June 28^th, 2000

Happy 40th,  Falcon

SIX generations of Falcons gathered at Ford’s Broadmeadows headquarters today, to mark the 40^th anniversary of the legendary Aussie family car.

On June 28, 1960, the first XK Falcon rolled off the production line at Broadmeadows, launching the longest continuous model line in Australian motoring history.

Since then, Australians have bought more than 2.7 million Falcons.

Ford Australia President Geoff Polites told a special birthday celebration at the Broadmeadows Plant that the Falcon had a unique place in Australia’s social history.

"Over the years, the Falcon has established itself as a brand name synonymous with Australian innovation in design and engineering," he said.

"In a lot of ways, the car has reflected Australian culture and fashion over the past four decades.

"In the sixties, the Falcon was all chrome and white wall tyres, while in the seventies we had burnt orange soft top Falcon coupes to go with our flares and platform shoes. I think the present AUII Falcon reflects Australia’s growing sophistication as we head into a new millennium," Mr Polites said.

Mr Polites said most Australians had a special memory of a Falcon.

"It might have been watching Moffat or Johnson thunder down Conrod Straight on the way to a Bathurst win, or flagging down a Falcon taxi in the pouring rain after a big night out," he said.

The Falcon has been part of Australian life longer than colour television, decimal currency, maternity leave, the jumbo jet, the pill, Four Corners and the Opera House.

During its lifetime, the Falcon has seen ten prime ministers, four popes, nine Olympic Games and two national anthems.

The decision to build the Falcon in Australia was made as Australia prepared to host the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.

"It is appropriate that as the Olympics returns to Australia, we have just been given approval for a new Falcon, that will ensure local production until at least 2006," Mr Polites said.

He said the Falcon remained the only car wholly designed and manufactured in Australia.

"The Ford design centre in Broadmeadows is the only place in Australia where you can look over the shoulder of a designer as he or she pens the very first strokes of a sketch that will eventually become a totally unique car.

"We are equally proud of the fact that the Falcon has the highest local content of any vehicle sold in Australia today," he said.

The AU Falcon is the 20^th model designation for the Falcon. If all the Falcons built were lined up bumper to bumper, the line would stretch from Melbourne to Los Angeles.

It is estimated that the Falcon has driven more than 400 billion kilometres during its lifespan.

Mr Polites said the Falcon had a number of uniquely Australian qualities.