Prior to Ford’s Cobra special, the manufacturer built a very limited run of Falcons homologated to win the battle at the Mountain, which it famously took a crushing 1-2.
Ford built up 13 XC Falcon 500 GS hardtops for the purpose of dominating at Bathurst using its Parts and Accessories workshop.
Modifications included in the XC Falcon 500 GS were designed to make the package more durable ahead of the 1978 Australian Touring Car Championship season prior to the release of the Cobra.
Of the 12 built, seven hit the track and six were sold through dealers as Homologation Packs.
Modifications include wider rear wheel arches, idler arm brace, strut tower bracing twin thematic fans, rear tramp rods, engine oil cooler, gearbox cooler, reverse hood scoop, anti-sun glass, long range fuel tank, front and rear spoilers in addition to some luxury items.
A top of the range Falcon, it also included power steering, laminated windscreen, limited slip diff, four-wheel disc brakes, dual exhaust, sports handling suspension and intermittent wipers.
Powered by Ford’s 5.8-litre V8, which sent power through a four-speed single rail gearbox.
Of course, Ford scored a crushing 1-2 at Bathurst leading to Holden responding with the A9X nearly a year later. The Blue Oval stopped its support of motorsport for season 1979.
As for the 13 XC Falcon 500 GS examples, it is unknown how many were scrapped and the currently number surviving.