P5 LTD and Landau

With a stretched wheelbase (up from 2946 to 3037mm), and new nose, taillight and boot design, the Fairlane-based LTD – and its XB Falcon 2-door hardtop-derived Landau twin – was pitched as Australia’s first true luxury car.

It was also the most expensive to build. Much of the forthcoming XB/ZG improvements (four-wheel disc brakes, improved suspension, a collapsible steering column with a headlight flasher stalk, and inertia reel front seatbelts) first aired here.

The standard 216kW 4-barrel 5.8-litre/351ci V8 engine, vacuum-operated headlight louvres, a vinyl roof, extra chrome and an air-conditioned cabin laden with features were heady stuff for the mid-‘70s.

In My ’75 the gold hued LTD Town Car was produced with a few more bells and whistles over the regular model.

Australians were unable to comprehend the Landau coupe, and only 272 were ever made, compared to the 7003 P5 LTDs.