Ford Falcon BF - Best Falcon?
Вставка
- Опубліковано 15 тра 2024
- Here is the latest episode in my Falcon history series. The BF. Please help the channel by giving the episode a 👍Like👍 and be sure to Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes. Please also check out past episodes and view the Playlists. Thanks for watching. 👍
- Авто та транспорт
Here is my latest episode in the Falcon series - the BF. Please help the channel by giving the episode a 👍Like👍 and please Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes. Please also check out past episodes plus the Playlists for more. Thanks for watching. 👍
Great videos, Mark. Looking forward to you covering the FG series.
Which was the "best" ford GT a real brain teaser.
@@sambaxter7715 Thanks. That will be the next ep coming up. 👍
@@Eric-kn4yn That’s a hard one. I like the XA hardtop best I think? 🤔👍
What an incredible and invaluable service you've done documenting the history of the Australian Falcon this way. The whole series has been amazing.
Thanks very much. Glad you like it. I have two more Falcon episodes to go, then I will start Fairlane as well as start Commodore and Valiant. 👍
They used them as taxis and the motors clocked over a million KS.
@@peterware5173 Yes that’s right. 👍
I love the Ford History Mark. You had the best job in the world.
Thanks for your amazing contribution to our Ford Heritage.
You made History mate.
Regards
Tony.
Thanks very much Tony 👍👍
I'm very late to the Falcon party, having only just bought my first one a few months ago (2007 BF MkII XT)... but my god is that a great car. I can see myself buying a couple more Falcons now (probably B-Series, but maybe an FG or FGX for Sunday best)
Better late than never. Good on you. 👍
The BF (in particular Mk2) definitely felt more refined than the BA and is in many ways a more comfortable car than the later FG model, especially when it came to seating. Have owned multiple BA and BF Falcons as well as a BF Fairlane and a late BF mid-high series is definitely the pick of the bunch.
I think you are right there? What do others think? 🤔👍
Thanks for the great videos Mark. It just cuts me up. Knowing that we no longer make, these fantastic Ford's & Holdens in Aus anymore. A real crime in my opinion. 😢.
Thanks. Yes, I agree. 👍
My BF MK2 XR6 has the dark grey bodykit inserts, commonly called the Aggressor kit and was built in April 2008. Mine also has the standard sound system and climate control. It also has the 4 Speed BTR and the standard 17inch rims. It’s an ex-Avis rental car. Ford must have caved to car rental companies to offer them the cheapest XR6 while keeping the Aggressor kit.
Sounds like a nice car. 👍
I owned a BF Fairmont for 13 years. It had the usual Falcon issues with diff bushes, starter motor, driveshaft, and low beam globes. But other than that, the BF was a magnificent car. I bought it when it was 11 months old in 2006, and had 16,000kms on the clock. I sold it 5 years ago now, but I still miss it. If I could buy it back I'd do it in a heartbeat.
Maybe keep an eye out for a low mileage one? They do show up from time to time. 👍
@@markbehr88 by chance I found my old car again on Facebook Marketplace. The exact one I owned. Unfortunately, it had been completely trashed by some young punk. Chopped springs, welded diff, evidence of it being used in skids, doesn't have the original rear bumper anymore, dent in the bootlid ... that hurts.
I'm making a lot of comments here but i would like to thank you for your contribution to these beautiful cars, especially to the FPV range. You've done an awesome job.
Thanks very much. Very kind of you. 👍
What an era, thanks again Mark for another episode and your first hand information.
I was working at Bosch from 2004-2009, which was the BA to BF and early FG era. The lineup was exciting to see. Bosch did a lot of work for the stability control systems. Was also great when the ZF and the turbos appeared. Loved the 5.4 (both the 3v and 4v).That whole era was a leap forward in tech and performance.
Thanks. Yes, I remember we did a lot of work with Bosch. You would have worked with Steve Coughlin ( a great Yorkshire man I used to drive mad with my requests - 19” wheels, dual exhaust, 6 piston Brembos). His favourite saying “Bloody Marketing” but he also knew we were selling plenty of cars. He was a great guy! 👍
Sucha great video series you have created. thank you for sharing all of your inside knowledge of these projects
Thanks very much. Glad you are enjoying them. 👍
Thank you for the Falcon series videos. I see you’re going to do Fairlane and Valiant too. I’m looking forward to them also. Great channel and great work.
Thanks Mark.
Thanks very much. Please stay tuned and Subscribe! 👍
This should be a Netflix series!
Loving the detail and information about the choices you championed in these cars.
Thanks very much. My agent is standing by for their call. He looks identical to me. 👍😀
The BA @ BF were the best looking cars in the world, in my opinion (that’s all that matters)..I had a FPV 2003 boss 290 GT and I loved every time I drove it, of course I had it supercharged lol. So sad I sold it.
Maybe you should get another one? 🤔👍
Mark absolutely terrific!! I simply love the BF. Dependable, comfortable and tough. What more can you ask of a car?
Yes, I like the BF too. More elongated than the later FG, which had an obvious wedge shape to it. 👍
@@markbehr88 makes you wonder how good the falcon would have been in 2024 if ford continued development
@@Eric-kn4yn If only.
The late BF1 Turbo engine had an upgrade from the 1R23 conrods to the stronger 3R23 in 05/2006
I wonder if that had anything to do with Euro 3? 🤔👍
I've owned an EF XR8 a BF Mk2 XR8 and an FG Mk1 XR8 and my favourite is the BF
I owned the FG and BF at the same time, and while I appreciated the extra 30kw of the FG and only 33000km on the clock I sold it and kept the BF
I just think the styling and handling are more balanced in the BF
The FG is bigger all round and you feel it
No real interior change except that the FG headrests push your head too far forward
I think it also looks a lot better than the MEGA Mondeo aka the FGX
Still have the BF, and she's not going anywhere for the foreseeable future
BF ?
