1978 Ford Falcon Reviews

Ford will find out within weeks whether its bold strategy to sell the FG Falcon sedan to a more female-slanted market will prove a success.

Don't look for a Ford badge on the new FG-based FPV range - the high-performance arm of Ford Australia is reinforcing its own identity with the introduction of its FG Falcon based sedan and ute range.

Both HSV and FPV have stuck bigger numbers on their hero cars.The launch this week of HSV's 6.2-litre LS3 V8 gives the General both a capacity and a power advantage over its Blue Oval rival — and FPV's general manager Rod Barrett couldn't care less.“There is no power war ... at least as far as we are concerned,” Barrett declared at the launch of the FG Falcon-based FPV range this week when the 5.4-litre Boss V8 jumped to 315kW.“If we had gone to 317kW they would have gone to 319kW. It's a pointless exercise. We are not about the numbers on the car ... what is important is delivering driveability and reliability.“That is key to these cars.”On the issue of driveablity, FPV acknowledge that they are starting ahead of the game with the FG donor cars.“Ford have done such a fantastic job with the FG cars that we were able to concentrate on key objectives for both the GT and the F6 cars,” FPV's head of powertrain development Bernie Quinn said.“For the Boss engine that included increased power and torque, a broader torque curve, better volumetric efficiency and no decrease in fuel efficiency.”Quinn said one of the key results of the 29,000 engineering hours that went into the V8 cars _ both in Australia and at Prodrive's Milton Keynes headquarter in Britain _ was the refinement of the car's cornering characteristics.“We were able to carry over the suspension geometry from the (Ford) XR8 and target the front spring rates and damper calibrations to give the GTs a less nose-heavy feel.”The stiffer front springs, coupled with a slightly softer rear end, work to keep the nose up and turn the car in more precisely without push understeer.There was also a concentrated effort to get the shift calibrations to the stage where an upshift dropped the revs into the torque curve rather than out of it _ an outcome aided by lifting the rev limit from 6000rpm to 6500rpm.“The overall result was to make the car feel more lively and balanced and give it extra punch on overtaking,” Quinn said.Despite Barrett's protestations and Quinn's logic the “mine is bigger than yours” brigade will continue to laud the HSV's thumper.However, the silence is profound from the Red corner when talk turns to FPV's game-stopper _ the brilliant straight six turbo sitting under the F6 badge.Quinn's team, working with what was already a winner from the FG range, have managed to seduce an extra 40kW and _ even more relevant _ 32Nm out of what is an modern classic, with all that torque on tap from 1950rpm to 5200rpm.“The camshaft profile has been revised, compression reduced, the pistons strengthened, boost increased to .9 and (turbo) lag almost eliminated,” Quinn said of the key outcomes from some 23,000 hours of development.“The result is a vehicle with outstanding performance, better engine response and fuel efficiency and improved operating performance under all conditions.”Like the GT cars, the F6 sedan and Ute have benefited from revised spring rates and the ZF Sachs monotube damper calibration to improve turn-in, reduce roll rate and improve mid-corner stability.Yet, for all the excitement around the F6, there is an undercurrent of sadness in the knowledge that in two years the engine will disappear with the closure of Ford's Geelong engine plant.Barrett will not be drawn on the loss of the engine _ “It wasn't my decision” _ nor on how FPV will cover the loss, saying only that the focus will be on ensuring the replacement powerplant will not take a backward step.A new member of the FPV family is the GT E, with all the power and performance of the GT range sans the aggressive warpaint on the more overt performance models.