FORD FALCON
La Albicelesteʼ team is well known for gamesmanship, and the Ford Falcon has, in Argentina, a murky reputation, too. As the countryʼs most popular big saloon, the car was the preferred government procurement and, painted in dark green, the Falcon became notorious for its use by the military junta that waged the Dirty War of 1976-ʼ83. Thousands were kidnapped in the back of those Falcons, which leaves the car with a mixed perception in the country today: the nostalgia of family road trips for some, a symbol of repression and murder for others.
The car we have today was built in Detroit, not Buenos Aires, but matches the specification of the first-year of completely knocked-down (CKD) cars that popularised the model in Argentina in 1962: first-generation, four doors and using the 170cu in (2.8-litre) straight-six. The Falcon is the oldest car here, but thatʼs no accident; while the Yankee Ford followed its home marketʼs trend for fast-paced updates, the Argentine Falcon diverged from 1964 on and remained in production, with minor revisions, until 1991 – outlasting the American car by two decades. Full local production came on stream in 1963, and the Falcon remained fundamentally the same for nearly 30 years.
On the road, it recalls the unrefined, streetfighting brand of Argentinian football rather than the elegant talents of Maradona or Messi. The three-speed manual transmission was getting rare by the 1960s, but itʼs here in the Falcon, the long and bent gearlever adding an agricultural feeling to the experience. So too the long-travel clutch, whose spring audibly stretches with every compression.
Once the gearshift is negotiated, however, the Falcon shows its talents as a relaxed cruiser. Itʼs a more refined steer than you might expect, the ride soft thanks to squishy springs, but itʼs reasonably well-insulated and is no rattle factory. The steering is light and, despite the size of the engine, thereʼs no pretending the Falcon is quick. Itʼs an undertuned unit designed to cover vast distances with minimal maintenance, often on terrible fuel, but it has the torque to get moving and feels extremely comfortable cruising at 55-60mph. Itʼs perfectly suited to long drives on straight, not necessarily perfectly surfaced roads. Just as at home on the Argentinian Pampas paths as it is on Route 66.
The Falcon doesnʼt particularly enjoy fast cornering. Itʼs soft and wallowy but predictable in its handling, and thatʼs the best that can be said of it. The fun and flair come from how it looks, with its interior recalling the painted steel and chrome of an American diner. Outside, the amount of chrome is restrained by American standards of the era, reflecting its value price-tag, but it still cuts a cool figure with its space-race-inspired detailing and is one of the real lookers among our contenders.
FACTFILE
Sold/number built 1962-’91/466,796
Engine all-iron, ohv 2781cc ‘six’, single Holley carb Max power 101bhp @ 4400rpm
Max torque 156lb ft @ 2400rpm
Transmission three-speed manual, RWD
Weight 2423Ib (1099kg)
0-60mph 13.3 secs
Top speed 81mph Mpg 20
Price new n/a Now £12-25,000