Ford reduces Falcon, Territory consumption
BY MARTON PETTENDY | 2nd Apr 2009
Although the standard five-speed automatic transmission-equipped entry-level Falcon XT sedan continues to return 10.5L/100km, it will return 9.9L/100km when fitted with the optional six-speed ZF automatic. The latter is a $2000 option on the XT, bringing its price to $40,290.
Ford’s most popular model will now match the fuel economy of Australia’s most fuel-efficient home-grown large sedan, Toyota’s Aurion, as well as extend its advantage over Holden’s top-selling Commodore, which in base Omega auto sedan guise officially returns 10.6L/100km.
As Ford also points out, the six-speed auto-equipped Falcon XT also matches the fuel consumption of Toyota’s volume-selling 2.4-litre four-cylinder Camry automatic, only manual versions of which return 8.9L/100km.
Fitted with the six-speed ZF auto, the Falcon XT sedan improves by 0.2L/100km, while the official ADR81/02 fuel consumption of the Falcon G6, G6E and XR6 sedan will drop 0.1L/100km – from 10.2 to 10.1L/100km post-April.
Correspondingly, the Falcon XT sedan’s CO2 emissions also reduce to 236g/km, while the G6, G6E and XR6’s tailpipe emissions drop to 239g/km.
Ford says that, as a result of reducing CO2 emissions to below 241g/km – without any loss of performance – the three models now achieve an improved ‘green’ vehicle accreditation rating from the federal government’s Green Vehicle Guide, in the form of a 5.5-star greenhouse rating.
Ford now has seven 5.5-star greenhouse-rated Falcon models, including the XT, G6 and G6E models fitted with Ford’s dedicated LPG E-Gas engine.
Ford says key contributors to the improved fuel efficiency on six-cylinder petrol Falcon sedan models include a new, latest-generation catalytic converter, revised engine calibration for improved cold-start performance and updated transmission calibration.
Similar economy improvements will also be available on the SY Territory MkII SUV that also enters production this month.
Territory engine changes are the same as those made to the Falcon, in addition to improved aerodynamic performance from the SYII’s new front-end design and reduced kerb weights on some models.
Five-seat RWD Territory variants benefit most, with a fuel consumption reduction of almost five per cent, or 0.6L/100km, on five-seat Territory TX and TS RWD models. The rest of the RWD range, including all seven-seat variants, have improved by 1.6 per cent or 0.2L/100km.
From this month, the SYII Territory TX and TS RWD will return 11.6L/100km (five-seat) and 12.0L/100km (seven-seat), which is down from 12.2L/100km for both models, while both versions of the Ghia will drop from 12.2 to 12.0L/100km.
As previously reported, the upgraded Territory TX will come standard with side curtain airbags, cruise control, 17-inch alloy wheels and body-coloured bumpers, door-handles and mirrors.
In addition, the mid-range TS gains a reverse parking camera, front foglights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, handbrake and gearshift, and a third-row seat as standard. Over that, Ghia variants score an Alpine rear DVD system, side steps, rear privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels.
Ford today also officially announced a maximum five-star ANCAP crash safety rating for its E-Gas Falcon sedan range once it gets standard electronic stability control (DSC in Ford-speak) from May. The E-Gas Falcon sedans join the rest of the FG Falcon sedan range in achieving the maximum independent occupant protection rating.
ESC will also be fitted as standard to the E-Gas-powered FG Falcon Ute and BFIII Falcon wagon variants from May. ESC will be standard on the entire Falcon range from May, excluding the base XL and R6 Ute, on which it is a $500 option.
Ford Australia president and CEO Marin Burela said Ford had continued engineering development and refinement of the award-winning FG Falcon range since it was introduced last year.
“This development has delivered genuine fuel economy improvements on volume-selling six-cylinder sedans fitted with the six-speed automatic transmission,” he said.
“The Falcon XT with a six-speed auto now equals the fuel efficiency of the top-selling medium-size four-cylinder auto model currently sold in Australia.
“Customers can now choose a true family size vehicle that delivers fuel efficiency equal with a four-cylinder model, while also providing all the traditional benefits of a large car package, such as performance, refinement, interior space, passenger comfort, five-star safety, luggage capacity and towing capability.
“Over the past five years, our engineering team has developed fuel efficiency improvements of almost 14 per cent on this powertrain, helping to reduce a key operating cost for our customers, while also reducing the vehicle's impact on the environment by way of CO2 emissions.
“However, these fuel efficiency improvements have not come at the expense of performance. In fact, both power and torque have also steadily improved over the same time frame, delivering on a key customer want of more performance and better fuel economy.” All naturally-aspirated petrol Falcons continue to deliver 195kW of power, more than the base Commodore's 175kW but short of the Aurion’s 200kW, plus a class-leading 391Nm of torque.
“Falcon XT continues to outclass its direct competitor on all the key performance measures, delivering 11 per cent more engine power and 20 per cent more torque, while at the same time using almost seven per cent less fuel,” Mr Burela said.
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