Ford Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company.

It is best known for producing the Falcon, originally a US model introduced in Australia in 1960, but adapted to Australian requirements and road conditions. It also produces a four wheel drive model called the Territory.

Originally, Ford Australia manufactured or assembled smaller models, but these are now fully imported. These included the Escort and Cortina from the UK, and subsequently the Mazda-based Laser and Telstar from Japan. These were adapted for the Australian market: for example, the Cortina had a 4.1 litre engine. In 1977, lack of capacity meant that the Cortina wagon was in fact assembled in Renault's (now long since closed) Australian factory.

The Laser was produced in Ford's plant at Homebush in Sydney until 1995, when the plant closed, after which they were fully imported from Japan. The Laser was replaced by the European Focus in 2002.

Ford Australia no longer has a medium sized model, having dropped the Mondeo in 2001, arguing that the segment of the market in which it competed was in decline in Australia.

External link

• Ford Australia