Ford · 1996–1998

Ford EL Falcon

The Ford Falcon (EL) is a full-size car that was produced by Ford Australia from 1996 to 1998. It was the fifth and final iteration of the fifth generation of the Falcon and also included the Ford Fairmont (EL)—the luxury-oriented version. The EL series served as the final chapter of the fifth generation "E-series" architecture, which began with the EA of 1988. Ford discontinued the car in 1998, and replaced it with the AU. Like its predecessors, the EL Falcon was widely favoured by Australian police and taxi operators. The EL remains one of the most popular Falcons produced.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Ford EF Falcon · Successor: Ford AU Falcon

All Ford EL Falcon data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years → + Compare

Development

The EL served as a facelift of its predecessor, the EF Falcon, which began production in 1994. The "E-series" architecture can trace its roots back to 1988 with the EA. Ford spent A$40 million for the development of the EL. Ford introduced a number of improvements aimed at extending the life of the "E-series" body while the AU Falcon was being developed. Most of the handling and steering problems with the EF were rectified in the EL. Critics at the time stated the EF Falcon was hard to handle and it felt as if the front suspension of the vehicle was not optimally setup to work with the geometry of the live-axle rear end (the AU would be the first Falcon to offer an independent rear end). Ford addressed these concerns making the EL far more responsive than the EF (see below). At launch, it was the only Australian-built car equipped with a driver's airbag standard across the board, with a passenger airbag available as an extra cost option. Facelift and upgrades. Compared to the EF, the most obvious visual change was the return of the front grille for GLi and Futura models. The grille itself was now elliptical in shape, a trait shared by other Ford models available at the time. The overall effect was to give the front of the car a rounded visual theme, continuing a shift away from the angular aero style of the early "E-series" models. From the rear, amber indicators were fitted on the base sedan models, with white lenses reserved for the luxury and station wagons. The performance models (XR6 and XR8) saw revised quad headlights. Interior upgrades came in the form of reshaped seats and headrests, new colour schemes and switches. Third-row seating, a cargo barrier, and preinstalled wiring to accommodate mobile phone usage were made available as options for the station wagon

Model range

Ten variants of the EL were produced, six-cylinder variants came standard with a five-speed manual, with the option of a four-speed automatic transmission. With the exception of the XR8, which could be purchased with the five-speed manual, all V8s were fitted with the four-speed automatic. Base models The GLi was the most basic model Falcon, selling well with fleets. Its features list was identical to that of the previous model, which included Ford's straight-six engine, with an option of upgrading to the Windsor V8. The slightly more equipped Futura features ABS brakes, front power windows, cruise control and a number of luxury features, like back seat headrests and an enhanced sound system. To distinguish it from the GLi, body-coloured components replaced the black plastic type. Regardless of the model chosen, an optional dual fuel tank could be fitted to run on both autogas and petrol. Limited editions Ford introduced the Sapphire shortly after Holden debuted the VT Commodore in September 1997, in a bid to make the EL more competitive. The name was reused from the Ford Sierra Sapphire sedan sold in Europe and New Zealand. It was a limited-edition model and had two variants based on either the GLi or the Futura, fitted with additional features, however the list differed depending on the base model chosen. All Sapphires had 15 in (380 mm) alloy wheels and metallic paint as standard. Other responses to the VT Commodore were the Classic and Falcon S models. Similarly to the Sapphire, they too were limited edition variants based on either the GLi or Futura. Standard for the Falcon S included a six-stack CD player, air conditioning, and alloy wheels which were identical to those fitted to the XR6 and XR8 models of the earlier ED Falcon range. Later, in March 1998, six m

Motorsport

Stone Brothers Racing took first place in the 1998 Bathurst 1000 classic racing an EL Falcon driven by Jason Bright and Steven Richards. This 1998 EL Falcon holds a significant place in Ford Australia's racing history as it was the only Falcon to take victory at the Bathurst 1000 in the decade between 1995 and 2005. Glenn Seton Racing won the 1997 Australian Touring Car Championship with Glenn Seton driving an EL Falcon.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Ford Falcon (EL)

Manufacturer

Ford Australia

aka

Ford Fairmont (EL)

Production

October 1996 – August 1998

Assembly

Broadmeadows, Melbourne, Australia

Class

Full-size car

Body style

4-door sedan, 5-door station wagon

Layout

Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive

Platform

EA77

Related

Ford LTD (DL), Ford Fairlane (NL), Ford Falcon (XH)

Engine

4.0 L SOHC Six I6 (petrol), 5.0 L Windsor V8 (petrol)

Transmission

4-speed M93LE automatic (I6), 4-speed M97LE automatic (V8), 5-speed Tremec T-5 manual

Wheelbase

Sedan: 2791 mm, Wagon: 2923 mm

Length

Sedan: 4906 mm, Wagon: 5055 mm

Width

1861 mm

Height

1453 mm

Kerb weight

Sedan: 1536 –, Wagon: 1600 kg

Predecessor

Ford Falcon (EF)

Successor

Ford Falcon (AU)

sp

uk

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8564487CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Falcon_(EL)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1370738974 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1997_Ford_Falcon_(EL)_GLi_sedan_(2006-10-14).jpgCC BY 2.0 · Photo: timb. from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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