Ford Falcon (XF)
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | January 1, 1925 in Australia |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Automobiles |
Ford Falcon (XF) is a full-size automobile manufactured by Ford Australia between 1984 and 1988, while the utility and panel van versions remained in production until March 1993. This model marks the third version within the fourth generation of the Falcon lineup and also includes the luxury-focused Ford Fairmont (XF) variant.
Overview
The XF sedan and wagon were available on the market from October 1984 through February 1988.
Originally, Ford Australia intended to cease production of the full-sized, rear-wheel drive Falcon following the 1982 XE model. Their plan was to replace it with a smaller, front-wheel drive vehicle based on the Mazda Capella platform, known as Project Capricorn. However, due to robust sales of the XD Falcon competing well against rivals such as the Holden Commodore, CEO Bill Dix decided in 1981 to abandon this initiative. Instead, Ford pursued development of the EA Falcon series—a new generation of full-size rear-wheel drive vehicles. The XF Falcon was introduced as a temporary facelift of the XE until the EA model was ready for release.
The XF Falcon sustained its position as a sales leader, becoming Ford Australia's highest-selling Falcon with a total output of 278,101 units. Production continued longer for utility and panel van variants because Ford postponed creating an EA-based successor for these commercial models. Between 1993 and 1999, the XF platform underpinned utility variants (XG and XH), which were sold concurrently with fifth-generation sedans and wagons.
Powertrains
XF variants came equipped with either 3.3 or 4.1-litre six-cylinder engines; the 4.1-litre engine was standard on Fairmont models and those fitted with the S-Pack. Power and torque figures for carburetted engines remained largely unchanged from the preceding XE series, emphasizing improved fuel efficiency and drivability. The 3.3-litre engine delivered and , whereas the 4.1-litre engine saw a slight power reduction from , but torque increased from .
An optional 4.1-litre EFI engine transitioned from Bosch Jetronic LE to Ford’s EEC IV electronic fuel injection system, enhancing output from to in power and from to in torque. An XF Falcon S-Pack equipped with EFI and a four-speed manual transmission accelerated from 0- in 9.3 seconds and reached a top speed of , closely paralleling the performance of a 1982 XE Fairmont Ghia ESP powered by a 5.8-litre V8.
Starting January 1, 1986, compliance with Australian Design Rule 37 required vehicles to run on unleaded petrol, leading Ford to install catalytic converters and modify engines for compatibility with regular unleaded fuel. This change slightly reduced power for carburetted engines: the 3.3-litre output dropped to , while torque fell to ; similarly, the carburetted 4.1-litre engine's power decreased to , though torque increased slightly to . Conversely, power for the EFI-equipped 4.1-litre engine rose marginally to , while torque decreased to .
Transmission choices included a three-speed column-shift manual, four- or five-speed manual floor-shift options, and a widely favored three-speed automatic with either floor or column selector for six-seat configurations. Three-seat utility models and panel vans were fitted standard with a three-speed manual column shift.
In October 1986, availability of the five-speed manual transmission expanded beyond the 3.3-litre engine to include both carburetted and fuel-injected versions of the 4.1-litre engine. The Falcon GL sedan equipped with a 4.1-litre engine paired with a five-speed manual achieved fuel consumption ratings of city and highway respectively.
Specification Variants
- Falcon (available as utility and panel van)
- Falcon GL (offered in utility, panel van, sedan, and wagon forms)
- Falcon GLS Ute (utility variant)
- Fairmont (sedan and wagon configurations)
- Fairmont Ghia (sedan and wagon): this upscale Ghia model came equipped with either a 4.1-litre fuel-injected or carbureted inline six-cylinder engine, complemented by a trip computer monitoring fuel usage and driving duration. It featured a BW40 three-speed automatic transmission paired with a 2.77 or 2.92 LSD and four-wheel disc brakes. The Ghia wagon variant was introduced in October 1986.
The vehicle’s ride and handling were generally proficient; however, the absence of power steering made low-speed maneuvering cumbersome, with pronounced caster effect following sharp turns such as U-turns. Power steering was offered as an option on higher-end trims but occasionally felt overly sensitive.
An optional "S" package enhanced the vehicle's appearance and comfort by adding body striping, fog lights, styled wheels, Falcon "S" emblems, adjustable steering rake, lumbar support for the driver, seat tilt function, footrest, and a sporty instrument cluster.
During the XF series production, Ford launched limited-edition value packages. Notably, the 1985 Falcon Silver Edition sedan celebrated 25 years of Falcon presence in Australia. Additionally, in 1986, the six-seat GL-based Falcon Family Edition was available as both sedan and wagon models, distinguished by exclusive two-tone "style-tone" paint finishes.
Nissan Ute
The Nissan Ute represented a badge-engineered iteration of the XF Falcon utility marketed by Nissan in Australia from July 1988 until September 1992. This collaboration stemmed from the Button car plan, a government strategy aimed at streamlining the Australian automotive industry through platform sharing among manufacturers. As part of this initiative, the XF series Ford utility was rebadged and sold under Nissan’s nameplate.
Nissan provided only two trim levels—DX and ST—excluding the "S" package option found on the original Ford versions. The Button plan ultimately proved commercially unsuccessful because consumers largely rejected badge-engineered models. This was exacerbated by spare parts being predominantly accessible through the original manufacturer’s channels. The model designation assigned to this vehicle was "XFN."
Motorsport
Due to its lack of a V8 engine, the XF Falcon was deemed unsuitable for competition in the Australian Touring Car Championship. Consequently, Ford-supported racing teams opted to campaign vehicles such as the Ford Mustang or Ford Sierra RS Cosworth under Group A regulations.
Nonetheless, the XF Falcon found success in the AUSCAR racing series. Jim Richards secured the inaugural AUSCAR championship driving an XF Falcon fitted with a 5.8 L 351 Cleveland V8 engine and aerodynamic enhancements developed by Ford Australia’s Wayne Draper. Subsequent Falcon AUSCAR entries switched to 5.0 L 302 Windsor V8 powerplants.