Graham Wadsworth - Ford Australia Designer | SHANNONS DESIGN TO DRIVEWAY | Ep 6

Let’s meet the AU Falcon’s biggest fan!
For over twenty years, everyone has had an opinion on the AU Ford Falcon - including the lead designer, Graham Wadsworth himself!
In this episode, we recount how on the day Ford Australia released their all new AU Falcon, Holden returned fire with a concept coupe that wowed the public. That car was the Monaro. Graham who now designs supercars for McLaren in the UK, was keen to talk about the AU Falcon - a car he remains a passionate defender of.
Ford knew the AU Falcon was in trouble even before it launched. Research had told them that car buyers wanted a new, more rounded shape that also appealed to women, but by the time the car launched, tastes had dramatically changed and the AU was in trouble.
Graham shares his first ever private sketches for the AU Ford Falcon - including a rugged off-road AU Falcon sports wagon and we get to see how management, including a very passionate Ford boss in Jac Nasser, helped shape the AU Ford Falcon as we know it.
At the time of the AU Falcon launch, Wadsworth and his team were already working on the next generation Falcon, the BA and subsequent BF. It was these two next generation Falcons which would take on a more contemporary and European shape, centred on the influence of the Audi A6.
The BA and BF Falcon designs answered the critics and Ford were back in the large car game and this platform was also what started the Ford Territory SUV. Wadsworth explains how the BMW X5 was the target vehicle, capturing a new family market that had shifted from the station wagon.
Falcon’s rich racing heritage and Australia’s love of the V8 Falcon remained close to Graham. In this Episode, he opens his private archives which comprise many never released or seen before sketches, concepts and photos from the Ford design studios including the incredible first-ever concept sketches of an all-Australian designed Ford Mustang. Wow we didn’t know that!
No matter where Graham Wadsworth is, he is a true global car designer, with the Ford Falcon firmly in his heart.
“Shannons are proud to commission this landmark series to celebrate the rich design heritage of the cars we all know and love. While Shannons plays a key role as Australia’s leading insurer for motoring enthusiasts, we also believe it is very important to preserve our automotive history for future generations” said Mark Behr, Executive Manager, Marketing for Shannons.
#designtodriveway #shannons #ford

[@markbehr88]

Great episode and it was a real pleasure working with you Graham. We achieved some great things together.

[@lancecooper4646]

12:31 👍

[@markbehr88]

@@lancecooper4646 thanks Lance 👍

[@BlairSauer]

Your name popped up in the episode too. So you worked at Ford Australia as well!

[@markbehr88]

@@BlairSauer Yes, FPV Product Planning and Brand Marketing Manager and earlier with HSV (Coupe, VX, VY) and with Holden on VS 50th Anniversary models, VT, VU ute incl responsible for making the SS a production model and early VY.

[@BlairSauer]

@@markbehr88 Ah right. Both ford and Holden. Interesting. Those FPV's were great. The best thing the guys at Ford Australia including you did was make a performance model of the ford territory. Ford putting the turbo Barra into the territory too was an achievement in itself. And being an Australian made SUV, puts it in a class of its own. No other Australian carmaker did that.

[@markoastler1592]

Another outstanding episode in this series. It's the first time we've been treated to detailed analysis of the AU design program by a bloke who was there from start to finish. The historical value of capturing these 'coal face' interviews with Australia's prominent automotive designers is immeasurable. Again my thanks to the dedicated team that has pulled this remarkable series together.

[@forddriver8827]

Nicely said.

[@MozzieSquad]

The Tickford Tseries AU's, (particularly the TS50 T3) really made the AU look great.

[@lancegraham7722]

Probably the best episode yet, spoke about the design rather than his life. As a Holden man, this was a worthy watch. 👏 👏

[@PaulStewartAviation]

Great episode, Geez I can't help but get a lump in my throat during the intro seeing the Falcons and Commodore. I still remember the excitement of when the FG FPV range leaked into the media, and when the world-beating VE Commodore was revealed.