“The GT E is a combination of luxury V8 and executive race,” Barrett said. “It's for those who want the power and sound of a high performance vehicle without the overt styling and bright colours.”On the road the FPV range is a linear extension of Ford's new FG cars. All the good bits are there _ styling, steering and refinement _ with a serious injection of steroids.A clear favourite is the F6. The 4.0-litre straight six turbo is an absolute gem, and while the extra kiloWatts are nice for bragging it is the torque delivery that sets the car apart.An adrenalin-releasing rush of acceleration is never more than a jab of the right foot away. Any gear, any time.Despite its propensity for brutal action, the F6 really is a sweetie. It can bubble along through city streets or cruise the open highway with equal refinement.The interior gains all of the FG's styling improvements and adds a set of the most comfortable standard-issue sports seats on the market.The steering is as it is on the FG cars ... nicely weighted, precise and communicative without any tendency to fight back under load. There was a hint of rack rattle on one F6 sedan and another F6 Ute, yet it wasn't a major intrusion.If the F6 is the rapier, the V8 family is the broadsword. Powerful, effective and definitely one not to be taken lightly.The difference between the Boss 302 of the previous generation and the new 315 is not in the grunt nor in the top end speed _ after all, the cars are electronically limited to 250km/h and nobody in their right mind is going to see that outside a racetrack.Where the difference lies is in the delivery. The new GT and GT-P cars show a new willingness under the throttle, particularly in the 80-120km/h surge.Punch the revs up to just over 4000rpm and the engine comes alive. The aural treat is very best the FPV engineers could achieve without taking the next step to a semi-active exhaust.Much of the tuning concentrated on induction noise rather than exhaust burble and the result is the impression of something alive under the bonnet.In a nod to the Ford engineers the steering for both F6 and GT cars has been carried over unchanged from the FG models. Where the FPV wizards have had their input is in the suspension settings.The result of the stiffer front and slightly softer rear is a noticeable change in balance for the V8s, both through corners and under brakes in a straight line. There is less dive and a consequent increase in front-end control on turn-in.

But it’s got more punch as well as presence. There’s no doubt they stand out with their panda eyes and sharp styling. And in case you missed what tribe they’re from, for the first time FPV badging has appeared on the bodies – visible from virtually every angle.The GT striping will be a matter of personal preference – and the red stripes on orange particularly personal, at that.Extending the approach of the Falcon FG range introduced three months ago, the go-fast versions have muscle cues from every angle.Following the Falcon realignment – which saw names like Fairmont and Ghia disappear in favour of the alphabetic FG and G6 – the FPV family has lost Typhoon, Tornado and Force and now has GT and F6.The GT cars carry the 5.4-litre V8, which has been given a thorough working over to squeeze more power out of it and allow them to rename it from the Boss 302 to the Boss 315.A new twin plate throttle, new camshaft profile and timing, new stainless steel straight-through exhaust manifolds and higher compression ratio are just part of the crew assembled to lift the outputs to 315kw of power – an increase of 13kW and peaking 500rpm higher at 6500 — and 551Nm of torque at 4750rpm.The 4.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder in the F6 cars has had similar treatment, with the power up a whopping 40kW to hit 310kW at 5500rpm, and torque has risen to peak at 565Nm all the way from 1950rpm to 5200rpm. That makes for a torque curve so flat it would meet the regulations for a billiard table at world championship level.But it’s not about a power war, says FPV managing director Rod Barrett. It’s about making the cars more driveable.Helping with that job are the transmission choices, with the fantastic ZF six-speed sequential joined by the TR6060 short-throw six-speed manual.The top speed has been limited to 250km/h in the sedans and 240km/h in the utes. Ford won’t give performance figures, but we clocked a very rough 5.9 for the 0-100km/h in the manual F6 Ute – our least favourite of the drives – and a point faster in the sedan. That was at first meeting. Concensus was that with a bit of familiarity, mid-fives would be easily possible.All that work on the drivetrain hasn’t been solely focused on more punch. Fuel consumption has been trimmed, with the six-cylinder using seven per cent less to post