Likes
Extraordinary performance for the money; family sedan practicality highlighted by split-fold rear seat; outstanding fuel economy at highway speeds
Dislikes
Rear legroom only marginal for this size car; interior somewhat cutprice; boot floor not completely flat
Family Super Sports
Don’t you get sick of stories that open with ‘new FG is best Falcon ever’? It is the latest model with new technology: of course it is better than the last model! And yet, it is perhaps surprising how much better the FG range is than the already excellent BF. As for the XR6 Turbo variant, it is one of the standouts.
Ford Australia’s venerable in-line 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine has become one of the world’s most charismatic sixes. And yet it is like Grandpa’s axe. The starting point may be the original XK engine of 1960 but no-one would associate the two on any logical basis except history. With its twin overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, this unit now combines that old sense of ruggedness with a sporting quality. Add a turbocharger and you have a powerhouse that forces enthusiasts to dream up new reasons for preferring a V8. On every measurable criterion, the XR6 Turbo out-performs its XR8 sibling, which Ford Australia effectively acknowledges by no longer charging a $1000 premium for the XR8 over the turbocharged XR6.
To find a car with superior performance, you need to spend an extra $20-25K on something like an FPV F6 or HSV Clubsport R8. The turbocharged engine develops 270 kW of power at 5250 rpm and a colossal 533 Nm of torque right through from 2000 rpm to 4750. It is true that specialist all-wheel drive models, namely the Subaru Impreza WRX STi and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution come close, while offering marginally superior dynamics. But these cars are much dearer, less spacious, and require a wet and/or loose surface to achieve a notable gain over the rear-wheel drive Ford.
It is probable that on an interstate drive, the XR6 Turbo would consume less fuel than either of these turbocharged rockets. At a steady 100 km/h, the trip computer hovers around 7.5 litres per 100 kilometres, a figure you couldn’t have achieved in the much lighter and slower 1992 XR6. While the standard alloys are 18-inch, 19s are optional. It is quite easy to spend plenty on options but it is perhaps wiser to leave the car close to standard. That price point is $45,490 (for the six-speed manual, an extra $1500 for the six-speed automatic), at which it represents sensational value for money.
One of the joys of the XR range has always been that none of the Falcon’s redoubtable practicality is sacrificed. You still get a large boot with the enhanced versatility of a split-fold rear seat. And the suspension has been developed to handle Australia’s worst roads. When the XR was introduced in 1992, the late Howard Marsden, long-time Ford Australia motorsport guru, told we assembled journalists that the formula was ‘Family Sports’. It still is, but now there is much more sports.
