FPVs are derived from Fords Falcons - built and designed in Australia.
The Falcon competes head to head with the Holden Commodore (the sedan version of what Americans call Pontiac GTOs) and their sepective performance devision called HSV (holden sports vehicles). HSV has been around for a few generation of Holdens but FPV has only been around for a few years - previously Fords Performance devision was Tickford. Their fierce competition on the track (Australia has a culture of racing Falcons and Commodores - Has proabably the same standing as nascar in the US) and off the track have lead to the development of such cars to date. The Tornado is what Aussie call a ute. There are more utes sold in australia as opposed to something like fords F series.

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I've been saying for a while that Ford should use Mercury to sell foreign market fords in low quantities.

They tried with with Merkur back in the 80sm instead of going with a different (new) brand use Mercury.

As it is now all Mercury vehicles are just Fords with a different grille, interior, a few different options and maybe some different paint color choices.
Mountaneer - Explorer
Monterey - Windstar (it's still a Windstar no mater if Ford stuck a Freestar badge on it trying to fool people
Mariner - Escape
Sable - Taurus
Grand Marquis - Crown Victoria
Milan - Fusion
Montego - 500
Even the "concept" Meta One is just a Freeestyle.

Ford could import small numbers of cars (Mercury has never been a large volume brand anyways) like the AU Falcon, EU Mondeo, EU C-MAX, EU Galaxy, Transit, AU Falcon Ute the possibilities are nearly endless.

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I totally agree with Robert Aitchison. This is for free Mr. Ford. To combat Scion and reduce the age group of Mercury bring to the US the StreetKa, Fiesta ST, and Euro spec Fusion. The Australian Fords for the high performance crowd that doesn't care about over priced BMW's or else. Listen to your customer before the American car industry end up like the British car industry.

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We'd be damn lucky if the US car industry was as fortunate to find its stylistic roots as the British Market. Yes, I'm being grim rather than optimistic.

The Australians, having the last pure stock-car race, with both left =and= right turns, and an understanding of the term "homologation," never forgot how to build classical American cars. (But don't get me started about the stylistic abomination that is the Po0ntiac GTO. So much promise, such sucktastic sheet metal.)

This Ford, tho, it looks as vicious as the new Mustang. Rawk. If Ford were to import it, it would give the Charger R/T a run for its dinero. GM would just have to pack up shop and give up, until they turned operations over to Monaro, which would import Utes and Commodores and kick off the V8 RWD revolution anew.

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The problem with the Aussie Falcon is it's engineered to be exclusively right hand drive, unlike the Commodore, which is a modified Opel Omega (Cadillac Catera, Pontiac GTO). Bringing one of these GTs up here would involve the same difficulties as a Nissan Skyline GTR. Why can't Ford just put a hotted-up V8 into the Crown Vic and tighten up its suspension? Or do something with the Lincoln LS? Or a Mustang-derived sedan?

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This car kind of reminds me of a last generation Mustang, with a couple of extra doors. Appearance wise, this car isn't my taste, but some of the other FPVs sure are.

I'd love to be able to fly to Austraila and send back some of their kick-ass cars and modify them for left hand drive. The FPVs and Holdens are pretty slick.

I'm jealous of the fact they have versions of the Ranchero and El Camino still available over there. Say what you want about 'em, but that body style lasted in the states for almost 30 years. I'd love a newer version of the Elky.

Where can I find more information on Aussie cars/trucks?

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The argument of the Falcon being too difficult to convert to LHD seems a bit of a wank to me.. I'm no engineer, but my logic goes something like this - Ford are not short of cash. They're not kicking arse right now, but they're not broke either. Re-engineer the parts of the Falcon that would make it suitable for the US market, and you watch it pay for itself. I've always said that there is not a single USDM family car that has anything on the BA Ford Falcon. The Camry is the best seller in the US, and the second worst seller in Australia. Why? Christ almight, look at the competition. The Holden Commodore and the Ford Falcon are sensational cars, the best value for money in the world. The only cars in the world that aren't overpriced simply because of the name. They're not world renowned manufacturers (Ford AU, at least. Ford International obviously is), so they can't afford to release fugly cars on the expectation that it will sell simply because of the badge.

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I blame Austrailia's awesome car glut on Road Warrior.

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Peter (post #1) has it right regarding the details of the Australian Ford vs. Holden (GM) cars.

