? A special Falcon 500 value pack. There’s another 3,000 units just there. 👍
Another great video Mark a wealth of knowledge if you could have 3 falcons in your garage what would they be for me. 1-XYGTHO, way ahead of its time beat everything built in Australia horsepower the shape nothing came close then 2-XTGT, body shape nice 302, chrome trimmings GT dash 3-FGGS got away from the ugly B series taillights super aggressive look with the bonnet hump better grille a special mention to the ZA-ZB Fairlanes for class and comfort in a 302 or 351 and a mention to the XE ESP or XE FAIRMONT GHIA with the unbeatable 351 Cleveland for its era the XE are still a beautiful car today body shape aggressive front and Dick Johnson made one of them howl down conrod straight GREENSTUFF had a shirt with GREENSTUFF and Dicky's XE on it that car was super quick in its era how good were Johnson/Bowe in Fords
@@russelblackwell6041 Thanks Russell. Really hard to only pick three (which is why I have more than that in my collection 😀). 1. XA Wild Violet GT hardtop RPO83. White interior. Factory sunroof. 2. FPV GT 335 Octane. 3. Black with Red leather FPV BF Force 8.
The exterior styling has held up well (in my eyes), interior? ok'ish but yeah dated to 2008 from FG ok SYNC 2 saves it, thankfully its easy to update to SYNC 3 or install a aftermarket head unit as Ford opened the propriety code to the aftermarket to access all the controllers like air con, GPS, DAB/AM/FM/Bluetooth and voice controllers. The people I worked for back in the day specifically told me we want 4cyl sedans (re: Camry), so as fleet manager I managed to sneak in at least 20 FG X Ecoboost Falcon in both G6 and G6E spec for the sales reps, who then all complained about the seating position and steering wheel position lol but loved the power from the turbo 4, loved them over the Camry 4cyl sedan. I know several owners of the EcoLpi and yes they still rip (go hard) even after 8 years, some have done turbo conversions but they are limited with top end power due to higher comp (which turbo's do not like) and the smaller pistons and conrods and the liquid phase injection is finicky to work on. GMH screwed up with the ZB calling it Commodore and for GMH to pay the "automotive news / review sites" to stop criticism (looking at you Motoring, Carsguide and WhichCar) from general public by removing or censoring posts about the use of Commodore name and then calling us "keyboard warriors" shame on them and GMH for such atrocious attutides. Nos that the "Falcon" history lessons are over, looking forward to the Territory and future GMH lessons, would love to hear your thoughts on the Magna Ralliart and Aurion TRD which went head to head with your FPV's in that era. Great work Mark.
Thanks very much. Re the Ralliart. I think they appealed to very different market than the FPV products. More the typical Toyota or Mitsubishi owner who wanted a little more excitement. Like a more sporty cardigan 😀. I am sure they were good cars but not too heavy on character. I have rented Camry hybrids and they are perfectly competent cars but I would never own one. 👍
@@markbehr88 - I don't know Mark, the 380 Ralliart Supercharger & Aurion TRD Supercharger from their respective makers were going head to head against the FPV and HSV cars from that era. ["Like a more sporty cardigan"] them fighting words ... lol As for Camry Hybrid, careful the new ones go hard and are AWD in selected regions so dont have FWD scramble traction issues, in the USA they are able to do 11s 1/4 pass times which is where the the last of FPV and HSV were at. not bad for a battery powered V6 petrol hybrid.
@@351tgv I think they were competent cars but I don’t think the traditional HSV or FPV audience would go for them. They would be more likely to buy a Mustang GT or an AMG V8 Mercedes. 👍
This might not be the end just yet. As an American, I wish this sedan was imported to America, since it was full-size with a V8 and RWD but stood out due to it being an American brand, that being Ford. It was pretty much the Australian counterpart of the Crown Vic. The reason this might not be the end is because Ford reportedly has the Mustang Mach-4 sedan under development and it’ll most likely be almost identical to the last generations of both the Crown Vic and Falcon. Assuming that it’ll be available in both markets, both the Crown Vic and Falcon would finally have a worthy successor. Finally, there hasn’t been an American V8 sedan since the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 were discontinued, which left the void empty for purists. The Mustang Mach-4 would easily fill that void despite all the controversy of a Mustang 4-door sedan.
Seeing the photos of the beautiful 60's and 70's Falcons, I have to say , modern styling does not appeal to me in in comparison. I had a chance at getting a 302 powered XA coupe in 1986 , I went for a 400 4 speed powered HQ Monaro instead, because of the engine size, it was a good thing but If I could live that over again Id buy the Falcon , and still own it . Just dreaming of what could have been. 🙂
![[#2024MAMA] ROSÉ (로제), Bruno Mars - APT. | Mnet 241122 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dgGqD28J6aQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Here is my episode on the Ford Falcon FGX - part of the Falcon history series. Please enjoy, Hit that Like Button and Subscribe. 👍
Excellent quality presentation i didnt skip 1 second and enjoyed and lamented the series a fitting tribute to the Falcon .
@@Eric-kn4yn Thanks very much. 👍
@@markbehr88 ZB commodore sold 6000 units first year.
@@Eric-kn4yn That’s ok but nothing like they used to sell. That is almost 1 months worth in the old days. 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 exactly holden were chasing shadows wonder why they bothered.
Dad worked at GM for 25 years but ended up driving a Ford FG xr6 because he enjoyed it the most. It's funny how life turns out. Thanks Mark. I've enjoyed every video.
@@MarkHayes-ky9je Thanks. I worked for Holden too. 👍
Don't know why I am emotional after watching this. Thanks Mark.
@@coalfacechris1336 I know why. 👍
It still hurts r.i.p FALCON. Thanks for the trips down memory lane Mark. 🙏🏻👍🏻
@@aidansmith1354 My pleasure. Yes, still hurts. 😢
@@markbehr88 however for those of us that still drive Falcon variants day and day out we are reminded of how bloody good they were.
