2008 Ford Falcon Orion and FPV Orion Ute
December 27, 2007 by Paul Maric
Our spy photographer has been at it again, this time snapping Ford’s sibling utes and sedans in action, almost entirely revealing the headlight outline of the all-new Falcon models and XR variants, which will continue with Ford’s double tear drop treatment.
The photographs also reveal Ford’s separated cab arrangement on the utes, unlike Holden’s single side panel.
Firstly though, our automotive stylist has been hard at work piecing together parts of our spy photographs, with the ambition of revealing the final product. Here we have our artist’s impression of the Orion XT and the FPV variant of the Orion ute.
Click for larger copy
Click for larger copy
More on the next page.
- 2008 Ford Falcon Orion – Futura
- 2008 Ford Falcon Orion Ute – FPV
- 2008 Ford Falcon Orion Ute – Base Model
- 2008 Ford Falcon Orion – XR6 Turbo
- 2008 Ford Falcon ‘Orion’ Video
Elitist…
I don’t know what to say! please find this article you claim to have read…please.
Your incorrect about the commodore!
You need to research properly! not off inaccurate auto sources!!
Adam
How do you know his/her facts are wrong?
Hi No Name, I was only calling Elitist on his belief that Commodore VE was based on an Opel. I don’t dispute Falcon’s visit to the Nurburgring. Not that I know, mind you. The thing is I don’t know, so I’m not disputing it. In fact, I hope they had a jolly good fang ’round! :)
Not sure about the Commodore bit matey. Opel/Vauxhall did do the Omega in Europe during the mid 90’s to 2002. I believe your previous Commodore was albeit the same car not sure id that was your VE.
One day I’ll get to the Nurby, probably on a bicycle given the Eurocrats.
Oh and isn’t this page about the forthcoming Orion. Yep they look good. Will Ford ever put a big diesel in it though?
Lets just say I work for a certain car expose that i cannot say..In South Bank…
Believe what you want, But believe this, Holden isn’t the all Australian brand you make it out to be.
That’ll wind up the pure breds Elitist. Not trying to start a civil war are you
Most of us know that Elitist. Holden hasn’t used an Australian designed and built engine since the 202 in the VK as far as I know. The current V6’s are built here but designed elsewhere. The V8’s are straight out of a USA crate.
But the VE chassis was 100% designed here and all reveiws say it’s a huge step forward.
I’m dead against dropping the 4L I6 in 2010. It’s the only Aussie donk left and is the best 6 here outside of the expensive Euro brands.
Hey Watto. My guest there will alway be a big engine in Oz whether its from the US or not. Can’t see you chaps giving up easily. My guess they’ll probably get a bit smaller say 3.0/3.2litre What happened to the holden 3.2 that found its way into the Vectra and Saab?
I was againts the killing if the I6 when I herd it on the news, now that I know the engine they will use….BRING IT ON!
I agree with Andrew M Ford need to market this new model effectively to be a success. The latest Commodore ute ad linking the New ute with the utes of old is a good example. The morfing is brilliant and brings back fond memories and nostalgia.
I reckon a campaign linking the Orion with previous falcons like the XY “The great Australian Road Car” done another way would work. Reviving the GTHO badge is a sure winner.
Yeah, the Orion ad should start from the XK “Keep Your Eye On The Falcon’s Going By”, though the “More,More Mustang” XT ad and show the XY GT in the ad too.
I’d love to see an ad like that!
sage words from Watto :)
I absolutely love the Mondeo ads, where they give an airhead quote from a celebrity, then finish off with the line, “More than just good looks” for the Mondeo.
Reprising “The Great Australian Road Car” could well work, Realcars. Something has to work, we don’t want to see the poor Orion limping along at 2500 sales a month.
if you remember when the GT first came back the ad was of it starting with the XY coming down conrod (bathurst) and eventually it ended up changing through to the BA.
hey BM,
did you see the official release of the mondeo up here took place at sirromet winery??? yep you know who’s rich daddy owns that
Sirromet……….for a Ford? How weird !
