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The Orion codename has been dropped, and it’s officially the FG Falcon. And, yes, the initials are in honour of the now departed Fairmont Ghia.
The accent for FG definitely is on new. And not just its dramatic new looks. Every panel is new, along with practically everything else about the car.
Ford is saving full details until the car’s official launch in April, but it has revealed much. And, now that it’s out in the open, a lot is obvious just from looking at the car.
Immediately obvious is the car’s more muscular stance when viewed from every angle. It appears smaller than BA-BF but actually is longer and broader. It’s also bigger inside and provides easier access for driver and passengers alike.
From its dramatic headlights to its shapely rear, this is a new Falcon that easily takes the style game up to Holden’s VE Commodore. In the eyes of Ford fans, especially, it’s easily the new benchmark.
The new Falcon’s looks echo aspects of the Mondeo and Focus, especially around the guards and wheel arches. But it retains a proud ‘Made in Australia’ individuality.
Apart from the car’s strong, new beltline and bigger doors and glass area, the most obvious change that sets the FG Falcon apart from the VE Commodore is its relatively thin A-pillars, especially compared to the Commodore’s chunky items. Ford says they’re still well up to the job of being an integral part of the body’s high structural integrity, without compromising driver visibility.
In terms of model range, things kick off with base model XT shift to sporty XR6, XR6 Turbo and XR8 (now, the only way Falcon buyers can get their hands on a V8), and new G6, G6E and G6E Turbo. Those G Series cars effectively replace the now-departed Futura, Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia.
The powertrain story is strong, too. Big changes to the Aussie-made 4.0-litre sixes – both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged – mean more power with better fuel economy. And Ford has confirmed that its standard offering in XR8 is the FPV-built 290kW, 5.4-litre V8 previously available only in Ford Performance Vehicle cars.
Transmissions are new, too, with the new 5R55 five-speed auto now in most models. The previous four-speed auto stays for LPG Falcons.
Both the T56 six-speed and Aussie-made T5 five-speed manual ’boxes are replaced by the Made in Mexico TR6060 Tremec that’s hooked up to a new 290mm self-adjusting clutch which, Ford encourages smoother, lighter shifts.
Big changes to the four-valves-per-cylinder inline six include:
. Reshaped combustion chamber
. High and low inlet ports
. New, lighter, dual-plenum inlet manifold
. New throttle body
. Recalibrated ECU
Maximum power is up 5kW, to 195kW at 6000rpm, while torque jumps 8Nm, to 391Nm at 32500rpm. Recommended fuel is 91 RON unleaded, but changes to the ECU mean you can also use 95 RON fuel, which ups power and torque to 198kW and 409Nm. Using 98 RON hikes power and torque even further.
Performance and fuel economy improvements for the FG’s inline six and five-speed auto over BF MkII are 2.6 percent and 1.9 percent respectively.
The turbo engine now gets its own-design aluminium, single runner inlet manifold with much improved flow characteristics. It also gets a new, cast stainless steel exhaust manifold.
Maximum boost pressure is now 10psi (up from 6psi), and Ford’s claims a 30 percent improvement in turbo response. Compression ratio is up now, to 8.8:1.
Turbo engine power jumps a massive 25kW, to 270kW at 5250rpm, while torque also leaps 53Nm, to 533Nm that spans from 2000-4750rpm. Ford also says 80 percent of peak torque is there from 1250-5750rpm.
In percent terms, turbo performance with the six-speed auto is said to be up 10.2 percent, while fuel economy is improved by 4.9 percent compared to BF MkII.
Even bigger turbo news is Transient Overboost, which gives 110 percent boost for a few seconds. It’s also said to lop about quarter of a second off rolling acceleration times.
Then there’s Launch Assist that’s only on manual XR6 Turbos. Depress the clutch and build revs, and Launch Assist kicks in after 2-3 seconds. Revs are held at 4000rpm, fresh air is pumped by several deactivated cylinders, spooling boost to those cylinders up a claimed 20 percent. Drop the clutch, the deactivated cylinders kick back in, and, Ford says, the result is a hard and smooth launch.
The 5.4-litre V8 – predicted by Wheels since mid last year to be Falcon-bound – is the same as the potent, hand-built one that’s powered FPV’s BF MKII GT, GT-P and Force 8 models. It gets a new oil pan to suit the FG’s new front-end and – big news here – there’s a new, semi-active muffler which incorporates a bypass valve similar to the one in both the Aston Martin Vantage and Jaguar XK8. The valve opens around 2800rpm to free up the exhaust path ... and produce a blood-stirring, thoaty roar.
Ford says performance from the 5.4-litre V8 with six-speed auto is 11.5 percent up over BF MkII V8s, while fuel economy is 5.3 percent better.
But it’s not all about the way the FG looks and its newly worked powertrains operate. Ford’s engineers have also concentrated on the way it drives and handles.
Steering and chassis highlights are extensive, including:
. Virtual-pivot front suspension and wider front track
. Front-mounted variable ratio steering rack
. Reworked Control Blade independent rear suspension with 30mm wider track
. Monotube shock absorbers
. New tyre program
The steering system and suspension is similar to the Territory’s, although it uses changed geometry and aluminium componentry. Only Falcon's steering rack is variable ratio, becoming more direct one it passes 30 degrees either side of centre. Lock-to-lock is just 2.6 turns, and Ford claims a compact 11 metre turning circle.
The monotube dampers offer greater piston area than the BF MkII’s twin-tube items.
The Falcon range now offers four distinct suspension tunes, with a heavy-duty pack for country drivers, and another especially for the FPV cars.
Five new tyres were developed specifically for FG.
All of which promises a unique driving experience when we’re finally able to turn the key and explore the dynamics of the new Falcon. We can’t wait!
For the full story and details, see the Wheels March issue on news stands next week.