Love the AU S2 Futura E:Gas I own and of course the AU S3 XR8 and the XE Fairmont Ghia ESP.
@@351tgv Yes, great cars. 👍
The end of the Ford Falcon was a greater loss to both me and Australia, in my mind, than the loss of the GMH vehicles. They continue to hold a special place in my heart.
Me, I mourn the loss of Mitsubishi, I feel your pain.
@@Steven-p4j Both sad and unnecessary 🤔👍
@@perpetualgrin5804 It’s sad they are all gone. 😢
You only realise what you have when it is gone! Thank you for making this series, have really enjoyed!
@@langfordrae2589 Thanks very much. 👍
After watching the history of the Falcon, it's truly sad the way the car ended as well as the whole of Australian Automotive Manufacturing. Even though I never got grow up around these cars as an American, I've come to appreciate Australian Cars for they are truly unique.
Thanks for watching the series and I hope you are enjoying the other series too? It is very sad that there is no more Falcon and no more Australian car manufacturing. Very sad. 😢
Sexy looking car in my opinion a step up from the FG in body style and looks.. they still catch my eye every time I see one that is of the xr variety
@@michaelbyrnes7944 Agree. 👍
I've never owned a Holden or Ford but have driven a lot of them. Just when both manufacturers actually nailed it with great cars they both died off. Cars are one thing but the fact stuff like this is going away is a part of a huge problem with who's running our country into the ground.
@@CRFLAus That is for sure but we seem to be allowing it to happen here, in the UK, Europe and the USA. Wake Up Western World!
I’m glad to have grown up during the era of Australian motor manufacturing, our family still owns a Falcon to this day. The mighty AU of course 😅
@@TH-camAreJewz I have a few AU’s myself. Great cars. Yes, very sad to lose our manufacturing. 😢
Same here mate , as a young bloke back in the 70’s I worked at Bayfords and Watson Holden , in years later I ended up driving semi’s, and a lot of the time I was carting car parts , for Toyota , ford and Holden , but the lions share of my truck work came from Holden .
Some people poo poo the car makers , but in my view the car makers did a lot for our country apart from supplying us with cars.
Car makers gave a lot of people steady work for many years so they could pay off their houses , put their kids through school and put bread and butter on the table .
And sadly , our government policies drove them out of the country, you can add Nissan , Mitsubishi, Leyland. It’s a sad reflection our government wanted us to be a trading nation rather than a manufacturing nation . , and here we are today.
@@mikldude9376 Absolutely. There were so many associated businesses that the car industry supported. Right down to the corner shop, the milk deliveries, the power and water, tyres etc etc. 👍
It was a sad day when all Aussie car manufacturing closed, especially Ford and Holden, I miss these Aussie icons.
@@triggerdagrunoperator Agreed. Me too. 😢
Love your work Mark. We might be the lucky country but we are also the dumb country for selling out our manufacturing industries. An economy needs diversification. All of the items we consume will not be manufactured cheaply in China for ever. It will surely go the way of Taiwan which is now a first world country where nothing is cheap anymore.
The closing of Ford Australia was very sad indeed and this county’s only got worse since!
@@trship6274 Thank you. Yes, you are right there.
Sadly, we as a family were to blame for the downfall of Australian vehicle manufacturing. I remember we bought a brand new G6E in 2008, which unfortunately had a few quirks, such as the boot constantly opening at random and the ICC having a few hiccups.
My parents made the poor decision to let it go in favour for a BMW, which we had for many years, only to return to Australian vehicles last year (with a minor exception being a HSV Clubsport R8 Tourer E3 in 2012), starting with an FG X XR8. I’ve already travelled 20,000 km in it and it is quite possibly the best car I’ve driven.
Australia lost something special when we stopped manufacturing in 2017, but at least we have our cars to look back and reminisce on all the good times we had. We truly didn’t know how good we had it here
Yes. Very true. And how good was it when we saw the spy images of the next Falcon, Commodore, Fairlane or Statesman. 👍
Out of all the cars I've owned the FG XR6 is the only car that I wished I had never sold. It was the best car I ever owned. Just unfortunate that an unexpected change in life meant I had to say good bye to the FG XR6. When the time comes and I can go back to a big 6 cyl again I wouldn't hesitate to get an FG-X XR6. Maybe even a turbo model.
@@robertgarland9342 I hope you are able to get another one in the future. 👍
Dad worked at Ford for 37 years. He still tells so many stories about all the areas he worked in and about how he and his team built so many great cars. He worked across Geelong and Broadmeadows and managed many teams to deliver many parts.
@@skyhigh2764 I bet he misses those days. I know I do. 🤔👍
Does he a favourite model?
@@Redpepper7376 All of them. But probably the XA and EA.
He tells so many stories about the AU and how everyone was saying it was going to be a disaster while still in clay models.
@@skyhigh2764 The AU was a shocker, remember seeing one on the highway near Craigeburn before its release thinking they might be in trouble there.
Sales wise he was right. 🤔👍
Parks did a great job with what must have been a tiny budget to make a tired car look desirable. I remember having an FGX XR6 rental in Brisbane and thinking it was a sharp looking vehicle, which given my personal car was an Audi S3 at the time was a compliment. I was also a little sad, as in a couple of months it was the end of the line.
Yes. He did a fantastic job. A great designer. 👍
Tragic story for Australian manufacturing falcons have been in my family since the ef and have grown around them with my dad owning many throughout his time in Australia his last one was a BF before he switched to European. He tells me how reliable and good his cars did and treated his everyday travels to and from work and pushed me to buy an Falcon for a first car. I am proud to continue to drive a FG xr6 and have the feel of driving a car that was designed for our country and roads farewell Ford Australia manufacturing gone but not forgotten.
