Looking back, was the VT Commodore better than the AU falcon

[Marco]

Here's a question for you. If you were forced to choose, would you NOW buy a 15 year old second hand base AU Falcon Forte 6 or a VT Commodore Exec V6? Which would you choose? I'd have to admit, the taxi cab reliable drive line would tempt me towards the Falcon, but everything else says Commodore.

Commodore, no question, plus half a day's work with some polish and wax and if I could stretch, a nice second hand set of 17s. The VT is still a good looking car today, especially if you can find one that was in one of the nicer colours like Bermuda blue, Raven, Phantom, Valencia, Heron, or the dark green or blue-green colours that I've forgotten the name of.

I wouldn't accept a free AU unless I had absolutely no money of my own. Seriously. Wouldn't want to be seen driving one, wouldn't want to suffer one uglifying my driveway and lowering the tone of my neighbourhood.

[Marco]

There is a thread on another forum about how the AU has really come forward some 15 years on from its release and people are realising they were wrong to choose VT.. they even continully post pictures of a current model mercedes that they believe looks exactly like the AU rear.

LOL, tell that to the marketplace Ford boys. Unwanted new, worthless now. The customer is always right, and the customer says "do not want, never did".

[Solone]

LOL, tell that to the marketplace Ford boys. Unwanted new, worthless now. The customer is always right, and the customer says "do not want, never did".

lol

[C4B]

I certainly hope there's no Ford fans out there with AU's taking up shed space in the hope they'll sell it for a zillon dollars in years to come.

Although there are some crazy Holden fans out there too. A BRAND NEW VT HSV XU8 with no k's on it for $40,000.

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/d.../?Cr=0&sdmvc=1

I owned a Bermuda Blue XU8 and although it was better than the equivalent SS of the day, I'm at a loss why anyone would keep one in new condition.....

[Solone]

Surely Mercedes didnt give the AU falcon designers a job after they got fired for the AU?? did they?? lol lol

[Marco]

I agree that the CLS bears some resemblance to the AU, but if you ever saw the two near each other it's chalk and cheese. The Merc design is really well executed and works as a total package - the low rear and those taillights work because they come with a low roofline, sculpted sides, and a good looking front end. The AU is badly proportioned, has an odd glasshouse, and has cheap and nasty detailing.

I'd be really interested to see the AU styling sketches to see how it was supposed to look. IIRC though I think I read that the AU was originally supposed to have quite a round shape, a bit like the VT or perhaps the Taurus, but then Ford in its infinite wisdom decided to apply New Edge styling to it at the last minute after the hardpoints were locked in. (To the point where, again IIRC, this was literally done over a weekend by the then-Ford global styling boss). I think this makes a lot of sense, as if you look at the AU glasshouse and door openings and imagine a softer, rounder look then the sort-of-oval shaped side and rear windows and odd windscreen shape start to make more sense.

[Solone]

I agree that the CLS bears some resemblance to the AU, but if you ever saw the two near each other it's chalk and cheese. .

I had a party at my house a few weeks back and a mate turned up in his AU and parked behind my VT. It was chalk and cheese to compare the two..... I just cant stop laughing at how the ford guys think the Mercedes proves the AU was ahead of its time. lol lol

[C4B]

Lets face it, there are people out there who think the HSV XU6 is a collectible car, so it just goes to show there's no limit to how delusional people can be.

AU Falcon looks better than a VT..... Sure it does..... And Brownyn Bishop is sexier than Miranda Kerr....

[Marco]

I can remember getting the Wheels issue where they had the scoop photos of the AU a month or two before release and being gobsmacked at how bad it was. I could not believe that such a car was about to go on sale.

Seriously, did nobody at Ford Australia say "guys, that looks like shit..."? Then again, maybe nobody had the guts, given the restyling was ordered by the global Ford boss and done by the global styling boss. Must have been pretty hard being a stylist or engineer at Ford Australia knowing that your hard work had either been thrown away, or was about to be placed in a car that was going to tank massively because of how it looked.

[Marco]

I wonder how many diehard Ford guys tore out immediately and bought one of the last ELs when the AU came out? The EL XR range and Fairmonts still look good today.

[Solone]

I wonder how many diehard Ford guys tore out immediately and bought one of the last ELs when the AU came out? The EL XR range and Fairmonts still look good today.

IF you look at the Falcon VS Commodore sales chart from around 1995 onwards to today it shows a few things..

Total large vehicle sales are generally in decline...sales of falcon/commodore in totality

Secondly it shows that holden have generally enjoyed 50-60% of sales where in some months the falcon would nip ahead in sales but generally Holden had 50-60%. (except in a period of 1999-2002)

During this period 1999-2002 the VT commodore sold 2 units for every 1 AU falcon. So the VT enjoyed 70% of sales in this period whilst the AU dropped to the lowest percentage of sales against commodore ever.

When the BA was introduced sales returned to their norm with Falcon getting back to almost 50% of sales and Commodore enjoying a slight advantage. (abeit a declining total market)

The VT performed better than any commodore ever against Falcon so for anyone to say the AU was the better car, I just dont know how anyone can conclude such.

[Woodchukka]

I would take a VT hands down over an AU. Tickfords alterations to the front made a big difference to a very ugly car. Holden choice to style the VT as it did being more sympathetic to what people liked is just good business sense. Styling a car supposedly before its time will not sell them today or in the AU's case the future either. Telling people what they want rather than asking is asking to be spanked.

[Scottn1au]

VT gets my vote for sure. A neat clean VT lowered with a set of nice wheels still makes my head turn..... can't say that about any Ford!

[Jag530G]

I can remember getting the Wheels issue where they had the scoop photos of the AU a month or two before release and being gobsmacked at how bad it was. I could not believe that such a car was about to go on sale.

Seriously, did nobody at Ford Australia say "guys, that looks like shit..."? Then again, maybe nobody had the guts, given the restyling was ordered by the global Ford boss and done by the global styling boss. Must have been pretty hard being a stylist or engineer at Ford Australia knowing that your hard work had either been thrown away, or was about to be placed in a car that was going to tank massively because of how it looked.

The story I heard is that in response to poor product clinic reviews Ford had a panic attack and decided to make Auto and A/C standard on the base Forte. in 1998 A/C was still an extra $2K option on a VT Exec. The Commodore still massively outsold the AU despite being nearly $3K dearer on an equivalent feature basis.

What I find bizarre about what Ford did with the AU is that they had a very good idea what the VT would look like as the Opel Omega B was released to the public in 1994, 4 years before the AU went on sale.

Cheers, Matthew

[Krizto]

The HSV SV99 .... what more can I say .....

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