Ford Let's Fly with Powerful New Falcon

Motoring Channel Staff - 17/8/2005

Revealing more powerful 6- and 8-cylinder engines, plus a new high torque 6-speed automatic transmission and a subtle new look for particular models, Ford has let the cat out of the bag - the new BF Falcon.

Tom Gorman, who is the President of Ford Australia, just recently divulged the details of the new Falcon that replace the BA Falcon and Territory range, which the company says will be ready for sale by the end of October.

"The new BF Falcon and SY Territory models incorporate a host of changes aimed at delivering even more driving enjoyment and fuel economy advantages to our valued customers," enthused the American-born Gorman.

BF Ford Falcon and SY Territory models equipped with the 4.0-litre straight 6-cylinder engine get an 8kW boost in power from 182kW to 190kW, now on par with Holden's range-topping 6-cylinder V6.

"Every Falcon and Territory owner will appreciate the noticeable improvements in performance, refinement and fuel economy in the petrol engines," said Gorman.

"Today we revealed changes to the look of the BF Falcon and upgrades to the engines and transmissions powering the Falcon and Territory range.

"These upgrades will ensure that Falcon and Territory remain at the technological forefront of Australian-made vehicles.

"Importantly, all the improvements we've made have been driven by customer feedback and have a real world application that drivers will notice and appreciate," Mr Gorman said.

Just briefly, here are some of the upgrades to the BF Falcon and SY Territory range we know about:

• A reworked Barra 190 4.0-litre 6-cylinder engine
  

• More power and torque in the turbocharged engine for the Falcon XR
  

• More power and torque in the 3-valve SOHC V8 engine
  

• A world-class ZF 6-speed automatic transmission available in premium Falcon sedans and utes, and AWD versions of Territory
  

• An improved ION 4-speed automatic transmission
  

• Introduction of the Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission on XR6 sedan
  

• New exterior styling for the Falcon range, including Fairlane and Falcon Ute
  

• New interior upgrades for all models
  

• New wheel designs for XT, Futura, Fairmont, Fairmont Ghia, XR and XLS
  

• New Fairlane G8 (replacing Fairlane G220)

"The new Falcon and Territory will boast an engine line-up offering the latest technology, providing customers with substantial improvements in fuel economy, increased performance and greatly improved levels of refinement," said Ford Australia Product and Development Vice President Trevor Worthington.

"The addition of dual independent variable camshaft timing and dual knock sensors keeps the engine powering the new vehicles at the forefront of automotive technology."

The base model 4.0-litre inline 6-cylinder engine gets a power boost to 190kW, while peak torque rises from 380Nm to 383Nm.

More telling of the performance gains however, is the earlier torque peak: the new model hits peak torque @ 2500rpm, where the older engine arrived at peak thrust @ 3250rpm.

Ford's popular turbo six has also been benefited with a 5kW power increase and a substantial 30Nm increase, rising from 450Nm to 480Nm. For all the new engine specifications, see the table below.

"With the introduction of this new engine programme, Ford Australia is providing customers with the best of both worlds – more usable performance, cleaner emissions and increased fuel economy for all petrol engines. This strategy has also helped us meet all the requirements of the stringent Euro III emissions legislation which come into force on January 1, 2006," said Trevor Worthington.

BF Engine Line-up:

"Working in combination with our new ZF 6-speed automatic, revised Ion 4-speed automatic and the Tremec T56 6-speed manual transmission, the BF Falcon and SY Territory are truly world-class cars," Worthington said.

Ford has engineered two versions of the 6-speed automatic transmission – a standard version with a torque capacity of 450 Newton metres and a performance version with a torque capacity of 600Nm.

"As the first Australian-manufactured vehicles with a 6-speed automatic transmission, Falcon and Territory remain at the forefront of engineering innovation, delivering best-in-class technology to Australian drivers while maintaining the Ford hallmarks of affordability and durability," finished Worthington.

Ford has also made changes to the exterior designs for the first time since the BA Falcon launched. "BF Falcon is a refined evolution of the successful BA range of vehicles," said Ford Australia Director of Design Simon Butterworth.

There's also the introduction of an array of new fabrics, trims and finishes and of course new alloy wheel and wheel cover styles.

The new look front end on XR models continues to forge strong links with Ford's performance heritage. This is seen in the new sports front apron's deep, wide central airdam and GT-style fog lights, recessed in a more angular surround with pronounced fluting.

"By utilising Ford's corporate design DNA, the new BF range strengthens the Falcon brand by delivering a more dynamic, powerful and exciting front graphic, while still maintaining the elements of sophistication evident throughout the BA range," said Butterworth.

"The rear of the car has been endorsed by improved, dynamic tail lamps that mirror the design philosophy of Falcon's distinctive and successful front," stated Butterworth.

"The new design alloy wheels and wheel covers are both elegant and strong in their appearance, for a more refined aesthetic that builds on the sophisticated style of the BA range.

"The XR6 and XR6 Turbo continue the tradition of bold, performance driven, five-spoke, 17-inch designs, while the XR8 sedan has a new 18-inch alloy wheel as standard that contributes to its powerful, road-hugging stance," stated Butterworth.

All Falcon models gain new wheel designs for an enhanced appearance, while Fairlane Ghia and LTD increase wheel size from 16- to 17-inch for a more dynamic driving experience.

Wheel styles:

XT – a seven-spoke, 16-inch wheel cover in a twin-spoke style that has been designed with new resin technology and Computer Aided Engineering to deliver high strength and stiffness, while also reducing weight.

Futura – a nine-spoke, 16-inch alloy wheel with elegant cues.

XR6 – a five-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheel with a bold ‘Tuning Fork’ design (standard on XR6 and XR6 Turbo sedans and Utes, and XR8 Utes).

XR8 – a five-spoke, 18-inch alloy wheel with an aggressive ‘Boomerang’ spoke design and machined ‘Boomerang’ features on the spokes (standard on XR8 sedans, optional on all other XR variants).

Fairmont – a 10-spoke, 16-inch alloy wheel with classic lines.

Fairmont Ghia – a nine-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheel with a machined front face and ‘Ghia’ script on the centre cap.

Fairlane Ghia – a seven-spoke, 17-inch sports-luxury alloy wheel with a fully machined front face, chrome finish centre cap and ‘Ghia’ badge.

Fairlane G8 – a five-spoke, 17-inch sports alloy wheel with a fully machined front face, chrome finish centre cap and ‘G8’ badge.

LTD – a seven-spoke, 17-inch sports-luxury alloy wheel with a fully machined front face, chrome finish centre cap and ‘LTD’ badge.

"The changes we've announced today signal another exciting step forward for our local product range," continued Mr Gorman, Ford Australia's chief. "There are other details of the new Falcon and Territory program that we'll be revealing as we get closer to the launch.

"The key overriding principle behind all of them however is their customer-driven focus and user-friendly application.

"When combined with the world-class engines and transmissions we've announced today, these further changes will keep Falcon and Territory at the forefront of local automotive engineering and deliver real benefits for every Ford customer."

The new BF range of Ford Performance Vehicles will make their debut at the 2005 Australian Motor Show in Sydney during October, and we'll have all the details of changes to the new 6-speed auto and manual models closer to the auto show.