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Ford Falcon (Argentina)
Encyclopedia
The Argentine Ford Falcon is a car that was built by Ford Argentina
from 1962 to 1991. Mechanically, it was based on Ford USA's 1960 Falcon
. The Falcon retained the same elegant body style throughout its production, with several substantial face lifts taking place during its lifespan, giving it a more European flavour and bringing it into line with other more contemporary Fords. However, several decades later it was apparent that it was a 1960s design wearing a 1980s grille.
The robust Ford Falcons became popular as black and yellow taxi cabs and black and blue police vehicles, with the green painted Falcons used by the secret police of the military junta of the 1970s associated with them to this day.
Falcons are still raced in the Turismo Carretera
stock car racing series.
. Only a sedan was offered, with Standard and Deluxe trim levels, and a 170 cubic inch Ford Straight-6 engine
. The official unveiling of the Falcon to the country took place in the theater "Gran Rex" in February 1962.
, Sierra
and later the Escort. Changes include new bumpers with rubber strips and rubber end caps, new large rectangular taillights with amber turn signals, bronze tinted glass replaces green and a larger trunk by reconfiguring the trunk floor and repositioning the spare tyre and other minor cosmetic changes. The Taxi and Sprint versions were dropped, and the Futura becomes the Ghia. A 2.3 litre four cylinder petrol engine was now available, and from 1988 a 2.4 litre diesel. In 1989, the new Max Econo version of the 188 c.i./3.0 litre engine became available, with better fuel economy at the cost of performance. Chrome was removed in 1990, and the Falcon was finally discontinued after 1991.
* Note: Not included in above chart are 27,412 Station Wagons (Falcon Rural) for a total of 494,209 Ford Falcons sold
Ford Motor Company of Argentina
Ford Motor Argentina is a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Buenos Aires in 1913.Its first products were Model Ts assembled from Complete Knock Down kits provided by Ford Motor Company in 1917...
from 1962 to 1991. Mechanically, it was based on Ford USA's 1960 Falcon
Ford Falcon (North American)
The Ford Falcon was an automobile produced by Ford Motor Company from 1960 to 1970. It was a huge sales success for Ford initially, handily outselling rival compacts from Chrysler and General Motors introduced at the same time...
. The Falcon retained the same elegant body style throughout its production, with several substantial face lifts taking place during its lifespan, giving it a more European flavour and bringing it into line with other more contemporary Fords. However, several decades later it was apparent that it was a 1960s design wearing a 1980s grille.
The robust Ford Falcons became popular as black and yellow taxi cabs and black and blue police vehicles, with the green painted Falcons used by the secret police of the military junta of the 1970s associated with them to this day.
Falcons are still raced in the Turismo Carretera
Turismo Carretera
Turismo Carretera is a popular touring car racing series in Argentina, and the oldest car racing series still active in the world....
stock car racing series.
History
The story of the Falcon in Argentina began in 1961 when Ford Motor Argentina imported two Falcons from the US to test.1962
In 1962, local production began with complete knock down kits imported from the US assembled at the Ford factory in La BocaLa Boca
La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...
. Only a sedan was offered, with Standard and Deluxe trim levels, and a 170 cubic inch Ford Straight-6 engine
Ford Straight-6 engine
Ford's first straight-6 engine was introduced in 1906 in the Model K. Production ended in 1907. Henry Ford did not like this car, which could overpower its transmission. The next Ford six was introduced in the 1941 Ford. The Ford Motor Company of America continued producing straight six engines...
. The official unveiling of the Falcon to the country took place in the theater "Gran Rex" in February 1962.
1963
The first restyle of the Falcon came in 1963 and was produced until 1965. The Falcon now had a horizontal aluminum grill. New models included the Taxi model in 1964, and the Futura in 1965, with a vinyl roof and bucket seats. A larger and more powerful 187 c.i. engine was available. More parts were manufactured locally.1966
The second restyling of 1966 brought a more ornate grill, hood and side panel ornamentation. Most parts were now locally produced. In 1968, the new Falcon Rural station wagon model began production, with its own Futura and Deluxe variants. High compression engines producing more power were available from 1968, and in 1969 Ford introduced a higher performance 3.6 litre 132 hp engine that became available as an option (model 221XP), it employed a freer-breathing cylinder head and less restrictive exhaust system to boost power. A floor mounted 4-speed transmission became available for the first time.1970
The third restyling of 1970 began drifting away from the original design as quad headlights were introduced on Deluxe and Futura models, new front and rear bumpers with vertical nudge bars and disc brakes with 14 inch wheels and low aspect red stripe radial tyres are now available as options. The 188 and 221 c.i. engines were now standard, and the Deluxe version of the Futura Rural station wagon is discontinued.1973
By 1973, its fourth restyling, it drifts even more away from the original design as it gets a new redesigned dashboard with round instruments and tachometer on deluxe models, a new grill with several thick horizontal bars and quad headlights become squarer in design. A sporting Falcon Sprint was introduced with new refreshing color schemes, painted stripes, 14 inch sports wheels and a higher performance 166 bhp (124.5 kW) specially tuned 3.6 litre (221 c.i.) engine, on the interior it included additional gauges and leather-covered sports steering wheel. The Deluxe trim of the Rural station wagon was dropped. A pickup, called the Ranchero, was introduced with Standard and Deluxe external trim and a heavy-duty brake option.1978
The fifth restyling of 1978 brought further cosmetic changes, with another new grill this time in plastic, Ford's new oval logo emblems, new updated door handles, improved cabin ventilation with exhaust vents on the c pillar, single large rectangular headlights and 175/70 R14 radial tyres on sporting or deluxe models amongst several other changes.1982
On its sixth and last restyling it tries to bring its design in line as it is sold along its more modern "siblings", the Ford TaunusFord Taunus
The Ford Taunus is a family car sold by Ford in Germany and other countries. Models from 1970 onward were similar to the Ford Cortina in the United Kingdom...
, Sierra
Ford Sierra
The Ford Sierra is a large family car that was built by Ford Europe from 1982 until 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni"....
and later the Escort. Changes include new bumpers with rubber strips and rubber end caps, new large rectangular taillights with amber turn signals, bronze tinted glass replaces green and a larger trunk by reconfiguring the trunk floor and repositioning the spare tyre and other minor cosmetic changes. The Taxi and Sprint versions were dropped, and the Futura becomes the Ghia. A 2.3 litre four cylinder petrol engine was now available, and from 1988 a 2.4 litre diesel. In 1989, the new Max Econo version of the 188 c.i./3.0 litre engine became available, with better fuel economy at the cost of performance. Chrome was removed in 1990, and the Falcon was finally discontinued after 1991.
Production
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* Note: Not included in above chart are 27,412 Station Wagons (Falcon Rural) for a total of 494,209 Ford Falcons sold