[@mvnorsel6354]

For me it was the launch of the 380.

[@Ben-Rogue]

The AU might not have been received too well, but I personally think it's a classic!

[@nivlick]

It was also the highest selling falcon. If it hadn’t been made nothing beyond that would have existed.

[@forddriver8827]

Graham, I still have my 5 speed 220kw AUII XR8 sedan, and I love it. The design is more relevant today than ever. Awesome design. The reality of the negative comments is the majority come from those who have never owned them. Thanks a bunch. Oo===oO

[@Low760]

S3 xrs are very good looking. Unfortunately the S1 in general was not nice. Or specced well.

[@forddriver8827]

@@Low760 S2 220kw & S3 are identical and as were all options available.

[@tturi2]

I wish they came with the 4.6 terminator engine

[@orion5813]

@@Low760 series 1 double spoiler is where its at !

[@davidbarnsley8486]

I think the au was way ahead of its time and we were just not ready for it Just another fantastic episode 👍👍

[@lk8300]

The ba bf was a masterclass like the fg. You could see what people wanted it was modern sleek muscle that was still connected to the roots of what made them popular and successful back in the 60s and 70s and that's what people wanted

[@GreendragonDMX]

that was an amazing interview, absolutely loved it, have owned my AU XR8 since 2009 and hearing some ideas from the designer himself was simply awesome also i wish that Ford Raven was a thing! looked like Australia answer to the Dodge Viper

[@hughh106]

AU looks great truly

[@peterb121]

Bought an AU series 3 SR sedan new , still have it and never sell it . Very underrated vehicles from engines to suspension. Yes there's no doubt Ford Australia could of done a few alterations to the AU , however I love the car more as time goes by.

[@RedPanda555]

What do you do for parts when they need replacing with no OEM manufactured parts available?

[@1969Risky]

Loving this series. You get a better understanding on how Australian designed & built cars were made & now it's lost. Graham is the type of bloke whom you could have a few beers with & talk for hours over cars. I'm not fond of the AU Falcon as I had them as company cars & we had problems with them. However though I did like the XR8 styling (even as a Holden bloke). When we got the BA series we loved the Barra engine but unfortunately some of the AU issues were still not addressed in the BA. In reality Ford Australia's Falcons should have been exported to the overseas market but they were hampered by Detroit. As I sit here, I can see across the road my neighbour's Ford SZ Territory. The concept of taking a Falcon platform & turning it into an SUV still using the majority of it's components is a great feat in design & engineering, and of course it should have been exported.

[@csjames69]

The problem with the AU and the lack of public acceptance was perhaps due to the design being so different to its predecessor, the EL Falcon. On the other hand, the VT Commodore was accepted by the public because there were styling elements which was an evolution from the VS. For car buyers, they prefer something that is familiar especially when they are spending their hard earned money. They want to make a safe purchase, not a daring purchase which the AU was. Love the series.

[@noelgibson5956]

The XR was very different to it's immediate predessessor, as was the XA, XD and EA. The AU's problem was.........it was just unattractive. Selling against the VT didn't help either, but let's be honest..........it looked awful 🤮

[@blumie006]

Would be good to hear from the engineers that designed the intec sohc 4.0 and the Barra 4.0

[@trship6274]

Couldn’t believe at the time they never released a coupe - so much public interest and they would have been an instant classic and collectible car. A missed opportunity.

[@captainzoll3303]

Are we just going to gloss over the "Raven" at 25:47? that thing looks incredible, a corvette/viper competitor built from the falcon parts bin would have been incredible. Had they carried it to production, it would've made the monaro look like the sad copycat.

[@lukestocks4370]

I could listen to him talk all day about these Falcons...

[@guyl9208]

The Series 1 AU XR6/8 was the epitome of that design language and it really worked visually, super different but also great looking. I honestly believe if the standard AU "droopy" headlights were a more aesthetically pleasing shape the car wouldn't have had anywhere near the criticism it got. My 2011 Terry is a perfectly proportioned car in my opinion, it's smaller than it looks , Barra, RWD , definitely built to a price but simple enough to maintain...

