First official look: Orion Falcon finally outed

FORD Australia has released the first official images of its all-new Falcon, as part of the official unveiling of the new manufacturing facilities that will produce it from April next year.

Codenamed Orion, the eighth-generation Falcon has been snapped testing in camouflage across the nation and has even appeared undisguised in News Limited newspapers following the leaking of marketing images.

Now, for the first time, Ford has revealed its own “spy” shots of the new Falcon sedan and utility, with images of both models being issued on Wednesday (December 13) during a plant and proving ground media tour.

The official images show a heavily blacked-out Falcon four-door in action on wet, dry and gravel surfaces, as well as inside the Blue Oval’s new semi-anechoic noise testing chamber – all within the confines of the company’s You Yangs proving ground in Victoria. A disguised Falcon ute can also be seen in Ford’s new robotised high-speed engine testing centre.

Ford may have officially unveiled the new stamping facility that will produce its crucial new model from 2008, the new research and development building that has further transformed its aged North Geelong plant and three new testing facilities at the You Yangs (see separate story), but it remains tight-lipped about the vehicle itself.

Officially, the “Orion” Falcon will go on sale in the second quarter of 2008, and the second stage of Ford’s contrived drip-feed launch campaign takes place on February 6, when GoAuto understands the first official undisguised images will be released.

The new Falcon sedan and ute are then expected to make their public debut at the Melbourne motor show from February 28, but Ford Australia’s fleet-oriented Falcon wagon, demand for which currently exceeds supply, is not expected to be replaced until later in the new Falcon’s model cycle.

Ford's first Orion pics reveal a sports XR variant complete with large alloys wheels, red brake callipers, heavily sculpted side skirts and a mesh grille, but new-to-Falcon design elements include grabrail-style exterior door-handles and a BMW-like C-pillar kink.

A familiarly deep glasshouse is formed in part by much larger door openings and "slower" front and rear windscreen angles, which should also improve both headroom and exit/entry both front and rear.