2005 Ford Falcon Reviews

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 2002, 2004, 2008, 2011 and 2015 Ford Falcon as a used buy. In October 2016 the last Ford Falcon left the assemble line, not long after its 56th birthday in Australia. What does this mean on the used-car scene for the period being examined here, 2002 - 2016? At this stage the answer is we

Not a lot of new Ford Falcons are sold these days, so there's a shortage of late models on the used-car scene, but certainly no lack of offering built prior to 2010. For many years Falcon was a huge seller in Australia as the car suits the needs of many local buyers, particularly those in country areas. Built tough for Australia may sound a bit corny, but Falcon certainly answers to that description.Falcons have seating for five occupants, though four works better if they are all adults because the transmission tunnel takes up a lot of footroom in the centre-rear position. Legroom and headroom are ample for all but the largest adults in the remaining four seats. Comfort is very good and passengers can step out of a Falcon after a trip of hundreds of kilometres still feeling fresh and relaxed.The boot in the sedan is relatively shallow, but it's easy to load thanks to a good-sized opening. From the BA Falcon model onwards things are better, though the boot's still on the shallow side.Falcon station wagons are great load carriers as they are built on a longer wheelbase than the sedan so they have a long, wide, practical cargo area. The rear end of the BA is virtually identical to that of the older AU. Ford chose not to do an FG variant of the wagon. Instead, it created a Series III BF model to sell alongside the FG sedans. It wasn't a success, as SUVs were starting to make inroad in the wagon market, so it was discontinued in 2010.Handling is surprisingly good for a car of this size and mass. You wouldn't call it agile, but Falcons hold on when cornering at speeds far above those likely to be attempted by most drivers.Ford's six-cylinder engines all have a capacity of 4.0 litres but come in several formats, including one with a turbocharger. An interesting variant on the six-cylinder is a dedicated LPG engine. Very common in taxis, but less so in private cars (except in Victoria) this engine is all but indistinguishable from a petrol unit to drive. The LPG engine is thirstier than the petrol so fuel range suffers.The BA Falcon's six-cylinder engine is noticeably smoother and offers even better performance than the units it superseded. Ford fitted a 5.0-litre V8 to the AU, but it didn't have a lot more performance than the six-cylinder units and was on the thirsty side. Much better were the BA bent eights. There was a choice of two - both with a capacity of 5.4 litres. One has a single-cam cylinder head, the other a twin-cam setup.The EcoBoost Falcon has what many say is the best non-V8 engine of them all. It provides excellent performance and nimble handling, due to the lighter weight of the smaller engine. Buyers in this market segment can be on the conservative side and they stayed away from the EcoBoost in droves, so you can pick up a real bargain as a used-car.Automatics were all four-speed units until the launch of the BF, when a sophisticated six-speed ZF unit was installed. The ZF was originally only fitted in the topline variants. With the introduction of the FG range all received the six-speed auto, with the exception of the LPG powered models, which held onto the four-speed auto until the launch of the new-design LPG model in July 2011, when it received the six-speed.These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar spaceManual gearboxes are rare and probably best avoided in all but the sporting XR6 and XR8 because they can affect resale value. The manual was a five-speed until the BF series, when a six-speed was installed.Prices for spare parts, servicing and repairs are very reasonable and there are Ford dealers just about everywhere in Australia. Most spare parts for the Falcons covered here are readily available, although a few bits on some older cars may have to come from a wrecker.These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar space. We recommend having a workshop manual at your elbow before starting the work. Insurance prices are generally very reasonable and premiums for the everyday models are invariably at the lower end of the scale. It will generally cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six, and more expensive for a turbo six.WHAT TO LOOK FORMany thousands of used Falcons will have been taxis at some time in their life. Be wary of one running on dedicated LPG; while these are quite common in Victoria, they are rare anywhere else in Australia. Signs of an ex-taxi are vinyl, rather than cloth, upholstery, severe wear both inside and out, holes where signs and a taximeter have been removed, and possibly a paint respray.Engine wear is indicated by a reluctance to start and smoke from the exhaust and/or the oil filler cap when the engine is revved after it has been idling for more than about a minute. Four-speed automatics can cause problems on hard-driven cars, especially if they have done a lot of work. Check they change gears cleanly and don't hunt up and down through the ratios.Be suspicious of any automatic that's slow at going into gear from Neutral or Park. Listen for a whining differential when driving at around 60 to 90km/h. Check the cabin for damage caused by bored kids. In station wagons have a good look at the load area for signs of commercial use.Rust is more unusual in these newer Falcons than old ones. If you do find rust the Falcon may have been poorly repaired after a crash.CAR BUYING TIPBig old used cars that have been looked after properly and driven correctly can be picked up for pretty low prices these days. Don't forget to have a professional inspection, though.