[@paulchasteauneuf2098]

Never liked the AU front and rear styling on the sedan, the wagon was more palatable but the side and roof line looks like they desperately needed the sedan doors to fit somehow. Nowadays the AU is iconic but that waterfall grille belongs in the skip. I remember seeing the first BA on the road and thinking wow is that Falcon, what a relief. Territory was and is the most fantastic SUV. I’ve had 3 and loved them all. Great series 👍

[@forddriver8827]

Bet you never owned or drove one.

[@BlairSauer]

@@forddriver8827 I remember riding in the backseat of an AU Falcon when I was four and five years old. First a series one Forte in Oxford green and the second a series two Forte in galaxy blue. I'm 27 years old now and still have great memories of the AU Falcon. I quite like the AU Falcon. Looks aside they were a very reliable car. Even though they looked feminine, I still liked them and still like them to this day.

[@forddriver8827]

@@BlairSauer The best designs are organic which I think you mean by 'feminine' like Porsche 911 etc. The AU had the lowest drag in wind tunnel testing which explains why it is such a stable and quiet car at hwy speeds.

[@BlairSauer]

@@forddriver8827 you're right there. I still remember the wind tunnel tv commercial. I still think they look great even now.

[@dazzamac70]

What an absolute legend and a true artist at heart!!!👌

[@neilfromdownunder9204]

Wow, another great episode in the series as Graham Wadsworth is such an interesting guy to listen to and I think this episode is my favourite so far and could end up being the best in the series.

[@BlairSauer]

Ah so it was jac Nasser's idea of the waterfall grille. Great episode and I loved the look of the AU Falcon. Loved the look since the age of three or four (I'm 27 now). The XR6 and XR8 version looked cool. Really gave the AU Falcon something to cheer about and kept the AU relevant for the time. Even the style of Falcon before it looked good. Even the 1988 EA Falcon despite its quality issues looked great. I liked and still like most designs of Falcon from the XW onwards to the FG, FGX Falcons. My foster parents had an FG XR6 series one in dash green. Drove very nicely. Bought it second hand. Wonderful car to ride in. I also knew someone that had a series one AU Falcon Forte from new and had done over 485,000kms with the original motor and transmission. Very reliable cars. Wonder if jac Nasser regretted the idea of the "waterfall grille" on the AU Falcon afterwards? Where would all those cars from AU to FG be without Graham Wadsworth? Happy to claim Graham Wadsworth as one of our own even though he's a pom. Ford Australia must've had a fair few British designers. They had the fella before Graham that resigned, then I'm sure there was another one before that by the name of Wayne Draper. Graham Wadsworth, you're a bloody legend and a champion bloke that has had and still has a passion for cars.

[@markbehr88]

Blair. You can check out some of my AUs on my channel incl AU1 V8 police car. Rare as the proverbial.

[@BlairSauer]

@@markbehr88 Ah ok you have a KZbin channel. AU V8 ex cop cars are rare. Especially if it's a V8 optioned base model Forte. I'll definitely check out that channel of yours.

[@markbehr88]

@@BlairSauer appreciated 👍

[@BlairSauer]

@@markbehr88 so is your name the name of your KZbin channel?

[@markbehr88]

@@BlairSauer yep

[@smithies_jocks]

I really love this whole series, well done. I love hearing the stories behind all these iconic Aussie cars.

[@jackharriet4814]

Another brilliant episode.

[@jesus_built_my_hotrod]

The AU is the pinnacle of Aussie design and reliability. I own 2 of them.

[@perpetualgrin5804]

My hero's are the design team that did the facelift from XA to XB Falcon. Best upgrade IMHO 👌 .

[@redpepper7181]

The Xb front is similar to the 71 mustang which isn’t a bad thing, great looking cars.

[@stuart8663]

Totally yes! Even down to those terrific door handles.

