Widely regarded as the most glorious Falcon, the XR-base’s XY swansong built on the XW’s good looks with a revised grille and taillight design, and engine upgrades: 97kW/258Nm 3.3/200ci, 116kW/325Nm 4.1/250, a twin venturi (two-barrel) 127kW/339Nm 4.1/250 2V, 164kW/407Nm 4.9/302 V8, and a 186kW/481Nm 5.8/351 V8.
The latter’s output rose to at least 224kWin the XY GT HO (Handling Option) models – which in the rumoured 285kW Phase III form was the fastest four-door sedan in the world at the time (and all on a live-axle leaf-sprung recirculating-ball sedan built by mostly migrant-Australians in Broadmeadows, remember), and arguably Australia’s most collectable car.
It also helped fuel the infamous “supercar scare” of 1972, forcing Ford and Holden to abandon production of vehicles with such power for 25 years.
A total of 118,666 XYs were manufactured. During the XA successor’s run 432 XY 4WD utilities were also built in Queensland.
