The decade that was

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

All you XR6T boy's just wait until the blown version of the GT hit's the street's.. All yee hail the MIGHTY GT- HO... hehe.. :

Not that I'm singling you out but this is not the thread for that and it won't last long here.


My answer to the poll - I think for me I would say GT followed by F6. As someone has already said, I missed the 70's so there were no GT'srumbling around on a regular basis for me in my childhood, however now there are. While they might not meet everybody's expectations they are still a GT and they still are one of the most well known badges available in Australia today.

I picked F6 as my second choice because I think the F6 is one of the few cars to have come straight from the Ford/FPV stable and really smacked everybody in the mouth. XR6T is no doubt the next VL Turbo with it's 'cult' status already well cemented but the F6 is the car that really got a lot of people who would never have previously to actually sit up and take notice of Ford.

[Powdered Toast Man]

Yep definitely the XR6T (well the turbo 6 engine really more than the actual car). The turbo 6 has taken the Falcon on a new and exciting tech path IMO. Just look at the FG range.

The return to form of FPV with the GT and F6 variants has also greatly increased the HiPo Ford street cred over the last decade. Probably really started with the T3 though.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Powdered Toast Man

The return to form of FPV with the GT and F6 variants has also greatly increased the HiPo Ford street cred over the last decade. Probably really started with the T3 though.

Go and ask a regular joe at a servo what he thinks of a T3 and the response will likely be 'a what?'. The engines were great - the marketing not so great. Gt has recognised status on it's side.

[4VCLEVO]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

All you XR6T boy's just wait until the blown version of the GT hit's the street's.. All yee hail the MIGHTY GT- HO... hehe.. :

That will be the car of the next decade, however this decade belongs to the XR6T.

[Smoke Pursuit]

GT for me... followed by XR6 TURBO which started the whole T6 thing, which has been an awesome thing for Ford Australia!!

Bring on the next few years!

[XR6_190]

It has got to be the XR6 Turbo, not only has got the whole turbo thing going (there would be no F6 or G6ET without the BA XR6T) but it has got a lot of people into Fords that otherwise would never think of buying locally built cars. At a time when the general public believes that Holden/ HSV have the superior V8 engine, it is good to know that Ford's I6T is seen by most as even better again.

A close second would have to be the Territory, at least Ford had the guts to do it properly (unlike GMH who thought it wiser to just pump up the VX wagon) and they were rewarded properly for their efforts.

As for the other options, I really see the XR6/XR8 as THE Ford of the 1990's. The T Series was finished off brilliantly with T3, but the earlier attempts were not good enough. As for the F6 and G6ET, well they wouldn't exist without the XR6T, and the GT I honestly think is very good, but still not good enough to beat an XR6T.

[buggerlugs]

The whole BA series. After Ford made the most ugliest car ever in the AU, to come back and turn it all round with the BA ( Especially XR6T and GT ) was a great effort. Near wet my pants when I saw that first add of the Silver BA XR6 on the TV........

[SLO AU XR8]

IMHO T3 followed by XR6T. Those who know about the T3 respect the fact that Ford put a factory stroker together and warrant it.

[FPV+fteT3]

The T3 for me because it was fords first real attempt in many years at building a real hi-performance car and what a car it was the engineering that went into it and the body styling paved the way for the B series cars that followed and the rest is history ford performance was back.

[DJM83]

IMHO i think the T Series and moreso the T3 really takes the cake, it was fords first real attempt at a V8 street fighter, that could take the fight to the red corner

[Eaturbo]

Originally Posted by Boss315

Can't get enough of this!

By far the best Ford Ad ever done, i use to feel proud watching this ad, Just watched it again and got tingle up the spine watching it. They should do the exact same ad just with the FG in it.

[Eaturbo]

XR6 Turbo by far and poll reflects this too, Car was better than it could have been with big turbo and strong engine.

[GT0132]

Originally Posted by SM0KED

I love the FPV GT but voted the XR6 Turbo based on popularity. I Beleive the GT had more impact on myself BUT XR6's are in ubundance with enthusiasts.

I want to change my VOTE!!!