a figure of 12.1L/100km, while the Boss has cut its thirst by just under five per cent at 14L/100km.The prices run in parallel through to the mid-range, with $57,990 getting you into the F6 and (GT) Pursuit utes – with the Super Pursuit at $5000 more — while $65,990 is on the F6 and GT sedans. The GT-P sits at $75,990, while the GT E tops the price range at $76,990.Dynamic Stability Control is standard across the range for the first time, and every variant gets Brembo anchors with a broad ability to upgrade to larger ones on their sport wheels with low-profile rubber.There’s a prevalence of the plastic `carbon fibber’ patterned accent in the trim, but overall the interior materials are top notch –heavily embossed gunmetal fabric, sueded finishes, white saddle-stitching and metallics all straddle the sport-luxe boundary comfortably.The gauge graphics are superb and easily readable, although in one car we had a glitch that killed their backlighting.But overall, there was the feeling of genuine quality that people look for in European brands.Similarly to performance, FPV won’t give sales predictions, but said they sold 2127 last year, and expect to do `more’.They admit that buyers won’t be coming over from the Red Lion, but from previous FPVs, the Ford range and other brands – and there are hopes to lure some Euro-shoppers as well. If they can get past those red stripes.While the new face of the FPV range might whack in you in the eye, the reworked engines will result in a whack of the seatback into your shoulderblades every time you press the pedal.Both the eight and the six unleash a glorious burst of torque – and an exultant roar – that should warn everything out of your path. And if it doesn’t, the rush of speed means that overtaking is more a matter of simply teleporting past the traffic.We’ve loved the ZF transmission since we first tried it in the BFII, and the couple of years since haven’t dimmed the affection. Coupled with the revised engines, this is a wonderful bit of kit, but the six-speed manual is no slouch either with slick action and great feel.There’s no doubt the Boss engine will attract those who believe the old mantra that there’s no replacement for displacement, but for sheer pleasure the six is the pick. When it kicks in, the exhilaration is palpable.And where the GT cars felt nose heavy in cornering, the F6 versions were noticeably more poised.The only exception to this was the F6 Ute, which – although it’s probably not often going to be bought as a workhorse – jolted around like it was begging for a heavy toolbox in the tray. The empty workload area also tended to amplify road noise, which was noticeable across the range on even smooth surfaces.But these are minor niggles on what is otherwise a triumph of a range. FPV has taken what was already a decent drive in the new FG Falcon, and turned it into something quite special indeed.

It is arguably the best car ever built in Australia and certainly the new benchmark for Australian family cars. The styling may not be a drop-dead revolution, rather a gentle evolution retaining all the cues of a line of Falcons stretching back eight generations, but dynamically the FG is a triumph.And now after months of drip feeds and look-but-don't-touch reveals the all-new FG Falcon range hit the roads this week and we were there to drive the entire range. Here's our verdict.The immediate impression of the FG range, from the fleet special XT through to the G6E Turbo in the luxury stream, is refinement. The cabins look good, the materials and tonings are well thought out and even the XT's trim, while certainly cost effective, is not nasty.Ergonomics are generally good with the restyled and repositioned central information screen easy to read with clear, well placed graphics. The seats are comfortable with the upper luxury models benefiting from a soft leather treatment while the sports line of XR6, XR6 Turbo and XR8 are fitted with a moderately bolstered sports seat.Height adjustment on the seats is reasonable but the bottom of the range of movement is too high, particularly with the steering wheel tilt adjustment in need of more upward range.However, it is when you fire up the FG that the real winning character of the car comes through. It is not the attributes of the 4.0-litre in-line six, even in its brilliant turbocharged state, nor even the 5.4-litre 290 Boss V8. It is what the