[@redpepper7181]

@@stuart8663 At least they didn’t break as frequently as XD Falcon onwards.

[@americarsqueensland1667]

The AU Falcon was and is the best most reliable and durable car Ford Australia ever made. It's Nov 2022 now, Mark my words the AU will become a prized collectors and enthusiasts car in the future, probably around 2040.

[@jamesmcgrath6938]

A great episode, really shows how Ford US killed the falcon and didn’t like the concept of their hero car being designed and built in Australia, Im intrigued to know why they disliked the falcon and didn’t allow it to become global though?

[@callumandrews4342]

Another great video on the history of our Aussie Ford's, some of the best cars in the world that Australia only misses now they are gone!

[@MB-bv4es]

Thanks for your service! Wish Ford Australia would start manufacturing again

[@peteranderson7497]

Great episode! Like Graham, I really liked the Falcon AU. I liked it so much I purchased one. Mine was maroon (I forget the model, not the base). It was simply a great car. I think it was not just a good Australian design but a good world design. I never could understand why people rubished the AU but praised the CLS Mer edges. Thanks again.

[@timbodedidleo]

I really love the waterfall AU Falcon. Terrific car, with a unique look. Wish the BA used the territory AWD platform. (That would have put the falcon way ahead of the commodore imo).

[@ymml467]

I agree the EA design in it's time was world class, the proportions were excellent. If the AU was maybe released after the BA and was a variation of that what would have been Ford's history...

[@jasoncarpp7742]

G'day everyone. Another great episode of *"Design to Driveway".*

[@nicco87aus]

Amazing episode, team! Thanks! So many fantastic sketches in there of the AU design development. The end result was so much nicer than the Taurus shaped early ones. I am partial though, I've got a turbo'd AU III XR6 VCT in the garage. ha ha

[@alexh1218]

I actually think the AU has aged probably better than most imagined, especially with cars like the CLS coming out with similar design cues, making it look “normal” - it’s not as much of a design change now as it would’ve been back in the day!

[@iansandersVortech500]

Thanks guys I have the BF and SZ Tezza and still look at that power bulge and think Jesus those designers were really switched on top notch open thinkers and my AU’s were top cars too and look now 🕺 The AU is a cult classic and the Turbo Barra ( bought new in 2005) Phantom purple was out of this world 🌍 Can still see the salesman’s grin in rear vision as wife and I gave it stab on Highway test drive Thank you for sharing this amazing story 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@tobysemler]

The problem with AU was not the shape. It was the body sitting on a chassis with narrow tracks, elevated ground clearance, and small wheels. The shape is excellent.

[@DanTheRailFanMan85]

Excellent episode. I remember as a not quite 13 year old when the AU came out. Still have all the road tests and articles when it was released. A few years later I started my mechanic apprenticeship at the local Ford dealership. By then the BA was out and kicking goals. I remember going to trade school at Broadmeadows and seeing all the brand FPVs and XRs in the car park. Ill never forget learning my trade on these cars and the excitement that came when a new model was released. Just over 20 years after the BA was released and I still think that the XR range is still beautiful. Thankyou everyone for a lifetime of memories.

[@biastv1234]

Excellent perspective, I lived near Melton for a few years and often saw all the concept cars doing the rounds

[@keithhope709]

Great story and insight…. Au3. Xr8. Best handling car I’ve driven. Beautiful BA. Best looking falcon FG. Best falcon Ever! What a great package. Thanks for these stories. 👏👏👏

[@leoesposito8762]

what a fascinating insight fantastic....i worked at ford through those years but unfortunately i remember not to meany workers liked the AU much when we first seen it roll down the production line..

[@leoesposito8762]

@BB-xx3dv yes of course..my dad still has a AU Fairmont series 3 that he bought new in 2002 I love driving it when given the chance ..

[@lk8300]

I don't know what they were thinking with the au 🤣 oof seeing those pictures. The EF looks so beastly next to the au and far better than the commoderes of the time

[@madv8man987]

It was a pleasure working with Graham at Ford over some of those years and wonderful to see where he continues to work and inspire design now at Mclaren.

