The XL Falcon was released in 1962. Here is a bit of a snapshot of what things were like and what things costs in Australia at that time. The landscape has changed a lot since the XL was first released and it is interesting to see where things were back then vs how they are today. Where were you when the XL Falcon was first released?
Cost of a new Ford XL Falcon
- Starting price: approximately £1,149–£1,200 (around $2,298–$2,400 after decimal conversion)
- The XL featured minor styling updates and improvements over the XK, keeping it competitive against Holden and Chrysler offerings.
Average wage
- Average weekly wage: about $36–$40 per week
- Average annual wage: about $1,900–$2,100
Average house price
- Around $8,000–$9,000
Price of petrol
- About 8 cents per litre
Prime Minister
- Robert Menzies (Liberal Party)
Population of Australia
- About 10.7 million people
Top-grossing movie
- The Longest Day was the highest-grossing film internationally in 1962.
- Other popular films included Lawrence of Arabia and To Kill a Mockingbird (released late 1962 in some regions).
Top song
- Good Luck Charm by Elvis Presley dominated the Australian charts.
Significant world event
- The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.
Popular TV / radio in Australia
- Variety shows and imported dramas were popular.
- Radio Top‑40 stations like 2UE in Sydney dominated music culture.
Significant Australian news story
- Indigenous Australians were granted the right to enrol to vote in federal elections, a major civil rights milestone.
Interesting comparisons
These comparisons help place the XL Falcon into everyday Australian life:
- The XL Falcon cost roughly a full year’s average wage
- The average house cost about 4–5 times the yearly wage
- Filling the ~50L tank cost about $4
- A week’s wages could buy roughly 500 litres of petrol
- The Falcon was part of the early Australian compact family car boom, providing a modern alternative to larger sedans
- Television was still expanding in households, making car commercials increasingly influential
- XL Falcon