Ford's Falcon has slipped from the minds of many new-car buyers in recent years, resulting in the sad news that production will cease late in 2016. However, the iconic Falcon has long been a favourite with used-car buyers and there’s no sign of that changing anytime soon.To some extent we blame the demise of the Falcon on over adventurous styling. The radical shape of the AU was years ahead of its time when it was introduced in September 1998 and many conservative buyers didn’t like it.Facelifts to create the AU Falcon Series II in April 2000 and to the AU III in November 2001 lifted sales slightly. In September 2002 a major facelift to produce the BA Falcon started to put the Falcon back on track in new sales. The BA Falcon was upgraded to the BF Falcon in October 2005.The introduction of the rather conservative FG-series Falcon saw sales slip again, and history shows that Ford Australia never did recover after that.Falcons have seating for five adults, though four makes more sense because rear-wheel drive means the transmission tunnel takes up a lot of footroom in the centre-rear position. Legroom and headroom are ample for all but the largest adults. Some find the relatively steep slope of the roof in the AU to BF Falcons make it awkward to get in and out; naturally the back seat of the wagon doesn’t have this hassle.Comfort is very good and passengers can step out of a Falcon after a trip of hundreds of kilometres still feeling fresh and relaxed.The boot in the sedan is rather shallow in the older models and the slope of the bootlid on the AU reduces its practicality. It’s easy to load thanks to a good-sized opening. The BA Falcon is better, though still on the shallow side.Falcon station wagons are great load carriers as they are built on a longer wheelbase than the sedan so they have a long, wide, practical cargo area. The rear end of the BA is virtually identical to that of the older AU. Ford chose not to do an FG variant of the wagon. Instead, it created a Series III BF model to sell alongside the FG sedans. It wasn’t a success and was discontinued in 2010.Handling is surprisingly good for a car of this size and mass. You wouldn’t call it agile, but Falcons hold on when cornering at speeds far above those likely to be attempted by most drivers.Ford's six-cylinder engines all have a capacity of 4.0 litres but come in several formats, including one with a turbocharger. An interesting variant on the six-cylinder is a dedicated LPG engine. Very common in taxis, but less so in private cars (except in Victoria) this engine is all but indistinguishable from a petrol unit to drive. It’s quite a bit thirstier than the petrol so fuel range suffers.The standard AU six-cylinder unit is good enough, but the BA’s six-cylinder is noticeably smoother and offers even better performance.Ford fitted a 5.0-litre V8 to the AU, but it didn’t have a lot more performance than the six-cylinder units and was on the thirsty side. Much better were the BA bent eights: there was a choice of two, both with a capacity of 5.4 litres, one with a single-cam cylinder head, the other with a twin-cam setup.A powerful four-cylinder engine, tagged the EcoBoost gave us arguably the best Falcon ever, thanks to excellent performance and nimble handling, the latter due to the lighter weight of the smaller engine. Buyers in this market segment can be on the conservative side and they stayed away from the EcoBoost in droves.Automatics were all four-speed units until the launch of the BF, when a sophisticated six-speed ZF unit was installed. The ZF was originally only fitted in the topline variants, with the introduction of the FG Falcon all received the six-speed auto, with the exception of the LPG power models, which stuck with the old four-speed unit until the launch of the new-design LPG unit in July 2011.Manual gearboxes are rare and probably best avoided in all but the sporting XR6 and XR8 as they can affect resale value. The manual was a five-speed until the BF series, when a six-speed was installed.Prices for spare parts, servicing and repairs are very reasonable and there are Ford dealers just about everywhere in Australia. Most spare parts for the Falcons covered here are readily available, although a few bits on some older cars may have to come from a wrecker.These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar space. We recommend having a workshop manual at your elbow before starting the work.Insurance prices are generally very reasonable and premiums for the everyday models are invariably at the lower end of the scale. It will generally cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six, and more expensive for a turbo six.WHAT TO LOOK FORRust is far less of a problem in these newer Falcons than old ones. To be on the safe side, check the door lower corners, door sill panels, mudguards and bootlid. If you do find serious rust the