The Ford Falcon GT is an automobile which was produced by Ford Australia from 1967 to 1976 and 2003 to the present day with intermittent limited edition anniversary models offered in between. Since 2003 the car has been marketed as the FPV GT but FPV continue to release anniversary editions based on the original 1967 model. The Falcon GT is inextricably linked with the history of Australian muscle car production and with the evolution of Australian domestic motor racing.
The GT was introduced as a performance variant of the Australian Ford Falcon XR series in 1967. GT variants were also offered in: 1968 XT, 1969 XW, 1971 XY, 1972 XA, 1973 XB models. HO (Handling Options) variants released with XW and XY model ranges, further modified for performance and were essentially homologation specials for motor racing. A XA version of the HO was abandoned in the early stage of development due to public pressure in 1972 after an infamous newspaper campaign.
After a rest of sixteen years the GT badge was revived for a 25th anniversary edition of the 1992 EB series Falcon with a 30th anniversary version offered in 1997 on the EL Falcon. From 2003 the GT badge was inherited by Ford Australia's performance tuning arm, Ford Performance Vehicles and the FPV GT has been offered continuously since 2003 on the BA, BF (2006) and FG (2008) model ranges.
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The 1967 XR series was a major shift in the evolution of the Falcon, then still being adapted from its American counterpart for Australian release. The car was noticeably larger comapred to the XP model range. For the first time Ford Australia offered a V8 engine on the range, the 289-cubic-inch engine then in use on the Ford Mustang. As part of the introduction a new high performance version, the GT was introduced, based around the success of GT versions of the Ford Cortina. The GT Falcon would be marketed in exactly the same way as the GT Cortinas with the competition arm of Ford Australia preparing production racing cars to race at the Bathurst 500. The factory racing team, led by veteran driver/engineer Harry Firth entered two cars, one for himself and Fred Gibson and the other for the Geoghegan brothers, Ian and Leo. After a day long battle against three Alfa Romeos at Bathurst in 1967, the team emerged with a 1–2 team victory which captured the public imagination and sales figures soared. The move forced General Motors-Holden's and Chrysler Australia to respond with their own performance editions of their large sedan in 1968 when neither had such vehicles planned, beginning the era of the Australian muscle car.
Over the next five years each of the three manufacturers produced faster and faster variants. Engine capacity increased, first to 302 cubic inches displaced, then finally 351 c.i.d. Ford introduced the HO (handling options) package in the 1969 XW model range, essentially producing road registerable racing cars for the leading production touring car teams to exploit. these homolgation specials reached their zenith with the Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III in 1971, a car which Allan Moffat used to smash all opposition in the 1971 Bathurst enduro and would remain the fastest four-door production saloon in the world until the introduction of the Lotus Carlton 19 years later.
A fear campaign against the homolgation specials started with headlines of "160 MPH Street Cars soon!" led to Ford dropping production with the planned Falcon GT HO Phase IV.[1] For their own part, touring car racing regulations were altered, creating the 1973 Group C regulations, which allowed production cars to be modified for racing independently of the road going cars, reducing pressure on manufacturers to put racing modifications into the road cars.
A Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III was the most expensive Australian vehicle sold at auction selling for $A750.000.[2] A previous sale had been for $A683,650.[3]
In 1971 a Phase III won the Bathurst 500 driven by Allan Moffat.
| Based on Falcon model | Years | Engine | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| XR | 1967[4]-68[5] | 289 cu in (4.7 L) Windsor V8 – 225 bhp (168 kW), sourced from the Ford Mustang[6] | All but thirteen XR GTs were painted in the colour 'GT Gold', eight were "Gallaher Silver" and five were "Russet Bronze, Sultan Maroon, Polar White, Avis White and Ivy Green". The non-gold GTs, while having the same specifications, are the rarest of the early Australian muscle cars. |
| XT | 1968–69 | 302 cu in (4.9 L) V8 – 239 bhp (178 kW)[7] | |
| XW | 1969–70 | 351 cu in (5.8 L) Cleveland and Windsor V8[8] – 290 bhp (220 kW) and 385 lb·ft (522 N·m) The XW GT HO – 300 bhp (220 kW) |
2,287 XW Falcon GTs and 662 XW GTHOs were built.[9] The limited production, high performance Falcon GTHO was released two months after the mainstream models. A further development, the GTHO Phase II was released in August 1970.[10] |
| XY (see XY GT) | 1970–72 | 351 cu in (5.8 L) Cleveland V8[11] 300 bhp (220 kW) with the XY GT HO Phase III having 380 bhp (280 kW) | Variant: Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III |
| XA | 1972–73 | 351 cu in (5.8 L) Cleveland V8, 224 kW (300 hp) @ 5400rpm 515 N·m (380 lb·ft) @ 3400rpm[12] | Both 2 and 4 door versions Production of GTHO Phase IV commenced in mid-June 1972, four vehicles were built when production was stopped due to a "Supercar Scare".[1] Three were built as race cars for the Bathurst 500 in October, and one made it off the production line for sale to the public.[13] |
| XB | 1973–76 | 351 cu in (5.8 L) Cleveland V8, 224 kW (300 hp) @ 5400rpm 515 N·m (380 lb·ft) @ 3400rpm[14] | Both 2 and 4 door versions |
There were no XC—EA GT vehicles produced.
Tickford produced the following models
| Based on Falcon model | Years | Engine | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB II | 1992[15] | Tickford engineered Windsor 302 cu in (4.95 L) 5.0 V8, sequentially injected OHV, two valves per cylinder 200 kW (270 hp) @ 5700rpm & 420 N·m (310 lb·ft) @ 3700rpm |
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first original Falcon GT Ford re-introduced the Falcon GT with 250[15] or 300[16] units |
| EL | 1997[17] | Tickford engineered Windsor 302 cu in (4.95 L) 5.0 V8 | The 30th anniversary GT was based loosely on the Fairmont Ghia rather than the XR models, with 272 built[15] |
Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) jointly owned by Ford Australia and Prodrive produce the FPV GT, currently with three variants, the GT, the GT-P (a higher-specification version of the regular GT) and the GT-E (more focused on luxury rather than performance).
FPV have produced the following GT models
| Based on Falcon model | Years | Engine | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA | 2003–2005 | 5.4 L (330 cu in) Boss 290 V8 producing 290 kW (390 hp) at 5500 rpm 520 N·m (380 lb·ft) of torque at 4500 rpm | GT and GT-P variants, 2004 BA MkII update |
| BF | 2005–2007 | 5.4 L (330 cu in) Boss 290 V8 4-valve DOHC, 389 hp (290 kW) and 384 lbft (521 Nm) GT Cobra motor produced 405 hp (302 kW) and 398 lbft (540 Nm) |
GT and GT-P, 2006 BF MkII update GT and GT-P A trio of limited-editions released in 2007 included the GT 40th Anniversary[18] and the GT Cobra.[19] |
| FG | 2008 on | 5.4 L (330 cu in) Boss 315 V8 producing 315 kW (428 PS; 422 hp) at 6,500 rpm and 551 N·m (406 lb·ft) of torque at 4,750 rpm. From October 2010 |
GT, GT-P and the GT-E variants |
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