FG X, The Last EVER Falcon - Picture & Discussion Thread

[graphicgoose]

Originally Posted by FGX S/C V8

Big call mick, I can't see them beating the V8 in a straight line even with fats. Miami has a bit more grunt than the I6 from factory and IMO should outplay engine weight factor.

Definetly be close though. Auto should be good for a low 12 in the real world and a mid 13 if your a retarded magazine tester lol

True, but the turbo 6 cars need around 50-80rwkw LESS power to run the same times as the Miami powered beasts. So I reckon a 310 turbo with Rspec setup and 275 rears would be quicker than the XR8.

[SensationFG8]

Wasn't the g6et a faster car in a straight line than xr6t because of the softer suspension helping it get traction? I think the rspec suspension would hamper the xr6t going straight. Maybe just put the 275's on and stick with current setup?

[HO 3]

Originally Posted by SensationFG8

Wasn't the g6et a faster car in a straight line than xr6t because of the softer suspension helping it get traction? I think the rspec suspension would hamper the xr6t going straight. Maybe just put the 275's on and stick with current setup?

..............because they are an OEM manufacturer and would be looking at the over all handling package instead of building a drag racer special..........that said they could also build the car with standard rear gear to intentionally neuter it a bit.

Cheers Mick

[arronm]

I put my money on the turbo being faster than the Ausi Miami.

As long as it has 275 tyres and can get grip.

[arronm]

Originally Posted by graphicgoose

True, but the turbo 6 cars need around 50-80rwkw LESS power to run the same times as the Miami powered beasts. So I reckon a 310 turbo with Rspec setup and 275 rears would be quicker than the XR8.

That is because this is what the power and torque curves look like when they both make the same peak power. Turbo 6 (F6) vs miami. 6cyl is GREEN.


At 110kph the turbo walks away.

[2242100]

Originally Posted by FGX S/C V8

Big call mick, I can't see them beating the V8 in a straight line even with fats. Miami has a bit more grunt than the I6 from factory and IMO should outplay engine weight factor.

Definetly be close though. Auto should be good for a low 12 in the real world and a mid 13 if your a retarded magazine tester lol

What happens in first gear is obviously very important and that will have a big effect on the 400 metre time, but I've seen GPS Data that shows an Auto GT can gain a touch over one and a half car lengths over an Auto F6 from 70 kmh to the end of 400 metres, and that's a bit over one and a half tenths. Same location same day.

However as my Performance box GPS data has shown, most of the time lost or gained in the early part of a 400 metre run will flow into the end time.
So if an F6 can get to 70 kmh say 2 tenths faster, then it should hold the GT off for at least around 400 metres.

The GT hangs onto it's peak torque for longer than the F6 and gains in the last part of each gear, so for example if it's got the same torque at say 15% more revs than the F6, then it's producing 15% more power, but the push in the back is the same (well almost except for a slight loss from more wind resistance at the higher speed). I think too that the Bi Modal exhaust and air intake probably gives a bit more performance to the Miami as the car reaches higher speeds, with the rush of air into that large intake and the vacuum at the back of the car with the Muffler opened up.

I think one point in favour of the F6 though, is that (with it's intercooler) it can apparently keep full pace up longer than the 335 kW Miami, being less likely to need a cooldown run between tests.

[arronm]

Yep. I am sure if they build it there will be plenty of drag strip comparisons.

[FGX-302]

Originally Posted by arronm

That is because this is what the power and torque curves look like when they both make the same peak power. Turbo 6 (F6) vs miami. 6cyl is GREEN.


At 110kph the turbo walks away.

image

The turbo's always gonna walk away in stock form top cog 110kph as it makes it's torque a bit earlier than the 8..

When u consider the I6 being intercooled on 18psi and the Miami no I/C at 9psi the miami has more than held it's own on that dyno sheet. In the end cubes and cylinders matter and if u intercool and run 18psi through the Miami it would blitz that F6..

Both great engines but the I6 is back bein little brother where it should be. The V8 falcon will retire on top...just!! (My prediction)

But as far as Australian designed/built engines go nothing comes close to the I6 and it's journey from a carby fed 250 cross flow to the DOHC turbo intercooled monster that tormented HSV's for a decade!

[kypez]

Originally Posted by arronm

That is because this is what the power and torque curves look like when they both make the same peak power. Turbo 6 (F6) vs miami. 6cyl is GREEN.


At 110kph the turbo walks away.

image

Quit peddling the same graph. Stock or it doesn't count... You never seem to get it.

