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21-05-2011, 11:39 AM
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Chairman & Administrator
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FG Falcon Upgrade Delivers More Equipment and Better Fuel Economy
April 7, 2010
Ford Australia today announced a significant upgrade to its award-winning FG Falcon, with the new range boasting more equipment and better fuel economy, as well as compliance with the upcoming Euro IV emissions regulations.
The upgrade is marked by the introduction of additional safety and technology features on sedan and Ute models, including the acclaimed ZF six-speed auto as the default automatic transmission for the entire petrol FG Falcon range.
Safety equipment levels on XR6 and XR6 Turbo Ute models have been improved with the addition of side head/thorax airbags as standard equipment, while Bluetooth mobile phone integration and iPod integration will both now be fitted as standard across all FG Falcon sedans and Utes<sup>1</sup>.
Previously both technology features were only standard on the luxury performance G6E Turbo model, although they were available as an option across the rest of the Falcon range.
Fuel economy improvements of up to 8.5 per cent have also been achieved on individual Falcon models, as a result of the transition to the ZF six-speed automatic and a host of hardware upgrades, software revisions and calibration enhancements.
In addition to the automatic transmission, hardware upgrades include the development of a new catalytic converter, which incorporates the latest catalyst technology with a higher cell density within the catalyst brick and a new washcoat.
A number of software changes have also been made to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), to deliver emissions, driveability and fuel efficiency improvements, including:
- Optimised cold start and warm up calibration
- Optimised hot idle calibration
- Revised pedal progression in line with Ford global DNA to provide a more progressive and linear launch profile
- Minor transmission shift schedule changes for optimised upshift and cruise gear selection
- Enhanced Deceleration Fuel Shut-Off (DFSO) for optimal urban fuel economy
ZF six-speed automatic
The five-speed automatic transmission has been phased out on naturally aspirated petrol variants of Falcon sedan and Ute, and replaced with the highly acclaimed ZF six-speed automatic.
All Falcon variants powered by either the 4.0-litre I6 or 4.0-litre I6 Turbo engines are now available with the six-speed auto either as a standard feature or an option. The Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual continues as the standard transmission on XR sedans and all Falcon Ute models.
A new six-speed column shift mechanism has been designed for the entry-level workhorse Falcon Utes, so customers can still utilise the extra passenger capacity and flexibility of three across seating provided by the optional column shift auto.
Improved fuel economy
All naturally aspirated petrol Falcon sedans equipped with an automatic transmission now have a fuel consumption rating of 9.9 L/100km, which is an improvement of 5.7 per cent on the XT, G6 and XR6 models and a gain of two per cent on the G6E.
Exhaust emissions have also improved on these models as a result of the fuel consumption reductions, with all now producing just 236 grams of CO2 per km, which equates to a 5.5 star Greenhouse Rating.
Naturally aspirated Ute variants have generated an even greater economy improvement, with an 8.5 per cent reduction in fuel consumption on automatic Falcon Ute, R6 and XR6 models.
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Falcon XR8
Falcon XR8 sedan and Ute models are not part of this Euro IV upgrade for the FG Falcon range. Details regarding plans for the iconic XR8 nameplate will be revealed at a later date.
Territory
The Territory is already Euro IV compliant, following the suite of technical developments introduced with the SY Territory MkII program last year.
These developments included a new, latest generation catalytic converter, a revised power-train calibration, improved aerodynamic performance from the new front end design and reduced kerb weights on individual models.
Pricing
The upgraded FG Falcon range represents even greater value for money for large car customers, with the additional standard safety and technology features more than offsetting the slight increases to the Manufacturer's List Price (MLP) on most models.
MLP on the G6 increases by $500, yet it gains almost $2,500 worth of additional equipment with the ZF six-speed auto, Bluetooth mobile phone integration and iPod integration now fitted as standard.
MLP on the R6 Ute increases by $500, while it picks up over $1,000 worth of safety and technology features, along with the option of the previously unavailable ZF six-speed automatic transmission.
Manufacturer's List Price for the new FG Falcon range:
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1iPod integration not available on Utes fitted with optional column shift automatic
* Combined fuel consumption as per ADR 81/02
^ MLP not inclusive of Luxury Car Tax (LCT)
Source: Ford Media
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