Hey Andrew M, remember the other FPV ad where a man drives a GT out of a car park and the gate gets turned on and lets it out, then the gate closed and hit the ground and it shows an HSV Clubsport!!!
missile,
yeah it was in that ford mag ford send around to ford owners,
do you get it?
Blueprint?????? Na I think were off Fords mail list!
Use to.
Yes Elitist but as wikipedia can be edited or added to by various web users there are times when some of the data on wikipedia is incorrect – such as this.. Wiki says
“Holden looked to Opel (another GM subsidiary) for inspiration, and based the Commodore on the Opel Rekord.
When infact Holden didn’t look to Opel for inspiration.. they were forced to use the Opel Rekord as a basis for the Commodore because back then Holdens position in GM world wasn’t as high as it is now.
Wiki Says:
“The German marque continued to provide the basis for future generations..”
When infact Opel ceased production of the Rekord in 1995. and therefore would be unable to provide the Rekord platform from then on
In 1995 Holden had the VR-VS Commodore.. after which time Holden kept the Platform but continued to make improvements to it as well as changes to the body from VT-VZ.
The only thing Wiki seems to have got right is that in 2006 when the 4th Generation Commodore was released.. The VE was built on an all new completely Australian designed Platform the Zeta..
which along with the smaller Alpha platform – also designed by Holden; is destined to be used for other GM RWD cars in both the US and Europe..
The Alpha platform is what the TT-36 Torana Pontiac G6 and Insignia [Concept]are based on
Apologies to Ford fans: Wheelnut, check out the 1986 Opel/Vauxhall Omega and Senator. You’ll find the relationship is still very close to VN-VS and finally diluted to shared front doors (I think) between the VT and the contemporary European cars.
does any one know how many falcons ford produce if at maximium. and whats the commodores.
also is the territory going to be released after the falcons, if so any ideas how long. Will/can fpv put irs on the utes.
I supose Bob there is a new Territory. The outside would just have new door skins and bodykit, if that! But If we see spyshots after may of an SUV we know it’s more than new body skins.
About the IRS on the utes: I think FPV will keep the leaf springs and no IRS because I’ve read where the falcon’s seprate chasie can’t accommodate IRS like the VE ute.
I liked the look of the BA when it came out. It was fresh. It was good, had good modern bits and they had way better colours than the Commadore. (I’m not a fan of either – so my opinion has no bias).
Now, this thing looks even better than the BA, I like it a lot.
Meanwhile, Holden still looks like the same old car. I don’t care what ECOTEC engine they put in it this time. Ford seems to change things and go out on a ledge. Holden plays it safe.
I’m not one of those people that likes playing safe. Otherwise I’d stay home, wrapped it a cushion.
steve
I agree steve, but I cant understand “Ford seems to change things and go out on a ledge. Holden plays it safe.”
Does that mean I was correct in stating the previous commodore pan (your pre VE model) was actually shared between opel/holden with Europe Omega (UK). confused!!
Opel/fuxhall do not currently produce a RWD car in Euroland. I cannot believe they will actually produce RWD car in Euroland unless its a FWD poseur mobile.
You’ve hit the mark, No Name. But you have to look closely to see the shared bits, as our car was wider. The front doors look identical to me, although they were never officially stated as a shared component. As for the overall design language – kissing cousins.
Thanks Golfie. Not sure about the extra width though. From my recollection of the Commodore I saw when I was there they seemed about the same. Check out the C pillar joint to the rear wing, its the same. Is the width in the track.
Hey who cars anyway, they were both good cars.
Steve,
i agrea with you alot when you say the falcons got better colours
That dark blue on the Futura is my colour!
Agree with the Love of Blue Pearl Oz. One of my favourites, too. Metallic greens are great, and well, I own Kashmir as our car’s colour, so that one’s great, too.
I have just read all the posts and while the car looks sensational, I agree the MARKETING HAS TO BE PERFECT. A theme of “The Great Australian Road Car” would be just right – time it to coincide with many Australians doing their Easter camp/drive and the April release of Orion.
