The AU Fairlane borrowed its C-pillar look from the Lincoln Town Car, then sold so poorly Ford rushed a fix within a year.
Median 188 hp across 345 similar cars
Lead trim: Fairlane Ghia 4.0 six · up to 235 hp
Ford Fairlane (Australia)1999–2003
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Ford Fairlane (Australia) yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe AU Fairlane borrowed its C-pillar look from the Lincoln Town Car, then sold so poorly Ford rushed a fix within a year.
Ford introduced its "New Edge" look to the AU Fairlane in February 1999; the EA169 platform was somewhat of a flop and let rival Holden overtake Ford in full-size sales. The AU Fairlane and LTD were the first long-wheelbase sedans to share a model code with the AU Falcon, with Lincoln Town Car styling cues especially around the C-pillar; the range was pared back to just the Fairlane Ghia and the LTD (a limited-edition Fairlane Millennium Ghia in January 2000), and Ford brought forward revisions when market acceptance proved poor in July 2000. The 2001 AU II had improvements and a 75th Anniversary Ghia (October), the Sportsman Ghia returned in March 2001 through 2002, and a high-performance variant, the FTE TL50, was released in 1999. The AU LTD was exported to Fiji and New Zealand, and a few went to the United Kingdom to be converted into hearses and limousines.
Collectors Spotted in the Ford Fairlane (Australia) Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Ford Fairlane (Australia) yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairlane Ghia 4.0 six | 1999–2003 | 4.0 L Inline-6 | 211 hp | 263 lb-ft | — | — | — | — |
| Fairlane Ghia 5.0 V8 | 1999–2003 | 5.0 L V8 | 235 hp | 291 lb-ft | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
The final Australian Fairlane got a bigger 5.4-litre V8 derived from Ford's American Triton engine — badged locally not by displacement but as the 'Barra 220.'
Ford ditched its small-block Windsor V8 for this Fairlane, switching in the larger, three-valve 5.4-litre Modular V8 instead — a complete change of engine architecture.
The AU Fairlane borrowed its C-pillar look from the Lincoln Town Car, then sold so poorly Ford rushed a fix within a year.
New Zealand's government drove NL Ghia Fairlanes as Crown limousines, powered by the same 4.0-litre six sold to the public.
Ford dropped the 351 V8 in 1982, the first sign it was walking away from big Fairlane V8s entirely.
This Fairlane generation kept selling in South Africa even after Ford pulled the mainstream Falcon there in favor of the European Granada — and only the top-spec 500 trim made the cut.
This Fairlane's extra luxury space wasn't a new design at all — Ford Australia just took the Falcon of the day, stretched the body behind the rear door, and pushed the back seat rearward for more legroom.
Despite being an all-new model, this Fairlane launched £200 cheaper than the car it replaced.
Building this full-size Fairlane in Australia wasn’t a quick rebadge — Ford Australia spent nearly two years and about £1.5 million tooling up a local line for it.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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