Is the Ford Falcon a Mustang?
In short, no. The Ford Falcon and the Ford Mustang are two distinct Ford models with separate histories and market roles. The Mustang began as a standalone sporty car in 1964, while the Falcon name has been used for different Ford lines in the United States and Australia, including a long-running Australian Falcon that ended in 2016. The two are connected in engineering history, as early Mustangs drew on a Falcon-derived platform, but they are not the same car.
Origins and definitions
To understand whether the Falcon is a Mustang, it helps to define the two names and their markets over time.
- Ford Falcon (United States): A compact car line introduced by Ford in 1960, serving as a sibling to other small-family cars of the era.
- Ford Mustang: A distinct two-door pony car launched in 1964, designed for performance and style, with its own identity and range of sporty options.
- Ford Falcon (Australia): A long-running family sedan and wagon line produced by Ford Australia from 1960 until 2016, sharing only a general lineage with the US cars and not marketed as a Mustang.
These are separate model lines, though the Mustang's origins include engineering borrowings from the Falcon platform, which can be a source of confusion for some readers.
Relationship in design and engineering
What links the two models is historical engineering: the Mustang was developed on a platform derived from Ford's Falcon family, using a shortened version to create a lighter, sportier package. This means the Mustang benefited from Falcon-derived engineering, but it remained a distinct model with unique styling, engines, and options.
- The Mustang's chassis is based on a Falcon-derived platform, but shortened and modified for performance and style.
- Drivetrain and styling: Both offered V8 and performance options, but tuned and marketed for different audiences.
- Brand identity: The Falcon and Mustang are marketed as separate lineups with different design language and typical customer profiles.
In short, the Falcon provided some of the engineering DNA for the Mustang, but the Mustang is not simply a Falcon in disguise.
Current status and markets
The status of the two nameplates varies by region and era. In Australia, the Ford Falcon name remained in use for family sedans and wagons until 2016, when Ford Australia's Falcon line ended. The Ford Mustang has been sold both in the United States and internationally since 1964 and remains in production with global variants and special editions. In the United States, the Falcon nameplate as a standalone model faded long ago, while the Mustang continues to be Ford's enduring performance coupe.
- Current Falcon: Australia ended the Falcon line in 2016.
- Current Mustang: Continues in production globally, with ongoing updates through multiple generations.
- Global strategy: The Falcon name is not used for current Mustangs; the Mustang is marketed independently in most regions.
These facts show that while the Falcon and Mustang share a historical link, they operate as separate models in today’s market.
Summary
The Ford Falcon is not a Mustang. They are distinct models with separate identities and market histories. The Mustang does trace engineering roots to the Falcon platform, but it remains a standalone pony car introduced in 1964. The Australian Falcon line persisted until 2016, while the Mustang continues to be Ford's enduring performance coupe globally.
What kind of car is a Falcon?
A "Falcon" is a name for a car originally manufactured by Ford in North America and Australia, with production spanning from 1960 to 1970 in the US and continuing in Australia until 2016. In North America, it was a popular compact car during the 1960s that came in various body styles like sedans, wagons, and coupes, and its platform was the basis for the original Ford Mustang. The Australian-produced Falcon, however, was a larger vehicle and became an iconic car in its own right, serving in many fleet roles there until its production ended.
North American Ford Falcon
- Initial release: Introduced in 1960 as a compact, economical, and utilitarian car designed to compete with imported European cars.
- Body styles: Available as two and four-door sedans, two and four-door station wagons, and the Ranchero car-based pickup.
- Performance: Initially featured a 95-horsepower straight-six engine, with V8 options becoming available later, especially in the "Sprint" performance variant.
- Successor: Was replaced by the Ford Maverick in 1970 as Ford's economical compact offering.
Australian Ford Falcon
- Production: A different model than its North American counterpart, the Australian Falcon was a larger vehicle produced from 1960 until 2016.
- Body styles: Included sedans, station wagons, utilities (utes), and hardtop coupes.
- Popularity: Dominated taxi, police, and company fleets in Australia and New Zealand for many years.
- Last generation: The final Australian version, the FG X, was available as a sedan and utility.
What is a 1965 Ford Falcon worth today?
Typically, you can expect to pay around $11,050 for a 1965 Ford Falcon in good condition with average spec. What is the highest selling price of a 1965 Ford Falcon? The highest selling price of a 1965 Ford Falcon at auction over the last three years was $24,200.
Was the Mustang built on a Falcon frame?
From 1965 until 2004, the Mustang shared chassis commonality with other Ford model lines, staying rear-wheel-drive throughout its production. From 1965 to 1973, the Mustang was derived from the 1960 Ford Falcon compact.
Who made the Ford Falcon?
The Ford Motor Company made the Falcon car. It was designed in the late 1950s by Robert McNamara, who was at Ford, as an economical, six-passenger vehicle to compete with growing European imports. The Ford Falcon was first launched in North America in 1960, and the model was produced by Ford in other countries as well, with distinct versions in places like Argentina and Australia.
- Initial development: The Falcon was conceived as a response to market trends showing a demand for smaller, fuel-efficient cars. McNamara pushed for a design that was cost-effective and simple.
- Global production: While the original North American model ran from 1960 to 1970, other regions continued production. Ford Argentina produced a version of the Falcon from 1962 to 1991, and Ford Australia developed its own distinct Falcon model line from 1972 until 2016.
- Sales and evolution: The Falcon was a sales success initially, with over 435,000 units sold in its first year in the U.S. It evolved over its life, expanding from a basic economy car to include performance versions and sporty models like the Falcon Sprint, which served as the basis for the Mustang.
