Here we have put together a bit of a ‘cultural snapshot’ if you will about what was popular/ what was happening when each Falcon model was released. We have listed the prime minister, the number 1 single, the NRL grand final winner, biggest news item and from 1972 onwards (so XA), the top grossing movie in Australia.
XK Falcon: September 1960
Prime Minister: Sir Robert Menzies
Number One Single: ‘Its now or never’ – Elvis Presley
NRL Grand Final Winner: St George
Most Newsworthy Event: An eight-year-old schoolboy, Graeme Thorne, is kidnapped in Sydney, apparently to extort money from his parents who had recently won the Sydney Opera House lottery. – July 7
XL Falcon: August 1962
Prime Minister: Sir Robert Menzies
Number One Single: ‘Working for the man’ – Roy Orbison
NRL Grand Final Winner: St George
Most Newsworthy Event: Paddington train depot fire: One fifth of the Brisbane tram fleet is destroyed when the Paddington tram depot is burnt down in suspicious circumstances. 65 trams are destroyed. – 28 September
XM Falcon: February 1964
Prime Minister: Sir Robert Menzies
Number One Single: ‘Love me do’ – The Beatles
NRL Grand Final Winner: St George
Most Newsworthy Event: The Beatles tour Australia
XP Falcon: March 1965
Prime Minister: Sir Robert Menzies
Number One Single: ‘Shakin’ all over’ – Normie Rowe
NRL Grand Final Winner: St George
Most Newsworthy Event: Wanda Beach Murders – January 11
XR Falcon: September 1966
Prime Minister: Harold Holt
Number One Single: ‘These boots are made for walkin” – Nancy Sinatra
NRL Grand Final Winner: St George Dragons
Most Newsworthy Event: Decimal Currency introduced – February 14
XT Falcon: March 1968
Prime Minister: John Gorton
Number One Single: ‘Hey Jude’ – The Beatles
NRL Grand Final Winner: South Sydney Rabbitohs
Most Newsworthy Event: Australia’s population reached 12 million
XW Falcon: June 1969
Prime Minister: John Gorton
Number One Single: ‘Come Together’ – The Beatles
NRL Grand Final Winner: Balmain
Most Newsworthy Event: Prime Minister John Gorton announces that a withdrawal of Australian Army troops from the Vietnam War would begin in 1970.
XY Falcon: October 1970
Prime Minister: John Gorton
Number One Single: ‘Let it be’ The Beatles
NRL Grand Final Winner: South Sydney Rabbitohs
Most Newsworthy Event: Melbourne airport officially opened
XA Falcon: March 1972
Prime Minister: William McMahon
Number One Single: ‘Puppy Love’ – Danny Osmond
Top Grossing Movie: The Godfather
NRL Grand Final Winner: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Most Newsworthy Event: ‘Smoking is a health hazard’ becomes compulsory on cigarette packaging in Australia.
XB Falcon: September 1973
Prime Minister: Gough Whitlam
Number One Single: ‘Tie a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree’ – Tony Orlando and Dawn
Top Grossing Movie: Alvin Purple
NRL Grand Final Winner: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Most Newsworthy Event: Sydney Opera House Opened by the Queen
XC Falcon: July 1976
Prime Minister: Malcolm Fraser
Number One Single: ‘Fernando’ – ABBA
Top Grossing Movie: The Towering Inferno
NRL Grand Final Winner: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Most Newsworthy Event: Cigarette and Tobacco advertising banned on TV and radio
XD Falcon: March 1979
Prime Minister: Malcolm Fraser
Number One Single: ‘Lay your love on me’ – Racey
Top Grossing Movie: The Muppet Movie
NRL Grand Final Winner: St George Dragons
Most Newsworthy Event: Mad Max is released
XE Falcon: March 1982
Prime Minister: Malcolm Fraser
Number One Single: ‘Eye of the Tiger’ – Survivor
Top Grossing Movie: The Man From Snowy River
NRL Grand Final Winner: Parramatta Eels
Most Newsworthy Event: Lindy Chamberlain is committed to trial for the murder of her daughter, Azaria. Lindy claims her daughter was taken by a dingo
XF Falcon: October 1984
Prime Minister: Bob Hawke
Number One Single: ‘I just called to say I love you’ – Stevie Wonder
Top Grossing Movie: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
NRL Grand Final Winner: Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Most Newsworthy Event: Medicare comes into effect in Australia
EA Falcon: March 1988
Prime Minister: Bob Hawke
Number One Single: ‘Simply Irresistible’ – Robert Palmer
Top Grossing Movie: Crocodile Dundee II
NRL Grand Final Winner: Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Most Newsworthy Event: World Expo 88 takes place in Brisbane
EB Falcon: October 1991
Prime Minister: Bob Hawke
Number One Single: ‘I Do it for You’ – Bryan Adams
Top Grossing Movie: Dances with Wolves
NRL Grand Final Winner: Penrith Panthers
Most Newsworthy Event: Australia sends troops to assist the United Nations in the Gulf War
ED Falcon August 1993
Prime Minister: Paul Keating
Number One Single:
Top Grossing Movie: Jurassic Park
NRL Grand Final Winner: Brisbane Broncos
Most Newsworthy Event: Sydney named to host 2000 Olympic games
EF Falcon: August 1994
Prime Minister: Paul Keating
Number One Single: ‘Love is All Around’ – Wet Wet Wet
Top Grossing Movie: The Lion King
NRL Grand Final Winner: Canberra Raiders
Most Newsworthy Event: Telephone numbers in Australia begin transitioning to 8 digits
EL Falcon: March 1996
Prime Minister: John Howard
Number One Single: ‘Macerena’ – Los Del Rio
Top Grossing Movie: Independence Day
NRL Grand Final Winner: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Most Newsworthy Event: Port Arthur Massacre
AU Falcon: September 1998
Prime Minister: John Howard
Number One Single: ‘Maria’ – Ricky Martin
Top Grossing Movie: Titanic
NRL Grand Final Winner: Brisbane Broncos
Most Newsworthy Event: Illawarra Floods
BA Falcon: September 2002
Prime Minister: John Howard
Number One Single: ‘Without Me’ – Eminem
Top Grossing Movie: Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
NRL Grand Final Winner: Sydney Roosters
Most Newsworthy Event: Worst drought seen in Australia in 100 years
BF Falcon: October 2005
Prime Minister: John Howard
Number One Single: ‘The Prayer’ – Anthony Callea
Top Grossing Movie: Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
NRL Grand Final Winner: Wests Tigers
Most Newsworthy Event: Bali Nine
FG Falcon: March 2008
Prime Minister: Kevin Rudd
Number One Single: ‘Low’ Flo Rida ft T-Pain
Top Grossing Movie: Dark Knight
NRL Grand Final Winner: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Most Newsworthy Event: Australia withdraws its troops from Iraq
FG-X Falcon: October 2014
Prime Minister: Tony Abbott
Number One Single: ‘Happy’ – Pharrell Williams
Top Grossing Movie: The Hunger Games
NRL Grand Final Winner: South Sydney Rabbitohs
Most Newsworthy Event: MH17 Plane crash