Road Test: Ford Falcon XR8

By Feann Torr - 10/Mar/2006

In one corner are the people who buy cars to get from A to B - they drive  cars because it is simply a means to an end, or perhaps because they don't like the train. In the other corner there are people who buy cars that say something about who they are, and because they simply enjoy the thrill of carving a perfect line through a corner.

The Ford Falcon XR8 is a car that falls into the latter category, but would still please those drivers that fall into the former category. It's not the most sensible of cars in today's world of high petrol prices but it carries on an Australian motoring tradition, appealing to the eye and heart.

With its 18-inch wheels and subtle-but-determined body work, the XR8 is instantly recognisable as a performance street machine, while its thumping 260kW V8 engine stirs the soul with its bassy bellow and surfeit of torque, harking back to the 1970s when Ford and Holden initiated a V8 power war that in some ways is been fueled to this very day.

Ford brings out its Boss260 V8, Holden drops a Gen IV 6.0-litre V8 into its Commodore... Will it ever end, or will we be driving 350kW 7.3-litre V8s with direct injection in 2020?

The reason we're reviewing this XR8 is because it's the new BF model, and though it doesn't look a whole lot different to the previous BA model, it certainly feels different on the road. Featuring a new 6-speed automatic gearbox imported from Germany, the added option of DSC (dynamic stability control) and a number of other changes, the updates make the new XR8 a different beast to drive.

The aggressive looking front end, complete with bonnet bulge, is matched with a good interior ($1,980 leather seat option shown) Engine: Ford Boss 260 5.4-litre V8 The longitudinally mounted 5408cc Boss 260 engine has a cast-iron block, aluminium alloy heads, 8-cylinders in a V-formation, 4-valves per cylinder, and variable valve timing. It features chain-driven dual overhead camshafts per cylinder bank (quad cams), variable valve timing, a 9.5:1 compression ratio and a 68 litre fuel tank. It will accept all types of petrol, from 91 to 95 and higher rated octane fuels. Fuel consumption: 13.7L/100km (combined cycle) Max Power: 260kW @ 5250rpm Max Torque: 500Nm @ 4000rpm 0-100km/h: 6.2 seconds

There's something instantly gratifying about driving a V8-engined rear-wheel drive car, and I couldn't help but smile every time I tickled the throttle. I reckon it's a combination of aural delight, smooth-but-forceful torque delivery and the (generally) short distance the rev counter needs to turn in order to gain maximum performance.

With a screaming 4-cylinder engine, whose main claim to fame (and peak power) is its ability to rev to beyond 7000rpm, this V8 generates peak power @ 5250rpm and as a result is an absolute doddle to drive.

So what's one of these things worth? For about $52,000 you can get into an XR8 in your choice of colour, and from the moment you turn the key and ignite the big 8-cylinder lump - the whole car rocking momentarily as the centrifugal forces of the heavy engine exert themselves on the chassis -  there's a real connection between car and driver.

Next, slot the fancy 6-speed auto into 'Drive' and slam the throttle - because V8s love to sing - and bask in the glory of screeching wheels and being gently squeezed into the seat cushions as the torque builds unseen in a giant cascading wave of force.

The XR8 performance sedan features a 5.4-litre V8 that differs from Holden's newly imported 6.0-litre V8 in that it's not imported, but built in Australia, features modern overhead camshafts, not old-school valve-in-head featuring push rods, and it's a much smaller donk.

Both Holden's new V8 and the current Ford V8 generate 260kW of power, which in Ford's case is enough to get the 1.8 tonne Falcon hitting 100km/h in about 6.2 seconds with the new gearbox, which provides for slightly quicker acceleration and better fuel economy than the 4-speed auto 'box it replaces.

The new ZF 6-speed gearbox is the largest single change to the BF model XR8, and it makes a huge difference to the way car approaches almost all situations. For starters, it gives the car a much smoother feel, with quicker, silkier gear changes that make the everyday slog to work close to seamless (the gear changes under light loads are almost imperceptible), while also improving performance, as mentioned above.

The ZF 6HP26 - to give it's full billing - is built by ZF Getriebe GmbH in Germany, and has a short-term memory, which is related to how you use/abuse the throttle. So, if you're cruising through traffic it'll be conscious of your lower speeds and light throttle applications, and will drop down into taller gears whenever possible, saving fuel as you tickle the gas pedal ever-so-slightly.

At the same time, if you're continually pounding the throttle, the brakes, the throttle, the brakes - such as when hammering through a seldom-trafficked valley or listening to your partner's inane rantings - the gearbox will be on high alert, responding even more rapidly to throttle input by selecting shorter gear ratios for maximum acceleration.

And that's just the fully-automated drive mode. There's also a performance mode and a tip-tronic mode, the latter allowing you to select the gears yourself by intuitively pulling back for upshifts and pushing forward for downshifts on the contoured, leather-wrapped shift stick.

With its 500Nm V8 engine given a dancing partner of particular skill in the form of the new 6-speed auto gearbox, the XR8 feels much fleeter of foot than before, even though its only marginally quicker in a straight line. It's mid-gear blasts that bear the greatest fruit, as the car responds very rapidly even at higher speeds.