I agree....As a GT owner I just can't ignore the huge impact the XR6T has had. If it's not a revolution for Ford it comes pretty damn close.

[pauljh74]

Originally Posted by 76txcoupe

Xr6t due to it's affordability, performance, mod market and practicality for family use. It's a fantastic car for all those reasons

For sure - excellent bang for the buck, versatility and performance only a big V8 could match/surpass in a large car. It is almost guaranteed to be very popular in the 2nd hand market for years to come and will have the status of the VL Turbo if not better. The engine was made and developed right here in Australia, instead of running off to another manufacturer for the engine like they did with the VL.

[mik]

for me the ba gt, while others are/were dam good, the ba started the gt on it way again.

[TUF_302]

It has to be the BA series, the XR6 Turbo turned so many more people blue, things wouldn't be the way they are now without the BA and the almighty Turbo 4ltr 6!

[Paxton]

Territory here.

Territory saved Ford in Australia. While the XR6 Turbo may have improved the car in the eyes of the enthusiasts, Territory brought just as many, if not more first time Ford customers across from other brands. Territory had Toyota and Holden running scared, and its former sales success proved this. It is just a shame that the big wigs at Ford left it un-changed for so long. Bring on Diesel and a new look, and Ford might just have Toyota running scared again.

Edited twice for clarity.

[gonders]

Voted XR6T myself.
Wanted one since they came out.
Was able to get one 2 years ago when we had the money and the price was right. Puts a smile on my face every time I drive it!

Happy XR6T owner!

P.S. Still love the ford V8's!

[Swordsman88]

Well i went for the G6ET....although it was a tough call over the XR6T and the Territory.

I think the Territory was such an important car for ford aus....it was something a bit different and showed the local outfit could engineer an SUV from the falcon base that was better then the sum of its parts. Interior and handling major standouts...the latter still unbeaten save BMW X5 despite years with no changes.

XR6T....for a whole host of reasons, not least of which it put holden well and truly in its place. It was a great drive, had huge grunt and yet was as docile as a mouse.....if you wanted it to. Damn fine value.

I went for the G6ET because to me it had the biggest impact. Sales wise it shifted the falcon (as did the entire FG lineup) upmarket, its taken it above just a 'fleet hack' and into a desirable, aspirational purchase (even if the dealer network isn't up to its level...). It has combined the history of falcon (big, comfortable, luxurious, powerful etc.) and combined that with the XR6T legacy....old school cubes with some modern tech that can blow your socks off when you want it to. Oh and with the ZF tranny and that new FG cashmere interior.....well it still amazes me what has been done by the aussie mob on the pitance of a budget.... It still seems so much more expensive then it really is every time you're in one.....let alone when you drive it. If the CEO of Ford globally wants one, then that's enough for me LOL!

[Chopped]

Performance wise

XR6T - fast and cheap to make it faster.

[Auslandau]

I went for the GT .... made a huge impact and did alot for FORD at the time. In perception alone it just told everyone out there that they were serious. The Turbo would have to be the close 2nd ..... I think that surprised FORD with how well it has actually gone and in the last part of years would be the G6ET .... scooping all awards, new name, great looks inside and out and power to boot!

The Territory of course has to be in there for a totally new vehicle and direction for FORD Aus and was a huge gamble that paid off. Just the fact that after all this time, it still sells with very very minimal changes.



| [/url] |

[LethalLeigh]

I should have given the Tezza more consideration when voting for this, it certainly helped with volume sales for Ford even if it will contribute to the wagon's demise. I never forget thinking about the masterstroke of offering RWD only version too for all those people who like the 'command' seating postion without the stigma of owning a "4x4".

At the end of the day I still would vote the XR6T, it's changed the attitudes towards Aussie performance in a way the Holden only dreamed of with the supercharged V6 (who actually remembers the HSV XU6 anyway?). Sure there will be die hard V8 boys, but it's the turbs that seems to be getting the aspirational sales. Ask the young fellas what they want and the answer is increasingly turbo.

[FPVF6X201]

I voted the Terry Turbo, which really is just a bigger (and better?) XR6T. Plus no one else voted for it lol.

