New Falcon: You're looking at it!

HERE it is: the first official look at Ford's $500 million secret, the BA Falcon.

Ford's most hotly anticipated model since the controversial and slow-selling AU Falcon, the near-new Falcon is the result of the most intensive - and expensive - midlife Falcon upgrade ever seen.

So new is the facelifted Falcon, in fact, that Ford will prematurely end the AU Falcon's model series by calling it the BA Falcon.

"The reality is this is a new car and to reflect its newness this facelifted Falcon will be known as the BA Falcon," said Ford Australia president Geoff Polites.

"BA Falcon - short for Barra, the project name for the car - signals the start of an exciting new era. This is a car that will lift the bar for local manufacturing at all levels - design, innovation, safety and production."The BA's looks were revealed to the media in Melbourne this afternoon as the latest in a series of unprecedented steps to stagger the release of information about the AU's successor before its October on-sale date.

Pictures were released of both the family-oriented Futura (pictured above) and the luxury Fairmont Ghia, with the media able to examine the latter in the metal.

But the Ghia still appeared with blacked-out glass and a closed bonnet to conceal the new interior, new safety features and new engine technology - the three key areas of the new Falcon yet to be revealed.

The dramatically different Falcon comprises all-new front and rear styling along with a longer wheelbase and a wider, more purposeful stance. Apparently, only the door panels remain unchanged for BA's new bodyshell.

Starting life as a clay model around the same time its predecessor was revealed in September, 1998, the so-called all-new Falcon is also said to have 30-40mm wider bumpers than AU, plus a 10mm lower roof, 20mm-shorter rear overhang and 30mm-higher headlights, which are now paired on either side behind single large, clear lenses.

Both the bonnet and boot surfaces are noticeably flatter, with the bootlid in particular shedding AU's drooping rear-end look by incorporating a subtle VL Commodore-style lip at its now horizontal trailing edge.

The BA Fairmont Ghia's new 17-inch alloy wheels fill the wheelarches far more than before - both in profile and from behind - while the removal of the aerial and windscreen washers from the front quarter panels and bonnet respectively has resulted in much cleaner exterior styling.

The blacked-out B-pillars remain, as do the current car's colour-coded mirrors, while the vehicle shown also features rear parking sensors, prominent side skirts and a chrome rear applique book-ended by jewelled white reversing lights.

"A minor increase in wheelbase and track has assisted us in achieving excellent stance and visual road presence," said Ford Australia director of design Simon Butterworth.

"A major contributor to that look is the proportion of the vehicle - or the relationship of the wheels to body, the height from the ground and the front and rear overhangs.

"In addition, the clean contemporary surface language combined with simple, geometric line work and great attention to detail, gives the car a solid, premium look of refined power."Today's unveiling of the BA Falcon follows the previous release of information relating to its seating, suspension, adjustable brake pedal and some electronic technology.

But it is believed details of Falcon's all-new 5.4-litre V8 engine, redesigned double overhead camshaft six-cylinder engine, revised interior and upgraded safety systems will also be revealed before the new sedan's release.

The official reason for revealing the near-new Falcon, and much of its new technology, up to three months prior to its launch is that some 260 undisguised Field Evaluation Unit cars hit the road today and Ford would prefer the public see pictures of a clean, well-lit Fairmont Ghia than fuzzy shots of grubby test cars, as well as the sheer volume of new information to be revealed about the new model.

"We want to run those cars out on the open road and they will be photographed," said Mr Polites.

"That's not the way we want the new Falcon to be seen, so in a way it's a controlled spy shot. We think it has lot more newness about it than a traditional mid-life facelift, so it merits a well planned and executed launch."But it is clear Ford intends to out-publicise Holden's facelifted VY Commodore and Toyota's new 380N Camry, which are both expected to go on sale a few weeks before the crucial BA Falcon.

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