car may have been badly repaired after a crash.Many thousands of used Falcons will have been taxis at some time in their life. Be wary of one running on dedicated LPG; while these are quite common in Victoria, they are rare anywhere else in Australia. Signs of an ex-taxi are vinyl, rather than cloth, upholstery, severe wear both inside and out, holes where signs and a taximeter have been removed, and possibly a paint respray.Engine wear is indicated by a reluctance to start and by smoke from the exhaust and/or oil filler cap when the engine is revved.Four-speed automatics can cause problems on hard-driven cars, especially the older models. Check they change gears cleanly and don't hunt up and down through the ratios. Be suspicious of any automatic that’s slow at going into gear from Neutral or Park.Listen for a whining differential when driving at around 60 to 90km/h.Check the cabin for damage caused by wild kids. In station wagons have a good look at the load area for signs of commercial useCAR BUYING TIPBeware ex-taxis: they are run hard and often not driven in a sympathetic manner. 

Ford's Falcon is a rugged family car that copes well with rough and ready Australian bush roads so are very popular out there. They can be on the large side for close city work but have good outward visibility and a reasonably tight turning circle so aren’t too hard to drive in confined spaces.The radical styling of the AU was years ahead of its time when it was introduced in September 1998 and many conservative buyers didn’t like it. Facelifts to create the AU Falcon Series II in April 2000 and to the AU III in November 2001 helped a bit. However, it wasn’t until September 2002 that a major facelift to produce the BA Falcon started to put the Falcon back into buyers’ minds again.The BA Falcon was further upgraded to the BF Falcon in October 2005. Visual differences are minor, but there were significant changes to the transmissions at this time – more about them later. The introduction of the new FG series Falcon in May 2008 lifted awareness, but its shape was on the conservative side (it’s hard to please people…) and sales didn’t return to the record levels Falcon had enjoyed in the past.Falcons have seating for five adults, though four makes more sense because the use of rear-wheel drive means the transmission tunnel takes up a lot of foot room in the centre-rear position. Legroom and headroom are ample for all but the largest adults.Some find the relatively steep slope of the roof in the AU to BF series makes it awkward to get into the car. This applies to both front and back seats in sedans, naturally the back seat of the wagon doesn’t have this hassle. Comfort is very good and passengers can step out of a Falcon after a trip of hundreds of kilometres still feeling fresh and relaxed.The boot in the sedan is rather shallow in the older models and the slope of the bootlid on the AU reduces its practicality. It’s easy to load thanks to a good-sized opening. The BA is noticeably better, though still on the shallow side. Falcon station wagons are great load carriers as they are built on a longer wheelbase than the sedan so they have a long, wide, practical cargo area.The rear end of the BA is virtually identical to that of the older AU. Ford chose not to do an FG variant of the wagon. Instead, it created a Series III BF model to sell alongside the FG sedans. It wasn’t a success and was discontinued in 2010. Handling is surprisingly good for a car of this size and mass. You wouldn’t call it agile, but Falcons hold on when cornering at speeds far above those likely to be attempted by most drivers.Ford's six-cylinder engines all have a capacity of 4.0 litres but come in several formats, including one with a turbocharger. An interesting variant on the six-cylinder is a dedicated LPG engine. These are very common in taxis, but less so in private cars, with the exception of Victoria, and the engine is all but indistinguishable from a petrol unit to drive. It’s quite a bit thirstier than the petrol, so fuel range suffers.The standard AU six-cylinder unit is good enough, but the BA’s six-cylinder is noticeably smoother and offers even better performance. Ford fitted a 5.0-litre V8 to the AU, but it didn’t have a lot more performance than the six-cylinder units and was on the thirsty side. Much better were the BA bent eights: there was a choice of two, each with a capacity of 5.4 litres, one with a single-cam cylinder head, the other with a twin-cam setup.An impressive four-cylinder turbocharged engine was introduced midway through 2012. It has plenty of power and torque and lower fuel consumption than the big engines. The four’s lighter weight gives the big car a nicely nimble feel during cornering. Automatics were all four-speed units until the launch of the BF, when a sophisticated six-speed ZF unit was installedlpgThe ZF was originally only fitted