[Wretched]

XT6T, it gave Ford some long needed performance credibility and gave them access to to another market segment, the younger turbo crowd. Stock it was/is quick with some mods even quicker.

[Cobra]

XR6 Turbo for me. Although it wasn't perfect, especially series 1 BA, most problems were confined to the whole model, rather than the turbo motor. It did however tick just about every performance box for it's time, and hasn't failed to deliver as a package since.

[MNM96]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

For me it was the proper return of the GT!!.. :

All you really got was the proper bastardisation of the GT!

[MNM96]

The XR6T was just a falcon with a turbo. Not the first time Ford has done it. XE and EA. But it was a stunningly well put together package. I was at Willowbank when Ford gave the XR6 and XR* Club of QLD a T for us to display. It was sort of an unofficial unvieling for the BA. I was amazed, having seen previous efforts, how "Factory" the Turbo install was!

That said I chose the Territory, opened up a complete new motoring segment for Ford, one it still virtually holds to itself. Pretty mundane looks, and abhorent fuel economy seem to have held it back a little, but it has the most varients of all the falcon based models. Will we ever see a Diesel or a V8?

[russellw]

T-Series:
A brave attempt at making a Euro style performance vehicle that simply failed to connect with the public until it got turned into a boy racer (T3). By that time (of course) the series was already clinically dead but at least they managed to turn a reasonably decent engine out of the remainng Windosr blocks. The Series EFFECTIVELY killed the Tickford badge in this country and for that reason alone it doesn't merit a placing.

XR6:
Significant in a way because it became the darling of the user chooser brigade but outclassed in this company.

XR6T:
There is no doubt that the engine in this vehicle will be long remembered as a modern classic and a triumph of engineering but as a vehicle it actually didn't really have the impact on sales in the early years that it perhaps should have and you can't escape the fact that the early versions were a bit on the crude side. 3rd place

XR8:
A nice package in many ways, the BA series almost killed it up against the turbo thanks, in part, to a pricing strategy that left it considerably more expensive than the XR6T. Doing OK in FG but the only significance of the XR8 in this past decade may be that it is the last of the line.

GT/GT-P:
Can stake a claim on the basis that it revived an iconic badge and introduced a whole new generation to that nameplate. That it was lumbered with an engine that was ill suited to it, had substantial build quality issues and has hardly set the sales world on fire; relegates it outside the places in my book.

Pursuit/SP:
As above but with the added disadvantage that these vehicles are still equipped with a live rear axle in this day and age.

G6ET:
While it might be a little early in the model life, I am going to hand my 1st place to the entire G-Series range and therefore the G6ET as the pinnacle of that range. The remarketing of the almost dead Fairmont / Ghia nameplates in this manner was a (rare) stroke of marketing genius from FoA and the vehicles are worthy in their own right. That the series has completely turned the sales model mix upside down will ensure a better chance of profitability in the years ahead (despite the lower overall volumes) and as long as the guys at Campbellfield don't do a Territory on it this should end up being the most significant entry of the decade.

F6:
As for XR6T except lower down the order thanks to the poor value equation.

Territory:
In many ways this was the salvation of FoA during the earlier part of this decade. Very clever repackaging of existing components and developed with a budget that wouldn't pay for a Mercedes exterior mirror redesign; it is a credit to Ford (and the balls of Geoff Polites) that has seen it almost become the de facto suburban standard. It is relegated to 2nd place simply because Ford neglected it badly and in the latter part of the deccade it has become something of a sad caricature of itself.

Territory Turbo:
An answer to a question nobody really asked.

Cheers
Russ

[GT]

Absolutely - my sentiments exactly!

GT

Originally Posted by loftie

Impact on performance motoring - without doubt the XR6T....
Impact on motoring in general - Territory (soccer mums weapon of choice)
Impact on me personally - BA GT (the legend returns)

Though my favourite car of the decade would have to be the G6ET for its sleeper looks and ball-tearing performance...
And a close second is the BF GT-P for the colour/stripe packages (not including the 40th anniv/cobra GT which I hate both with a passion).

Thats my 2 cents...

[HEMI POWER]

I think it boils down to what generation you ask.But for Fords sake it was the BA in general.