@@breemsp591 Good on you. It is so sad we have lost our ability to manufacture these cars in Australia. Those that remain need to be looked after as there are no more being made. 👍
Yep , and if you look at all the plastic fantastic cars of today, many of them imo are just rubbish, and not only have we lost our Aussie cars , we lost cars that where built to be serviceable, relatively easy to work on, spare parts where for the most part plentiful. A lot of the new cars today are throwaways, once they are worn out , they are too pricey to fix, you just junk them and buy a new car. Sad indeed.
@@mikldude9376 Agree.
@markbehr88. LPG option 2016 falcon and this fuel is being phased out.
@@markbehr88 4 pot would have been savings for rego make fleet owners happy
I've only owned falcons, XD Falcon, EL Fairmont, BF MKII XR6T & now the FGX XR8. Never disapointed
A man of good taste! 😀
Ford Australia's marketing used to leave me shaking my head.
I remember the ad for the dedicated LPG Falcon. Instead of highlighting the performance and economical running costs, they made a point of showing that you lost some boot space!
I couldn't frigging believe my eyes! I mean were they trying to sell Falcons or Camrys?
@@alanjm1234 Yep. 🫣
Yep they’re adds were terrible, bargain basement advertising.
Having met the marketing company that had the contract for Ford Australia marketing at the time - not a single one of them that worked there, not one - was a car person. None of them knew how to sell a car to any sector or cohort of people. They did zero research about the brand of nameplates, how different models were sold OS in years gone by, what buyers were looking for in the real world. It was a real eye opener and quite saddening to think FoMoCo Aus was paying these clowns good money for poor marketing. Such a waste.
@@GLxGL They probably the cheapest
@@GLxGL I’m not surprised. 🫣
Thank you Mark for such detailed history series of the Aussie Falcon!
I still remember when Dad bought a brand new XL Falcon wagon to cart us five kids around through highways, dirt roads and creeks. Bullet proof!!!
Thanks very much. My Dad bought a used XK and later an XL wagon (ep on the channel). A lot of fond memories for sure. 👍
Ive owned my Fgx Xr6 for 6 years as my daily and i can say its been the best ford ive ever owned it just ticks along with no issues always flys through its warrant of fitness every year thanks mark great video history as per usual
Great to hear. Thanks 👍
An enjoyable look down memory lane. It's often said that Ford Aus didn't market the Falcon enough but I'm not sure if that really mattered by the end. Other than the odd Falcon enthusiast, no one wanted them. I understand that V8 Commodores made up a large portion of private purchases and I suspect those were people who already knew about it. Everyone else realised they didn't need such a large car so they bought a Corolla or 3. And if they did need a big car, they bought a SUV. If it wasn't for big government fleet sales, I suspect that the Falcon/Commodore/Camry/Magna/380 would have died much earlier.
The other issue is the poor reputation Ford dealers have. I've since converted to another brand but prior to that I purchased new FG-X XR8s and a Focus (I realised that I didn't need such a big car for just myself) and both dealer experiences weren't great.
@@PaulStewartAviation Yes, the aftersales experience can be a deal breaker for future brand allegiances if not carried out effectively. I still think some basic marketing as to the attributes of the local large cars, including road holding versus SUVs and fuel efficiency, could have swayed a few people. 👍
I still remember my first time seeing the FGX, it was actually in a shopping centre and I only saw the front at first. I thought it was a 4 door Mustang until I saw the taillights and Falcon badge.
In this iteration, I particularly like the XR6 Sprint. Despite being a Holden person, I commend Ford and the Falcon for going out with dignity. As such, it doesn't have the tarnished heritage the Commodore now has
@@MuscleCarLover Agree. Good looking car. 👍
I think the FG-X was to ahead of its time for the styling. Now days they have become very popular in my neighbourhood.
@@MoseLawson Yes. Styling wise very good although the platform was ageing due to lack of investment. 👍
My main criticism about the FGX was the carry over interior from the FG.
@@Dylan_Mulvaney_OFFICIAL Yes, they ran out of money. It did have the big screen though. 👍
I really liked the styling of the FGX, its hard to believe the sales were so flat. Here's hoping that Australian manufacturing comes back in the future!
@@MitchTube Yes. Very sad. I am not holding my breath. 🤔
@@markbehr88 - lucky we have Walkinshaw (ASV, Toyota and GMSV and potentially doing the VW Amarok enhancement again), Premcar (NISSAN and potentially Mitshibishi) and RMA (well RMA is doing a bad job with the F-150 and probably wont be around much longer doing F-150, I hear Ford Australia is going take all jobs in-house to get compliance issues right and then outsource probably to Tickford (well that is word on the street) who are keen to do that job as well as enhancing Ranger/Everest.
@@351tgv Right. Interesting. 👍
Fabulous series Mark! Well the FGX was certainly a fabulous way to bow out . Will always be a shame we all got affluenza and moved to our posh European cars. Puts a smile on my face when I see great Australian design - FGX, and VE commodores - they were great days .
@@reitsmaassociates Thank you. Agreed 👍
Driven Falcons all my life, started with an XP ute in 1969 and am fortunate enough to have a FGX XR8 to finish my driving days . 🇦🇺🇦🇺
@@trevorwallis Doing it in style. 👍👍👍
Thanks Mark for this series on the Falcon. I still have my aero blue FGX XR6 with luxury pack bought new in 2015 and thoroughly enjoy driving it. I don’t think I’ll ever sell it 😂. It’s such a shame that Ford didn’t market these cars.
Thanks. Keep that beautiful Aussie gem. 👍
Thank you for another in-depth video, Mark, and this time for the last of the Falcons. Its obvious how much effort you put in these.
Looks are subjective, but I think the FG-X is very handsome. The FG was inoffensive but was just a car. The FG-X is still eye-catching and really catapulted Falcon's styling into the modern era and was a great response to Holden's VF. I wish my March 2014 build FG was several months newer, as it looks bland and dowdy, especially in grey.
