Ford Australia introduced the first Falcon XK in 1960, and when compared to Holden’s FB model, it was a massive leap forward in styling and design. Ford needed to respond, so after a fact-finding tour to Detroit in 1958, the decision was taken to manufacture the new Falcon locally. General Motors had received financial support from the Federal Government and had established Holden as their Australian arm to develop, manufacture, and sell cars that were soon dubbed as “Australia’s Own.” With no duties to pay, Holden found itself in the enviable position in the late 1950s, where they commanded more than 50% of the total new car sales in the country with a single model, albeit in sedan, station wagon, and pickup (ute) forms. Also, none of them were particularly cheap for the Australian subsidiary to buy from their suppliers, which compounded the problem. The issue here was that Australia was operating under a “protectionist” economic model at that point, and even in CKD form, these cars attracted heavy import duties. Their range-topping models like the Fairlane and Customline were also imported as CKD kits but were sourced from Ford of Canada. The company’s offerings were largely derived from British models like the Zephyr and Consul, imported in CKD form and assembled locally. The owner has set a BIN of A$45,000 for this Australian classic.Īs the 1950s progressed, Ford Australia found itself in an unsustainable position. It is located in Tullamarine, Victoria, Australia, and has recently been listed for sale here on eBay. It is also a rarity because it is 1-of-4 Futuras known to wear Raven Black paint when it rolled off the Broadmeadows production line. This 1963 Falcon XL is the range-topping Futura model, and it is in excellent condition.
The car evolved from its humble beginnings in 1960, and it remained the backbone of the company’s model line-up until local production ended in 2016.
The Falcon holds a place dear in the hearts of Australian blue-oval enthusiasts.
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