engineers have done in three key areas of the FG that set it apart from the rest of the pack.The improvements in noise, vibration and harshness are more than substantial, from the refinements to the front suspension through a virtual pivot control link, modifications to the control blade independent rear suspension and the use of monotube shock absorbers across the sedan range. Wind noise improvement is the result of an industry-leading inset door design perfected from earlier work done on similar design by Ford of Europe and Land Rover.The result is the ability to carry on a normal tone conversation in the cabin at speeds above 100km/h on typical Australian rough-chip roads.The third major step forward is in the use of the Bishop variable ratio steering system recently incorporated into the Mercedes-Benz SL roadsters. The Australian-developed system provides precise road feel, good on centre balance without any hint of nervousness while still providing ample assistance for slow speed parking or manoeuvring.The full FG sedan range is:XT ($36,490): May be the “fleet special” in the FG range but has not been punished for that. Shares the same inline six-cylinder engine and five-speed automatic drivetrain as the G6 and rides on the same platform as the rest of the range. Interior is more basic but drives with the same refinement as higher-spec cars.G6 ($39,990): The entry-level model for the luxury sports line-up picks up a more up-market interior, a luxury sports suspension tune and 17-inch alloys. The engine/transmission package is the same as the XT with the ride more focussed through the sports tuning of the monotube shocks and control blade rear suspension.G6E ($46,990): Gains further luxury interior trims with leather seats and reversing camera and curtain airbags as standard. The suspension tune and drive characteristics are the same as the G6 again with 17-inch alloys.G6E Turbo: ($54,990): This is the prize in the crackerjack box. As Holden's Calais V stood out from the VE range as a special package, so does the G6E Turbo in the FG range. With a bespoke luxury performance suspension tune this car is a delight to drive. The ride is unfussed, power delivery smooth and wide-ranging and the general balance and manners of the car without peer in the large family sedan world.XR6 ($39,990): The entry to the performance stream comes standard with the five-speed automatic, sports-tuned rear suspension and 17-inch alloys. Optional are a six-speed automatic, six-speed manual and 18- or 19-inch alloys. The XR rides tighter than the G cars but benefits from the NVH and general refinements.XR6 Turbo ($45,490): Has all the creamy smooth power of the I-6 Turbo now coupled to a suspension and steering package that notably enhances the experience. Huge grabs of torque are on tap from way down in the rev rangeright through to approaching peak revs. A six-speed manual is standard fit with the six-speed ZF automatic optional.XR8 ($45,490): The Boss 290 V8 benefits from being coupled to the new 6-speed manual with shorter throws and more precise gates. It shares specification levels with the XR6 Turbo but drive characteristics all its own. So what's the pick of the bunch? We asked new Ford Australia boss Bill Osborne for his choice.“I liked all the cars I drove but the G6E Turbo is my personal choice. This car is an absolute credit to all the guys who worked to develop it.”Following the static launch of the FG last month, Osborne predicted the Blue Oval would regain dominance over arch rival Holden in the large family car segment.“It's something that's not going to be accomplished overnight,” Osborne said at the time. “But I think it is head and shoulders above our principle competitors in the market.”  SNAPSHOT FORD FALCON FGPrice: from $36,490 (XT) to G6E Turbo $54,990Engine: 4.0L/6-cylinder, 195kW/391Nm; 4.0L/6-cylinder E-Gas, 156kW/371Nm; 4.0L/6-cylinder Turbo, 270kW/533Nm; 5.4L/V8, 290kW/520NmTransmission: 5-speed auto (XT, G6; optional XR6); 6-speed auto (G6E, G6E turbo; optional XT, XR6, X8, G6); 6-speed manual (XR6 Turbo, XR8)Economy: 10.5L/100km (XT, G6), 10.1L/100km (XR6, G6E), 11.7L/100km (XR6 Turbo, G6E Turbo), 14L/100km (XR8 opt 6-speed auto)  

The street presence of the new base XT and XR models won't grab people's attention but the G-Series cars sure will with their unabashed styling links to the gorgeous Ford Mondeo and also Aston Martin.