[@darcykeddell4930]

AU XR is a very good looking car

[@orion5813]

ts50 the best

[@davepax982]

That was a very informative episode. I give you credit on that one. 👌

[@RobinCapper]

Great series, great episode

[@lobsterwhisperer7932]

The EA Falcon in 1988 to me as a kid, looked so futuristic.

[@jamieshields9521]

I remember when AU lunch I was disappointed but when AU ute came out it look awesome, even 20 years later I appreciate the design, I believe base model didn’t do AU justice. As for Ford Territory coming off the success BA n dare I say US Ford Bronco as Territory interior was well layout in design. Not surprised with Jac saying put cover back over Aussie Mustang, Americans are afraid of great designs.

[@DavesClassicGarageToursV2]

Simply brilliant storytelling

[@nigelbritton964]

How could Ford Australia get it so wrong. Despite it's excellent engineering the AU's radical new love it or hate it look was the beginning of the end for Falcon. I remember when the covers came off there was a gasp and not an applause from the audience, complete opposite to the Holden Monaro. Nobody didn't want to be seen in this car and it was almost as bad as the Ford Taurus of the mid 90's. Ironically the AU looks better today than it ever has. Kudos for the Territory and the BA transformation.

[@SS-yw7vo]

Goes to show dont let the buyers tell you what to design

[@Low760]

Or the boss.

[@SS-yw7vo]

@@Low760 agree

[@breaking-the-fiction-addic4185]

Does he say Graham Wadsford at the end there? Awesome video. My favourite.

[@clubsportr08]

Never ever like the AU but the follow on was spotless and on point.

[@Denistone]

Nice. I appreciate the fascinating video.

[@tomanderson6335]

Not sure how much cross-pollination there actually was, but the early incarnations of the Territory sure shared a lot of styling cues with the Freestyle we got here in North America (particularly from the rear 3/4 view), even though the overall proportions were quite different due to their *very* different underpinnings. Love watching this series, and thank you for producing it!

[@MrFuriousG]

Still amazes me that the AU and BA have the same doors.

[@lachlanmartin5573]

Ford should have build that 4wd au wagon.

[@matthewblake2258]

still got a BA going strong, original gearbox 300k dedicated gas model series 2

[@bossdog1480]

I had an AU ute. Yes, from the front it was as ugly as sin, but the look grew on you. The AU however, once you got through the niggly problems, was an excellent car. The BA on the other hand looked way better, but I have NEVER on all of my 60 plus cars over the years had to do so MUCH blasted maintenance on them.

[@maxrockatanksyOG]

I always liked the AU- especially the AU2+3. B series was the first new car i bought- a 2yr ex Police car (with the sump protector), i bought a brand new BF2 XR8 manual in Ego- i miss that car (sold to pay for spinal surgery), now have an FG XR6 NA manual- i just feel it could have been miles ahead, fit & finish is a bit meh, should have had the AU double wishbone IRS

[@jerrybailey5797]

Why didn't the make the Aussie Mustang into a Ford Falcon coupe , something that could've been an Aussie icon like tge XA, XB and XC falcons. if they'd have looked at it like that they could've been on to a winner !

[@Twenty_Six_Hundred]

The AU was not a favorite at launch, i was expecting a revision of the EL. After about 5 years it really started to grow on me withe the series 2 and 3. By that stage i had fallen in love with the BA which i actually bought new. Wasn't till 2010ish when my grandmother was selling her AU Fairmont S2 that i couldn't say no and snatched it up. Still have it in the shed as its worth more to me than selling for a grand or two. Wouldn't mind cleaning it up and restoring but time and money hamper that idea

[@alexanderguesthistorical7842]

Now I think I understand why there has never been a follow-up Capri for Europe. Having heard the reaction the Ford guy had to the Australian team styling a new Mustang for Australia; "There will never be a Mustang designed outside of the US", and knowing that the Capri was essentially a Mustang for Europe, once the Capri went, that was it for Ford. Henceforth the Mustang would only ever be an AMERICAN car, designed in America for American customers. If anyone else wanted it, great. But that was the deal. Strange attitude from a hard-nosed profit oriented corporation.

