This could have been the new Ford Falcon.

But rather than going on sale in Australia, the large sedan designed and developed by local engineers will be exclusive to China as the new Ford Taurus.

With the blue oval abandoning plans to sell large sedans locally, Ford's Melbourne-based Asia-Pacific design director, Todd Willing, says his team focused on Chinese consumers.

"We wanted to create a vehicle that displays a maturity of design with balanced and harmonious proportions, tailored to the business customer in China," he says.

"Our aim was to create a vehicle that is elegant, inviting and quietly confident."

A separate model to the North American Taurus, this full-sized sedan was effectively designed from the inside out with powered rear seats offer reclining and massage functions for China's burgeoning business market.

Australian Ford management has decided to make the mid-sized Mondeo its local flagship rather than introducing a larger sedan.

The Taurus is among a trio of Australian-designed vehicles intended for China, where it will join the Everest SUV and Escort compact sedan in showrooms.

source: smh.com.au

well played ford ...take a range of vehicles out of a country who wants and buys them to in turn give them to the chinese market. "not financially viable" for a large car ...what a bs cop out. first the fairlane, now the falcon ..whats next? transit too big for us too? going to reintroduce the econovan ...really. rant over.

It has been one load of rubbish after the other with ford . It seem ironic and stupid to me that the excuses given to Australians is that no one is buying big size cars so we are pulling out yet then promote the selling of the rebadged mazda aka the ranger which although is a 4x4 is also heavier than the falcon and only gets the same fuel consumption and the diesel powered Mondeo which if given the option Australians would of bought if its engine was in an Aussie falcon .But that would of meant ford Australia would have had to get its market timing and research done at the most opportune time ad lets not forget when ever the world markets harden up ford as accompany s**t its self ...just like it does in the raceing industry.

im pretty sure i saw one of these in Geelong today near the ford plant, definitely wasnt an FG-x and the body crease line looked like that render. didnt look too bad in the flesh actually

The China will reverse engineer it and cease importing it when the time is right then sell it as a Egg Foo Yong brand car.

I must say, that is damn side prettier then the spastic looking FGX

Looks like the jaguar xjl I saw in "good people" the other night