Thanks for explaining the "FG-X" designation. I always wondered why it had three letters versus the rest of the Falcon series.
@@ryanglass2778 Thanks very much. 👍
not only did Ford Australia not market the FG-X, they did very little development work on it other than a facelift over the FG, the difference between a Falcon FG-X and a Commodore VF was the latest safety features installed in the VF.
@@ceedoubleyou Yes, Holden were able to do that due to the export volume. 👍
Can only do so much on such a limited budget unfortunately
@@rwd323 That’s right. 👍
It’s a sad end to the Falcon and to importantly the Australian car industry
Thanks for your commentary Mark
@@cherylstollery3444 Thanks. Agree, a sad end to our industry. 😢
I will probably never own one unless i hit the lottery. Personally i feel they are the best looking and a nice way to send off, even though it sucks Ford AUS is done.
@@Twenty_Six_Hundred Glad you liked it. Ya gotta be in it to win it though 😀👍.
An excellent car , very poorly supported. they still look current on the road. Keep the episodes coming.
@@leighhaberl981 Thanks very much. 👍
I love the fgx xr8 it really had personality
It did and does. 👍
Australia use to make good cars. My first job was in a repetition engineering company employing 1300 people making engine valves, axles, king pins, bushes, bolts, etc. I was a trainee engineer. I lost my job when Leyland went bust which was of course many years before Ford shut down manufacturing in Australia. Those factories were the greatest place to work. A wonderful melting pot of people from all around the world that got on with with each other and could communicate even if you didn't understand each other's language.
I agree with you. As someone who worked for Mitsubishi, Holden, Holden NZ, Ford (advertising agency) , HSV, FPV - it was such a wonderful industry and experience. We made stuff here. We had great skills and our people (through necessity) could do a lot of everything rather than specialising in one thing - which is what happens in many US and Euro based companies. A great loss to the Nation. The impact is much greater than the cars themselves. Think for one moment the impact on apprentices as just a single aspect- and the lost opportunity for those thousands of young people to build out a career in manufacturing. Now, we are a nation of buying large screen TVs from ……….🤮
Love the content
@@subb5177 Thanks very much. Glad you like it. 👍
That Shannons ad! I always wondered if that was product placement.
I was always a Ford man, my Grandfarther was a dealer, my first car was an XA 500 and growing up in Geelong it was very sad to lose the Falcon and manufacturing locally.
Great series, really informative, thanks Mark!
@@discopaddo Thanks. It was but not at Ford’s request. I just felt the poor Falcon needed some exposure. 👍
Great series, Mark; what a pity local manufacturing all came to an end. Having from 1972 worked for Ford, AMI, Nissan and GMH here in Oz, the loss of the industry - largely due to various governments and their policies - is an indictment of the their shortsightedness. I'm still running a 2014 Territory (my second Terri) as my daily drive, after having had a string of various Falcons that commenced with an XP. Had an excellent P76 V8, plus a Commodore, a Gemini and a Camira (briefly; everyone's entitled to make one mistake!) and raced an HQ, so it's not like I was one-eyed! 😉
Thank you. Yes, I have to agree with you. 👍
Sad to see the Falcon go.I owned several of them over the years and still have my current vehicle a BF XR8 ute.
@@chuckselvage3157 Yes. Hang onto that XR8. 👍
@@markbehr88 She's not going anywhere Mark.
@@chuckselvage3157 Good to hear. 👍
Such a good looker, although I always thought the FG mid body looked a bit too bulbous for the revised front and rear design. Shame the 4cyl didn’t catch on, if they had have marketed its quicker 0-100 time, who knows.
@@Aaajjjjjjjjj Yes, the FGX was a good looking car for sure. 👍
It was a great time as a kid waiting and then seeing the new model Falcon or commodore for the first time, now there is nothing to look forward to except electric space cars.
@@tonxbezzina7015 You are spot on. 👍
I think Holden buyers were prepared to overlook the Commodores Opel styling connections as long as they were made in Australia and used large Aussie sixes and V8's. Once this changed with the ZB, buyers and fans just gave up. With the entire range now fully imported and mostly four cylinders, there was nothing left to defend or admire.
Yes, hard to get them out of their VE and VF models for the ZB. If you wanted that kind of car you would likely buy a Camry. 👍
Certainly a nice looking Falcon would have loved seeing a Fairlane version GMH were stupid they said the Commodore was finished then slap same badge on pure rubbish 👎 Great video 👍✌️🤠🐨🦘
@@stephentaege6255 Thanks very much. Yes, there was a bit of flak re the ZB Commodore. 👍
As you pointed out, the Commodore originated as an Opel, so it wasn't that bad of a move. And in truth they're certainly not a bad car.
Australians, like everyone else, were only interested in SUVs by that point. Which is a sad reflection, because sedans are fundamentally better cars to drive.
@@alanjm1234 Yes. True. A mate has a wagon and likes it. 👍
Hi Mark, When i was 12, 49 now. I remember (like it was yesterday) after much debate the decision to buy the 4 door xc over the 2 door xc being made by mum saying it will be a pain getting him (me) in and out of a 2 door. The price of the 2 door in century motors car yard was $1750 😢
We went with a white 200 crossflow 4 door xc. I often think of buying one for the memories, but with mum ederly and dad gone now driving in an xc with memories that would probably come back would probably only upset me 😢
Its funny how a car has such an important part in peoples lives like one of the family.
@@bears2604 Yes. Cars are so much more than metal, glass and plastics. They are beacons for great memories. That’s why I found and bought back my Dad’s Ford Galaxie LTD. 👍
Another great video Mark, I agree with you about how little effort Ford Australia put into marketing the FGX series. When they first started to appear on the roads, I confused them for the Mondeo due to the family resemblance and the very little marketing advising me otherwise. I'm sure that it was well known internally at its release that the FGX would be the last Falcon so perhaps Fords marketing department saw little sense in pushing a dead horse (or should I say dead bird with respect to Falcon) so maybe it was a case of "why bother". Who knows!
