The Falcon as a Chrysler model ..

[OzJavelin]

Re: http://www.falconregistry.com/history/name.php

Both Ford and the Chrysler Corporation, unknown to each other, chose the name Falcon for their new small cars. But because Ford reserved the name with an industry registry only twenty minutes ahead of Chrysler, it won the right to the name.

I knew there was some cross-over with the naming concept, but after all these years I never realised that was this close?

[blackf6]

So they were valiant in defeat.

[snowcone]

The report says that Ford were unaware that Chrysler had enquired about registering the name.
Unaware my @rse
The big 3 new what everyone else was up to all the time.
They all had spies in every plant in those days, and probably today too!

[335JET]

something similar happened with Mustang too, Ford just got it.

[malazn mafia]

Falcon was originally a Small Car?

[MethodX]

Compared to the land yachts of the times it was small, a compact.

[Kieron]

That's one of the stories surrounding the Falcon name plate.

There was in fact a Chrysler Falcon (designed by Ghia) concept car in the mid 50's, sort of like a Thunderbird. The second story was Chrysler came down to two names for its new compact car, Falcon and Valiant. Henry the Deuce liked the Falcon name, called the Chrysler chief and asked if he could use it, the Mopar guy preferred Valiant and let Henry have it.

Some interesting reading on this site if you want to know the beginning of many early cars, here's the Falcon story for starters -
http://ateupwithmotor.com/model-hist...alcon-history/

Look for the mustang story on there to get an insight into the name.

Re size, A quick summary of Detroit car sizes is in the 50's, all of them basically had one platform with a few different wheelbases, a recession in the mid to late 50's plus smaller imports got the big 3 looking at downsizing hence the Falcon, Valiant and Corvair.