BEST FORD built here 👍
Yes, I tend to agree with you. The BF was a great looking car. I also love the EF XR8 (see episode on the channel on the EF range if you haven’t already watched it). 👍
What an amazing series and so much information. It's great to get a behind the scenes look from someone who was so pivotal in the design and look of these cars 👍
Thanks. Glad you are enjoying the episodes. 👍
I owned a BF mkII xr6 in the bright blue colour??. One of the best looking falcons ever I reckon. Sold it to my mate. He still has it. Bit of upkeep over the years but still goes well. Still looks amazing.
Yes, and it will only go up in value if he looks after it. 👍
I also remember the Ford dealer in regional Victoria having a new Cobra BF ute 6 speed manual...one of 4 only...at 65 k dollars !!!
Probably a good investment nowadays! 🤔👍
I thoroughly enjoyed this episode on the BF Falcon Mark. I never knew there were so many variants in the FPV Range. So I've learn something new from this video. My chances of buying one are extremely remote for good examples will be highly priced and the flogged out ones or modified to blazes aren't even worth considering.
Thanks very much. They have gone up in price a lot. That is for sure. Like you, apart from say, exhaust, I would only buy an original one. They are the ones that will be worth the most. 👍
Thank you Mark. This one should one should have been sold in the United States and at least globally. Then again there is the issue of the Taurus and Fusion/Mondeo. This one opne is nice looking. The Australians invest where it makes a difference( you experience it or feel it). The Americans focus on cosmetic things. Ford Australia used the same trim level names at American Ford( XL, XLS, XLT). I now understand more as I have watched the series. Falcon= Holden Commodore Fairmont= Holden Calais. The GT models remind me of Mustang GT. You were forward thinking at Ford. I liked the story about the Regency red from the Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency. I smiled when I heard that. You were so deeply involved with product development.
Regards trim or tier levels it's Falcon XT equivalent to Commodore Executive, later Omega, Falcon Futura equalled the Commodore Acclaim, Fairmont equivalent to Berlina and Fairmont Ghia equaled Calais.
It was truly amazing that this high quality product was sold only in Australia and a few minor right drive markets in the region. It was certainly worthy of being sold elsewhere.
I spoke to an American of Asian descent who hired a BA or BF XR6 and he was amazed at the quality, saying how American Fords interiors fell apart within 10 years.
@@jamesfrench7299 Thank you for explaining the trim levels compared to Holden. They did not export it. It should have been sold in the United States and The Middle East at least. They almost happened, but it did not thanks to Ford Taurus. Ford Fusion/Mondeo. Holden brought the Commodore and Monaro and Caprice to the United States and England, the mIddle East, China, and South Korea. Those are places I can name off the top of my head. He is telling the truth. The quality was night and day in comparing the United States to Australia. Like I said they focused on trim and things like that where Australia focused on quality materials and upgrading the things you can experience and feel.
Thanks Olds98. Glad you enjoyed it. With some additional NVH I reckon the Falcon would have done well in the USA. Shame it never happened but at least the Commodores arrived there under Pontiac and Chevrolet guise. 👍
@@markbehr88 I think it would have done well in the United States and The Middle East and Brazil as well. It is sad it did not happen. We got the Commodore and Caprice. China got the Caprice as a Buick as well as the Middle East got it as a Chevrolet. Great video. They did not market the Chevrolet SS..
@@OLDS98 A great shame. I heard Pontiac may be coming back? That would be great. Any truth to the rumour? 🤔
As a lifelong Holden guy, I always rated the BF, had such a nice design, shape and style.
I'd love a BF or BF MK2 FPV.
It’s good that you can appreciate the competition, unlike some others. 👍
I can remember riding in a Falcon wagon Taxi, just after Ford announced the end of the BF3 Wagon.. The Taxi owner was whinging and whining and calling Ford all the names under the sun for letting people like him down..
So, already knowing the answer, I asked, how often he purchased a brand new Falcon...
"Oh no, I don't buy new ones, I buy em second hand, ex government from the auctions"
He did not seem to understand why Ford would not give a damn about him...
Yes, very true. Like all the people who lamented the end of Australian car production but never bought a new Australian car. 👍🤔
@@markbehr88
In the end, I don't think Ford gave a damn about the taxi market. Whining, high mileage taxi's is hardly an image most sane car companies would wish apon themselves.
@@noelgibson5956 If you go back to pre AU days, I think Ford really valued it as it was reasonable volume but also a reinforcement of the durability and service the car could provide. As Australians developed the cultural cringe and started keeping up with the Johannes (ie love of Euro cars to reflect their success or perceived success) then the Taxi became a negative reflection of the brand. 👍
@@markbehr88
Yeah.......the Holden Commodore never really took off with the taxi market, and as far as I know, Holden wasn't chasing it with any real vigour. They thrived on their Bathurst winning image. Yet without the taxi market, Commodores were still outselling Falcons during this period.
@@noelgibson5956 They did try again with VN when the car became suitable size wise as per the Commodore specific taxi brochures they put out but a lot of the operators were welded on Ford fans. As you say, they pushed the performance angle - something Ford had dominated in the late 1960’s to very early 70’s but then became more focussed on fleet sales.
Interesting history on BF definitely improvement from AU performance range, i also like colour range too.
Yes, a big change from AU for sure. I do like my AU’s though, even though commercially, it was not successful. 👍
G'day Mark,
Your video's are the best, extremely well presented & informative for everyone to enjoy for years and years to come.
Thoroughly enjoyed this & all of them.