@@jimbojon2 Thanks. I think you are right but then I would ask - what was the point of a Marketing dept? 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 Very true.
Loving the content mate ....I own an au fairmont and I definitely have a soft spot for the falcon's , definitely sad to see them no longer being made 😕
Thanks very much. More AU content coming down the track so stay tuned and Subbed. 👍
Great series mark.very well done. Can’t wait for the next one
@@trevorsully3054 Thanks very much. 👍
I was hoping to hear you confirm that the FGX XR8 had the same running gear as the GT R-Spec. I assumed that maybe it wasn’t advertised out of respect for the GT owners.
It did effectively have the GT engine as mentioned but I am sure with even more enhancements. And yes, parts bin special in terms of grabbing the R Spec (an option I developed with John Bowe in my FPV days). 👍
very Sad to see Falcon go. Ty Mark for this Series!.
@@clarkstar11 My pleasure. Agree. Very sad and unnecessary. 👍
I only got the chance to drive an FGX xr6 between Cairns and port Douglas in 2016 wowsers what a gorgeous falcon great power in auto form and handling was superior compared to my ba v8 I still don't see any around here up for sale or on the road such a rare car now for a young car
Yes, they didn’t sell that many. The whole Gov’t abandonment of local sales made quite a difference. They all used to end up as late model family cars. 👍🤔
@@markbehr88 th-cam.com/video/f1NRbtCrfmk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=s9e9qI0UZXvr6URD is that real I can't tell if it is it's very cool
No. AI generated.
Thankyou I had my hopes up @@markbehr88
It was a nice surprise to see the FGX XR8 in the Shannon's add..thank you... Ive only ever owned Falcons from an XA Coupe , three XR8s and just about everything in between. My blood runs true blue as does my son"s ...Its a tragedy thats its all over now
@@runslaTe Thanks. Yes, very sad. 😢
Thanks mate for the Falcon serious, even though I left the trade in 1994, I still had feelings of sadness in October 2016 remembering my 15 years with Ford. I am a Holden nut even though I do not own one right now. It will be great to video's on the Cortina's and Escorts and some of the other smaller cars.
Thanks. I’ll do ZA Fairlane next and the R Series Valiant - and then do each model thereafter. I still need to work out which Holden but I will probably do 48-215 and work my way through or I may do a Kingswood series or a Commodore series? 🤔👍
Good video Mark , albeit a sad one , looking forward to your next one.
@@mikldude9376 Thanks. I think that will be ZA Fairlane and R Series Valiant. I still need to think about which Holden. 48-215? 🤔
@@markbehr88 last falcon had LPG option when this fuel is being phased out ?
@@Eric-kn4yn Wasn’t being phased out then and still a big taxi market. 👍
Hey Mark ‼️. How about a video on the demise of FPV? We here in the USA do not have the common knowledge of that decision.
Sure. I’ll look into that. I just released episode 1 of the Ford Fairlane history. 👍
No, Ford completely lost me here. The BF was the last decent looking Falcon in my view.
The engine had a few more hop ups but nevertheless it was the end of Falcon as we knew it.
I saw a 'Commodore' yesterday and I wondered what they were thinking when they tried to sell that as a Commodore.
At least Ford didn't pretend to sell Falcons anymore.
What I would like to say though is I've been along for the ride with Ford for decades. I've had many models from XK onward. I have 2 BA wagons, and I think they will see me out. So, thank you Ford for giving us this mostly wonderful car. I'm just sad we don't make an Aussie one anymore.
Thank you to you as well Mark. This has been a good summary on the Falcon.
@@bossdog1480 Thanks very much. Like you, I wish Ford still made Falcons but these days, in a sea of SUVs, sedans seem to have fallen put of favour? Not with me though. 👍
The 4 cyl eco boost came out in the FG2 and the 5.0 is referred to as the Miami due to it being supercharged not NA
@@whakatu4life285 If you re-watch the episode you will see there is a graphic to that effect re the 4 cylinder. 👍
I'm glad there was never a Ford equivalent to the ZB Commodore.
Falcon meant LOCAL.
I'm guessing the FGX wasn't heavily promoted because Ford knew they were doomed. They instead promoted the models they had to rely on for sales in the future. They were just being strategic I'm guessing.
I know but they could have sold more, made more money and maybe kept people in production jobs a little longer. 👍
These people lamenting the demise of the Falcon and the Commodore for that matter. Cars these days are super reliable and will last for many years if maintained and housed properly. There’s nothing wrong with picking one of these up as a daily and using it accordingly.
@@mikevale3620 For sure. As you say, if looked after it will provide great service. 👍
They really were very well done apart from the very old dash
Such a shame they are gone
I always said they should have put the territory diesel in the falcon commercials
Yes, it was just a case of no export markets and limited funds. Diesel in the commercials would have been interesting. 👍
I really enjoyed the series on the Falcon. I learnt a lot that I didn’t know before. I read your comment about what falcons you own and you have a really nice collection. We’ve got 3 Falcons. A 2008 Falcon BF XR6 Sedan, 2009 FPV GS 302 Sedan and a 2015 Falcon FGX XR6 Sedan. Looking at buying a FGX Turbo and FGX XR8 eventually. Looking forward to your next lot of reviews.
@@petermanuel7128 Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed them. Sounds like you have some nice Fords too. 👍
Great series Mark
Thanks Rob. I’ll do Fairlanes down the track and see if I can find a pic of a 351 yellow ZG, like your family once had. Cool car. 👍
Love my Ford Cars, from Warwick Qld 🦘
@@pouwakaruwhiu8349 Me too. 👍
FPV most enjoyed thru the sunny hills with 600hpw , remember don't play around, play uneven
@@Nathan-vq9ch 😃👍
Im happy with my XR6 Sprint😍
@@jimclarke1108 Great car. 👍
I'm Holden at heart but I've always loved my many Falcons I've owned over the years. Still the two equal favourite cars I've owned was the XR and XA. And I'm the odd one who actually likes the look of the AU Forte, although admittedly the one I owned started falling apart until one morning the entire wheel still attached to the hub and other bits went one way and me and the car went the other way. Just left it there and walked away.
