The AU orphan ..

[OzJavelin]

Is it just me or is anyone else "disappointed" that Ford basically divorced itself from the AU like an illegitimate bastard son and concentrated on the muched-loved BA? Basically where I'm heading is that the AU is a one-series-wonder. It is the first and last in the A-series Falcon. What would have happened to Ford Australia had they done this with every model they had issues with? No more X-series after frontends falling out of XKs. No more E-series after EAs blowing head gaskets? Kind of puts a bad taste in my mouth that Ford didn't bother trying to "fix" perceptions, but rather cut-and-run. Like as if they didn't have the professional ability to finish as job that they started ..

BTW: I like my AU. I think it is a worthy predecessor to the AB .. sorry .. BA.

[XR6-VCT-2000]

I suppose the way you could look at it being the first & last A-series in its class , is probably because they couldn't better it anymore than it allready is ! . The A-series is an excellent car , 'a million taxi drivers cant be wrong' ..lol.. well ..hmhm , but you know what i mean ..../a very reliable car etc etc . I love my AUIIXR hands down.

They really are both a totally different car , different handling / braking / power etc ... both nice cars no doubt , but they were really to far apart imo to class the newer falcons into the A-series class anyway , totally different shape / more squarer the lot .

[MNM96]

Originally Posted by XR6-VCT-2000

They really are both a totally different car , different handling / braking / power etc ... both nice cars no doubt , but they were really to far apart imo to class the newer falcons into the A-series class anyway , totally different shape / more squarer the lot .

Same roof, sills, doors, mirrors, firewall. How different are they? No more than XE to Xf!
They are heavier, thirstier, and uglier, glad Ive still got an AU :baby bott .

[XR6-VCT-2000]

Originally Posted by MNM96

Same roof, sills, doors, mirrors, firewall. How different are they? No more than XE to Xf!
They are heavier, thirstier, and uglier, glad Ive still got an AU :baby bott .

lol , yeah and thats about as far as it goes in comparison/been the same between the AU to BA , the rest of the changes were heaps different ! . Where as the XE to XF was just a few panel changes really and a thinner firewall, still handled the same , the door handles still broke on them all the same etc etc / same 250 x-flow. If you test drive a BA and compare it to a AU handles heaps different/ feels different in heaps of way imo , unlike the xe to xf ... anyways .. its all personal opinion , you either like 1 or the other / or both ..... or neither ..lol ;) .

[XR_Strider_GuY]

I would liken a BA to AU transition similar to an EF evolving from EB/ED. The doors and chassis were carry over items however everything was stiffened, strengthened, and given a mid life freshen up.

Yes I will agree there are some cost cutting in BA but that is due to the demand of the public wanting more in certain areas and others. Fact is cloth door trims and soft carpet roofing (which the BA misses out on) did not improve the AU sales over the Commdore equivelant.

[HLC]

Originally Posted by XR_Strider_GuY

I would liken a BA to AU transition similar to an EF evolving from EB/ED. The doors and chassis were carry over items however everything was stiffened, strengthened, and given a mid life freshen up.

Yes I will agree there are some cost cutting in BA but that is due to the demand of the public wanting more in certain areas and others. Fact is cloth door trims and soft carpet roofing (which the BA misses out on) did not improve the AU sales over the Commdore equivelant.

took the words right out of my mouth.

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by XR_Strider_GuY

I would liken a BA to AU transition similar to an EF evolving from EB/ED.

But by that stage there was already an EA, EB, ED in the series ... Ford didn't just give up after the EA, create a new "series" designation and try and pretend the whole thing never happened ...

[mik]

Originally Posted by MNM96

Same roof, sills, doors, mirrors, firewall. How different are they? No more than XE to Xf!
They are heavier, thirstier, and uglier, glad Ive still got an AU :baby bott .

actually the roof is different, the au windscreen is bigger

[HLC]

Originally Posted by mik

actually the roof is different, the au windscreen is bigger

not on the utes ;)

[galaxy xr8]

Just look at it this way, the BA was modeld on the AU, there are so many similarity's between them, if there was no AU, there would be no BA.

[HLC]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm its just you. :

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by HLC

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm its just you. :

Probably ...

[sbutler]

The AU as a car was fine, very little in the way of on going issues, & by series 3 was a ripper. Most niggeling problems were well & truly sorted.
It was the look that killed the AU. NOT the car itself, which was fine.

[HLC]

Originally Posted by sbutler

The AU as a car was fine, very little in the way of on going issues, & by series 3 was a ripper. Most niggeling problems were well & truly sorted.
It was the look that killed the AU. NOT the car itself, which was fine.

ive got a wheels magazine from 98 or so that compares the AU and VT. the AU was rated as the superior car. it was just so dog ugly :

[sbutler]

Originally Posted by HLC

ive got a wheels magazine from 98 or so that compares the AU and VT. the AU was rated as the superior car. it was just so dog ugly :

Yep. :king:

[Rob]

Yeah, no hiding the fact that AU1 Forte's were seriously hideous stuff. Yuck.. that grille.. what were they thinking?!