Cheers
Louis Kats 👍
Thanks Louis. Very kind of you. 👍
@@markbehr88 👍👍
I had the privilege of owning a very low mileage BF XR6 ute and yes it handled like a BMW 5series for falcon dollars. A beautifully refined and powerful car that was head and shoulders above its competitors.
Well said 👍
The GT badge sample board & ‘70’s colour chart evolution - both brilliant. Continuity is the absolute king in terms of customer loyalty and engagement. Aka The X Factor.
Thanks. I thought so too. Important to know the context of history of the nameplate etc. 👍
Kicked ass with your input mark real history you have with ford and Holden
Thank you. I was glad to be part of it. I’ll cover off my Holden and HSV input when I cover those models. 👍
I have BF MK2 XR6 sedan, I still love it, great for the open road, can cruise all day long day with ease
Very good. I have a BF XR6 too. 👍
Great video Mate, and great work on the Falcons 👍
My first ever brand new car was a BF XR6 Turbo Ute. Silhouette 6sp manual.
Cloth seats, no hard lid and the og 17” 5 spokes that matched the fog light surrounds with those 3 grooves (was that one of your touches?)
So much fun to drive especially with the SCT flasher stashed in the glovebox 👍
Thanks very much. Re the foglight surrounds - that was the Ford designers taking the FPV influence and passing a version of it down the line. 👍
Also a Lowndes XR 8 ute...2007 ford supercar team were unstoppable...Lowndes later stating his BF was the best racing car he ever drove ! ...my BF XR ute was a late build 3rd month 08.. registered 4th month 08...having the new FG electronics and computer.traction and stability control being assisted by the ABS braking which senses loss of traction to each individual wheel...also hill descent control and fitted with the much improved FG auto trans....so smooth you cant feel the shift ...all these upgrades make it a great allround car... the MK 3 wagons always popular on the used market...cheers...another great video...always loved the FPVs !!! 👍👍
Thanks very much. I added a pic of the yellow Lowndes XR8 ute. You never see them now. 👍
@@markbehr88 Theres a couple here in my town...also a couple of FPV Utes...And many many many late model mustangs !!!
@@romemancer7905 Sounds like a cool place! 👍
Ah! At last! My car! Proud owner of a bf xr6 in shockwave blue, what a beautiful car😊.
Very good. I should have mentioned in the episode. I have a BF XR6 too. I think it is Shockwave (lighter metallic blue than Blueprint?). I bought it off my brother. It has the glass moon roof which is why I bought it. 👍
@markbehr88 Hi Mark, you may be referring to Neo Mica (NE) which is slightly lighter than Blueprint (UU)
@@vincekara9446 Yes, that’s the colour! 👍
I did a 351 4V borg warner 4 speed into one of these in the mid nineties. Had a 9 inch 3.0 ratio watts link lsd done by an engineering company in Onehunga Auckland. Went and drove real good for its time. Miss that old girl...
Maybe an older model as the BF came out in the 2000’s? 🤔
Oops. Forgot to say it was an XF sedan. My bad. They allowed us do do that conversion where Australia wouldn't. The left hand head interfered with the heater outlet pipes so i ran no heater. Other than that it dropped straight in. Fun car that one.
@@xbgtfella 👍👍
2016 Mercedes C250 owner now but years ago in the early 00s (in my 20s) had a EF II Fairmont Ghia (First Ghia with Tickford XR6 engine too) and my last car was a FG II XR6 Turbo Limited Edition
Loved every Falcon video and brings back lots of memories. Hopefully one day I can buy a EL Fairmont Ghia or a EL XR6 as my weekend driver. One can dream in this cost of living challenge...
Thanks for the vids and your contribution to these Falcons
Mercedes are good cars. Glad you like the Falcon videos. If you want an EL Ghia probably best to get one sooner than later imo. 👍
Thanks for very informative video on the BF series
I use to buy Australian Muscle Magazine and drool over the BF FPV range
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the video and the cars too. 👍
Your done a great job Mark. An My BF2 Fairmont Ghia colour Ford name is " Seduce " an I have had a few jokes with friends about the name 🤣🤣 an its real meaning as a word.
I say to people mine is a Cardinal Red with a perl finish through it. As most people know what Colour Cardinal Red is.
Thanks very much. BF2 Ghia is a very nice car. 👍
Thanks Mark Excellent inside knowledge which we appreciate,
My old MK1 BF XR8 now has 410kw at the engine and 730nm with Vortech helping but stock rods and no intercooler
The suspension was lowered and fat whiteline bars track shocks springs etc and corners incredible and is magnifiicient
These BFs have a very strong frame and are still a top vehicle today
Cheers and thanks
Wow. Sounds like a beast. Glad you are enjoying the episodes. 👍
I OWNED A 06 FPV GT, NICE CAR, STILL A SLOW CAR BUT GREAT ON LONG DRIVES AND HAD IT PAST 200 KILOMETERS MANY TIMES. REMOVED THE MUFFLER AND SOUNDED LIKE A REAL V8. MINE WAS YELLOW LIKE THE VIDEO.
Nice. I don’t know if I would call them slow, but the GT is a great touring car, which is what it says on the tin. 😀👍
@@markbehr88 the " best" GT falcon now theres a talking point.