@@FromTheGong But what a great story to tell hey! 😃👍
Being an Aussie car fan I remember getting increasingly angry at Ford after the launch of the FGX as it was receiving virtually no advertising or promotion, it was like they wanted it to fail.
@@jamiespinks3657 I agree. That’s why I put the XR8 in the Shannons ad. 👍
@markbehr88 I notice that ad is still being used to advertise Shannon's to this day.
@ Yes, all my ads are still being used. 👍
Thanks for that
👍
Ripper series mark you’ve definitely left your mark on ford
Thanks very much. 👍
Great work mark ! 👍🏿
@@TroyBancroft Thanks very much. 👍
@@markbehr88 have a few cars that you’ve covered but if your interested in doing a mustang, i have a 2019/20 steve McQueen Bukit your welcome to have for as long as you need it
@@TroyBancroft Thanks. Great offer. I love those. Will keep it in mind for sure. 👍👍
@@markbehr88 I’m sure you’ll look after it … and , im sure you know how to drive it 👍🏿
@@TroyBancroft I would be very careful. That is one of the nicest of all the later Mustangs. 👍
I am more curious on your car collection as you have large selection and do like your more "quirky" or overlooked cars which you have, as well as some more "popular" cars too!
Yes, I have not even scratched the surface really. Mainly US cars, then Australian Fords, then Euro (Mercedes, Citroen and the 1938 Peugeot) plus my 1980’s Mazda 929 coupe (because I liked the styling when I was younger). 👍
@@markbehr88 Yeah I like your Magna styling too and also sedan version as looked fairly futuristic to me...
I like popular cars as well but I like that others do look beyond "the popular" cars especially when is someone such as yourself too!
@@icascone Thanks. I have always collected what I like, rather than what is popular. Especially a lot of the cars I used to get brochures on when I used to write to the US car companies (in my school days) and they would air mail me large packages of all their brochures. You can imagine that was a big package when GM would send me all the Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick and Cadillac brochures! 👍
Great channel you got here Mark. I am the very proud owner of FG-X Turbo Sprint. Had THE BEST!!!!.....drive day at an open track day at The Bend back in march . Thankfully it was a coolish day so had an opportunity to really put it to the test. 4 litres of turbo goodness on boost.....the entire day except when braking!!!!.......So..... Much.....FUN !!!!!! THANK YOU FORD AUSTRALIA . BTW ...worst fuel economy ever😂😂😂....244km of track time used 68 litres of premium 98. And not a single issue, although i imagine the brembos are going to need a service,....i did drive it like i stole it. Have copped plenty of .....um, comment, about my treatment of a highly collectable classic. Guess what.? I proved, to my mind, they are built Ford Tough.Balance that with my return trip to The Barossa from Snowy Mountains 10L/100km.
Thanks for you videos mate, they are great
@@andrewgiles4982 Thanks very much. Glad you enjoyed it. Plenty more Falcon videos on the channel. My view is , it’s your car so how you use it is up to you. 👍
If the Aussie gov was serious about pollution and Aussie manufacturing without using tariffs they could have mandated all cars run on lpg. We’ve got plenty of gas, the infrastructure and the simple win that lpg is far better for the environment. We are the stupid lucky country.
@@stevenkirk2563 Yep 👍
Well done mark another great episode thanks .
@@gerarddaly3538 Thanks Gerard. I know you love these Falcon history videos 😀👍
I’m definitely looking hard to find the funds for one of these GT spec Falcons. I’ve had the pleasure of driving one 3 years ago. Boy she was loose. But the supercharger wow if only there was mooooore. ❤❤❤
@@patrickaussieMilartry Good luck in your quest. 👍
Need to remove the oem Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres.The Fgx XR8 was fitted with them also.They are inadequate for anything with power.I have a 2016 Fgx G6ET which i bought new and as soon as the Maxxs wore out i put a set of Michelin Pilot Sports 4S tyres on and it improved the handling heaps and ability to put the power down.The G6E Turbo is still compromised by not having a factory lsd and i am not sure what Fords logic was as not to fit it.
@@ESP351 I know John Bowe liked the Sport Maxx tyres. I am sure the Michelins are better but probably wear faster with the softer compound. 👍
@markbehr88 There are two spec Dunlop Sport Maxxs where one had a softer compound which might be the one you are referring to.When i had the harder spec on the G6ET the rear end would come out on a dry road when giving some throttle coming out of a corner and the traction control would come on.If going through a roundabout and a little wet and some speed it would understeer and you would need to back off to avoid smacking the kerb.Yes horses for courses with the softer compound and the wear rate.
@@ESP351 Yes. I am talking about the ones we put on the FPV cars. 👍
For the North American market Ford should've slated the Falcon in-between the Fusion and Taurus, we missed out big time. Still hoping to import an EB GT 25th Anniversary eventually.
@@hectikmgj Agree. 👍
That’s depressing.😭😭😭
G'day Mark,
What a great series on all the Falcon's over the years thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them.
The FGX would be the one I would buy for sure, & as a semi driver local in Melbourne up & down the Monash Fwy you don't see many of them in any form these days.
I remember my very rich neighbour in Port Melbourne bought a white with black strip's XR 6 Turbo Sprint which was gorgeous & he mentioned it was a limited edition.
What was limited edition & how many of these were made ?
Looking forward to the Aussie Mopar's series.
BTW a very good friend mine too old to press the clutch in & out is selling his VH Charger 4 speed fully restored in Vitamin C.