[@patbai6331]

Wish they did a coupe

[@waznik1]

I always thought the BA would have made a great coupe.

[@assininecomment1630]

I always thought that (one of the ways) Nasser spoilt the AU Falcon when he insisted on adding those fussy wheelarches. I gather that the design was quite advanced, when he decided to add this significant aspect. Without his interference, it would've been a cleaner, more modern design.

[@assininecomment1630]

It was weird to hear Wadsworth refer to the Cobra stripes as "navy blue" - blind freddie can see it's a mile from navy. Why he, and the other local Ford designers, was dismayed to have Nasser reject their Mustang - and the idea of a Mustang from Australia - boggles the mind. The idea is _totally detached from reality!_ That's equivalent to Holden designing a Corvette - or back in the 80s or 90s, Toyota Australia product development brains coming up with _their own Corolla_ to show the bosses back in Tokyo. 🤪

[@danozism]

I'm picking up mixed feelings about the AU... whenever Graham mentions the AU, he confirms for the 'enth time "We were already onto BT"! I have to admit that the VT Commodore (and Monaro) was a pretty unbeatable design. If you parked any other mid-size sedan of that era next to a VT Commodore, the Commodore wins, hands down. It's a shame that the design of the AU was so polarizing, as it was a good car under the shell.

[@vxii4u]

Another thing against the AU was the VT was released the year before in 1997. The public had warmed to its design and that's why their focus groups turned on them.

[@garrylallan]

@@vxii4u Yes I think this is the strongest factor that played against the AU... a significantly better alternative had become ascetically normalised in the marketplace.. the AU should never have been released.. the BA highlighted its stylistic flaws... what the AU designers thought they were doing did not match the perception of the buying public

[@iansandersVortech500]

💯💯💯👌👌👌💥💥💥

[@bobdown6055]

Wow that early EA drawing was spot on to the prototype “squared” off EF I saw in the proving ground stripping yard all those year’s ago 😢 f*cking nassar.

[@stuart8663]

What also didn't help in the following years was the total breakdown of the clear coating on the paintwork. Not Ford's fault mind you - every species of cars made in Australia at that time suffered badly. Plenty will comment of the sad toad-like looks of the AU. The evidence is there by it's dreadful resale value and the pathetic examples still limping around. The big "however" is if Graham and his associates had been left to produce the cars from some of those outstanding drawings and artwork. Holy hell, they are fantastic. All with no interference and ego blurring the lines of originality. The Ford Territory is their crown jewel in the car kingdom for that genre of vehicle. Stylish, practical and affordable.

[@Low760]

Definitely shows they gave up on the au before the s2

[@forddriver8827]

Gave up?

[@Low760]

@@forddriver8827 reports that the clinics said it was not going well, doubling down by saying, we've already started on the ba. Yet it went for 3 series. Not sure why things went wrong at ford.

[@andrewg2618]

@@Low760 They're always planning the next model before the current model is launched. It was no different.

[@nivlick]

Having owned an EF AU and still own a BA XR6 it will sadly be the last falcon I ever own. The FG is just not my cup of tea. Though the B series is full of plastic the FG looks cheap feels cheap and drives cheap. I would go back to an E series before FG.

[@johnm5147]

Is responsible for au falcon?

[@soulyouth]

the baseline au was a ugly mutt of thing, but the XR6 and XR8 with the twin round headlights were very sexy and this is from a diehard holden fan

[@tdub5776]

A strong reason why Ford Australia no longer exists. Very sad

[@frankietang2812]

designed the filthiest falcon of all time the glorious au! skid on brothers

[@noelgibson5956]

Ford Australia made a huge mistake in catering so extensively to the taxi market. This lowered the marques image considerably. Young people don't aspire to vehicles that remind them of taxi's that whine and squeal and have done one million KMs. Early on this assisted Falcon sales as they were seen as long lasting, but late in the Falcons career, this became embarrassing for them, being associated with what was effectively public transport.