[xr8territory]

Originally Posted by CQB-241

Here: http://youtu.be/IfZXpvgBKFk

11701 views in 8 weeks. 50+ by my kids (and me).

Unfortunately it is a rubbish ad/movie and will not attract any new buyers. It was made to appease rusted on Ford fans, and I can't find fault in that, but it won't in any way attract any new Ford buyers - quite the opposite.

[LoudPipes]

Originally Posted by PridenJoy

I'd like to know where the 'FG-X Falcon Fanatic' ad is?? I have only seen it once when Ford emailed me the link. Why bother to go through all the trouble and spend all the money on a great day and then not bother showing the ad anywhere. WTF FORD??

I’ve seen the Fanatic ad at the top of the home page of the on-line version of the Sydney Morning Herald for the last couple of weeks. It also was down the side of the page today when I was reading the Drive section.

I don’t watch a great deal of Television so if Ford isn’t already doing it they should be showing edited versions in primetime.



http://www.ford.com.au/falcon-fanatics?bannerid=Falcon_24134205_Xaxis_FOA



This is also a review in Drive. It’s dated the 24th December so it may already have been posted.

http://www.drive.com.au/new-car-reviews/ford-falcon-xr8-new-car-review-20141230-12djke.html

Ford Falcon XR8 new car review

Date: December 24, 2014
Sam Hall

Ford's swansong performance Falcon shines in some areas, suffers from obvious cost cutting in others.

Our rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Pros
Engine credentials and performance
Standard performance running gear
Excellent sound and theatre


Cons
Cheap and bland cabin
Uninspiring styling
Sharp ride
Lack of refinement
No modern passive safety technology


You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Or can you?


That was the running theme for Ford Australia during the shoestring development of the last ever Falcon, the FG X - a car that will be forever etched in automotive history when Ford Australia's Broadmeadows plant is shuttered for good in 2016.

It goes without saying that recent months haven't exactly been gratifying for local Ford stalwarts thanks to a looming factory closure, and the blue oval's factory-backed V8 Supercar program now on death row. News that Ford's budget for the FG X Falcon was capped at $103 million might not inspire much confidence for blue oval loyalists, but there is one silver lining.

The big news for 2014 is the re-instatement of the Falcon XR8 flagship. It returns after a four-year hiatus, replacing the entire Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) range as the sole V8 model in Ford Australia's line-up.


What do you get?

At $54,690 in automatic guise the swansong XR8 will go down as the most expensive model in the nameplate's history. But it is a bargain by modern day standards.

That's because the XR8 is essentially an identical vehicle under the skin to the old FPV GT R-Spec, performing all the same party tricks for $22,300 less on its sticker price.

The caveat is that, other than a new bonnet, front fenders, boot, lights and bumpers, the rest of the sheet metal and glass is carry over from FG Falcon. Same goes for most of the interior.

Rather resourcefully, Ford designers have integrated some new tech updates and borrowed different parts from the extensive in-house catalogue to freshen up the last-hoorah model.

The marquee addition for 2014 is the Falcon's new Sync2 infotainment software. Housed in similar sized eight-inch touchscreen screen as before, the program accepts up to 10,000 different voice commands and offers new functions such as digital radio and a potentially life-saving technology that automatically calls triple zero if the airbags have been deployed or the vehicle has rolled over in an accident (phone connection/reception permitting).

Elsewhere the XR8 offers as standard: leather seat trim, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, sat-nav, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, automatic headlights and rain sensing wipers.

Tellingly, there is no modern passive safety technology as found on some competitors – such as head-up display, blind spot monitoring or forward collision warning – but the Falcon gets a five-star safety rating thanks to six airbags, stability and traction control and ABS.

At an outside glance, there are plenty of performance goodies bolted onto this fast Falcon (we'll get to the engine bay in a moment). Standard equipment includes staggered 19-inch wheels (eight inches wide at the front, nine inches at the rear) shod with Dunlop SP Sport Maxx rubber, four-piston calliper front Brembo brakes and a single-piston floating calliper non-Brembo rear. The rest of the R-Spec package is carried over, too; that means stiffer springs front and rear, retuned dampers, a thicker rear sway bar, stiffer bushes and revised front upper-spring mounts.


What's inside

Ford's compulsory cost-cutting is highlighted most by the Falcon's ageing cabin. In short, it presents like a taxi, with cheap, hard plastics and a centre fascia and instrument cluster that screams 2005.

There is no electric seat adjustment, no ambient lighting at night, and the steering wheel-mounted controls don't illuminate.

What is new, and does make some headway in tidying up the appearance, is the addition of a new black roof lining (previously grey), faux carbon fibre accents and some revised graphics in the instrument cluster.