If you know anyone happy to connect the dots.
Cheers
Louis Kats 👍
Hi Louis
Thanks.
There were 850 V8 Sprints and 550 Turbo Sprints made. Some went to NZ. I think 80 V8 and 50 Turbo? Look out for upcoming new series per my post on the Community section of the channel today. I would like to Hit 5,000 Subscribers before I launch the new series. 👍
@@markbehr88 👍👍👍
500 XR6 Sprints & 750 XR8 Sprints for Australia.50 XR6 Sprints & 100 XR8 Sprints for NZ.I bought my XR6 Sprint new #395 in Smoke.The build numbers were random and not according to line numbers.Some dealers allowed you to pick a build number.
Would you be interested in doing a police version video on the Ford and Holdens?
Why are some guys obsessed with the " cops version ".
I certainly could. I’ll keep it in mind. You can check out videos on my rare AU1 Police V8 and my 1992 Chevrolet LA police cruiser. 👍
They are pretty cool and rare now. 👍
@@markbehr88 the xd and xe versions are great. Engine oil cooler and tramp rods on the xd
Yes, mates had those. 👍
Loved the series mate! Even though I’m a ford man I’m keen to see the holden and Chrysler related videos
@@munckintattoolover24 Thanks very much. There will be Fairlane too coming up soon. 👍
Lucky enough to own a FGX XR6 Turbo in victory gold.
Was completely stock and owned by Ford when I bought her ,
Currently has 600whp & 810nm on E85
@@MichaelJohnson-ho5nt very cool. 👍
Another excellent installment Mark! Always super informative and entertaining :)
Thanks very much. 👍
Exited for some Chrysler videos. Love you work! Cheers Mark
Coming soon! 👍 Thanks.
@@JohnnyRoadRunner-rr6qf Thanks. Hope you’ll enjoy. 👍
We're the government and we're here to help
@@bas4903 Yes, and the cheque is in the mail. 👍
Thanks Mark, another great ep, do you follow what is happening in the US with Ford, they seem they are on a hiding to nowhere. cheers from all of us that follow you.
Thanks very much. I am looking at a lot of manufacturers and really wonder what the hell they are smoking when I see some of the products. There are some good ones but it is obvious to me they need more Car Guys heading up Product Planning. Kia and Hyundai are actually doing a much better job than most. 👍
@@markbehr88 Your comment reminds me what happened at Nissan in 09, when a few genesis thought that they didn’t need car people, they needed people with a piece of paper with no experience. The dealer group hatted it. Best I stop there.
@@martinh9120 Yes, so called “academics”. 😂
Hi Mark, interesting that the gas 6 had virtually the same output figures as the petrol 6 (198kw vs 195kw).
Yes, they put a lot of extra work into it. 👍
Great episode👌
Thanks very much. 👍
The falcon almost caught up to the commodore, in the end.
Great content Mark!
Thanks very much. 👍
Wow Only few cars were sold in last model range!!
I still sometimes forget that Australia doesn't produce cars anymore as we do have our unique needs...
Yes, very low sales so they are worth preserving in my view. 👍
@@markbehr88 Totally!!
Good investment advice too I'd say!
@@icascone Yes. 👍
Ford and Holden sadly an end of an era.
Yep 😢
Thanks again for top-quality content, Mark! I can't believe the Falcon series has come to an end. What's the plan for the next series?
@@Michka1001 Thanks. Next episodes will be ZA Fairlane and R Series Valiant. 👍
Mark, loved the Falcon video series but, a little disappointed with the FGX episode. I think you should have given a lot for information on the XR6 and XR8 Sprints, like how they were built and what was behind Ford’s thinking with the two great cars.👌
@@petermurgatroyd2002 Thanks. The episodes are really an overview. The Sprints were effectively a transfer of the Prodrive IP that had been a part of the old FPV - absorbed into Ford at FPV’s demise and brought in house. I guess the only thing I could have added was their respective production figures but I think that information is well known. 👍
@@markbehr88 I was thinking about the main differences between the standard XR8 and XR6 and what parts boxes Ford had left to actually build them.
@@petermurgatroyd2002 Yes, I don’t really have that info unfortunately as I had long gone by then. 🤔
@@petermurgatroyd2002 - I can sort of answer that:
The FG X "Sprint" models were effetely a FG mk2 FPV F6 (XR6 Sprint Turbo) and R-Spec (XR8 Sprint) minus the badges and trim spec.
That said Ford Australia did do some minor upgrades with over-boost and transmission maps (for the auto versions) and gave it unique "Sprint" trim.
The whole end of FPV was messy as FPR (racing team) went to Tickford while Ford Australia took FPV in house, my understanding is that when ProDrive exited the market Ford were left with a huge mess and did not want to give the new team at Premcar any work (Premcar being the Australian based team that was FPV but not FPR, confused? yeah it was messy) which is why Ford Australia does not endorse any of the FPV/Sprint models getting the "Holly Grail" upgrade package from Premcar and why Premcar went to Nissan Australia to get work, which is eerily like in 1970's when Ford Australia shut down the "skunkworks SVO" in 1972 (and with that killing off the Phase IV) and most of that team went to work for Datsun/Nissan. motorsports operations re: Howard Marsden.
Yes, across that history. I didn’t want to get into all the politics but let’s say when Prodrive exercised its 51% in the FPV joint venture, while it may have appeared rosy on the surface, the Ford MD at the time felt like Prodrive had taken a giant dump on his dining room table. Actual quote.
I remember the old servo with the restaurant sign from when i was a kid but I cant think of which town it was at! Dont know if it was Cooma or Goulburn, but ive stopped in there before. The demise of Ford Australia still kills me today.
Yes, are you talking about the old Golden Fleece stations with the restaurants? Very cool livery. Probably the best ever, along with Mobil. 👍
@@markbehr88 Yes the Golden Fleece
@@steveskrobot9496 Very cool. 👍
Hey guys , sign support gives a GREAT clue !
