A life-long car nut, Glenn Torrens (who usually answers to ‘GT’) has been writing about cars and the lifestyle around them since a photo shoot with his 1956 VW Beetle - restored and modified at home while training as a high school teacher - led to a role as a motoring writer. Six years at Street Machine fuelled his passion for performance cars - especially Aussie ones – and inspired him to conceive and develop Australian Muscle Car magazine. Glenn has contributed to many old-school Australian motoring titles such as WHEELS, Unique Cars and 4x4 Australia and is thrilled to be involved as writer and presenter for Australia’s new premium on-line Retro Rides.
Glenn remains a hands-on classic car enthusiast with project cars as diverse as a 1990 Mazda MX-5, 1989 Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD, a pair of VW Beetle motorsport cars, a Ford Falcon and several Holden Commodores… and the happy little blue ’56 VW Bug where things all began.
Even if you’re not a typical blue-blood Ford fan, early 1990s Falcon make for a great first-time classic, provided you watch out for a few common pitfalls.
This is how Ford kept the fast car hits coming with the introduction of the S-XR6, a feisty six-pot that showed both Holden and Ford V8s a clean pair of heels.
Ford’s then-new V8-powered Falcon S-XR8 sedan poured fuel on the embers of the still-simmering Ford versus Holden rivalry.
Ford Australia’s belated response to Holden’s fuel-injected V8-powered VN Commodore kickstarted the greatest-ever era of Aussie performance cars.
Ford’s fifth-generation Falcon, the EA series, represented the biggest march forward in the Aussie Ford’s history. But quality problems put a stumble in its step.
Ford created the John Goss Special, named in honour of the 1974 Bathurst winner, to help boost slow sales of its Falcon Hardtop V8.
The Falcon GT Hardtop arrived on Aussie racetracks in 1973, winning the Great Race on its first attempt and stamping its prominence on Aussie motorsport history.
Ford Australia product planners fudged the numbers to make the Falcon XA Hardtop a reality.
The humble Ford Falcon sedan laid the platform for Ford’s barnstorming V8 coupes.
From the mind of a maniac to the brilliance of its chief designer, few automobiles have had such tumultuous beginnings as the Volkswagen Beetle.