The new Sync2 software works well for the most part, with entertainment, climate, phone and navigation functions split into four neat quadrants. The rest of the switchgear could be better polished though, particularly the interaction between the screen and the existing buttons and dials.

Elsewhere, the same oddball driving position remains, with the seat perched too high and the steering wheel too low - making you feel as though you're perched up and not sitting in the cockpit.

There is a reasonable amount of odds and ends storage up front, with long but narrow door pockets, a large centre bin with two USB ports and different nooks for mobile phones or wallets. The seats offer good but not great bolstering and support.

The rear seat is not much kinder. There are no door pockets, a large transmission tunnel and the backrest is quite short in height. The rear head rests are also moulded, meaning long trips could be burdensome for full-size adults trying to find comfort or for parents trying to snugly fit their child capsules without cutting into the seat.

The Falcon redeems itself with adequate leg and head proportions front and rear, air vents all round, plus the convenience of split-fold seats. The boot is quite large in aperture and size, rated at 535 litres, though it is beset by a large hole in the middle, where a full-size spare wheel resides.


Under the bonnet

The re-incarnated XR8 needs no introduction in this respect. At its heart is a familiar 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine formerly found in the GT – producing 335kW at 5750rpm and 570Nm at 2200-5500rpm.

The engine comes mated with either a six-speed manual or the optional $2200 six-speed auto fitted to our test car. A launch control function is fitted on both derivatives.

Looking over the XR8's bulging bonnet from the driver's seat, it's clear the engine means business. And it fulfils the brief: the XR8 finally has the kind of performance befitting of its price tag and status.

The engine is a terrific unit, with a strong, accessible mid-range and an intuitive gearbox to keep revs at a sweet spot.

The exhaust system is the same as that found in the R-Spec, emitting a sweet guttural growl on start-up and keeping in tune with the car's muscle car pretensions at higher revs – at which point the supercharger whine is clearly distinguishable.

One notable achievement is the XR8's ability to put its power down cleanly. During 0-100km/h testing, it managed to reach triple figures in a respectable 5.2 seconds with only a flicker from the stability control icon as it launched out of the blocks.

The transmission isn't the swiftest unit going, and lacks steering wheel mounted paddles, but between the regular and sports modes it does a good job in most scenarios.

In daily conveyance, the engine is relaxed and composed, casually shifting up and down ratios without a worry. In this setting you'll likely beat Ford's combined fuel figure of 13.7L/100km in automatic guise, but press the right pedal a little harder and that figure can be quickly exceeded.


On the road

The XR8 could be deemed a little one dimensional out on the road.

It rockets away in a straight line and, thanks to responsive steering and a quick turn-in, handles itself well when touring.

But beyond that point, it relies too much on its tyres for lateral grip, and can easily break the traction threshold when pushed.

That's great if you like to get tail-happy when it is safe to do so, but otherwise the flagship doesn't quite cut the mustard as a true sports sedan – making its 1861kg kerb weight known to the driver and sliding prominently in the rear end.

Its other shortcoming is ride quality. The R-Spec suspension might endow the car with better handling characteristics but it is firm in its nature, teetering on crashy on really rough sections of road.

The steering is heavy at low speed and becomes fidgety over everyday road undulations; there is plenty of vibration and road interference reaching the driver's hands, mostly on the straight-ahead.

Build quality and refinement aren't particular strong points for the XR8, or for that matter the entire FG X Falcon range. There is a plenty of road and wind noise present inside the cabin at speed and the overall fit and finish could be better.

These traits are mostly in line with an old-fashioned muscle car – and it many ways that's what the XR8 is: the last of its era.


Verdict

The Falcon XR8 is a tremendous effort given Ford's obvious budget constraints. It is comfortably the best V8-powered Falcon to-date, but that doesn't hide the fact it is still archaic and out-dated in many respects. Had Ford been able to pony up some more cash, imagine what could have really been. Instead, they have served up what is quite a fitting tribute for a car making operation seriously hindered by overhead cost-cutting. What a shame it had to end like this.


Ford Falcon XR8 specifications

Price: from $52,490 plus on-road costs
Country of origin: Australia
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Power: 335kW at 5750rpm
Torque: 570Nm at 2200-5500rpm
Fuel use: 13.7L/100km combined (automatic)
CO2 emissions: 324g/km
Transmission: Six speed manual/Six speed automatic
Weight: 1861kg
Safety: Six airbags, stability control

[FGX-302]

Has anyone seen a stock FGX XR8 do a quality pass yet??
Don't really have a time the XR6T310 needs to beat yet. XR8 might be the same spec as R-Spec GT but I wouldn't assume It can't do a slightly quicker time. Smaller kit, no massive wing, different aeros and a massive CAI grille up front could only help 1/4 mile times if anything u would think.

