File:1972 Ford XA Falcon GT Hardtop (9911189326).jpg

Skyview Blue. First Fully Australian Designed Falcon, the XA got a much softer and smoother, more aerodynamic body, covering only a mildly revised floor pan and mechanicals, inside a new wrap around style dash and high back front seats. Big news was the 2 door Hardtop was reintroduced. The GT, mechanically very similar to the XY GT, was now little more subtle, it got functional bonnet scoops, fake air intakes on the front guards, bonnet blackouts and a black accent line that ran along the sills, over the guards and around the back of the car to include the rear lights. Wheels were back to the 12 slot of the XW. The GTHO was designed and built, all to be sedans, the only external difference was the Globe wheels, mechanically similar to the Phase 3 but improvements to the heads. 200 were to be built, but due to the media reporting that the Australian muscle car was getting too fast, it was dropped, only 4 were built. To homologate some performance parts for Bathurst in 73, Ford quietly produced 250 XA GT Specials (option RPO 83), including both sedan and hardtop versions, they got a manual choke, 780cfm holley and extractors. An XA GT Hardtop won the big race; the Hardie Ferodo 1000 in 1973 and 1974. Built March 72-Sept 73 (Hardtop from July 72) Engine; 351 Cleveland 6 Skyview Blue Hardtops made Total of 1868 Sedans and 891 Hardtops made (259 RPO83s and 4 GTHOs)