1990s Ford edge styling

[Syndrome]

Never a fan. And the AU was one of the worst examples where they used the European Ford edge styling on the American Ford blob styling.

Exhibit A - Ka

[jstanovic]

Yep, they took a chance on going a different look but buyers didn't agree.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by jstanovic

Yep, they took a chance on going a different look but buyers didn't agree.

For the AU Falcon, most certainly. But New Edge was incredibly successful on the European Ford's.

The 1st Gen Focus was a knockout success, most of that from the fresh, modern styling. That is drove so well was merely a side benefit for most buyers.





The KA! was never intended for this market, but it sold incredably well for Ford across Europe. The Puma coupe that morphed from the KA! was also highly desirable.





The second generation Mondeo looked fantastic, not quite as overt as the Focus and KA!, but the sharp angles and handsome presentation was well received. The Cougar coupe was not popular but was also well resolved stylistically.





The AU Falcon was a massive case of mixed messaging. Ford Australia were under immense pressure at the time because Ford head office wanted Ford Aus to simply roll over and start making the Taurus instead of a unique Australia-only model. In the end, Ford Aus had to play along to get their way by adopting a New Edge styling, which Ford Aus then for whatever reason blended with the blobby Taurus-like American styling cues.

I personally think New Edge in its truest form (think Focus and KA!) was never going to work on the Falcon, it was simply too big to carry off the sharp lines intersected with curves. Actually, if you look at the second-gen Mondeo, you will see that they largely ignored the second part of that, as in they used straight lines rather than carrying the curved lines of the lights and bumpers into the actual body panels. It's kind of what Ford did to create the BA, straightening out the tapering curvature to create a more formal look.





The reality is, and many might not realise this, but the Australian car buyer is hugely conservative when it comes to styling.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

For the AU Falcon, most certainly. But New Edge was incredibly successful on the European Ford's.

The 1st Gen Focus was a knockout success, most of that from the fresh, modern styling. That is drove so well was merely a side benefit for most buyers.

image

image

The KA! was never intended for this market, but it sold incredably well for Ford across Europe. The Puma coupe that morphed from the KA! was also highly desirable.

image

image

The second generation Mondeo looked fantastic, not quite as overt as the Focus and KA!, but the sharp angles and handsome presentation was well received. The Cougar coupe was not popular but was also well resolved stylistically.

image

image

The AU Falcon was a massive case of mixed messaging. Ford Australia were under immense pressure at the time because Ford head office wanted Ford Aus to simply roll over and start making the Taurus instead of a unique Australia-only model. In the end, Ford Aus had to play along to get their way by adopting a New Edge styling, which Ford Aus then for whatever reason blended with the blobby Taurus-like American styling cues.

I personally think New Edge in its truest form (think Focus and KA!) was never going to work on the Falcon, it was simply too big to carry off the sharp lines intersected with curves. Actually, if you look at the second-gen Mondeo, you will see that they largely ignored the second part of that, as in they used straight lines rather than carrying the curved lines of the lights and bumpers into the actual body panels. It's kind of what Ford did to create the BA, straightening out the tapering curvature to create a more formal look.

image

image

The reality is, and many might not realise this, but the Australian car buyer is hugely conservative when it comes to styling.

Ah, I thought that model was the 3rd Gen, didn’t realise the first was the same vehicle.
Looks especially good in ST form. 170kw V6 and 6spd manual.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by smoo

Ah, I thought that model was the 3rd Gen, didn’t realise the first was the same vehicle.
Looks especially good in ST form. 170kw V6 and 6spd manual.

image

[XR Martin]

AU styling was ahead of its time, and had to be cheapened/dumbed down for a fleet/family sedan.
The AU drawings looked like what Mercedes made into the CLS and what Hyundai made into the Ionic 6.

[naddis01]

Originally Posted by XR Martin

AU styling was ahead of its time, and had to be cheapened/dumbed down for a fleet/family sedan.
The AU drawings looked like what Mercedes made into the CLS and what Hyundai made into the Ionic 6.

It must have been that far ahead of it's time that it's time still hasn't come because they are still ugly.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by naddis01

It must have been that far ahead of it's time that it's time still hasn't come because they are still ugly.

Hard pass when you look at most the modern shit on the road these days with no design flow or consistent lines and styling themes.
Just look at modern Jap and Korean models to get an idea. The design is all over the show.
AU, the first Focus, 3rd Gen Mondeo have aged far better than their competitors, more so the higher models ST170, ST220, Fairmont Ghia.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Never a fan. And the AU was one of the worst examples where they used the European Ford edge styling on the American Ford blob styling.

Exhibit A - Ka

The obsession with ovals everywhere kills me, the AU Falcon dash is a bit halal, its more palatable in the high series cars like the AU Fairlane.

The absolutely ancient engine they chose for the Ford KA is hilarious too,

Originally Posted by naddis01

It must have been that far ahead of it's time that it's time still hasn't come because they are still ugly.

We were all living in 1998 and Ford Australia was living in 2998, or taking a healthy dose of shrooms.

[portokatsiki]

It was only the media and ford marketing that crusified the AU. By far the best falcon produced , and have owned and still own every falcon fron XC to BF. Beauty is in tne eyes of the beholder.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by portokatsiki

It was only the media and ford marketing that crusified the AU. By far the best falcon produced , and have owned and still own every falcon fron XC to BF. Beauty is in tne eyes of the beholder.

Build quality was good on AU and that probably won over a lot of unsure buyers

At the time, the biggest outcry was more about the waterfall grille on the Forté but when
that was replaced by the egg crate fill panel, it seemed like all the complaining stopped.
I didn’t have any problem with the XR front, it looked great an once the lower series grille
was calmed down, they too were fine.

Anyway, Fairmont Ghia was good enough to see off Taurus Ghia, whic never stood a chance
Truth to tell Taurus proabaly gave buyers perspective, the AU look much better on the eye,
Ford US probably looked to Falcon style as seeing how to correct the football Taurus.