@Eric-kn4yn Yes, might make a good video? 👍
@@markbehr88 FOR A FACTORY CAR THE BFGT WAS OK, BUT SLOW TO WHAT I AM USED TO. I GREW UP AT THE DANDENONG STREET DRAGS IN THE 80/90'S, MY FIRST CAR A XB GS 351 RAMMED WITH 2X780'S VERTICAL GATE 4 SPEED IS WHAT I MEASURED ALL MY CAR AGAINST. I EVEN OWNED A SUPER RARE 64 CHEVELLE 454 WITH OVER 500HP, XD UTE 351 WITH SAME ENGINE AS THE XB WAS FUN. OWNED A FEW HOLDENS, EH WITH A 350, HO STATESMAN WITH A 400 SMALL BLOCK ALL FUN AND WOULD SUCK THE HEAD LIGHTS OUT OF THE STOCK BFGT. BUT THE FASTEST CAR OUT OF ALL OF THEM WAS A 93 MR2 TURBO, WITH A BIG DOLLAR ENGINE, TDO6 TURBO MADE OVER 300KW AT THE WHEELS, IT WAS YELLOW LIKE THE BFGT, AND LOOKED GREAT HAVING 2 YELLOW GT'S AT THE SAME TIME, BFGT WAS MY COMPANY CAR, FPV WAS A CLIENT OF MINE JUST BEFORE THE GFC OF 08/09, AND YEAH THAT FINANCIAL CRASH WAS THE END OF MY CARS, HOUSE, MARRIAGE AND SO ON. I DID RECOVER AFTER YEARS, BUT NEVER GOT BACK TO OWNING A FEW FAST CARS, EVEN LOST MY CHOPPER, WIFE GOING WAS A BLESSING LOL. I AM A FORD BLOKE, BUT ADMIRE ANYTHING FAST. AT NEARLY 60 I DRIVE A MINT 03 4.6 EXPLORER, LIFTED BIG MUDDIES, EXHAUST, HUGE BONNET AIR INTAKE, AND IS FUN, TURNS HEADS, SOUNDS BETTER THAN ANY V8 IN TOWN, BUT SLOWWWWWW LOL. I SHOULD GET MY HANDS ON MY SUPER EARLY 2025, AND YEAH SPENDING IT ON SOME FACTORY MUSCLE CAR, A SRT8, MERCEDES V8 IS ON THE BUCKET LIST, MAYBE FORD SOMETHING, BUT WILL HAVE A LOOK WHEN 2025 COMES AROUND. NOT WILLING TO BUILT SOMETHING HENCE LOOKING AT SOMETHING FACTORY, AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF CARS TO PICK FROM. I REALLY SHOULD KNOW BETTER AFTER DECADES OF SPENDING MONEY ON CARS, BUT YEAH I AM ADDICTED TO HP/SPEED. MIGHT EVEN VISIT MELBOURNE TO BUY THE LAST FAST CAR IN MY LIFE TIME AFTER LEAVING THERE 10 YEARS AGO, VISIT A FEW FRIENDS FROM WAY BACK, EVEN LAY SOME RUBBER, BUT THAN GLADLY GO BACK TO FAR EAST GIPPSLAND, AND HANG OUT WITH THE YOUNGSTERS AND MAYBE SMOKE A FEW HEHE, TIME WILL TELL IF MY SUPER FUND IS STILL THERE EARLY 2025, FINGERS CROSSED, IF SO WATCH OUT FOR AN OLD BLOKE SMOKING TIRES.
Cool. Sounds like you’ve had some great cars over the years. Good on you. I hope you get something nice when the super kicks in. 👍
A big thanks to you, I like the B series the most ( probably why I maintain two 😂) and now I know who to thank! Love the outlandish colours, would have loved a Toxic Falc but to no avail, had to settle for Acid Rush and Vibe.
Thanks very much. When I was ordering my BF GT co car - it was a really hard decision. I was thinking of Toxic too but we t with the Black with orange stripes (which I loved). I used to go out to the holding yard to look at all the different colours and stripes people ordered. I wish I had of taken my camera. One of the best ever looking GT’s I saw was a car going to Brisbane. It was a factory White with gold stripes. It may not sound exciting but it looked bloody fantastic. 👍
Great episode and I loved the BF Cobra and 40th Anniversary cars.
Thanks. They were some of my favourites too. 👍
Would you be interested in genuine BF GT 40TH complete decal kit ? .
@@peterb121 Thanks but I have nothing to put it on. Better going to an owner of one. Appreciate the offer though. 👍
i wish we had fords like those in the states , i would have one or two . a wagon for sure!!
Yes, they would have done well? 👍
I liked the subtle changes of the BF despite owning a BA XR6T from new. Especially the front bars looked more aggressive IMHO. Was something i was always jealous about when i seen the new BF range. My biggest issue with the BF as a whole was the play it safe card, resulting in very minor styling changes. Any non Ford fan would never know it's a different model. It felt like an eternity till the FG was released mainly because the BF didn't really seem like a change until the MK2. Anyway it is what it is
Yes, as I mentioned, Ford was a little gun shy after the AU experience, so - once they were on solid ground again style wise, were reluctant to make too many changes. 👍
Thanks again for the excellent video mate, amazing to see your input, and good to know about Gordon as well - us Ford fans owe a lot to you both for turning the brand around from the AU days. I think every performance ford fan will thank you for the Dark Argents - they still sell like hotcakes on Facebook Marketplace to this day.. and have been slapped on every iteration of Falcon that I can think of. I've even seen XFs with those wheels attached (copies though I'm sure). P.S. I would kill for a Force 6!...
Thanks very much. Of course, there are many more people apart from us who did great work on our Aussie Fords. I am glad to have had the opportunity to do this work and create a great legacy too. Yes, the Dark Argent wheels are very sought after. I just like to see them on F6 models. 😀👍
May i add, IMO that the best colour's introduced were in the BF. Especially Fantasy (CF) in BF1 and Obsession in BF2
Yes, those two weren’t mine. They were all down to the Colour and Trim team. I did put forward the dark cherry black colour (can’t remember the name?). I took that from a very nice VR or VS HSV colour. 👍
Great episode, Mark. Thank you.