Featuring 18-inch alloy wheels shod with 245/40 ZR18 rubber, the XR8 does an incredible job of sticking to road when you consider how much bulk it's hauling around (about 2000kg with a couple of occupants, some luggage and a full tank of fuel). While initial turn-in can be a little tardy when tipping into a corner, the car generally responds diligently to steering wheel inputs. 

It also exhibits low levels of oversteer once you've found your desired line through a corner (as most RWD cars do), allowing you gently massage the throttle for more power until you reach optimum corner speed, and with a good amount of grip from the sticky tyres and a tightly sprung sports suspension system, this overweight Aussie is a huge amount of fun on a twisty road. It's got a lot of resolve this one, and though body roll does come into the equation at times, particularly when changing directions (again, probably due its weight), it always handles itself well and grip is rarely wanting.

The V8 engine is also a great performer when pushed, quickening the cars pace very rapidly, and it sounds magnificent as the revs climb and the engine begins to suck in more air to complete its always-intensify combustion process. With the DSC (dynamic stability control) system optioned, the XR8 can be thrown around with even more gusto, as the system cleverly intervenes when the car approaches its physical limits.

Not the best colour in the world (called Toxic, and for good reason), the XR8 is nevertheless a smart-looking motor

DSC combines the traction control and ABS systems and, thanks to a number sensors dotted all over the car (from the brakes, to the accelerator pedal and even a rotational yaw rate sensor), which are monitored 25 times per second, it almost imperceptibly keeps the car on the straight and narrow, so to speak. 

It can reduce the effects of over and understeer, as Stephan Presser, who led the Vehicle Dynamics group that worked on the Territory and Falcon DSC systems, explained "Specific braking intervention is then directed at individual wheels - such as the inner rear to counter understeer, or the outer front during oversteer." 

Mr. Presser cautioned that the DSC cannot defy the laws of physics however (and I can vouch for this), saying "DSC significantly enhances the safety window in which the driver can operate the car, but it cannot perform miracles."

I should also mention that when driven in tip-tronic (I think Ford calls its sportshift) mode it's a very rapid machine, as you can utilise the engine's compression to improve deceleration, just like in a car with a manual gearbox. Having this extra level of control is fantastic, and it's something Holden needs to implement quick-smart in its performance sedans.

The BF XR8 (and XR6 Turbo) benefits from a new sports braking package to match the improved performance of the that silky-smooth 6-speed auto, consisting of 322mm front discs (an increase of 24mm) and 328mm rear discs (a 25mm increase in diametre). 

They feature a new pillar vented rotor design, which is said to improve cooling performance, and out on the road the upgraded anchors do a very good job, particularly considering the stress they're under. Pedal feel is excellent initially, though after a few hours of abuse they began to feel the strain and more force was needed on the pedal to get the same response.

As well as giving drivers a solid platform with which to drive energetically, the Ford Falcon XR8 is also an incredibly roomy car, one that makes itself felt even moreso when you get out of Falcon, and into pretty much anything other than a 7 Series BMW. It's big, which makes sense seeing as it's based on the Ford Falcon large sedan, measuring 4916mm long and 1864mm, giving occupants bags of space and also freeing up a class-leading 504 litres of boot space.

Interior packing is quite nice - the pair of front sports seats are great and feature decent lateral bolsters - and there's are enough changes over the standard Falcon to warrant the XR badging. Blue-lit sports dials with XR-lettering give the instruments a sporty look, and the cabin has an altogether modern feel to it, what with the LCD dominating the centre console and the functional HVAC controls and switchgear, which includes the impressive steering-wheel mounted cruise control buttons.

Overall: 4/5

Ford's XR8 may not appeal to drivers wanting a strictly A to B vehicle - despite being able to fulfil this role adequately - but it certainly slaked this driver's thirst for a hard-charging and practical Australian muscle car.

Though it may not be finished to exacting European standards, you'd be hard-pressed to find a sedan of this size, with this much sheer grunt and ability for this sort of price. I love the fact that Ford and Holden can make cars that perform as well as this, while providing owners with such practicality. And I have to give credit to the suspension boffins too, who have managed to somehow create a car that is both well damped (soaking up the cracks in the road), while at the same time tightly sprung, giving this obese bird of prey a tenacity that I think would shock many European and American drivers.

Burly V8 rear-drive sedans are indeed an Australian motoring tradition, and the BF Ford Falcon XR8 brings the genre into new territory, not only with its smooth operation, but also with its sophisticated technological upgrades, such as the impressive 6-speed gearbox and the DSC system. Better yet, none of the car's advanced system dilute the driving experience, so you'll still be able to experience the visceral thrill of gunning the V8 to within inches of its life, and without being slapped by an electronic nanny.

Call me bonkers if you like, and I know more than a few will, but I love Aussie V8s. And no, I don't have a petrol card. Sure, they're not perfect and have their fair share of foibles - no argument there - but I'm a huge fan of these unique beasts, and right now, I reckon this is arguably the best one on the market.