Mild update on XR falcons >

[Holden Man]

I reckon the side skirt treatment looks pretty crappy and the wheels are pretty close to the VE SV6 wheel design >

http://aycu37.webshots.com/image/29956/2002424876130073759_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2002424876130073759)

http://aycu08.webshots.com/image/30487/2002466793607829895_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2002466793607829895)

(wonder how cheap they will get as Orion approaches)

[JNP304]

skirts look a little pox but the wheels look horn, kinda looks like GTO Rims of the V2 coupes

[smokiebbear]

Got that right with the skirts. They look poxy as, have to agree with the wheels though ... not too bad.

[Evman]

Are the side-view mirrors actually darker than the body, or is that just the lighting?

[Danv8]

I think the update makes it look older really.

[Caprice270]

Looks absolutely crap with those side skirts. I hope it isn't a sign of whats to come on Orion. Its a real shame because they stepped up the styling with the Fairmont Ghia and have now taken a step backwards.

[Ghosn]

WTF were Ford thinking? :doh:

[Millsy]

the wheels look like standard bf xr8 with the centres painted black to me? i think the side skirts look shit house but, ford are probably makin it look $hit house on purpose so thats theres more of a WOW factor when the orion hits the streets...

[wagnman]

the wheels look like standard bf xr8 with the centres painted black to me? i think the side skirts look shit house but, ford are probably makin it look $hit house on purpose so thats theres more of a WOW factor when the orion hits the streets...

Good point.

[Caprice270]

It looks as though Ford have acknowledged this new fad about black wheels. Personally I don't like them...they look like Kmart Auto fully sik specials

[Mungrel]

Don't like it at all.
I liked the BA & BF versions better.

[Road Warrior]

WTF

What is the point in doing stupid little changes, that look shite anyway, to a car that has only got 5 months to run?

Wasting money on stupid shite that would be better spent elsewhere - how's that diesel engine for the Territory going, Ford? Seriously someone at Broadmeadows needs to be taken out the back of the tool shed and slapped around.

[JNP304]

WTF

What is the point in doing stupid little changes, that look shite anyway, to a car that has only got 5 months to run?


Wouldnt comments like this be better off on oneeyedholden.com? "Looks shit" ect. Thought Ls1 was more grown up that this talk

[jasper361]

I guess most car manufacturers do this at the end of the model, just to spice things up so they can push the remainder of the vehicles out to make room for the new ones. It's obvious they haven't spent a great deal of money doing their little tart up but that's the whole idea I suppose. As for looks, wheels look ok, skirts look shyte, I think this might backfire somehow and push people into waiting for the new model.

[Ghia351]

What is the point in doing stupid little changes, that look shite anyway, to a car that has only got 5 months to run?.
Maybe because Ford (and Holden) make more money selling XR's then XT (SV6's vs Omega's) and if they can shift more higher spec models in a falling sales environment then they actually make more profit overall and don't have to heavily discount which burns resale.

[Caprice270]

I guess most car manufacturers do this at the end of the model, just to spice things up so they can push the remainder of the vehicles out to make room for the new ones. It's obvious they haven't spent a great deal of money doing their little tart up but that's the whole idea I suppose.

OK so lets see what Holden did with the VZ in its dying days for comparison.

Oh lets see...all they did was introduce a 6.0 litre V8!!! Far more substantial than ugly side skirts.

[lowriding]

http://aycu37.webshots.com/image/29956/2002424876130073759_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2002424876130073759)



That isn't serious .Someones just been let loose on a picture and coloured in the wheels ,the side skirts and under the lights with a black texta .Have they got 6 year olds doing the design work now, surely this is a gee up! Why the blackout kinda dips under the foglight is anyones guess. They've deadset lost the plot .

oh well new Falcon next year anyway

[BaBarracus]

Ford did this with the SIII AU XR's as well......

They put a crap body kit on it and called them updated. No change to the running gear or interior.... just a crap body kit!

Had to compete with the VX about that time too, which in every car of the range was a far better styled unit.

[COSMOS]

i have no opinion - either way - but I would like to point out that car makers will often add subtle changes to end of life models as a way of introducing visual or style cues which will be present on the next model due.

Its not just Ford and Holden that do it either - if you look at all makers they will work little touches into their cars which appear more prominently on the next model.

In this case maybe the Orion will have the coloured skirts and lower air dam like we can see on the BF II above?

[Road Warrior]

Wouldnt comments like this be better off on oneeyedholden.com? "Looks shit" ect. Thought Ls1 was more grown up that this talk

My car is a BA Falcon, so there goes your "one eyed" argument, buddy.

In my view they need to stop wasting time, money and resources on small material updates that in reality aren't going to make any difference when the buyers are hanging out for an all new car that is just around the corner.

[Nobby]

I think the update makes it look older really.
That's basically what I said on FF. The new kit does actually look quite good, but it also highlights how damn old the BA shape is now.

This problem is most obvious on the side skirts, which are under the doors which are carryover from the AU, which is older again. Front and back the kit looks pretty good (BA upgrade, newer).

This is apparently somewhat Orion-ish, and will of course look MUCH better on a newly designed body.

