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Also called Ford FairmontNissan Ute Production Related | ||
The Ford Falcon (XF) is a full-size car that was produced by Ford Australia from 1984 to 1988. It was the third and final iteration of the fourth generation of this Australian-made model and also included the Ford Fairmont (XF)—the luxury-oriented version of the Falcon. Between 1993 and 1999, this series provided the platform for the Falcon utility (XG and XH) that was sold alongside the fifth generation.
Contents
Overview
The XF sedan and wagon range was sold between October 1984 and February 1988, with the utility and panel vans running through to March 1993.
The ride and handling were described as competent, but the non-powered steering was heavy at low speeds with an overly strong castor action after performing a manoeuvre such as a U-turn. Engines were modified to run on unleaded fuel from January 1986. The XF series remains Ford's best-selling Falcon model ever built by Ford Australia with 278,101 built.
Powertrains
XF models were available with a choice of 3.3 or 4.1-litre engine six-cylinder engines. The 4.1-litre unit was standard on Fairmont models.
Transmissions available were four- or five-speed manual floor shift, or the much more popular three-speed automatic with the selector lever located either on the floor or the column in cars that seat six. In three-seat utilities and vans, the three-speed manual on the column was standard.
Specification levels
An optional "S" pack was available on some models, featuring body stripes, fog lamps, styled wheels, Falcon "S" badging, steering rack adjustment, driver's lumbar support, driver's seat tilt and footrest and sports instrument cluster.
Ford produced some limited edition value-packaged vehicles during the XF-series, including the Falcon Silver Edition sedan of 1985 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Ford Falcon in Australia. There was also the six-seater GL-based Falcon Family Edition sedan and wagon of 1986. These limited edition vehicles featured unique versions of two-tone "style-tone" paintwork.
Nissan Ute
The Nissan Ute was a badge engineered version of the XF Falcon utility sold by Nissan in Australia from August 1988 to 1991. Nissan Utes were sold as a result of a model-sharing scheme known as the Button car plan. In an attempt to rationalise the Australian automotive industry, the Button plan induced car manufacturers to share core platforms. For this particular vehicle, XF series Ford utility vehicles were rebadged as "Nissan".
Nissan did not offer the various equipment levels of the Ford donor vehicle, instead offering only two basic trims (DX and ST) without the option of an "S" pack. The plan was generally considered a "disaster" by the industry as the car buying public steered clear of the badge engineered vehicles. Furthermore, spare parts could often only be purchased from the original vehicle maker—as was the case with the Nissan Ute. The model code was "XFN".
Motorsport
Due to the lack of a V8 Engine, the XF Falcon was not suitable for involvement in the Australian Touring Car Championship, with most Ford supporting drivers and/or teams electing to race the Ford Mustang or Ford Sierra RS Cosworth under the new Group A regulations.
The XF Falcon, however, was raced in the AUSCAR series, with Jim Richards winning the first AUSCAR series in a XF Falcon. XF AUSCAR's were fitted with 5.8 L 351 Cleveland V8's (subsequent Falcon models in AUSCAR racing would use the 5.0 L 302 cui V8), and had an aero kit designed by Ford Australia designer Wayne Draper.