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.
Median 93 hp across 238 similar cars
Lead trim: Fairlane 500 332 V8 (204 bhp) · up to 220 hp
Ford Fairlane (Australia)1959–1962
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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.
FactBuilding 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.
The Ford Fairlane and LTD are full-sized luxury vehicles produced by Ford Australia between 1959 (the LTD from 1973) and 2007. In September 1959 Ford Australia released three locally assembled models, the Fairlane 500, the lower-specification Custom 300 and the Ranch Wagon, sourced from Ford of Canada but essentially the same as their 1959 US Ford counterparts; tooling took nearly two years and cost almost £1.5 million. The sedans were 9½ inches longer and 5 inches lower than the Customline they replaced, on a 118-inch wheelbase, and all three had a 204 bhp 332-cubic-inch (5.44 L) V8, the Custom 300 and Ranch Wagon with a three-speed manual and the Fairlane 500 with a fully automatic. For 1960 the range gained the grille and trim of the 1959 Canadian Meteor and power rose to 220 bhp.
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 500 332 V8 (204 bhp) | 1959–1959 | 5.4 L V8 | 204 hp | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fairlane 500 332 V8 (220 bhp) | 1960–1962 | 5.4 L V8 | 220 hp | — | — | — | — | — |
Owning one
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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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