Glad you liked it. 👍
Love your work on the FPV vehicles. Interesting to hear the challenges you had pushing design identities through management!
Thanks very much. Yes, sometimes some people just did not “get it”. 👍
Thanks for this excellent series Mark. Might have to look at one of these BF's as a forever car, while the price is still reasonable. Always wondered if we would see the Superoo decal again, you answered this for me , looks like we nearly did but as you say "a big mistake". Talking about the colours I regularly see a B series XR ute around that is painted in a colour very similar to the old XA "Copper Bronze." Not sure it is factory as I have never seen another but it look stunning, love that colour..like my old Aussie assembled XA.
Thanks. I know the colour you mention (my Dad’s 1972 Galaxie I found and bought back - see ep on the channel, is Copper Bronze). I saw a GT in that colour on carsales last night. Looks good. You should get a BF I reckon. So, should I (GT or Force). 👍
I think the BF was peak Falcon to be honest, I could never warm to the FG or FG-X.
I know I'm in the minority but I always preferred the BA FPVs though. I have 2 BA F6s tucked away (including a P car) and had a BF Tornado for a while which was also great. I just thought the BA was a cleaner look which appealed to me. And I LOVE Velocity so a Velocity F6 was always what I wanted.
It's interesting, not knowing the story, that when the BF FPVs came out I commented to a couple of friends that it looked like it had been styled by HSV. And now I've learned they did share some DNA haha...
And even tho they obviously didn't sell brilliantly I love the Force cars. Ego Force 8 with the red interior is welcome in my collection any day!
Lots of interesting info from an insider, thanks for the video Mark.
My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it. 👍👍
I agree with you there mate, got a BA MK2 GTP in Velocity, & the white stripes..
@@sykcnt8012 definitely god tier. :)
Which one of the 5 of each "P" cars do you have- ute or sedan?
@@maxrockatanksyOG Typhoon P0011. Mandarin with cloth and Brembos. Rego at the time was TDC493. Have found a few pics of it in mags but always looking :)
Hi Mark, hope your well, Sorry for late late reply ,my Dad was taken ill yesterday and I had to take him to hospital he suffered a heart attack, good news he is recovering well and doing well with the treatment he is 80 next month.
I like the look of the Falcon Force 8 the colour looks great and suit the care and like the finish on the wheels and like the look of the Rebel, F6R and the Super Roo editions.
I did not know that these cars comply to Euro compliance. Like I said many a time I would love to see these cars on the roads in Wales,
as always I've be enjoying the Falcon history it's one of the best cars we never had, great video, Take care
Hi Shaun. Sorry to hear about your dad and I hope he is doing ok? Yes, the Force 8 is a terrific looking car although I may be biased 😀. It’s a shame Ford did not export the Falcon. I think it would have done well in the USA especially and as a niche car for the UK market too. Imagine seeing an F6 Typhoon driving around Japan as well! 👍
I definitely think the BF was the best looking, as well as best engineered modern Falcon made.
You were very lucky getting to play with the Falcon and design some nice addons to them.
I'm hunting around for a BF wagon. They are the last of the Falcon wagons and I will find one before they all get scrapped.
I'm disappointed that they didn't make the FG in a wagon. I think I once saw a BA/BF with the FG front clip on Ebay. Not sure if it was a clip on job or a major bit of work to make it fit.
Back when I was 17, I had an XR wagon with the 289. Used to get along nicely. It would do 92 mph if you held it in second before it lugged into third. 😁😁
Thanks. I agree an FG wagon would have been great but they were making Territory instead. 👍🤔
If us Holden blokes can admit & see the FGX was the sexiest/best Aussie production car ever made… sayin’ something great doco on the great Aussie taxi.
Thanks. That is true. You miss out on a lot of things if you are one eyed. Ask any Cyclops. 😀👍
@@markbehr88 haha
Great episode. I bought a brand new Force 6 back in April 2007 and it's still my daily driver to this day. The best looking BF model in my opinion. Only 99 built so quite rare.
Thanks. Good on you 👍👍👍
Thanks Mark, another great review. I was fortunate to have a BFII Super Pursuit and a BFII F6 Typhoon. Both excellent vehicles in their own rights. The F6 was a real V8 killer!
Thanks. I always loved the utes and couldn’t wait to add the stripe packages and bigger wheels plus Super Pursuit. The first Pursuit needed a bit more “attitude”. 👍
I have a BF fairmont 4speed auto. Bought for $5k in 2019. A great highway car, so quiet and smooth. Tows the 1200 kg jayco caravan with ease. Dunno why everyone thinks they need a 4wd to tow a van when the falcon is such a great car
Perhaps sadly because you cant buy a new falcon now nothing really fills the missing space they were the golden years of aussie cars 🥇.
Yes, great car. 👍
@@Eric-kn4yn That they were. 👍
@@markbehr88 if falcon production continued the 2024 model would have been a winner
@@markbehr882024 falcon if only.
I had pictures of the force 6 and 8 in my work station as a 20yo in 07. I also had a picture of that drif6 promo vehicle. I later seen it meet an unfortunate end at a motorsports event doing a demo.
Thankyou for the videos but your designs over the years.
Thanks very much. Glad you liked the Force models. They were some of my favourites too. I remember the Drif6. That was a pet project of Andrew Maclean, our PR Manager. 👍
Thanks Mark, not only for the videos, but for your work with FPV.
You definitely have different tastes in wheels to me! I've always preferred spokes that start thick at the hub and taper towards the rim. I guess to me it just looks more like it's engineered to handle the loads, with no excess metal.
My favourite factory Ford alloys have always been the wheels on the RS3100 Capri.
Having said all that though, I thought the wheels on the BF Cobra looked absolutely fantastic!
