1998 Ford Falcon EL XR8 Ex-Police Chaser – Today’s Tempter

By: Alex Affat, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 13.06.2019

Unrestored EL Falcon featuring OPT20 Police Pack, former NSW HWY Patrol

The newly facelifted range of EL Falcons arrived in 1996, and were built upon the preceding EF range whose XR-badged offerings were named by Wheels Magazine as "Australia’s best value sports sedans".

The EL update was relatively minor, mostly distinguished by a visual nip-and-tuck.

No major mechanical revisions were made, but a swathe of minor tweaks saw the EL XR falcons become a far more cohesive package.

The XR8 gained the most notable changes, with a more free-flowing exhaust yielding a few extra kilowatts and a throatier note. Late 1997 saw the V8 uprated again, jumping from 170kW to 185kW, along with a shorter diff ratio and revised wheel and tyre package.

This 1998 EL Falcon XR8 features the 185kW updated 5.0lt V8, distinguished by the ribbed intake manifold under the bonnet.  It’s reportedly a NSW ex-highway patrol car featuring the OPT20 pack, in Dynamic White and presents numbers matching.

The OPT20 option pack was developed for police and other government agencies, and featured things like a higher-output alternator, power steering and transmission coolers, Ghia interior lighting, sump guard and extra wiring for police equipment. On automatic-equipped cars like this, the gearbox was re-calibrated to shift at higher revs under heavy throttle.

The car presents in good condition, described in the listing as an "unrestored survivor".

It’s got 200,000kms on the odo with all paperwork and service history.

The car is based in New South Wales and is listed for $15,000.

You can check out the full listing here!

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