The series 3 cars were a HUGE improvement.

And T3's..... what more do I need to say?

[Firefox7]

Originally Posted by BLC

And T3's..... what more do I need to say?

Yup...:evilking::evilking::evilking:



Cheers

[98AUXR6]

Originally Posted by HLC

ive got a wheels magazine from 98 or so that compares the AU and VT. the AU was rated as the superior car. it was just so dog ugly :

Almost every road test by Motor or Wheels left the AU a winner over VT. I think people couldnt get over the Forte grill. The XR's were always referred to as excellent on the eye and better than VT. It was not a bad car.

PS - Of course I own one!

[aualright]

Originally Posted by 98AUXR6

Almost every road test by Motor or Wheels left the AU a winner over VT. I think people couldnt get over the Forte grill. The XR's were always referred to as excellent on the eye and better than VT. It was not a bad car.

PS - Of course I own one!

And the headline of "AU for Gold" (or similar) showed how superior it was. I personally think it came down to the centre console rather than the cheese grater of a grille. The VT aped the Magna console which made it look more modern inside where Ford went for a 'global design' nee Focus, Taurus. If it was French the public would've thought it was quirky and modern, rather than butt ugly.

Anyway, I have 2 of them and love them - especially the XR (despite the grey centre console - admittedly the AU3 ute looks much better with a black centre console).

[GK]

I have 2 myself, love them both.

GK

[onfire]

Homestar runner.. yah!

Anyways.. The AU1 Forte isnt that bad..

[Rob]

Originally Posted by onfire

Homestar runner.. yah!

Anyways.. The AU1 Forte isnt that bad..

Yours looks HEAPS better than many I've seen... that horrid battleship grey color with the plastic grey grille.. oh man..

Btw, first person to recognise my avatar

[98AUXR6]

Originally Posted by onfire

Homestar runner.. yah!

Anyways.. The AU1 Forte isnt that bad..

Simply colour coding the Forte grill was an enormous improvement.

[GK]

Originally Posted by 98AUXR6

Simply colour coding the Forte grill was an enormous improvement.

Or Black!

GK

[Silver Ghia]

I had a AU1 Fairmont in Sparkling Burgundy before my current BA Ghia. I thought my AU looked great, except for the sad looking rear end. Also the interior suffered with that awful centre console - why didnt they change it after Series 1? It wouldn't have cost them much, how many potential buyers were put off by that stupid looking bit of plastic?
The AU however was in some respects better than the BA Fairmont. At least it had a proper footrest, coolant reservoir low level warning, fuel filler door open warning and carpet on the lower door trim and footwell. Obviously Ford did some cost cutting on the BA.
In addition, the AU was a better car aerodynamically, with the headlight/bonnet joints sealed, and headlights better faired in with the body, which I believe helped with the fuel economy.

[Casper]

Maybe the "BA Bashing" is a little counter prductive here. Its another model, a new designation etc etc etc. If the logic held true why give AU's the AU designation and not EM or similar? The AU was actualy closer to the E Series in a lot more ways than the BA is close to the AU (as far as interchangable parts).

Anyhow, we are lucky. We all own cars that are joined as 1 model.. the AU. Series to series but all AU's. No other Falcon owners in history get to have that.

Oh.. as for VT bashing.. please continue at will :P

[Racecraft]

Originally Posted by Casper

The AU was actualy closer to the E Series in a lot more ways than the BA is close to the AU (as far as interchangable parts).

Exactly,, the AU is mechanically an E'series in a BA body :P

Park a S3 AU beside a BA and they look so similiar.. Bear in mind I am talking about base color white cars here, not the pastel colors of the BA

[GK]

Originally Posted by Casper

Maybe the "BA Bashing" is a little counter prductive here.

Yep, take the BA bashing to their forum! Just kidding Casper! For someone who's engaged in their share of said bashing, you must be getting more tender in your old age! LOL!

Originally Posted by Casper

Anyhow, we are lucky. We all own cars that are joined as 1 model.. the AU. No other Falcon owners in history get to have that.

Indeed. The first and the last, the beginning and the end!

Originally Posted by Casper

Oh.. as for VT bashing.. please continue at will.

That's a given!

GK

[Casper]

Originally Posted by GK

Yep, take the BA bashing to their forum! Just kidding Casper! For someone who's engaged in their share of said bashing, you must be getting more tender in your old age! LOL!

I only bash when provoked. I see none so I am not going to bash the BA. As much as I love my AU (and all AU's) there are some cold facts that have to be accepted. The BA model basically saved Ford AU from extinction for one.

That said though.. I do thing the AU has its deserved place in history (good and bad) and, no matter what happens, it will never be forgotten. An book on the history of the Falcon will always have a lot more on the AU in proportion to its sales an timeline than most other Falcons. Right or wrong the AU is a piece of Ford Australias history that (as much as it try) will never be erased.

[GK]

Originally Posted by Casper

I only bash when provoked. I see none so I am not going to bash the BA.

Perhaps I should have said

"BA owners who bag AU's!" LOL!

GK