The Ford Falcon (XL) is a

mid-size car Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in ...

which was produced by

Ford Australia Ford Motor Company of Australia Limited (known by its trading name Ford Australia) is the Australian subsidiary of Automotive industry in the United States, United States–based automaker Ford Motor Company. It was founded in 1925 as an Austral ...

from 1962 to 1964. It was the second iteration of the first generation of the

Falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Some small species of falcons with long, narrow wings are called hobbies, and some that hover while hunting are called kestrels. Falcons are widely distrib ...

Overview

The Falcon XL was introduced in August 1962,AC Bushby, The Australian Ford Falcon Collection, 1989, page 32 replacing the Falcon XK which had been in production since 1960. Visual changes from the XK included a new convex

grille Grill or grille may refer to: Food * Barbecue grill, a device or surface used for cooking food, usually fuelled by gas or charcoal, or the part of a cooker that performs this function * Flattop grill, a cooking device often used in restaurants, ...

, bumper mounted park/turn lights, new

taillight Automotive lighting is functional exterior lighting in vehicles. A motor vehicle has lighting and signaling devices mounted to or integrated into its front, rear, sides, and, in some cases, top. Various devices have the dual function of illumin ...

s, and a revised, squared off roofline (on the sedans) which was promoted as the “ Thunderbird roofline”.Tony Davis, Aussie Cars, 1987, page 86 Other changes included a new manual gearbox (although it was still a three-speed unit), new clutch, new starter motor, new air cleaner, new suspension system and a new carburettor. Both of the engines from the XK were retained; a '' Falcon Six''

inline-six A straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balanc ...

, which produced and an optional version of the ''Falcon Six'', which produced . Pricing started at £1,070 ($2,140 AUD) for a base model Falcon.

Model range

The Falcon XL range included four-door sedan and five-door

station wagon A station wagon (American English, US, also wagon) or estate car (British English, UK, also estate) is an automotive Car body style, body-style variant of a Sedan (automobile), sedan with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo ...

s. The luxury Futura Sedan and Squire Wagon models were new for the XL series, the latter featuring simulated woodgrain side and rear panels.AC Bushby, The Australian Ford Falcon Collection, 1989, page 40 Commercial vehicle derivatives were available in two-door

coupe utility A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...

and two-door

panel van A panel van, also known as a delivery van (United Kingdom), blind van, car-derived van or sedan delivery (United States), is a small cargo vehicle with a passenger car chassis, typically with a single front bench seat and no side windows behind ...

body styles with the latter marketed as the ''Falcon Sedan Delivery''. Models were marketed as follows: * Falcon SedanFord Falcon sedan and station wagon brochure (DM26-7/62), Ford Motor Company of Australia Pty Ltd * Falcon Deluxe Sedan * Falcon Futura Sedan * Falcon Station Wagon * Falcon Deluxe Wagon * Falcon Squire Wagon * Falcon Utility''1962 Ford Falcon XL utility brochure'', www.oldcarbrochures.org
Retrieved 23 April 2015 * Falcon Deluxe Utility * Falcon Sedan Delivery''1962 Ford Falcon XL sedan delivery Brochure'', www.oldcarbrochures.org
Retrieved 23 April 2015 File:Ford Falcon XL (15684794126).jpg, Ford XL Falcon Deluxe sedan File:1962 Ford XL Falcon Deluxe sedan (36539909581).jpg, Ford XL Falcon Deluxe sedan File:1962 Ford XL Falcon Futura Sedan.jpg, Ford XL Falcon Futura sedan File:Ford Falcon (35299899536).jpg, Ford XL Falcon Futura sedan File:1962 Ford XL Falcon station wagon (35868867493).jpg, Ford XL Falcon station wagon File:1962 Ford XL Falcon station wagon (36508961622).jpg, Ford XL Falcon station wagon File:Ford XL Falcon Deluxe Station Wagon.JPG, Ford XL Falcon Deluxe station wagon File:1962-64 Ford XL Falcon Squire Wagon.JPG, Ford XL Falcon Squire station wagon File:1962-64 Ford XL Falcon Utility.JPG, Ford XL Falcon utility File:1962 Ford XL Falcon Deluxe utility (23948158290).jpg, Ford XL Falcon Deluxe utility File:1962 Ford XL Falcon Deluxe utility (24135662002).jpg, Ford XL Falcon Deluxe utility File:Ford Falcon XL Panel Van (15817946357).jpg, Ford XL Falcon sedan delivery (with additional side windows)

Production

The Falcon XL was replaced by the Ford Falcon (XM) in February 1964, production having totalled 75,765 units.

Motorsport

A Falcon XL driven by

Bob Jane Robert Frederick Jane (18 December 1929 – 28 September 2018) was an Australian race car driver and prominent entrepreneur and business tycoon. A four-time winner of the Armstrong 500, the race that became the prestigious Bathurst 1000 and a ...

and Harry Firth was “first across the line” in the 1962 Armstrong 500, with the first four places in Class B filled by Falcon XLs.

References

{{Ford Falcon XL Cars of Australia Cars introduced in 1962 Cars discontinued in 1964 XL Falcon Sedans Station wagons Vans Rear-wheel-drive vehicles 1960s cars