Thanks very much. Interesting re the wheels as a lot of the impact initially happens on the outer rim. My main approach was to make the wheels as open as possible and quite aggressive as the original GT wheels and the GT-P wheels were very conservative. I had some resistance from the Ford designers originally as they were not used to someone from Marketing having so much equity in the design process - however, that is what I was used to at Holden and HSV. Once they could see how much we were improving the cars, everyone became very enthused. I also had David Flint as a great support, telling the head of Ford Design “Give this guy what he wants”. 👍
Yes & 5 spokes too please. Or 7 if needed. No even numbers, odd looks more 'correct' imo.
@@UncleJoeLITE The F6 Turbo impeller one should fit the bill there? 🤔👍
@@UncleJoeLITE to me, the number of spokes should reflect the number of wheel nuts. So 4 wheel nuts, 4 or 8 spokes. 5 nuts, 5 or 10 spokes, and so on.
@@markbehr88 yeah, the impacts happen on the rim, but the spokes then act as levers, amplifying the force onto the hub. This is obviously moreso with cornering, braking and acceleration forces than with impact loads though.
Anyway it's probably all subjective, but it just looks more right to me.
Crammed with detail Mark. Found it very interesting to hear the back story to these special editions. Loved the red leather interior. Black and grey are boring. I hope we get back to varied colour interiors.
Thanks very much. Yes, I loved the red interior. We offered black/grey for those who did not, however, the car looked much better imo with the red interior. 👍
Fantastic Mark. Would be an interesting story regarding what got you out of FPV at the stage you did. Some of those BF FPV cars are some of the Falcon platform's most beautiful, and as you say differentiated the models so well. That 40th anni GT - wow!
Thanks. What got me out of FPV was a mass redundancy that removed the MD, Marketing Manager, PR Manager and a stack of others. When they told me I would be impacted, I could not believe it as I felt I had been one of the main people who actually got them from the point of selling 12-15 cars per month to 250 plus and we just had our best ever sales result. I said “Well, if you think this is a smart business decision, knock yourself out”. They never sold as many cars again, even with the FG and made many mis-steps after that point, which I would not have done. 🤔
@@markbehr88 Terrible Mark. It's a very American corporate thing that is seen by the upper brass as an instant saving with a share price hike. Problem is on the ground, come Monday morning the people who really had done the work aren't there anymore, and in the resultant panic are covered with consultants and contractors who have no vested interest or ownership going forward long term. I'm about to be laid off for the third time.
@@coalfacechris1336 Very true. And the decision makers end up costing the company more money but are not held to account. Very sorry to hear about your situation. I hope it all works out for you mate. 👍👍
@@markbehr88 I'm OK mate. Bit of a tricky time being in my early 50's. But you have to make it the best thing that has ever happened, as there is no choice 😉The lay-off cycle in mining is just that. Take their money, I say!
It just shows that no matter how good you are in a big corporation there is no loyalty to you
Very disappointing
That was great viewing, thanks.
My daily driver is a 2007 Futura wagon, a ripper of a work horse.
I added an extra leaf to the rear springs and run extra load commercial tyres and it made a huge difference to carrying a load and towing.
I basically use it like a Ute with a canopy and being a cheap run around it has copped some abuse and towed some big loads.
Over 60k klms it has never let me down, the only thing that keeps breaking are the interior grab handles/armrests.
Well done Ford Australia, FYI, I'm a Nissan Patrol man.
Thanks very much. I hope you’ll check out the other Falcon episodes on the playlist. 👍
@@markbehr88
I actually watched the XD, EA, AU and BA vids straight after, you've done a great job mate.
@@steely1neverwane Thanks very much. 👍
Thanks for the detail about the mighty Super Roo! It was very definitely a thing of it's period but what if you brought it back?!?
Thanks. The new version of the Super Roo would have been a winner. 👍
I bought the first xr6t ba series 1 and loved that thing. Smoked commodores day in day out. Bought my 2nd one (FG) in ‘08 because it had the 270kw and zf auto. 16 years later and some upgrades I’ve still got it. I’ll never sell it. BF F6 will be my midlife crisis machine in a few years probably pay through the roof for one but I don’t care. Up the barra boys🤘🏼
They are a good thing for sure 👍
Another great video Mark. Subscribed!
Thank you very much. 👍
Hi Mark another great story on the Falcon range. You sure had an interesting job at FPV. I have a lpg BF Falcon it's a great car to drive and cheap to run.
Thanks very much. Your LPG Falcon would be a very low cost car to run, especially given the size of the car. 👍
Love this vids. Such a looker that range, (apart from the wagon with its strangely crooked window line). Really should have beaten the Commodore in the sales race on looks alone.
Yes, they were good looking cars weren’t they. 👍
I liked the BF 🖒🖒🖒
Me too. 👍
Thanks for sharing your story Mark, you guys did make the BA update look great. No doubt about that.
However, when I saw that very minor refresh, looked at it in profile, then thought of the AU, I had a very bad feeling for Ford's future here. It was obvious Ford hadn't invested in factory tooling. I agree, the base BF could've been the "BA MkIV" & no-one would've noticed. So whilst it's likely the best Falcon, it's also the saddest one for me with its foreshadowing of doom. Lovely looking cars tho'. Cheers.
I had similar feelings. I couldn't see too many BA owners rushing out to buy a new car that looked so similar. And in fact, a mate of mine had bought a BA when they first came out, and didn't update for that exact reason, even though his accountant was telling him he should lease a new car.
