Xr6t Review

[Falchoon]

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.as...0395&m=7&y=2003

Test Drive

Ian Crawford

Friday, 11 July 2003

TO BE HONEST, I have always been a V8 man, and over the years every big family sedan or wagon I have bought has had this wonderful engine under its bonnet.

I love the smoothness and the effortless power a V8 delivers and the inherent longevity that comes with a lazy eight-cylinder engine.

While Ford has for years had a V8 available in its Falcon, Fairlane and LTD models, it is only with the latest BA Falcon that a turbo-charged six has also been available as an option in the sporty XR6 range.

Having spent a week test-driving an XR6 turbo, this V8-loving driver is a confused man.

Am I still a loyal V8 supporter or am I a new convert to the turbo six?

Driving the XR6 turbo seems to bring with it more drama than driving a V8. It is noisier in the cabin with a harsher but not unpleasant sound.

On hills or while overtaking is where the XR6 turbo comes into its own.

Passing B-double semi-trailers is accomplished in the blink of an eye and the speed warning alarm is a constant reminder of how careful you have to be speed-wise.

Unlike many turbo-powered cars I have driven, especially earlier models, there is no hint of turbo lag when you plant the foot.

The XR6 has a Garrett GT40 intercooled turbocharger and operates at 6psi turbo pressure. It delivers a thumping 240kW at 5250rpm and 450Nm from 2000 to 4500rpm.

The engine is available as an option in both XR6 sedans and utes and in both manual and automatic guises. The sedan I tested was the five-speed manual.

The XR6 turbo shares the enhanced rev limit of Ford's standard I6 engine and is now red-lined at 6000rpm.

The engine has a knock sensor and while it will run happily on regular unleaded fuel, Ford recommends premium unleaded for optimum performance.

Because of the extra heat generated by the turbocharger, the XR6's cooling system has been upgraded and it also utilises twin cooling fans. The intercooler is mounted low at the front of the car behind the bumper air intake.

Turbos are renowned for the heat they generate and this can play havoc with wiring and hoses. To overcome this, the XR6 has several heat shields to protect these and the steering column assembly.

Inside the XR6, controls and switches are well-placed and easy to operate without changing significantly from the natural driving position.

The dashboard is easy to read but I must admit that at night the strong blue/purple and red of the gauges especially the tacho and speedo were a bit much for me.

The fashionable Audi-style aluminium rings surround the gauges, but on the speedo and tacho they have black calibration lines that are in addition to the calibrations on the faces of the gauges themselves. They look rather like big silver eyelashes with a lot of mascara.

The seats are excellent well-shaped, supportive and comfortable.

The gearbox itself is Ford's five-speed BTR T5 manual and a sequential sport shift four-speed automatic is available.

It's a pity the XR8's Tremec gearbox is not available on the XR6. It is clearly better than the BTR T5, which is somewhat heavy.

I found that fast changes between second and third and fourth and fifth could be quite notchy' especially from fourth to fifth. That said, the ratios are well chosen and suit the car's performance admirably.

Handling is one of the XR6's strong points. And it's no wonder. Touring car ace John Bowe who drives an Ozemail Falcon for the Brad Jones team fine-tuned the suspension calibration in association with Ford Performance Vehicles.

Bowe has for years been acknowledged as a master at setting up race cars and there is no doubt he has worked his magic on the XR6. It is a refined package that can match it with many highly priced European sports saloons.

The XR6 and in fact the entire BA Falcon range utilises an all-new independent rear suspension system that Ford calls Control Blade.

The system is married to upgraded shock absorbers to provide improved ride and performance handling. This it certainly achieved.

Braking on the XR6 is impressive and it imparts a feeling of security. It is based on a twin-piston, aluminium caliper at the front and a single piston aluminium caliper at the rear.

Ford has fitted an electronic brakeforce distribution system to the new Falcon. It replaces the fixed front-to-rear proportioning valve in the master cylinder that in previous models determined the ratio of hydraulic braking effort.

