1970 Ford Falcon XW GT Sedan

The legendary Falcon GT series evolved from the relatively understated XR into the thundering XW/XY GT-HOs that totally dominated touring car racing in the early 1970s and these cars remain amongst the most coveted of all Aussie muscle cars from this golden era. When Ford updated the XT Falcon into the XW in 1969, there was no question there would be a GT version, it was just a matter of when - in the end, the GT was launched five months after the regular production model. The XW GT was a fantastic looking car, with an offset bonnet scoop and matt black bonnet panels, front spoiler, Super Roo decals and twin driving lights that were - and still are - enough to warn slower drivers of more mundane cars that something special was rapidly filling their mirrors. Using the Windsor 351-cid engine for the first time, the big V8 boasted a four-barrel Holley carburettor, 10.7:1 compression ratio and hydraulic valve lifters to develop a very healthy 290 bhp. The GT was fitted with a four-speed manual as standard (with a three-speed FMX gearbox optional), had a limited-slip differential and uprated power-assisted disc brakes up front. The wheels were 14-inch 12-slots while the interior had a full complement of gauges, including a speedo calibrated to 140 mph. The Falcon GT was a genuinely quick car, capable of reaching 200 km/h, and cost $4,200, representing a substantial premium over the standard Falcon. The GT, and GT-HO offshoot, fared badly at Bathurst in their first attempt in 1969 but Allan Moffat turned the table on the Holden's in 1970 to score a memorable victory. Today any original Falcon GT is a desirable collector's item - hardly surprising given how few were built - in total, just 2,287 XW GTs left the factory in 1969-1970.