When the FG Ford Falcon launched in 2008, it seemed like a hard task for the Blue Oval to take back its sales crown from the Holden Commodore, which had recently gone to the ‘Billion-Dollar Baby’ VE generation.
History would show that never happened, with the Falcon sedan and ute comprehensively beaten by Holden’s flagship. A heavy update to FG-X trim in 2014 only kept the nameplate alive until October 2016 when production ended.
One of the FG Falcon’s weaknesses was its lack of product depth, having only been offered in its core sedan and ute bodystyles. The BF Falcon wagon continued production into mid-2010 and was never succeeded, while the longer luxury oriented Fairlane and LTD also reached the end of the line.
It didn’t have to be that way though, and newly surfaced design images have shown Ford may have been considering many different versions of the FG which saw the light of day.
Images shared on Facebook via the FPV & XR Owners Club of Victoria show slides claimed to be from a presentation held by long-time Ford designer, Steve Parks, who not only penned the AU Falcon but also headed the ‘Orion’ project, which became the FG.
While the FG XT ute looks almost the same as the production version, an image of a FG G6E wagon shows what a long-roof Falcon could have looked like, with Mondeo-esque rear styling. It would have given Ford a rival to Holden’s Commodore wagon, which continued to be produced until 2017.
Another slide shows proposals for a long wheelbase Fairlane or LTD, which from the AU to BF has become closer to the Falcon in size than ever before. Notable changes include a more cohesive design with the American Ford lineup of the time, such as the Taurus and Fusion.
The Fairlane and LTD were axed at the end of BF production due to low demand in their segments, though Holden continued with the rival Caprice and Statesman until the end.
However, the most surprising slide is the last, which includes two potential Falcon coupes – each with their own unique styling – as well as a convertible.
Ford never made a convertible Falcon for Australia, and you have to go back to 1979 for the last official Falcon coupes, the famed XC Hardtops.
Fast forward more than 15 years from the launch of the FG and the only passenger car in Ford’s Australian lineup is the Mustang, while the bulk of the brand’s sales are driven by the Ranger ute and Everest SUV, both made in Thailand but with significant local engineering input.
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