2008 Orion Falcon - First Pictures

[#3 Tasman Bloke]

TBH, I'm going against the tide. I think the XR6 and the XR8 variants look okay and the rest dead set ugly.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Wait....So theres a G6 and a G6e?

WTF is going on there?!

Starting from the top:

XR6 looks chronically under-tyred/wheeled. Let us hope they have some optional big'uns.

The Cheese-Grater Grille on the Fairmont looks almost as bad as I feared. It Looks chintzy and nouveau riche. This sort of face works on a Lincoln but not something designed to be a little bit more High Brow and less Gangsta Rap.

Did they actually update the Hubcap design of the XT at all?

Overall the design has plusses and minuses. I Love the interior - the Steering wheel is modern and funky, the dash display is modern and functional, and the airvents look expensive. not easy to do on such a mass-produced car.

The Exterior looks somewhat gumby in areas. I think it has a huge Ass (Well, when they let you take photos of it, anyway). The Headlights are aggressive and sporty, which bodes well, but the Grille on the Fairmont G6 just looks.....ick. The XR6 looks pretty intimidating coming up from behind.

The Side suffers from what I call "Long car" - the overhangs are a little long (a carry over of the previous generation, perhaps) and the wheels look tiny in comparison to such a big body. Proportion is one of the things I love about the VE design, and the BG as they are calling it lacks that somewhat.

Overall It'll be interesting to see an Engine set up and Handling capability, because while more modern, it loses (in my mind, at least) on the styling front to the VE.

[SlickHolden]

I going to have to see it in the flesh like the VE.

I'lll be back later with some comments.

[motorsportnerd]

I took a look at the pictures I thought, ah... it looks just like a Falcon.
This car looks evolutionary. From a distance, most will mistake it for a BA/BF.
Its not a bad looking car. Its no more or less handsome than the current BF.

I also think dropping the Fairmont nameplate is a mistake. Current Fairmont Ghia drivers are not going to want to change to a "common" Falcon no matter how well equipped. No cache.

Other disappointments? Where's the standard curtain airbags on the XT? At one stage we were told that the FG would match the Aurion for standard safety features. The XT doesn't even match the cheaper Mondeo for standard safety features.

Also, I understand why they haven't bothered developing an all-new wagon. But perhaps they should drop the FG's engine upgrades and 5-speed auto into it? I guess they will when they can engineer the LPG variants to work with the 5-speed auto (why is it that they LPG Falcons can't use the 5-speed auto or the ZF 6-speed?).

I'm sure this car will drive well. The BF was only a little off the pace of the VE and Aurion. The BF is still on the pace for engine performance/drivetrain refinement (BF virtually matches Aurion if equipped with ZF and is better than VE with 4-speed auto) and for dynamics/ride (obviously behind VE). The BG only needs a stiffer body for better body control, slightly improved dynamics and improved quality/dashboard design and it will be at the top of the class.

However, it doesn't matter how well the FG drives. That doesn't sell cars. Design, image, reputation and quality sell cars. On the last point, the jury will remain out until we can see the cars in the flesh, but it looks promising. On those first three points the VE appears to have the FG beaten.

The next few months will be interesting. This car needs to sell, or the Falcon nameplate will join the Fairmont, Fairlane and LTD nameplates in the automotive graveyard. As a current Fairmont owner, I'm hoping the Falcon stays around.

[Ferrer]

Does anyone know how this new Falcon compares to the Mondeo in terms of size?

[IBrake4Rainbows]

It's bigger.

[clutch-monkey]

it'd be about equivalent in size to a BMW 5 series i'd say.. better looking though (not difficult)

[Kitdy]

it'd be about equivalent in size to a BMW 5 series i'd say.. better looking though (not difficult)

9,000th post.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

And it was reasonably concise, clear and informative.

What a waste

[SlickHolden]

Hey i did a post and now it's gone??.

[fpv_gtho]

Starting from the top:

XR6 looks chronically under-tyred/wheeled. Let us hope they have some optional big'uns.

Optional 19's should hopefully fix that.

The Cheese-Grater Grille on the Fairmont looks almost as bad as I feared. It Looks chintzy and nouveau riche. This sort of face works on a Lincoln but not something designed to be a little bit more High Brow and less Gangsta Rap.

Ford's media CGI images no doubt arent helping some of details. I cant recall from memory if i only posted the CGI images or if there were some real-life shots but hopefuly as more real photos circulate it might start looking better.

Did they actually update the Hubcap design of the XT at all?

Dont think so. They seem to be unashamedly targeting fleets with the car, to the point i think they wont want to buy something so obviously a fleet-hack.

Overall the design has plusses and minuses. I Love the interior - the Steering wheel is modern and funky, the dash display is modern and functional, and the airvents look expensive. not easy to do on such a mass-produced car.

The Exterior looks somewhat gumby in areas. I think it has a huge Ass (Well, when they let you take photos of it, anyway). The Headlights are aggressive and sporty, which bodes well, but the Grille on the Fairmont G6 just looks.....ick. The XR6 looks pretty intimidating coming up from behind.

The Side suffers from what I call "Long car" - the overhangs are a little long (a carry over of the previous generation, perhaps) and the wheels look tiny in comparison to such a big body. Proportion is one of the things I love about the VE design, and the BG as they are calling it lacks that somewhat.

The side profile is really lacking IMO. They sculpted the lower parts of the doors, but compared to the front and rear theres nothing really there to stand out. Maybe they couldve done something better with the hipline. Proportionally VE does look better, but IMO it lacks in some of the details.

Overall It'll be interesting to see an Engine set up and Handling capability, because while more modern, it loses (in my mind, at least) on the styling front to the VE.

Few more weeks/months before any of the media will be driving one, so it'll be a long wait until then.

[SlickHolden]

I like the rear look of the XR8, It does need twins but..
That has been my fav shot so far.

Now thats better.

[Blitz_]

Exactly, why no twins? Or quads? It will probably look better in the flesh, but whenever I see a GTS with its wide stance, vanishing away in front me with the LED lights burning away and the quad pipes in full song, I sigh and wish I had one


and im a Ford person too :P

[Ferrer]

It's bigger.

it'd be about equivalent in size to a BMW 5 series i'd say.. better looking though (not difficult)

Thing is, the Mondeo saloon is actually bigger than the 5-series...

[nota]

Thing is, the Mondeo saloon is actually bigger than the 5-series...

The current BF Falcon is similar in external dimensions to a Monaro or Commodore, which I think would reasonably equate in size to a SWB BMW E65. Perhaps the Bimmer is slightly smaller ..

It surprised me to read in the media that the new Mondeo has a tad more rear leg & hip room than a BF SWB, which is of course Oz's 'default taxi' (the Fairlane & LTD LWB variants were recently discontinued, although wagon and ute remain as LWB)