The XC was a further re-style of the third generation
Falcon. The refined look was achieved by reducing the
slope of the grille and introducing large rectangular
headlamps on some models.
The bonnet line was softened and more substantial bumpers
fitted. The coke bottle effect was reduced by altering the style
line running through the rear doors.
The base model Falcon's retained the round headlights of their
forebears, however the Fairmont was blessed with wonderfully
elegant rectangular headlights.
The rectangular headlights made the XC look cleaner and
certainly more refined. With later models, Ford would black
out much of the chrome work, giving the car a more menacing appearance.
The upmarket models also gained far better seating, now affording
better under-knee and lumbar support. For the well heeled, there
were also electric windows and remote rear-view mirror.
One of the more popular models from the XC lineup was the Fairmont
wagon, affording a huge luggage capacity and plenty of power on
tap courtesy of the 4.1 liter six cylinder engine.
The GS and Fairmont hardtop models remained, although they
were rather more subdued than previous iterations. A new grille
was used, and the Fairmont version also gained the handsome
rectangular headlights.
However the interior was rather more refined, and in being
so lost a little of the sportiness one had come to expect
from a hardtop.
Both models of the hardtop
struggled to sell, and Ford introduced the
limited edition
Cobra as the last of the two door version,
and to help them move the remaining 2 door coupe body shells.
The Cobra would be the last of the performance Ford's
for a time, and used the worldwide publicity gained by
the success of Caroll Shelby for its inspiration. In all,
400 were built and individually numbered (that number
coinciding with the number of two door body shells remaining).
All Cobra's were painted with the same color scheme, white with
mid blue stripes and a cobra snake decal on the front fender.
In addition, each Cobra had a numbered plaque to help with
identification, something very important to collectors today.
In a move away from imperial measurement, the Ford range was
now badged as 3.3, 4.1, 4.9 and 5.8 liter instead of the
previously used cubic inch capacity. Strangely, Ford's second
longest running model, the Futura, was dropped from the XC lineup.
So, much more regrettably, was the GT (the GXL was "supposed"
to be the replacement, but it would fail to capture the hearts and
minds of the Ford enthusiasts). Mid way through the life of the XC,
Ford made some radical improvements to the car's suspension to allow for radial
tires, and these models tend to be known as the 'XC and
a half'.
The later XCs are easily identified by the introduction
of the the classic Ford oval badge on the centre of the
grille, its first use on an Australian Ford.