After an all-too-brief run in the new XT, G6, G6E and G6E Turbo the Ford family can breathe easy.If dealers can get prospective buyers into cars for a long drive over a variety of roads, they’ll be sold.The estimated $750 million spend on the new car has been worth every cent.As this car is arguably Ford’s biggest gamble in its history to keep Ford’s large car production alive in this country, the Falcon is a testament that these guys know what they’re doing.The selected models we drove have impressively sturdy bodies, impressive dynamics and composed rides. The biggest surprise was the subdued noise levels in the cabin at highway speeds and overall build quality of these early cars.Notwithstanding some minor trim glitches, like the A-pillar cover trim and headlining in some cars, all cars were well screwed together.The base fleet special XT’s 4.0-litre six cylinder proves there is still life in this ageing engine before it is replaced by a V6 in a few years.With 195kW on tap and 391Nm at 3250 revs, the smooth six has plenty of urge and the slick five-speed sequential automatic will appeal to Commodore Omega buyers wanting more.With 2.6 turns lock to lock the Falcon’s steering is a master stroke of feel, feedback and accuracy. For a big sedan the steering feels hot-hatch precise.The new tyres, which are designed to be quieter, improve handling and ride also do there bit in making the FG a pleasant place to be and the XT is no exception.The entry car may get 16-inch steel wheels and a more somber interior package but like the whole range, it is roomy, has comfy front seats and excellent ergonomics.The G-Series range, slightly up market and with more kit, should appeal to the middle managers and with the availability of the hot G6E Turbo, enthusiast drivers are well catered for with plenty of power and a classy interior package.The G6E Turbo is the sleeper, a wolf in sheep’s clothing.It may look reasonably tame but unleash the car’s 270kW and 533Nm, from a low 2000 revs, and owners who love driving will be rewarded.All G-Series cars benefit from a slightly firmer sports-tuned luxury suspension but not to the detrement of the ride or handling.If anything, the G-Series cars turn-in more sharply but like the humble XT have chassis’s that are lively and responsive.To distil the sum total of the engineering and design effort that has gone into the new Falcon will fill volumes.What the customer needs to know is that, based on initial impressions, the engineering team has hit its targets, and then some.Osborne reckons that if he can “get bums on seats”, the Falcon will sell.After just 180km we were left wanting more.Ford has built a car that can confidently tackle the Commodore and Aurion.All it has to do now is convince large car buyers.Perhaps the last word should be left to Osborne.“The most efficient way to sell this vehicle is to let people drive it.” 

And to add to your dilemma, government incentives mean you should probably also consider gas. And if you're after this last option, the Ford XR6 E-gas is the only place to turn for an LPG dedicated factory fitted ute.Holden offers a dual fuel system, but this isn't factory fitted. Although the rebate is still available for this option. It was in the form of the Falcon XR6 Cab Chassis that I had my first experience with a gas-powered car.At $36,390, this ute is $1400 more than the petrol equivalent — but with the government rebate of $1000, it works out just $400 more expensive. A lot of people purchasing this styled ute use it for transporting motor bikes or jetskis.Others have to invest in storage boxes or side sections to be able to use the tray to store equipment. That means there's the added price of about $1500. Otherwise, you'll have to invest in some rope.You can choose which type of tray you want. This flat tray costs $5000.There are some noted differences when driving an LPG vehicle.Firstly, it's important to find where you're supposed to fill it up. And on this model it was a bit of a search, and almost required the overalls on, just to find it. For future reference, it's on the passenger side under the tray. And refilling requires a lesson or two as well — it operates a little differently to the way petrol tanks work.Luckily when it came time to re-gas, there was an LPG convert refuelling who