Good try, but not enough to deter Orion buyers from waiting a little longer.

[james22]

Ford did this with the SIII AU XR's as well......

They put a crap body kit on it and called them updated. No change to the running gear or interior.... just a crap body kit!

Wrong. Maybe you should get your story straight before you start talking B.S.

Running gear was changed, Late series II to Series III changes included;

Increased compression from 9.0:1 to 9.4:1 compression, reworked Explorer GT40P heads, Enhanced engine management system, re-designed cam shaft compared to S1 or 2, upgraded fuel pressure regulator, and guess what.... the interior got a revamp too. :flipoff:

[ADO_SS]

AU falcons should not have even made it past series 1. They were rubbish from the start. One of the ugliest and slowest cars made by ford:spew:

p.s the 5l sounded like a pregnant cow and got smoked by holden 6's

[Ghia351]

AU falcons should not have even made it past series 1. They were rubbish from the start. One of the ugliest and slowest cars made by ford:spew:

p.s the 5l sounded like a pregnant cow and got smoked by holden 6'sWhich Holden six smoked any V8?

[macca_779]

AU falcons should not have even made it past series 1. They were rubbish from the start. One of the ugliest and slowest cars made by ford:spew:

p.s the 5l sounded like a pregnant cow and got smoked by holden 6's

Well someone has obviously never driven the last of the AU 5L's. They put out 220kw remember and actually held their own next to an LS1 quite well. Smoking Holden 6's has never been a problem for Ford V8... Nor is it a problem for their 6's belting Holden 6's either. Open your 1 eye mate and realise that Ford has actually evolved from the EA falcon over the years.

[jasper361]

OK so lets see what Holden did with the VZ in its dying days for comparison.

Oh lets see...all they did was introduce a 6.0 litre V8!!! Far more substantial than ugly side skirts.

Thank you for that quality response, I now see the error of my ways, but I do believe is said car manufacturers and not specifically holden or the VZ model.

[VZKOOP]

AU falcons should not have even made it past series 1. They were rubbish from the start. One of the ugliest and slowest cars made by ford:spew:

p.s the 5l sounded like a pregnant cow and got smoked by holden 6's

Open your other eye and stop typing garbage.

AU Falcons were and still are IMO one of the most underrated cars ever made in Australia. How many VT Taxis do you see driving around? None. The Ford 6 is absolutely bullet proof. IMO the AU was ahead of it's time in terms of design. By the time other cars had caught up they had also learnt from the visual mistakes that Ford made but they still had many angles and edges that were seen on the AU. The 220KW 5L V8 was a great motor and sounded alright too. I don't know of any Holden 6 that would have beaten an XR8 - perhaps you could enlighten me.

[vxclubsport569]

Open your other eye and stop typing garbage.

AU Falcons were and still are IMO one of the most underrated cars ever made in Australia. How many VT Taxis do you see driving around? None. The Ford 6 is absolutely bullet proof. IMO the AU was ahead of it's time in terms of design. By the time other cars had caught up they had also learnt from the visual mistakes that Ford made but they still had many angles and edges that were seen on the AU. The 220KW 5L V8 was a great motor and sounded alright too. I don't know of any Holden 6 that would have beaten an XR8 - perhaps you could enlighten me.

Agree almost completely except for AU Series 1 was a dog, but Series II and III were good cars, especially in XR and Fairmont Ghia range.

I would take a 220kW XR8 AU Series III over a VT/VX SS anyday, way more useable torque down low, similar kW's and a better car..
The GENIII expecially non HSV until VY was crap unless it had mods, and we are talking standard here....
And yes I've driven both :eyes:

The HSV's of the day whipped what Ford could offer... hence why I drive a VX Clubby which I love to death.

[Road Warrior]

I think the reason why they persisted with the AU for so long is because all of the development $$$ they spent on it - they couldn't just shitcan it straight away and go to a new car because they didn't have the dosh (and the new car wasnt supposed to turn up until '08 anyway and they had to hurriedly make a stopgap).

[lowriding]

Open your other eye and stop typing garbage.

AU Falcons were and still are IMO one of the most underrated cars ever made in Australia. How many VT Taxis do you see driving around? None. The Ford 6 is absolutely bullet proof. IMO the AU was ahead of it's time in terms of design. By the time other cars had caught up they had also learnt from the visual mistakes that Ford made but they still had many angles and edges that were seen on the AU. The 220KW 5L V8 was a great motor and sounded alright too. I don't know of any Holden 6 that would have beaten an XR8 - perhaps you could enlighten me.

a little bit generous ...i would agree that the AU3 was a reasonable car , but the original AU was not memorable ,not underrated at all it was a completely underdone car with too many shortcomings.It was the reason the VT was a runaway success.

[VZKOOP]

a little bit generous ...i would agree that the AU3 was a reasonable car , but the original AU was not memorable ,not underrated at all it was a completely underdone car with too many shortcomings.It was the reason the VT was a runaway success.

Agreed on the running gear of the AU - I was referring to the AU's styling. I still stand by my comments on the engines though. I had an AUIII - incredibly reliable car and great highway vehicle. Managed 1080K's out of a tank once and you can't complain about that from a 4 Litre motor.