In Retrospect.........

[robbo/region15]

Interesting reading,from the late 90's.

Found this so would like to share it ,if it hasnt already been posted a Zilllion times? Apologies if it has!

http://falconfacts.xfalcon.com/falcon/aufalcon.html

[Bossxr8]

Switching to FWD would be corporate suicide.

Still rings true today.

[robbo/region15]

" and when it was released, the Forte sedan was $29990 with standard automatic and air conditioning "

Hmmm.....Was that expensive back then??

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by robbo/region15

" and when it was released, the Forte sedan was $29990 with standard automatic and air conditioning "

Hmmm.....Was that expensive back then??

That was apparently one of its problems. The AU was considered "too" cheap & it backfired with people thinking it was nasty as well.

Definitely a car ahead of its time. In practically every way.

[Franco Cozzo]

You know, everyone regardless of manufacturer preference goes on and on and on and on about this:



But we had this in at work the last few days:

http://cdn0.caradvice.com.au/wp-cont...age44256_b.jpg

and well, this thing has to take the cake for having a face not even a mother could love, unanimously its looks are hated amongst all our staff, regardless of Bogan/Ricer brands we support.

You would think every manufacturer out there would study the case of the AU Falcon if they where to sell in our market.

[Silver Ghia]

Still think the AU1 Fairmont front is a timeless design, looked great in the Sparkling Burgundy colour like mine was, and when I see one today I still think it looks great with the standout chrome at the top. Not so much the AU1 Forte however. And pity about the rear end, although people would have thought differently if it had the Merc badge in the middle, which came later.

The large reflectors in the headlights gave excellent lighting at night, plus the aerodynamic shape which gave excellent fuel economy on country trips. Plus the velour trim inside on my Fairmont. I thought it was a very good car actually.

[jpd80]

At the time there was actually a few 5.0 V8 FWD Taurus mules under test,
the Lincoln Continental of the time was also FWD 4.6 V8 with huge over hangs....

The real problem at Ford 2000 was that Ford wanted all the RWd divisions to use the expensive
Jaguar derived DEW platform which could not support Ford's new OHC V8 engines...

FoA flat out refused on costs, Panther was a big old Body on Frame and customers wouldn't accept a narrow gutted cr with expensive engines.

That left mustang which was forced to tear up the floor pand and use struts from Focus to get enough room for the Ford V8, very little of DEW survived..

That left Jaguar and Lincoln for DEW projects. DEW nearly sunk Lincoln on costs for the LS and the later Thunderbird was the last straw.

FoA rarely speak about DEW for a very good reason, it's the very opposite of Falcon platform...

[Bossxr8]

There was a V8 Taurus SHO, with a Yamaha built 3.4 litre V8, in the first gen Taurus.

[imugli]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

There was a V8 Taurus SHO, with a Yamaha built 3.4 litre V8, in the first gen Taurus.

First gen Taurus had Yamaha 3l V6 (and later a 3.2l). Jellybean Taurus had 3.4l V8 -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Taurus_SHO

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

There was a V8 Taurus SHO, with a Yamaha built 3.4 litre V8, in the first gen Taurus.

That was a 60 degree V8, gnarly but had severe problem with cam drives shearing and smashing all the valves into the pistons...


FWD Lincoln Continental had the 4.6 V8

[robbo/region15]

^ ^ ^ ^

Hooley Dooley!!!! Check them out!!
Well those Headlights should see you across the Nullarbor..............

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

You know, everyone regardless of manufacturer preference goes on and on and on and on about this:

image

But we had this in at work the last few days:

http://cdn0.caradvice.com.au/wp-cont...age44256_b.jpg

and well, this thing has to take the cake for having a face not even a mother could love, unanimously its looks are hated amongst all our staff, regardless of Bogan/Ricer brands we support.

I disagree.

I present for the defence, exhibit A:



Getting back to the AU, I was one of those people who hated it when it came out and thought it was fugly. Now I have bought a second hand AUII wagon and realise what a step backward FoA made when they went to the BA (in some aspects - not overall).

[JG34JA]

In retrospect...

Today, it's a smaller looking, surprisingly contemporary, still economical Falcon. In fact it'd come close to some of the FG/VE consumption figures. (From memory an AU1 Forte with 5sp manual would do in the 6's on the highway...)

I guess they planned the car with conflicting design inputs between FOA and Dearborn, but here in 2011 I'm glad they went adventurous: looks great to me today. I loved the curves in the design from new, nearly was able to buy a runout AUIII brand new. Highlights for me are the AU1 XR6VCT/XR8 with body kit, and the AU1 Fairmont Ghia and Fairlane Ghia - all before the company 'hardened up' the styling for S2 and S3. Also all the Fairmont wagons, and the curious 'XRS' packs on the wagon if you ever see them. To look at a later Mercedes 1st gen CLS, you know there were some wild lines in the AU that really have potential to look both different and inspiring. Personally, I like the way the FG 'tumbles away' at the corners in a similar manner.