was kind enough to give me a quick guided tour.Now the obvious benefit of E-Gas is the saving in running costs. To fill up with 60 litres cost just $30.But you should take into consideration that while LPG may be just under 50c a litre, fuel consumption is higher.This XR6 has a claimed consumption of 15.1— litres per 100km, but in real-world testing, it didn't drop below 20-litres per 100km. To allow for this, the 90-litre tank is bigger than most petrol ones, so you don't have to make more gas stops.Another downside of a gas tank is reduced power. This Ford ute produced 156kW at 5000rpm and 370Nm at 2750rpm compared to the petrol's 190kW of power and 383Nm of torque. You do notice a drop in performance and the four-speed auto gearbox also contributes to this.An extra gear at least would have come in handy. The five-speed manual transmission seems like a better option. On the inside, the ute has all the comfort of your Falcon sedan, minus the space in the back of course.There is some room to store bags behind the seats, but not a great deal, although it does have more room than some other utes.There's also a problem with vision when checking your blind spot on the driver's side, so care must be taken.While reduced power may be a downside, it's not all bad news. If you do your sums, running on gas does mean you'll save money.Ford's figures claim the saving is about $35 a week, but with a higher fuel consumption and in real world testing, it seems to be more like $20 a week.However, that still represents a saving of more than $1000 a year.And unless you directly compare a petrol to the LPG, you don't really notice the difference in performance.It still drives comfortably and if you slip the transmission into manual mode, you can extract a decent acceleration. While going with the gas option in sedans often results in the loss of boot space, there's no need to worry with a ute. The gas tank is located under the tray, allowing all the regular use.This ute was quite easy to drive around town, although added weight on the back might change its mobility. The XR6 Cab Chassis comes with half-tonne suspension and 17-inch alloy wheels, traction control and Electronic Brake-force Distribution.After a week in this beast, it seems a chick in a ute is a bit of a rarity on Sydney streets.Not surprisingly, these tend to be most practical for tradesmen. Chuck the work gear on the back and often the dog can even come along for the ride. And when you're off hours and heading to the pub with mates, you can get out of designated driver duties because it's only a two-seater. Well, it worked for me on a girls' night out at least.

A new nose, more gear and aggressive pricing are at the core of the Falcon fightback. Holden has just introduced its VE Commodore and Toyota rolls out its new Aurion late this month, but it will be 2008 before Ford debuts its all-new Falcon.To see it through, Ford will introduce a freshened-up BF II late this month.The upgrade includes a new look for many models, fresh equipment and price adjustments, including some serious reductions on premium models.Ford will also introduce an optional Euro Sports pack on the base models. It includes electronic stability control, 17-inch wheels, sports suspension and the world-class six-speed automatic transmission for a launch price of just $250.The ZF six-speed automatic, as used by Jaguar and BMW, is normally worth $1500 as a stand-alone option.To help Ford models compete with the new Commodore range, the company has cut the prices of some premium models.The Fairmont Ghia tumbles $6370 to $46,490, the V8 XR8 has shed $6340 to $44,990 and the XR6 Turbo slips $2415 to $43,990.Some models stay the same and others, including the base XT and Futura, have increased by $100.Some ute models have increased by $500. Others have stayed the same.There has been some finetuning of the automatic transmission start-up that has seen a slight fuel saving on four-speed models, but the running gear is effectively unchanged.The most noticeable change has been made to the front of the XT, Futura, Fairmont, Fairmont Ghia and base ute models, all with new bonnet, bumper and light assembly.Most sedans also have a revised rear bumper and many models have fresh alloy wheels.Ford designers left the exterior styling of XR models alone.The