#2: We're up to the BA series of Falcon now. The AU was the previous shape.

#4: Our current premier racing class is almost as much a silhouette class as NASCAR - the car's aren't really related to the road cars at all.

#5: From what I hear about the Crown Vic, it's a bit of a boat and the LS is probably a bit more of an expensive platform than the Falcon. Building the Falcon in the US would be the cheapest way to get it at a price that you all regard as acceptable.

#7: I agree with you on the RHD/LHD "difficulties". Ford Australia currently has a tiny export program, compared to Holden which sends cars and engines all over the world. Go figure.

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someone once told me the main reason the domestic manufacturers won't import international models is because of the Unions. they don't want to loose jobs because domestic models would be replaced by international models which, at least in Austrialia's case, are far more appealing to me.

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wrong way round, LittleZephyr - we made Mad Max just to show off our awesome cars.

Anyway, good to see the Australian carmakers getting some well-deserved attention here on Autoblog; i like to keep up with what's happening in my home country. With touring car (read: stock car) racing still so popular back home it's no wonder we keep seeing models like this on the streets everyday. Actually, with sedans like this it's easy to see why the coupe Monaro is considered cool down under, but didn't translate well into American. Oh well.

As for utes... man, I'm Australian and even I don't understand those things.

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I'm leaving Australia and going back to the United States after spending the last two months here. I came across this discussion while searching for "left hand drive conversion" and "falcon." The reason I was searching is because I think there's a true market for the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodores in the US. I can tell you this, these Aussi cars are a step way up from where Detroit left off in the mid 80's with their RWD cars. The suspensions are tighter and lower, there's very little driveline lash, and they and just plain better. I've nothing against FWD for most uses, but it would be nice to have the choice of buying a RWD 4 door sedan that wasn't packaged in something the size of a Crown Victoria. The Pontiac GTO (called a Monaro here in AU) is great, but I'm certain the US market would jump all over a 4 door, 6-speed manual, RWD Falcon or Commodore which are both very common here in Australia. Of course GM and Ford won't do this because these cars would compete directly with cars currently filling that market segment like the Pontiac Grand Prix and Ford Taurus. We couldn't have that could we (sigh). It seems each manufacturer is afraid to have more than one car for each market segment. So to replace the Taurus with the Falcon (If it were imported) would be to give an Australian the job of a UAW American, and I doubt that will happen easily. No matter though, because if I can find a way to import them I'll be selling them like hotcakes.

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I'm leaving Australia and going back to the United States after spending the last two months here. I came across this discussion while searching for "left hand drive conversion" and "falcon." The reason I was searching is because I think there's a true market for the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodores in the US. I can tell you this, these Aussi cars are a step way up from where Detroit left off in the mid 80's with their RWD cars. The suspensions are tighter and lower, there's very little driveline lash, and they and just plain better. I've nothing against FWD for most uses, but it would be nice to have the choice of buying a RWD 4 door sedan that wasn't packaged in something the size of a Crown Victoria. The Pontiac GTO (called a Monaro here in AU) is great, but I'm certain the US market would jump all over a 4 door, 6-speed manual, RWD Falcon or Commodore which are both very common here in Australia. Of course GM and Ford won't do this because these cars would compete directly with cars currently filling that market segment like the Pontiac Grand Prix and Ford Taurus. We couldn't have that could we (sigh). It seems each manufacturer is afraid to have more than one car for each market segment. So to replace the Taurus with the Falcon (If it were imported) would be to give an Australian the job of a UAW American, and I doubt that will happen easily. No matter though, because if I can find a way to import them I'll be selling them like hotcakes.

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I'm from Sydney, Australian and I just happen to come across a review on our own BA Ford Falcon GT-P. Yes and I agree entirely to export one of these babies to the US.It's a damn fast and powerful bugger which will put the Mustang GT to shame off and on the mark! It would put a serious challenge to the other US Major Motor Companies like GM or Chrysler and there so called V8's!!!

Oh and other Vehicles in the FPV(Ford Performance Vehicles) Range such as the High performance F6 Typhoon is a damn V8 Slayer!!! With a Turbocharged 4.0L V6 under the Hood producing 270kw(Sorry don't know the horsepower rating)with a mighty 550Nm@2000-4250rpm.

It's about time that Ford USA Import one of our own to the Us. Woudn't you agree??

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