Ford’s Falcon might soon be going the way of the Dodo bird: it’s in danger of becoming extinct. But that’s just for the Falcon as you know it today.

With decreasing sales and stricter emission standards throughout the world, the V8 engine may no longer be a part of the Falcon model, according to Ford Australia president Bill Osborne. The newest model, scheduled for release in May 2008, has the popular V8 engine and the nickname of Falcon XR8.

But the V6 engines are becoming more popular for a number of reasons. For one, it’s an increasingly more frequent staple of performance engines, including the XR and G6 models. In addition, the six-cylinder Falcon outpaces the V8 model. I don’t want to say the V6 leaves the V8 model in the dust, but tests have revealed that it is much faster.

But that’s not all. The Falcon XR8 is also worse for the environment and your wallet. It gets less than 15 liters per 100km, which is 20 percent less efficient than the V6 model. Who wants a slower and less efficient vehicle in today’s world?

Osborne said the automaker has not “sorted out” its V8 strategy for the near future. But with the Ford Motor Company’s introduction of the EcoBoost engine and other features designed to increase efficiency, it looks like the Falcon is just one more of the popular Ford vehicles to fall victim to the new standards and awareness.