Ford took a huge gamble when it invested more than
$100 million on the XD Falcon – but fortunately
for the blue oval the investment would quickly pay
off.
The XD Falcon marked the start of Ford's determined
push to become market leader in Australia, a goal
they ultimately achieved, but one that, at the release
of the XD, was beyond their grasp.
The perceived
fault lay in the size of the XD in comparison with
its competitors. After its initial launch, the XD
enjoyed great popularity, outselling the Holden Commodore.
Launched towards the end of March 1979, it came close
to toppling the Commodore from its best-selling pedestal
before a sudden, unexpected buying swing to four-cylinder
cars in the early months of 1980, which had executives
of both GM-H and Ford wringing their hands in anguish.
A determined sales drive with liberal price discounts
saw the Falcon make a comeback and in mid-1980 buyers
were given further enticement with the introduction
of more fuel efficient six-cylinder engines equipped
with cylinder heads designed and built by Honda.
However, petrol economy was only one factor in the
Falcon's decline.
The biggest reaction against the
Falcon and Commodore had been a resistance to rising
prices, which had been spiraling upward much faster
than wage increases and the cost of living.
Ford canvassed
public opinion before taking the plunge on the XD.
Extensive surveys showed buyers wanted a medium-sized
five-seater car with good ride and handling qualities,
but smaller, easier to handle, and more economical
than the XC Falcon.
So the XD was designed to meet
these requirements, using much the same mechanical
base as the XC but with more sensible styling and
smaller overall dimensions.
Saving weight was a top
priority. Plastic components were used extensively,
including the bumpers, grille, dash, front spoiler,
and petrol tank, which all contributed towards a
significant 116 kg reduction, in turn giving the
XD a 10 per cent improvement in fuel economy over
the XC.
The previous wheelbase was retained, but
the length and width were trimmed, although not at
the expense of passenger space. There was even
an attempt to improve the aerodynamics of the
Falcon, the rear-view mirrors being an obvious
candidate for a styling revision.
The base GL version
was fitted with a 3.3-liter engine, while the 4.1
liter six came standard in the Fairmont and Fairmont
Ghia, with the 4.9 and 5.8 liter V8’s optional.
Most buyers specified the 4.1 engine, which offered
a good blend of power and torque to cope with everyday
needs, and was sufficiently strong to haul a boat
or caravan.
Improved vision made the XD a most controllable
car for its size. While comfort was adequate, unfortunately
the driving position suffered the same fault as previous
Falcons insofar as the steering wheel was too close
to the chest and the old-fashioned umbrella-type
handbrake was retained.
The European Sports Pack (ESP) was released
15 months after the rest of the range, in June 1980.
It was fitted as standard with the new 4.1 liter
alloy head six, however the 5.8 liter V8 was
available as an option. The ESP also featured a
re-worked suspension system, which included higher-rate
front and rear springs, a rear radius rod and Bilstein
gas shock absorbers. The steering geometry and anti-sway
bars were unique to the ESP.
The car sat on 7 inch wide wheels, and the tires
were low-profile 60 series steel belted radials.
Inside the ESP featured contoured Australian made
Scheel seats with woll-cloth facings. The fact that
there was no longer a true performance car in the
Falcon lineup was little detterant to the likes
of
Dick Johnson and other
drivers of the Blue Oval, and the famous number 17
would line up at the start of the 1981 Bathurst 1000 event.
All seemed to be going well for Johnson, but a massive
accident on lap 121 would see the race brought to an
early close.
Dick Johnson and his
XD were named as winners, having been in the lead the preceding lap 120.
The XD Fairmont Ghia was easy to spot from the lesser Falcon's,
it featuring lovely fluted alloy wheels, four-wheel disc
brakes, velour upholstery and additional instrumentation
including a then rare tachometer. The Ghia was only ever
sold as a sedan, all other models were available as either
sedan or wagon. Unfortunatelly, the hardtop was no more, the
ESP being the sportiest on offer.
The XD commercials arrived 6 months after the models launch
in September 1979, both the ute's and panel vans being available i
n a "base" level of trim, or GL. Ford revised the 3.3 and 4.1 liter
six-cylinder Falcon engines in August 1980 with aluminum
cylinder heads and other modifications aimed at increasing
their fuel efficiency – in turn giving the
XD slightly better fuel consumption figures of 14
liters/100 km in urban running, with a highway cycle
figure of 10 liters/100 km at constant 100 km/h cruising
speed.
The six-cylinder Fairlane and LTD sedans were
also equipped with the aluminum cylinder heads.
The reason for switching to the use of an alloy head
was in its better thermal efficiency, allowing a higher
compression ratio (up from 8.7:1 to 9.2:1 on the 3.3
liter engine and from 9.0:1 to 9.4:1 on the 4.1 liter).
The easiest way to pick a car with an alloy head is by
the badges on the lower front guards, but the wheels are also different.
footnote by Sandy Mercer
The XD Falcon marked the start of Ford's determined
push to become market leader in Australia, a goal
they ultimately achieved, but one that, at the release
of the XD, was beyond their grasp. The perceived
fault lay in the size of the XD in comparison with
its competitors. While downsized slightly from the
previous model, it was still a big car, but, in styling,
it made the shift from copying U.S. style to a more
sharp edged European look.
To UK eyes, it looks like a MkII Granada, but it was bigger to allow the
use of the existing six and eight cylinder engines,
while underneath, traditional leaf springs supported
the rear axle and the car possessed all the virtues
of tough, uncomplicated robustness.