Territory ads have been brilliant, quirky and appealing (The school mums ad was funny!)
Praise the strengths – the longevity of the name (link it to XW-Y), the history and superiority of the indigenous Aussie designed driveline, the racing history, the frugal cost of ownership, LPG, its superiority of ride and real economy on the open road, it is the best petrol 6 towing choice, etc. The car is an Australian icon, remind people of that!!! So many Australians have forgotten….
But it could be “Steel” Blue on the Futura, great colour though.
thats right open road,
ford need to take on at least a few of those suggestions.
holden has been doing that sort of stuff for years and look at the sales of the commy.
ford did market quite well with the territory and look at the flood of sales and commanding lead they enjoyed from that.
ford have a great car in the falcon with many many unrivaled features and bragging rights and its about time the conservative advert team at ford started to exploit them if they want to sell cars
I’ve been holding off buying a VE SSV but if these pictures are any indication of what Ford is releasing, I doubt I’ll wait any longer. I was a Ford man all my life and changed to Holden when the AU hit the market (I just couldn’t bring myself to buy one). I was hoping the new Orion would turn it around for me but it seems that’s all it is – hope!
That’s jumping to conclusions isn’t it Mike?
Wait till you see it without the disguises first and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Big Mike, take a hike to holden forums then..
HAHA Greg!! you always tough on people who don’t like the car don’t you!
I highly doubt thats a xt
they wouldnt put aloy rims on it
Falcon man, The XT does come with aloy wheels as an option. but I don’t know how acurate the style is.
Or that could be the plastic hub cups.
the xt orion doesnt look much diferent to the Ba models
Falcon Foreva, have you seen the new video of an Orion convoy in NT? The first white one is quiet as a whisper.
Not long now people till new falcon arrives. Its a winner like with all new falcons. Its gonna be better than all the rest.
ford has put so many things that the ve commordoe has like the door handles what about the way the door goes around the rear wheel arches the use to curve around the arches now they go start past the arch.
yeah so hi to all the ford fans of the world yeah i love the new look its awsome it hasnt gone to spaceship lookin like some others i know not to name names but holden and mitsbiti seem to have a very similar look huh but for the 360 to come out b4 the 1 billion dollar commondoor the 360 done well but i hope the new falcon has better fuel cnsumption round town but whp cares at the end of the day when ya can drive a car as awsome as that but yeah the big thing with the new holden is that it has an all alloytec v6 now for all us ford fans come on the alloy head wasnt to good with corrosion huh unless u look after it lots of coolant changes so u wait for 10 years and see how many holden drivers hav trouble with corrosion coz they just top up with tap water yeah thats my opinion on the ve kingswood lol hav a good day ford fans oh ans im not bias in the least lol and keep pushin holden drivers
oh and by the way i would’nt put m grandma in a holden even if it had trainer wheels on it and just answer m this how come its always the holden that crash at high speed and dont give me that holdens are faster crap coz the falcons can fly just as quick but dont seem to hav trouble holden to the road
well hey big mike i hope you know for how wierd they looked they are a far better and more reliable and tougher car than the vt ever was and ever will be fords forever the inline 6 is still pumpin out the power huh i hope they never change it. did you know that the xr6 turbo is just as fast as the holden ss v8 and its got two less cylinders and is loads better on the juice so why would anyone buy a holden.OH bye the way i watched a video on youtube of the hsv clubsport vs a ford capri and the guy from top gear drove the hsv and in his openin started with this quote”this is a australian built car with an 5.7ltr v8 made in america and a brittish chassi lmao and the hsv got whipped i mean whipped i loved every minute of it even i was surprised so yeah i’ll admit im a ford nut always hav and always will be im no trader like big mike
Ben,
ford had those door handles on the territory before holden had them on the VE.
oh and lets not go there with 6yr old headlight design holden stole from ford
You tell em Andrew M
Can not resist…
200th post!
how long left untill melbourn motor show