[@orion5813]

Commodores were too unreliable to be taxis and thats a fact. they just couldnt go as long as falcons

[@andrewg2618]

Yeah heaps embarrassing owning a car that just keeps going and going.

[@noelgibson5956]

The AU wagon and Fairlane was super dooper unattractive. The AU Falcon sedan was too droopy and styled like something that was melting in the sun. The utes, particularly the tabletops, seemed to suit the AU's frontal features more, and they were indeed, the most popular AU variation. It led it's segment, which the other versions didn't do. I personally believe the Falcon peaked at XE/XF, then gradually declined from that point, on. Buyers were slowly moving to SUV's and small hatches. The Territory captured this trend at the right time, but the Falcon it was based on was losing favour with buyers.

[@johnmatsacos4692]

I design the AU , you lost me there son

[@wonkychikn]

The AU is not a pleasant looking design,droopy and sad looking and unfortunately sharing similar design language to the US Taurus ( which from the front looks strangely similar to a flathead fish)..even the interior dash centre stack and console looked odd, interesting though both the EF/EL and BA/BF looked decent.

[@REPOMAN24722]

What they should have really done is keep the EF alive a little longer and do a complete redesign and scrap the tooling for the AU, and miss a year or two and release the BA. How they could look at that thing and release it is beyond me, FOMOCO US made the car higher because they wanted snow chains on the tires. complete mismanagement.

[@johncarne4550]

Im not a car designer and respect their craft,,, BUT the AU had a crap front , and the C pillar was too round and low, Taxi drivers hated it like everyone as to get in and out was a pain, It was based on the publics view as a progression of the Taurus which was a FLOP, AS for the GT F the grey below the eyes is CRAP and the GT F should of been based on the FINAL Falcon, which was in m y view one of the best.. RIP Australian Ford.

[@Ben-Rogue]

I agree with your AU design criticisms, but I do think it's over-all a good piece of design. As for the GT-F, I agree, the panda eyes just look tacky.

[@Nrthrnmnky]

Right their in all it’s glory…Fords lack of ability to manufacture what the public wanted.The AU is awful from all angles and that’s why it flopped! Should of been coupe BA BF and FG models.Should of taken the mustang design and worked it to suit the falcon front.

[@Ben-Rogue]

I completely disagree. I personally think the AU is an elegant and cohesive design that looks just right from almost every angle.

[@Nrthrnmnky]

@@Ben-Rogue I’m glad you’re not a designer.Sales figures would agree it was awful

[@Ben-Rogue]

@@Nrthrnmnky It sold in similar numbers to it's predecessors, so clearly it wasn't so ugly that the public didn't want it, not to mention the design won awards... Holden was obviously selling better at the time, probably because they had a more aggressive design, which made the public opinion of the AU change to be more negative with time.... As for being a designer, while I never pursued design as a career, I have been designing cars as a hobby for 20+ years, so I at least know something of what I'm taking about. I used to hate the AU Falcon too, but it holds up just as well as the BA does, for the era it was designed in.

[@johnandlizzhayes6833]

All s**t looking car's, rhe designer's should have been sacked

[@ultraviolettp3446]

This was during an era when Ford lost its way corporate wide. None of these Aussie Fords is good looking - they are just there - no passion or energy in the design. I'm sure the performance was there, but the look is so generic as to be laughable. And then to think Aussie's could design a Mustang. Some nerve you all had. From the images shown, you have no idea what makes a Mustang.

[@yusuf.alajnabi]

I think the AU was a fantastic designed car and still is. I personally think they were a great looking car it's a bit unfortunate that the general public don't all agree.

[@Batman-wv5ng]

You done wurst design ever with AU falcon ford nearly went broke .You couldn’t design go cart .