My view is - while Ford continued with the AU doors, the restyle was such a major one, that they did get away with it. They simply did not have the funds to re-do the whole body shell. At the end of the day, Australia and NZ are pretty small markets to justify a uniquely designed car, so I am just glad we got these cars as long as we did, before globalisation made it all too hard. 👍
@@alanjm1234 Yes, that is a fair comment. I cover that off in the episode re nervousness. I had no such issue with the FPV models as I saw it as my chance to make them more differentiated and more aggressive. 👍
Thanks for the videos
Fantastic information
Thanks. Glad you like it. 👍
Hi Mark love the channel been enjoying all the videos you’ve been putting up Really enjoyed this episode, specially with the information about the force 8 I actually bought a force8 build number 007 brand-new at Parramatta Thompson Ford all the things you mentioned about the force 8 is the reason I bought it and loved it. Have a lot of regrets of selling it been looking for it when it comes up for sale again but now they’re asking the same money as what I bought it for so I guess that will be a no now And plus, I’ve got a pretty full garage now Lotus Elise brand-new Ford Ranger wild track X and my old Ford Telstar turbo 89 model Keep up the great work looking forward for your series about the Telstar
Thanks very much. I would love a Force 8 too. Hopefully, the prices may become a little more realistic. 🤔👍
I really like the Ute’s mark
So do I. I couldn’t wait to start making them look better with the various stripes and wheels plus the F6 Tornado was a great package as well. 👍
My cousin bought a BF F6 new back in the day. Wow, that thing flew and looked so cool. As a young Ford fan, the BA was such a cool car and is what the brand needed, and then the BF took it to the next level!
Yes, they were and are great cars. 👍
Oh to have a BF F6. Command big buckos nowadays
Yes. They were bargains for a while before though as were the GT’s. 👍
BAs where good , personal choice though I liked the BF series , I was always a GT boy from 1967 , , but when the F6 models came along I felt my GT loyalty divided :) ., but I could never afford either so it was moot lol.
Yes, I preferred the BF too. I had the choice of a GT or F6 company car, and chose the GT. However, the F6 was every bit as good and different enough from the V8 cars. 👍
Well done Mark. The Force 6&8 are probably my favourite "modern" Falcons. For its time,just as desirable as the ESP models back in the early 80s
Thanks very much. I actually tried to get Ford to do a Ghia based ESP turbo and V8 but…….👍
looking forward to the deep dives on the mitsi magna mate
Yes, I will do those. 👍
hi i have a bf2 xr8 rip curl Ute colour seduce 2007 . just to let you know which you failed to mention as a lot of people also forgets is that if you want to replace all of the coils x8 don't ask for xr8 plugs as you will probably get the standard plug which wont fit which i found out the hard way. my model has the boss fpv 5.4 (260). the plugs that i had to have only come in (290) and GT mustang (5.0).so i have in my car is a 290 detuned to a 260 motor because of the limited edtion rip curl spec. has been confirmed from ford victoria. cheers
I have bf wagon over 7yrs two starter mtrs and new bush on shifter linkage ,that's it Beeb very good overall, done perth to gold coast and back no problems, over 800km a tank when cruising at 105kph.
Yes, great cars. I ignore the haters. Luckily they are few and far between and generally don’t know any better. 👍
Bf xr6 mk2 bionic here thanks for contributing to such an awesome colour and TOUGH Design 💪🏼
Thanks very much. 👍
It’s cool seeing the new super roo logo.
I remember the conversation/speculation in the Ford Forums on why those badges were left off when it was well known they existed.
I loved the black painted wheels on that model, very well done.
Yes, it was a mistake made by people who didn’t know what they were doing. The opposite of Midas turning everything into gold that he touched. 🤔
You also need to do a video of what is in your collection!
It would take too long 🫣
Fantastic episode Mark. Really enjoyed the nitty gritty about the FPV . If may ask why did you leave FPV?
I always felt the BA was a cleaner design then the BF, although the differences are minor.
Fair enough. For the FPV models I worked on, I much preferred the BF range. 👍
I agree that the XD, EA, BA all looked cleanest. Ford tended to muddy clean designs with their updates. Honourable exception for me is the XB. =)
@@UncleJoeLITE Fair enough. I like the XC too though. 🤔👍
The BF fixed the NVH backward step the BA represented over the AU which had finally overcome criticism over the engine's agricultural feel.
I thought it was reasonable to expect some harshness from an undersquare long stroke torque rich powerplant. That the AU Intech still made that sort of engine manage to be smooth at all levels deserved a standing ovation which is why the BA was a disappointingly rough though powerful engine. I'll take refinement any day.
Strange how the BF looked almost exactly like a BA with the changes mainly underneath, while the BF2 and BF3 got much more differentiation, while the XR6 and XR8 got nearly non that was easily detectable.
Yes, I think the BF Mark 2 should have been the first effort and agree that the XR models could have had more of a change. We did do that for the FapV range of course. 👍
@@markbehr88 having said all that, I do like the X as you termed it extending down through the bumper grill. It's my way of identifying its a BF from the front (and the parabolic taillights) and adds a little bit more style quite effectively. I didn't like the BF2 and BF3 headlights at first but they grew on me and give the front a more masculine feel.
@@jamesfrench7299 Agree. 👍
You do a good job with them can you please do them on the Commodore ranges
Thanks. Yes, I will definitely do the Commodores too. 👍
Light years ahead of it's competition (with the possible exception of the Magna) in terms of refinement and overall good design. Ford really had things sorted with this car.
Thanks. You might get some people disputing the Magna exception though? 😀👍
@@markbehr88 😄
Bound too, but the 3.5 Magna was a damn good thing. Awesome handling and build quality, plus reliability. I had one for six years and I always remember it with fondness. It was truly a standout in the history of our proud Aussie car manufacturing legacy.
@@area51isreal71 Yes, they were excellent cars. Well made too. 👍
...just not the Olivier Boulay-nosed final Magna pls - it was abandoned by its mother for a reason lol!
