Ford EB Falcon

The Ford EB Falcon is a car which was produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1991 and 1993. It replaced the Ford EA Falcon which had been in production since 1988.

Visually the 1991 EB remained nearly identical to its predecessor. The most noticeable change was the transfer of the Ford emblem from the tip of the bonnet to the grille. Additionally the air vents in C-pillars had been abolished, and reversing lamps were featured on either side of the rear number plate. The return of the V8 engine was welcomed by the motoring press; however, the 5.0-litre Windsor unit did not reappear in the Falcon utility variants until the XH series of 1997. There were also changes to the front suspension geometry, giving the EB a much better level of grip and steering feel. With the new model, Ford re-introduced the sports orientated Falcon GT specification level, an exclusive 250 unit run celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first original Falcon GT. The first XR6 and XR8 sports models appeared in the EB Series. The rarest model was the SS, with just six produced, five of which were absorbed immediately into production car racing.

The radically different Series II model, appearing in showrooms in April 1992, saw the six-cylinder engine upsized by 35 cubic centimetres (from 3949 cc to 3984 cc). This brought the nominal total swept capacity to 4.0 litres. The transmission and electronics were also improved, and there were tweaks to the styling. The base model now had body-coloured bumpers, and the previously matte black plastic exterior door handles were now given a glossy finish. The update reportedly cost A$1 million.

Innovation became an evident strength in the EBII: anti-lock brakes became an option, a Falcon first, and in 1993, a lap sash centre rear seatbelt became standard. The EB also introduced the "Smartlock" security locking system. South Australian Police revealed the operational success of "Smartlock", by inviting four professional car thieves to steal an EB specified with the locking system. The thieves were unsuccessful at their attempt, giving up after four days. Foam-filled A-pillars also featured, which greatly increased crush protection and stiffened the frame, thus helping to reduce Noise, Vibration, and Harshness.

Production of the EB Falcon range totalled 36,374 with 84,847 examples of the EBII being produced. The EBII was replaced by the Ford ED Falcon in August 1993.

• Ford EB Falcon GL sedan

• Ford EB Falcon S XR8 sedan

• Ford EB II Falcon GLi wagon

• Ford EB II Falcon S sedan

• Ford EB II Fairmont sedan

• Ford EBII Falcon GT