DEARBORN, Mich. — Spies in Michigan recently snagged this photo of the next generation, Australian-built Ford Falcon sedan as it was being unpacked from a shipping crate in Dearborn.

Although the Falcon has no equivalent U.S. model, the fact that Ford brought one all the way to Dearborn for testing is fueling speculation that a new full-size, rear-wheel-drive sedan for the States is under consideration. This follows GM's announcement earlier this year that it would import one of its Australian-built rear-wheel-drive sedans and rebadge it as the Pontiac G8. Both Ford and GM have been ramping up their rear-wheel-drive programs after witnessing the success of Chrysler's 300 sedan.

The current Ford Falcon is offered in various trims ranging from your basic six-cylinder family sedan to the V8-powered sport XR8 with 350 horsepower. There are also several models tuned by Ford Performance Vehicles. We recently tested the Ford Falcon Boss 290 in Australia and managed to squeeze a 5.7-second 0-60 time and a 14.5-second quarter-mile. Not bad for a sedan the size of a Dodge Charger.

What this means to you: A full-size, rear-wheel-drive sedan from Ford could be in your future if the Falcon impresses the right people in Dearborn.