2015 Ford Falcon teased

One of the biggest new car launches of 2014 is undoubtedly the last ever Ford Falcon, which has been teased by the blue oval on its Facebook page.

As the first official image of the Falcon, it shows a small slice of the front headlight assembly and surrounds, revealing what appears to be a sleeker, more contemporary design than previously.

The main projector beam headlight array sits above an LED strip, and the hint of grille work and bonnet lines that lead to it suggest we could be looking at a vehicle with strong visual ties to the new Ford Mondeo.

Expected to be dubbed the FH Falcon, the new model was recently spied in country Victoria with camouflage to hide the new front and rear end styling.

Arriving in November 2014, details of the last ever Ford Falcon will be drip-fed in the lead up to its arrival, which may increase anticipation of the new model, but won't help current sales which have slumped to new lows in the first half of 2014.

In the sixth months to the end of June, Falcon sedan sales have dropped by almost 30%, from 5070 vehicles this time last year, to 3562 thus far in 2014.

That comes on the back of annual sales retractions in line with customers desire to downsize to smaller vehicles or choose SUVs, with Falcon sales dropping 24% in 2013, 25% in 2012 and 36% in 2011.

The last Falcon, which will take more than half a century of history with it to the gleaming garage in the sky, is expected to boost sales somewhat as nostalgia and collectability draw in more customers, and particularly for the XR8, which will be resurrected for a last hurrah, alongside naturally-aspirated six and forced-induction four- and six-cylinder models. The XR8 will get the same 335kW/570Nm blown 5.0-litre V8 as FPV's GT, which is being phased out before the new Falcon arrives in November.

Once the Falcon is no more, with local manufacturing due to cease in October 2016, Ford's V8 duties will be left to the incoming sixth-generation Mustang, which launches here in the second half of 2015.