Shame about the excellent Mitsu380. Not many around now that I see. Paint seems a weakness.
Top coverage of the bf range. If i strike the jackpot i know what to go looking for as far as Bf collectables. Can u please document the involvement of Gordon Barfieild in the i6 turbo side of things Bf and Fg. love this now lost Ford Au history coming to life. Cheers
Thanks. Gordon was the senior Product Planner for Ford for the BA turbo models plus the liaison for me at FPV. He was great to work with. 👍
I got a bf ute 1 tonne tray back with canopy i scored for a hundred bucks. Ute was 800 in March 2023. It's got 240xxx on it. Auto and its a green top. I'm in Brisbane and they're deleting propane servos as fast as they can. (Big mistake) When I got it it had sat for 2 years on a farm. I went to pickup the ute and it wouldn't start. Guy dropped it off and turned out the starter died. 130 bucks @ repco and im in business. This ute gets a hiding. Loaded up many times and been to Maryborough loaded to the max once and back. Smoked heaps of contenders at the lights too. Looking for a turbo one now so i can have more fun.....
What a bargain! 👍
Interesting, I thought the bumper bars and inserts on the BF FPV were modular as when I ordered my BF GTP from the Surfside Miami dealership in 2006, I showed the salesman the lower grille and fog light bezel surrounds on a BF F6 and said I liked the look of them and the triangle mesh much more than what came from the factory on the GTP. They were able to special order the car with the triangular grille mesh all round, the F6 lower grille insert with the triangular side scoops, and it looks really aggressive with the Boss power bulge in the bonnet. In my opinion that's how the GT and GTP should have looked. I still have the car and the paperwork showing the delete GTP grille, add F6 parts. To my knowledge it's the only one like it.
I was at FPV then and that kind of order would have had to be approved by Roger Gray or myself. I would say the dealer ordered those parts for you new and fitted them as opposed to it being done at Glenbarry Road. 🤔👍
The jump from AU to BA 3 was both the ultimate requiem and redemption for sh*t design. Well done Ford👏👏👏
Funnily enough, the designer of the AU said it was the car they were most proud of as they had almost unfettered freedom to do what they wanted. Therefore, a purist design. I get the commercial reality of how it was received though. 🤔
Hey Mark i own a BF MK2 XR8 ute had it for years good car.
Worth keeping too. 👍
@@markbehr88 most definitely will.
Back in the day I always wanted to buy a pursuit Ute but what put me off was rivets in the tray
So I ended up with an ssv Ute and I still have it
Only driven on sundays you know
You certainly did some good stuff with the bf model Mark
My ef I just sold had typhoon wheels on it when I bought it
I did sell them as I didn’t like the rubber band tyres
All the bf xr cars looked so good especially the fpv ones 👍👍👍
Thanks very much. The Holden utes were terrific for sure. I did like the Ford ones too though. The Fords were more truck like if that makes sense. More work like. 👍
Great video mate , however the 3 valve V8 was a single overhead camshaft engine design.
Thanks. The three valve has an overhead cam per bank as far as I am aware - so double overhead? The XR8 and FPV models are Quad cam. 👍
Loving the series. Will you also be doing the Territory series including FPV?
I will do that the FPV one and what it should have been. 👍
Another top quality video, Mark! Was there any particular reason the utes didn't get the 6 speed ZF option?
Thank you. The FPV ones did. I think it may have been available on the XR utes later on (anyone?). It would have been a Bosch calibration cost equation and engineering resource availability I would say. No other reason really. 🤔
@markbehr88 you're most welcome mate. Look forward to a new video each week. Just something I've always been curious about but never knew much about. Sadly most of my knowledge is with Holden and Mitsubishi. Not a complete illiterate with them, I've owned a few and worked on all of them, but my knowledge is definitely limited. Did wagons ever get the 6 speed?
@@Michka1001 My pleasure. No 6 speed in the Ford wagons. .👍
Hi Mark great job as usual!. Just a question. Was there ever any BF Mark 3 sedans?. My understanding was the Mark 3 moniker was purely for the last of the wagons.
Thanks very much. Re the Mark 111, I always thought wagon only too but the references say there were XT sedans. Keen to hear if anyone has one? Doesn’t really make sense as there was a base FG but no wagon in FG? 👍
Great video,do you know how many bf f6 typhoons were made,I own one and have had it for 12 years
@@chriseveringham5013 Thanks very much. I don’t have that info to hand sorry. 👍
While you worked at Ford, did anybody ever come to work driving a holden?
I am sure they did. But most drove a Ford. 👍
Very detailed video mate really impressed. Just a question, you say the force models had red interior as standard although majority came with black interior. Or did most people choose black as apposed to red.
Thanks very much. Please check put the other Falcon history videos going back to XK. The red interior was standard on the BF Force models, so dealers or customers would have to order the Dark Charcoal - otherwise the default was Regency Red. 👍
@@markbehr88 i see. Thanks for the reply, would love to see another video on in particular the BA-BF series models as ive had a few and own a few and really save a soft spot for them.
@@yeamike4127 I do have a BF XR6 that may feature. The next Falcon video will be FG then FG-X. 👍
My ba has bo ft ax trim code which is the tyre tread pattern it's a 10 month 04 build ?
Could be a pilot build car or an ex Ford car?
I had a BF xr6t with the 6 speed manual in arguably the best looking but worst colour in terms of peeling, Shockwave. We did a lot of warranty resprays with that particular colour apparently it was due to poor adhesion to the primer. The whole car would have to be taken right back to bare metal.
Crazy to have that kind of problem. I also remember some cars had “tiger stripes” as they called it - obvious vertical lines in the painting process that sounded to me as simply not putting enough paint on in the first place. 🤔