The Ford Falcon XD, produced from 1979 to 1982, represented a significant generational shift for Ford Australia's long-running Falcon line, moving away from the body architecture of the preceding XC series toward a more angular, European-influenced design. The XD introduced rack-and-pinion steering to the Falcon range, a notable mechanical upgrade that improved handling precision over the recirculating-ball setup used in earlier generations. It was offered in sedan, wagon, and utility body styles, and carried over inline-six and V8 engine options, keeping the Falcon competitive in the Australian market against the Holden Commodore, which had launched just before the XD's introduction. The XD sits in the middle of a long lineage of Australian-built Falcons, bridging the older Antipodean-flavored designs of the 1970s with the more refined direction the series would continue through the XE and beyond.