XRs do pick up some minor interior improvements, including a new instrument cluster backing, brighter metallic touches and new interior trim.There are also four new colours, including a new shade of orange.The Fairmont Ghia will be the star of its BF II advertising campaign.The prestige sedan picks up the nose and tail tweaks, and it will also run an XR-style bodykit, including side skirts and rear bumper.Its interior has also been upgraded with a new-look steering wheel, shiny black centre trim, new instrument cluster, new front seat headrests and extra chrome touches.A Bluetooth hands-free phone connection, which allows most mobile phones to connect to the car's sound system, will be available across the range as an option for $495.The new Falcon weighs the same as the previous model, but uses slightly less fuel (0.2 litres every 100km). The base XT four-speed automatic now uses 10.7 litres for 100km of mixed driving when tested to the ADR 81/01 standard.This figure is now 0.2 litres less than the base Commodore Omega, but a Falcon XT fitted with the ZF six-speed automatic transmission records an impressive fuel economy figure of 10.2 litres for 100km.These consumption figures are 0.3 litres per 100km more than the front-wheel-drive Toyota Aurion.THE front end is only a small part of the BF II upgrade. The new nose has freshened the non-XR models and gives the cars a more modern look, which is important when it has to compete against an all-new Commodore.But the most important part of the BF II upgrade is the price and specification levels.The price cuts for the XR8, XR6 Turbo and Fairmont Ghia are welcome, but a customer buying a base Falcon is the real winner.The new Euro Sports pack that includes live-saving electronic stability control, 17-inch alloy wheels and the six-speed automatic transmission for $250 transforms the XT and Futura into world-class cars at a bargain price.An XT Falcon fitted with the pack costs $36,240 and a Futura with the pack costs $39,540. That is great value.Anyone who has driven a high-end Falcon or Territory fitted with the six-speed automatic knows it's a good thing.We drive a base XT model fitted with the six-speed automatic at the BF II launch in Tasmania and are instantly impressed.The standard four-speed automatic does the job linked to the torquey in-line 4.0-litre engine, but the six-speed is a much better unit.Its changes are smoother, quicker and less noticeable thanks to two extra gears with which to play.The ZF six-speed unit is more likely to hold a gear rather than flick up and down hunting for the correct gear.The premium transmission works well with the Falcon's six-cylinder 190kW engine, which was upgraded when the BF was introduced last year.It's a punchy plant with great pulling power, and there is also the bonus of fuel savings that come with running the six-speed automatic. That's handy when fuel prices are so volatile.We record a fuel economy average of 9.8 litres per 100km on an undulating road with a mixture of cruising and getting on the gas, which is very good.The other changes that come with the BF II upgrade are less noticeable. The interiors of the base models are the same — old and plain. The changes to the interior of the XR models, apart from the new seat trim, are almost impossible to pick. It's a shame they didn't also get an exterior upgrade.Ford spent most time and effort upgrading the Fairmont Ghia. The interior looks a lot better, with the use of shiny black dashboard sections and metallic highlights rather than woodgrain. The exterior is now much more masculine.The driving experience hasn't changed, but that is a good thing.A nice mix of performance and luxury, the Fairmont Ghia has a softer suspension set-up than its Holden Calais rival and that will be welcomed by many drivers.The Ghia, along with all the other Falcon models, still handles very well with precise steering that is not too heavy, not too light and gives you just the right amount of feedback.The BF II upgrades are minor compared with what Holden did with the all-new VE Commodore, but the Falcon was already a good car. It might not be totally new, but the exterior tweaks, the additions of stability control and brilliant six-speed automatic mean the Falcon is right back in the fight with its Commodore opponents.