[kypez]

Originally Posted by FGX S/C V8

Has anyone seen a stock FGX XR8 do a quality pass yet??
Don't really have a time the XR6T310 needs to beat yet. XR8 might be the same spec as R-Spec GT but I wouldn't assume It can't do a slightly quicker time. Smaller kit, no massive wing, different aeros and a massive CAI grille up front could only help 1/4 mile times if anything u would think.

Strangely though, the XR8 is heavier than the GT ever was...

[FGX-302]

Originally Posted by kypez

Strangely though, the XR8 is heavier than the GT ever was...

WTF does sync2 screen way 50kg or somethin... How much heavier is it?

[arronm]

The XR8 should do around 12.5 - 12.8.

[Falcon Coupe]

Originally Posted by kypez

Quit peddling the same graph. Stock or it doesn't count... You never seem to get it.

Fixed. Go for it gents!
http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...27#post5293227

[kypez]

Originally Posted by FGX S/C V8

WTF does sync2 screen way 50kg or somethin... How much heavier is it?

Not much heavier but it is heavier. GTF is 1835 vs 1858 (1861 auto). So it's gained a little weight but it's still extra weight.

[FGX-302]

Originally Posted by kypez

Not much heavier but it is heavier. GTF is 1835 vs 1858 (1861 auto). So it's gained a little weight but it's still extra weight.

All I can think of is the extra tech n wiring to suit.

Or it's just a mistake like half of the other info released in the FGX brochures lol

One of the build guys will know..

[Adamz Ghia]

Have they started clearing out Geelong already...? I noticed there were some robots in the junkyard beside the highway...

[kempy311]

Originally Posted by arronm

The XR8 should do around 12.5 - 12.8.

Mine did a 12.7

[Fordman1]

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

Have they started clearing out Geelong already...? I noticed there were some robots in the junkyard beside the highway...

Why would they be clearing out the plant ?

Cars are being build for another 22 months.

Those robots are worn out and obsolete.

[fgpsi]

Sync 2 is s hit

So slow when you touch the screen to actually respond

[fgpsi]

Also Sam Hall from Drive saying that it has 'uninspiring styling' what a deekhead

[SensationFG8]

Do you have any more info in Sync 2 fgpsi? Curious to know more thoughts if you've played with it for a bit.

[fgpsi]

Originally Posted by SensationFG8

Do you have any more info in Sync 2 fgpsi? Curious to know more thoughts if you've played with it for a bit.

Played with it for a bit but it takes so long to respond when you actually touch the screen I couldn't be stuffed using it any longer. It's like a $32 generic Chinese tablet off ebay

[FGX-302]

Originally Posted by kempy311

Mine did a 12.7

How many Km's kempy? I'm a believer of 15-20k km's before they show there true colors.. By than u'll probly need some new rears to have another crack lol

[FGX-302]

Originally Posted by fgpsi

Played with it for a bit but it takes so long to respond when you actually touch the screen I couldn't be stuffed using it any longer. It's like a $32 generic Chinese tablet off ebay

Probly why sync3 has been released already lol
Wouldn't doubt the falcon was just a way to clear out some sync2 stock so Fords important cars (anything not built here) can have the good stuff fitted haha!

[martyal44]

Saw an orange XR8 on the hwy near Lindfield today,for me the first one on the road and as I flashed my lights a highway patrol emerged 3 cars behind. Congrats to the owner.

[SensationFG8]

Originally Posted by fgpsi

Played with it for a bit but it takes so long to respond when you actually touch the screen I couldn't be stuffed using it any longer. It's like a $32 generic Chinese tablet off ebay

That's a bit disappointing to hear to be honest. It didn't seem that bad when I first saw it. Interested to hear what the people who have already collected their car have to say about Sync2.

[XBv8mmm!]

Originally Posted by SensationFG8

That's a bit disappointing to hear to be honest. It didn't seem that bad when I first saw it. Interested to hear what the people who have already collected their car have to say about Sync2.

Hi sensation.

I have no issues with it. The voice control is great when your driving, not having to touch your phone and all. Just don't slur your words.
Personally I think it's a good bit of kit.
As to it being slow, it only takes a sec to move between screens. No bigy.
iPhone works very well with the system ( phone and iPod).

Honestly , no complaints.

Cheers,
Garry.