To prevent rear-wheel lock-up, the EBD software detects the onset of lock-up by comparing wheel rotation speeds. It then gently alters the braking pressure acting on the rear wheels using the ABS controller mounted in the engine bay.

This means that the proportion of braking efforts delivered to the rear wheels is now infinitely variable and calibrated to suit each individual braking action.

The XR6 also has traction control. While deployed independently of the braking system, it monitors wheel rotation speeds using the ABS sensors at each wheel.

The system modulates wheelspin at launch on wet and dry roads as well as in situations where one wheel is on a surface with more grip than the other.

With the awesome grunt of the turbo motor, traction control is a must and will save many an enthusiastic driver from embarrassing situations.

Despite the enormous power plant that lurks under the bonnet of the XR6, it remains a remarkable quiet car on most situations.

If pushed and lots of revs are used during acceleration, you know you are in a straight-six-powered turbocharged car. But that's to be expected and even enjoyed.

While cruising, however, you would not know what's under the bonnet. Ford put a lot of work into reducing road and other noise levels in the BA. Increased body shell stiffness and changes to tyres, steering, suspension and door sealing have all combined to isolate noise from the cabin.

There are other little touches such as mounting the radio antenna on the rear windscreen and parking wiper blades lower on the screen with arms below the bonnet's trailing edge.

Safety has not been forgotten in the whole BA Falcon range, including the XR6. This includes chest and head-protecting side airbags, combined with dual-stage front airbags.

There are other features such as seat-belt reminder chimes, steering-wheel-mounted audio control, traction control and standard ABS.

The XR6 is a most impressive vehicle. It has power to burn, excellent handling and is a refined, rewarding driver's car in every sense.

At $43,965, it is remarkable value and anything from Europe that comes near its performance would cost you at least twice as much.

But back to the question of turbocharged six versus V8. While I was mightily impressed with the XR6, I think that in my case, old habits die hard and I would probably remain a loyal V8 fan.

But then again. . .

[aniken]

the speed warning alarm is a constant reminder of how careful you have to be speed-wise.

Our cars have a speed warning alarm

[Mondie]

l am not sure l agree with the no turbo lag comment, l think its quite dead below 2000rpm. Maybe l am used to V8's. Perhaps its less laggy than a WRX which makes it seem better than it really is.

What does everyone else think?

[KEN 24T]

Thanks for that, Falchoon ... great read!

[aniken]

l am not sure l agree with the no turbo lag comment, l think its quite dead below 2000rpm. Maybe l am used to V8's. Perhaps its less laggy than a WRX which makes it seem better than it really is.

What does everyone else think?

I was surprised when I read 'no lag'. There is a 'delay' for sure, more pronounced at low speeds (which probably just reflects the weight of the car rather than turbo lag) but still there even on the freeway.

[Disgruntled Goat]

as I understand it the turbo does not fire up until 2000rpm, so there is definately lag. Avoiding this though is as simple as ensuring the revs are kept above 2k.

Dont agree with the praise for the breaking capabilities, the test car must have had the premium package....

[Macktheknife]

Though I havn't driven a manual for comparison, I imagine that any "Lag" will be more noticable in the manual.

This will be due to the inherant characteristic of a torque converter drive allowing the engine to rev higher sooner than with a direct mechanical coupling.

Can't really say that I've had a noticeable problem with lag except that you must bring up the RPM to near boost if you want to leave the line quickly in the SSS.

The big disadvantage in the SSS is the lack of direct throttle response for fine mid corner adjustments.

That's the main difference from my view but I would be interested to see an actual comparo over 400 meters between the manual and the slusher.

Anybody got some info?

[1axr]

great read falchoon, I'm impressed with the amount of work you put into that

[sixfan]

T.C off, launch at 3500 Rpm, change at 6000,.... what lag?

[Gareth]

Our cars have a speed warning alarm?

Yes our cars do have a speed warning alarm - I remember reading how to set it in the handbook - but I have forgotten now. Takes the fun out of it!