I guess if you could find a cardinal sin in AU, it was that they crucially attempted to shift the market they were selling into by styling it smaller, more radically, and more friendly to women. It would be like Carlton United Breweries altering the taste of their #1 selling beer to something more like an alcopop to expand sales into a slightly different market.

What's done is done, despite all the vitriol, we ended up with a well built, frugal, rugged and reliable Falcon that could be spacious, economical, and in certain guises, very good to look at. It was the last upper spec Fairmont wagon as well - I can't believe it's been a decade since these were offered to the market...

[Brazen]

Funnily enough AU styling would work better today. It's tapered styling and high ground clearance made it look light and delicate on the road - it actually looked fuel efficent.

VEs and FGs look heavy the way they sit low to the ground and slab sided - they look like they use a lot of fuel.

I think the styling of modern family cars need to lighten up a bit or people will continue to think things like Foresters and CRVs are more efficent.

Had a AUII Fairmont for a decade, fantastic car.

[Werd.]

If they had launched with the AU2 then the AU would have sold sooo many more....
It's ridiculous how much difference the newer hubcaps, clear indicators, and grille made. AU1 fortes make me vomit.

[mik]

i reckon it was mostly the waterfall grille, , the fairmont version looked quit good imo.

[sudszy]

Originally Posted by mik

i reckon it was mostly the waterfall grille, , the fairmont version looked quit good imo.

The fairmont grille was fine, au fairmont good looking vehicle. Goodness knows why they didnt ditch the Falcon grill shortly into the piece(looks like a noddy car, I prefer functionality over looks but the au falcon was too much for me too) and either give it the fairmont grill or similar.

[blownv8au]

The first thing i did to my ute was throw on a series 2 bonnet and grill. They should have left the series 1 style bonnets with the xr's and everything else should have been fairmoot and series 2 style. First impressions count and the egg crate and waterfall grills were utter crap imo.

[imugli]

For mine the Series III XRs are still great looking cars. The SR wagons look great, too...

I agree that they were ahead of their time, and think they should have charged $140k like Mercedes did for their version :-)

[ltd]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

I disagree.

I present for the defence, exhibit A:

image

Getting back to the AU, I was one of those people who hated it when it came out and thought it was fugly. Now I have bought a second hand AUII wagon and realise what a step backward FoA made when they went to the BA (in some aspects - not overall).

Ahem. I see your Ssang Yong Musso, and raise you a Stavic

[imugli]

Originally Posted by ltd

Ahem. I see your Ssang Yong Musso, and raise you a Stavic

image

I was wondering how long it would be

[munners]

Originally Posted by imugli

I was wondering how long it would be

Same here!

Munners

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by ltd

Ahem. I see your Ssang Yong Musso, and raise you a Stavic

image

All of you are wrong, I raise everyone a Pontiac Aztek:

[Falcon SXR8]

I find it funny to me the au forte is the worst looking base model with its massive ride hight and 15 inch wheels but an au xr8 is my favorite looking ford model along with the TE and TS range can't comprehend how tickford pulled that off to this day lol.

Just my opinion though I love all fords

[Giant Cranium]

check out the little table in the third photo down!
id love one of them in my ute so i dont have to use the steering wheel as a table

[tranquilized]

I think it was the ride height that let the AU down more than any other single aspect.

A mate of mine bought an AU1 Forte brand new in 98, and had it lowered. It was the first low AU I'd seen, and whenever I drove it around I noticed people stopping in the street to take a look. It looked fantastic, plastic grille and all!



(sorry about the rubbish quality of the pic)

[mik]

Originally Posted by captain awesome

check out the little table in the third photo down!
id love one of them in my ute so i dont have to use the steering wheel as a table

the office kit, .......that`s pretty neat, i`d have one off those myself.

[XplodE]

Originally Posted by mik

i reckon it was mostly the waterfall grille, , the fairmont version looked quit good imo.

It wasn't just the grill on the Fairmont, it also had a different bonnet, the bonnet that then became the bonnet for all falcons except XR until the AU finished.

I loved the look of my AU xr6 (series 3 bumpers and skirts) and reckon that the au 3 looks far better then most ba/bf's that now drive around!

[Till_Lind]

Every year my harsh view of the AU design gets a little bit more accepting of that AU shape. But then I can't forgive the interior unfortunately.

O and agreed, that Mitsu is ugly.