FG Falcon: The Last of the original Australian family cars

Opinion

Holden's Coupe 60 might be stealing the limelight as it marks 60 years since the first Holden but it's the new FG Falcon that has stayed faithful to what Australians expect in a large family car.

The fact that the formula has survived in such a pure form until 2008 and Ford has brought it bang up to date beyond expectations, even at the most affordable levels, is worth celebrating.

There are several fundamental reasons why this new FG Falcon (more details here) is a milestone and why it is very different in profile and what it does compared to the VE Commodore.

The FG Falcon is definitely the last large Australian car that will have an inline six cylinder engine as defined by the first Holden exactly 60 years ago this November.

Because the latest Falcon engine is also one of the biggest and torquiest inline sixes ever built, with twin overhead camshafts and the latest multi-valve heads, it has more in common with Jaguar's legendary six-cylinder racing engine. The E-Type Jaguar provides a graphic example of how much bonnet length was required to make an engine compartment covering an engine this high look sleek.

The VE Commodore now has GM's corporate V6 engines under the bonnet. These were designed as short, compact engines for front drive models and can't offer the big torque at low revs needed in a hard-working Aussie car, especially at base level. Yet their low height allows Holden to start with a much lower scuttle height for a tapered nose that generates very little front overhang, hence the VE's profile is different from Commodores or Falcons before it.

Because Holden's V8 option was designed to go under the low, sleek bonnet of the Corvette sports car, it can live in the same space.

Ford's tall and torquey engines, which are specifically designed for the Falcon and Australian requirements, dictate a high scuttle and dash line. Although this is a small price to pay for their easy going torque and fuel economy, they need extra bonnet height which, in turn, requires extra length and therefore extra front overhang for today's low profile nose styling.

Remember when Holden had to add an extra front section to the VL Commodore so it could taper the Commodore bonnet height down while still housing the powerful but tall in-line Nissan six? Ford designers faced an identical challenge with the FG so it could preserve the engine refinement and strong launch feel that have since made the VL Commodore a legend.

The FG Falcon's footprint is still remarkably close to what was laid down by the 1966 XR Falcon and the 1968 Holden HK Kingswood -- and subsequently adopted by Chrysler for its first all-Australian VH Valiant in 1971. All of these models were later stretched for long wheelbase prestige derivatives.

The VE Commodore was the first full-size Australian car to make a break from this tradition, coming to market on a shortened version of the long wheelbase platform that underpins the export model Australians know as the Statesman/Caprice. Although this has left the base VE Commodore with a wheelbase almost as long as the previous Statesman, most of it is ahead of the front doors.

For the first time, Holden's and Ford's large Australian cars have a very different footprint yet Ford has optimised FG cabin space so that it beats the longer wheelbase Commodore in most areas.

And that's why the FG Falcon will feel and drive more like a traditional Australian car with a more relaxed feel than today's Commodore. The relaxed and frugal easy-going inline six of the first Holden was legendary but it is not Holden that has kept this formula alive -- unless you specify the optional V8.

The FG Falcon appears to have lifted these qualities to a new standard -- even at base level -- with a new five speed automatic and a six speed manual.

The earliest Holdens and Falcons were designed as an every man's and every woman's car, something Ford has attempted to revive with extra vision and user friendliness in the FG Falcon, as well as a class-leading turning circle and fold-down rear seat.

If you have been waiting for the right moment to sample your first or last authentic Australian large car -- one with the last locally-designed inline six-cylinder engine, along with 21st century refinement and safety levels, spacious accommodation and a ride developed for Australian roads -- Ford has given all Australians two years in which to do it.

The FG Falcon may not be politically correct in some circles, nor is it a sustainable option for an oil-free future. Yet it is still one of the safest and most efficient ways of covering everything Australia can throw at a car while filled with passengers and luggage.

With so many Australians now affluent enough to combine FG Falcon ownership with a greener city car, its size and carbon footprint are not the issues they were even a decade ago.

After 2010, the Aussie Falcon, like the Commodore, will feature a corporate V6 engine that will no doubt do the job. But it won't quite be the real Aussie deal. If that matters, think of it as Ford and the new FG Falcon calling for last drinks at two minutes before 10.00pm. 

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