Old Vanguard Spacemaster wagon & Wolseley ?
Short n sad part to long history of Ford Falcon, i was surprised with no V8 in the ute talk about wounded dog. Ford should done another 6 months or year with special tribute paying homage to successful models like Mad Max, ESP, racing legend DJ/Bowe, Geelong edition, Sandfire or Outback club?
They could have done a lot. For example, with the over boost. Why not make a GT and F6. Even with unique grille mesh, wheels, spoiler and seats. Not that hard and you could have charged more $$$. What about ESP, what about a Cobra? A special Falcon 500 value pack. There’s another 3,000 units just there. 👍
Another great video Mark a wealth of knowledge if you could have 3 falcons in your garage what would they be for me.
1-XYGTHO, way ahead of its time beat everything built in Australia horsepower the shape nothing came close then 2-XTGT, body shape nice 302, chrome trimmings GT dash
3-FGGS got away from the ugly B series taillights super aggressive look with the bonnet hump better grille a special mention to the ZA-ZB Fairlanes for class and comfort in a 302 or 351
and a mention to the XE ESP or XE FAIRMONT GHIA with the unbeatable 351 Cleveland for its era the XE are still a beautiful car today body shape aggressive front and Dick Johnson made one of them howl down conrod straight GREENSTUFF had a shirt with GREENSTUFF and Dicky's XE on it that car was super quick in its era how good were Johnson/Bowe in Fords
@@russelblackwell6041 Thanks Russell. Really hard to only pick three (which is why I have more than that in my collection 😀).
1. XA Wild Violet GT hardtop RPO83. White interior. Factory sunroof.
2. FPV GT 335 Octane.
3. Black with Red leather FPV BF Force 8.
The exterior styling has held up well (in my eyes), interior? ok'ish but yeah dated to 2008 from FG ok SYNC 2 saves it, thankfully its easy to update to SYNC 3 or install a aftermarket head unit as Ford opened the propriety code to the aftermarket to access all the controllers like air con, GPS, DAB/AM/FM/Bluetooth and voice controllers.
The people I worked for back in the day specifically told me we want 4cyl sedans (re: Camry), so as fleet manager I managed to sneak in at least 20 FG X Ecoboost Falcon in both G6 and G6E spec for the sales reps, who then all complained about the seating position and steering wheel position lol but loved the power from the turbo 4, loved them over the Camry 4cyl sedan.
I know several owners of the EcoLpi and yes they still rip (go hard) even after 8 years, some have done turbo conversions but they are limited with top end power due to higher comp (which turbo's do not like) and the smaller pistons and conrods and the liquid phase injection is finicky to work on.
GMH screwed up with the ZB calling it Commodore and for GMH to pay the "automotive news / review sites" to stop criticism (looking at you Motoring, Carsguide and WhichCar) from general public by removing or censoring posts about the use of Commodore name and then calling us "keyboard warriors" shame on them and GMH for such atrocious attutides.
Nos that the "Falcon" history lessons are over, looking forward to the Territory and future GMH lessons, would love to hear your thoughts on the Magna Ralliart and Aurion TRD which went head to head with your FPV's in that era.
Great work Mark.
Thanks very much. Re the Ralliart. I think they appealed to very different market than the FPV products. More the typical Toyota or Mitsubishi owner who wanted a little more excitement. Like a more sporty cardigan 😀. I am sure they were good cars but not too heavy on character. I have rented Camry hybrids and they are perfectly competent cars but I would never own one. 👍
@@markbehr88 - I don't know Mark, the 380 Ralliart Supercharger & Aurion TRD Supercharger from their respective makers were going head to head against the FPV and HSV cars from that era.
["Like a more sporty cardigan"] them fighting words ... lol
As for Camry Hybrid, careful the new ones go hard and are AWD in selected regions so dont have FWD scramble traction issues, in the USA they are able to do 11s 1/4 pass times which is where the the last of FPV and HSV were at. not bad for a battery powered V6 petrol hybrid.
@@351tgv I think they were competent cars but I don’t think the traditional HSV or FPV audience would go for them. They would be more likely to buy a Mustang GT or an AMG V8 Mercedes. 👍
This might not be the end just yet. As an American, I wish this sedan was imported to America, since it was full-size with a V8 and RWD but stood out due to it being an American brand, that being Ford. It was pretty much the Australian counterpart of the Crown Vic. The reason this might not be the end is because Ford reportedly has the Mustang Mach-4 sedan under development and it’ll most likely be almost identical to the last generations of both the Crown Vic and Falcon. Assuming that it’ll be available in both markets, both the Crown Vic and Falcon would finally have a worthy successor. Finally, there hasn’t been an American V8 sedan since the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 were discontinued, which left the void empty for purists. The Mustang Mach-4 would easily fill that void despite all the controversy of a Mustang 4-door sedan.
@@anonymous3738 I hope you’re right. 👍
Seeing the photos of the beautiful 60's and 70's Falcons, I have to say , modern styling does not appeal to me in in comparison. I had a chance at getting a 302 powered XA coupe in 1986 , I went for a 400 4 speed powered HQ Monaro instead, because of the engine size, it was a good thing but If I could live that over again Id buy the Falcon , and still own it . Just dreaming of what could have been. 🙂
Ahhh, the one that got away! That could be an episode in itself! 🤔👍
@@markbehr88 The Monaro was $8,300 , and the XA was $7,500 , an outrageous amount of money for an old car.😏
@@barrycuda3769 That was a lot. I bought a beautiful 455 1974 Buick Riviera for $7,800. 👍
@@markbehr88 Not bad money for a car that was aimed at the bloated capitalists amongst us.
@@barrycuda3769 Yes.
My big brother Rohan owned a RS2000 Ford Escort
@@mathewhyland8925 Great car. My sister had a red sedan years ago. 👍