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Headlights: There is no doubt that for many, their opinion of the AU's headlights stopped at their physical size. Yet for those who were able to either live with their looks or actually liked their style (there were a few - don't knock it!) the output of these were truly one of the delights of AU Falcon ownership - with headlamp output being increased by 30% overall. Introducing for the first time 'freeform' headlight reflector technology allowed engineers to place the light more accurately on the road giving much better coverage without the typical bright / dull patches associated with many late model headlights and allowing a clear polycarbonate lenses to be used. - Great for resisting stone damage, not so great should you want to fit higher wattage globes - although seldom needed with a significant brightness advantage over the Commodore in standard form. The Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia headlights differed from those of the Futura and Forte by having a chromed surround verses the silver painted versions of the lower models. The T-series took this to another level by providing body coloured surrounds. But the big news came in the form of the XR headlights which now received four round glass Hella H4's providing a huge increase in night driving ability - especially in rural situations where adequate lighting was critical in avoiding stray wild life / stock on the roads. Importantly also it meant that higher wattage globes could be fitted with much less fear of cooking the lenses. The AU XR's headlamps were in fact so good that one magazine described the difference between the VT's and AU's as like "turning night into day".
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The display board shown above including an exploded view of a Falcon headlight can be seen at the Ford Discovery Centre in Geelong thanks to Hella. |
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Tail lights: While the AU Falcon's tail lights retained their 'jewelled' appearance, most immediately commented on their large size and triangular shape. While comparable with those fitted to Mercedes, Honda and Jaguar offerings in the past, it seems that Australia's ultra conservative market was not ready for such radical changes combined with the look of the rest of the body. The AU wagon received the 'jewelled' tail lights for the first time in Falcon wagon history - first introduced to the sedan four years earlier with the EF of 1994. Both the wagon and sedan continued the theme began in EL by fitting amber turn indicator lenses to the Forte, XR and Futura, and clear to the Fairmont and above. |
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