The liftee looks mysteriously younger and more fabulous, but you, the untrained eyeballer, can't quite put your finger on why (and it's just as well because if you could it would feel gross, like a turkey's neck).Cher, for example, has had so much skin lifted above her head over the years that you could make a Lindsay Lohan out of it. In fact, maybe someone did. But to you and I, she looks pretty good, for a 90-year-old.So, it would be fair to say that Ford's Falcon facelift, known as the BF Falcon MkII, is, in cosmetic surgery terms at least, a success.If you can spot the differences at one glance, you clearly spend too much time reading CARSguide.In fact, if you are one of these people you should put this section down right now, go outside and sniff some flowers. Please.The BF II is, as Paul Keating would say, the facelift the Falcon had to have.With several hundred forests having been denuded to tell the world how wondrous the new VE Commodore is, the very existence of the not-so-new-any more Falcon has been in question.Thus, Ford has spruced it up, priced it down and added some new, bargain-priced fruit to put itself back at the forefront of buyers' minds. Or at least those buyers who are still interested in large, Aussie cars.The changes the trainspotters will be oohing over include a "new, stylish tapered bonnet", a revised grille, a new front bumper, some shiny chrome bits and new headlights.These nips and tucks give the car a slightly more sophisticated face, but from a distance it would be fair to say that the BFII looks a lot like a BF Falcon.Some cars in the range, like the sporty XR series, also get some new bits of trim, but I forgot to look for them and, as a result, didn't actually notice.There are also some new colours from Ford's violent colour palette, as usual, which sound like they were named after female wrestlers and look like they'd be more at home on leotards.Neo, Octane, Breeze, Obsession and Flare are their naff names and if you've seen the kind of lurid, lunch-disturbing colours Ford has been producing in the past few years, you can imagine what they're like.The model with the most changes is the Fairmont Ghia, which gets all the bonnet bits the others get, XR-style side skirts and bumpers, a chrome exhaust pipe and "new block font 'GHIA' badging".When they mention that sort of thing, you know they've really run out of stuff to say.The Ghia also gets new trim, a new steering wheel, new instruments and an onyx command centre, which, rather ingeniously, is so Darth Vader's helmet shiny that it reflects sun right into your eyes.Oh, and Bluetooth is now available across the range.Frippery aside, the good news is that the Fairmont Ghia, which is actually a pretty slick drive with the excellent six-speed ZF automatic, has had its price cut from $52,860 to $46,490, in an effort to make it competitive with the new VE Calais ($45,490).Better yet, the XR range has gone into battle with the SS, copping price cuts of up to 12.4 per cent.The already outstanding value XR6 Turbo drops from $46,405 to $43,990 and the big-nosed XR8 from $51,330 to $44,990.Holden's SS range starts at $45,490.The biggest benefit of this facelifting frenzy, however, is that the six-speed auto will now be available across the range, which is a major thumbing of the nose to Holden.On its own, the ZF box would be a $1500 option, but Ford is offering a steak knives and kitchen sink deal, called a Euro Sports Package, which includes the six-speed box, Dynamic Stability Control, sports-tuned rear suspension and 17-inch alloys - worth a claimed $3900 - for a piddling $250.Of course, this sounds like Sale of the Century, but it's actually a slightly desperate bid for market share, it's not available to fleet buyers and it's only available on vehicles purchased and delivered between November 1 and December 31.It also means that Ford has failed to match Holden in making the potentially life-saving DSC technology standard across its large-car range.Ford says it is merely listening to its customers and giving them the choice they want. Road-safety experts might point out that people are idiots, they never know what's good for them (customers will always choose alloy wheels over airbags, given the option) and that car companies should be doing the right thing and just giving them DSC, like medicine.Oh, the other thing we're meant to be very excited about is that Ford claims to have cut fuel economy by vast amounts, or was it 2 per cent?They're also keen to point out that if base model buyers opt for the six-speed auto they'll save even more on fuel. Four-speed-auto fitted XTs drop from 10.9 litres to 10.7 litres per 100km, but if they choose the ZF it drops right down to 10.2 litres.All fascinating stuff, except that over some 500km driven in various models, we returned figures of between 11.2 and 13.8 litres, which just goes to show you that real-world figures are all that really matter.The surprising thing is that car companies still think they can sell big blunder buses like this on fuel economy, when they'd be better off just not talking about it at all.The overall impression after a day of driving, however, was that while the Ford Falcon BFII range may look a little dated and taxi-like inside, it's still a pretty contemporary, and capable, engineering package. And the ZF box should be an automatic choice.Stephen Corby is a senior roadtester for the CARSguide team whose work also appears in the Sunday Telegraph. A version of this review plus more news and analysis can be read in the Sunday Telegraph.