XK Falcon 1960-62

Ford’s plan to take on the successful Holden relied on the Zephyr. But when Ford Australia bosses went to see it in the US, the styling didn’t appeal to them; so instead they were shown the mock-up of the Falcon intended for the American market. The Falcon was newer, better looking, lighter and would cost less to build, so Zephyr was scrapped.

The styling was fresh and new, with cleaner, lower, wider lines proving very popular. Rival FB Holden began to look heavy and out-dated. The Falcon’s engine was a 144 cubic inch 90bhp 6 cylinder, together with a 3 speed column shift manual or 2 speed Fordomatic.Two months later the station wagon was added. It was hailed as a market leader in design and styling. The ute and panel van completed the range in May 1961.Despite having 90% Australian content, the XK was an American car, being extensively tested in the US. It was assumed that because the new Falcon had no problems in the US, it would have no problems here. The suspension was designed for smooth, wide freeways across the US, giving city driving Australians a sense of handling never before experienced in an Australian built car. But outside the city, the front suspension balljoints couldn’t cope with the country roads, and the suspension nearly came up through the bottom.The 6 x 13 inch tyres weren’t big enough and the engine capacity proved too small for an Australian family car. The steering was light and indirect, the clutch had problems and to top it all off, there were poor finish and durability concerns.Ford Australia was promised a test track. And a year later, a more powerful 170 Pursuit engine was released as an option. Taxi and fleet owners were attracted to the new engine.