Is the Ford Granada the same as the Falcon?
No. The Ford Granada and the Ford Falcon are distinct models built for different regions and time periods.
They belong to Ford’s European and Australian lineups respectively, and despite sharing the Ford badge, they differ in market focus, design, and production history. This article explains how each model originated, where it was sold, and why they should not be considered the same car.
Origins and markets
Ford Granada (Europe)
The Granada was Ford’s European D-segment model, introduced to the European market in the 1970s as a larger, more upscale alternative to standard family cars. It was designed and built for right-hand-drive European customers and competed with other mid-size sedans and hatchbacks in Europe. Over its lifespan, the Granada evolved through several generations and ultimately gave way to newer Ford European models such as the Mondeo in the 1990s.
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Falcon is Ford’s long-running Australian large family sedan, developed specifically for the Australian market and its driving conditions. It began in the 1960s and progressed through multiple generations, often featuring rear-wheel drive and, in many variants, V8 engines. The Falcon remained a staple in Australia for decades before production ended in 2016 as Ford restructured its regional lineup.
These differences illustrate that the Granada and Falcon served separate regional audiences with distinct design goals and engineering choices.
How the two models differ in practice
To highlight the practical distinctions, here is a concise comparison of core areas where the Granada and Falcon diverged:
- The Granada targeted the European D-segment with a focus on comfort, efficiency, and middle-market prestige, while the Falcon targeted the Australian market with larger, family-oriented sedans and, at times, strong V8 performance.
- Platform and engineering choices reflected regional demands: European models leaned toward compact dimensions and diesel/petrol efficiency, whereas Australian Falcons often emphasized rear-drive layouts and rugged, local-tuning for roads and climate.
- Market duration differed: the Granada’s European run tapered as Ford shifted to newer European platforms (notably the Mondeo) in the 1990s, while the Falcon persisted in Australia until 2016, marking a longer, region-specific lifecycle.
- Brand strategy: both carried the Ford badge, but their names served regional branding rather than a single global model line.
Concluding paragraph: The Granada and the Falcon illustrate how Ford used region-specific naming and engineering to tailor its vehicles to local markets, rather than offering one global model across all regions.
Bottom line
The Ford Granada is not the same as the Ford Falcon. They are separate Ford models built for different markets, with different design philosophies, timelines, and vehicle roles.
Summary
In short: No—the Granada is a European mid-size sedan/hatchback lineage, while the Falcon is an Australian large family sedan lineage. They share the Ford name and company, but they do not represent the same car and should be identified by their regional contexts when researching or discussing them.
What car replaced the Ford Falcon?
Under this plan, Falcon's indirect replacements are the fourth-generation Mondeo from Europe and the sixth-generation Mustang from North America, the latter to retain Ford's Australian V8 heritage.
What replaced the Ford Granada?
The Ford Scorpio is an executive car that was produced by Ford Germany from 1985 to 1998. It was the replacement for the European Ford Granada line (although in the UK and Ireland the Scorpio was marketed under the Granada name until 1994). Like its predecessor, the Scorpio was targeted at the executive car market.
What is the Lincoln version of the Ford Granada?
Lincoln Versailles
Adopting the Lincoln Versailles name, Ford used the body architecture of the Ford Granada/Mercury Monarch compact sedans, introduced for 1975. Sized closely against the GM X-body compacts, the Granada/Monarch were developed to replace the Ford Maverick/Mercury Comet.
Was the Ford Granada a Fox body?
The second-generation Ford Granada is based on the rear-wheel drive Ford Fox platform, sharing its 105.5-inch wheelbase with the Ford Fairmont and Mercury Zephyr.