in the topline variants, with the rest of the range using the four-speed. With the introduction of the FG Falcon in May 2008 all received the six-speed auto, with the exception of the LPG power models, which stuck with the old four-speed unit. A six-speed auto was finally installed behind the new design of LPG engine in July 2011.Manual gearboxes are rare and probably best avoided in all but the sporting XR6 and XR8 as they can affect resale value. The manual was a five-speed until the October 2005 BF series, when a six-speed was installed. Prices for spare parts, servicing and repairs are very reasonable and there are Ford dealers just about everywhere in Australia.Most spare parts for the Falcons covered here are readily available, although a few bits on some older cars may have to come from a wrecker. These are very simple cars to work on, with plenty of underbonnet and undercar space. We recommend having a workshop manual at your elbow before starting the work.Insurance prices are generally very reasonable and premiums for the everyday models are invariably at the lower end of the scale. It will generally cost more to cover a V8 Falcon than a straight-six, and be dearer again for a turbo six.WHAT TO LOOK FORRust is far less of a problem in these newer Falcons than old ones. To be on the safe side, check the door lower corners, door sill panels, mudguards and bootlid. If you do find serious rust the car may have been badly repaired after a crash.Many thousands of used Falcons will have been taxis at some time in their life. Be wary of one running on dedicated LPG, while these are quite common in Victoria, they are rare anywhere else in Australia. Signs of an ex-taxi are vinyl, rather than cloth, upholstery, severe wear both inside and out, holes where signs and a taximeter have been removed, and possibly a paint respray.Engine wear is indicated by a reluctance to start and by smoke from the exhaust and/or oil filler cap when the engine is revved. Four-speed automatics can cause problems on hard driven cars, especially the older models. Check they change gears cleanly and don't hunt up and down through the ratios. Be suspicious of any automatic that’s slow at going into gear from Neutral or Park.Listen for a whining differential when driving at around 60 to 90km/h. Check the cabin for damage caused by wild kids. In station wagons have a good look at the load area for signs of commercial use.CAR BUYING TIPNo matter how good a car looks on the surface it may have problems under the skin, never buy without a full inspection. 

Which is the better car, Falcon or Holden, has long been a point of contention at the pub. FordThe XR6 has been a winner for Ford almost from the moment it was first introduced in 1992 with the EB Falcon. Today, it's the XR6 that spells Ford performance, as much as any model in its range, it's the affordable performance car for the masses.The BF XR6 continued the theme when it was introduced in 2005. It was the sporty variant of the Falcon family taxi; the special model dads could aspire to without upsetting the balance at home. Power came from a smooth and refined 4.0-litre double overhead camshaft six-cylinder engine with four valves per cylinder and variable cam timing that punched out 190 kW and 383 Nm. With that sort of output the XR6 had plenty of punch.The standard transmission option was a four-speed sports-shift auto, but it was the new six-speed auto that was the talking point of the new car. For anyone still wanting to change gears themselves there was an optional six-speed manual gearbox as well. Ford's engineers had done a good job in sorting the chassis, and the XR6 had a nicely balanced feel on the road without adversely affecting the ride.Inside, the cabin was comfortable and roomy, and well laid-out with all controls sensibly placed for easy use.Build quality was a concern with the BA model that preceded the BF, and while the BF was built to a higher standard than the earlier model quality was still an issue. The BFII, however, was a much better built car and is by far the better used car choice.The BF had the oil cooler for the automatic transmission in the radiator and it was prone to fracturing, and when that happened coolant would enter the transmission and result in transmission failure. The cooler was moved on the BFII and was no longer in the radiator and the problem was fixed. Both models suffered from failure of the diff mounts, so listen for clunks from the rear end that could indicate the diff mounts need replacing.The diffs themselves could also be a problem, particularly when cars were driven hard, but diff specialists have developed aftermarket fixes that make the diff a more durable unit. There's not much that goes wrong with the Falcon's big six, but look for oil leaks that might affect roadworthiness. The discs are also known to warp and regularly require replacing. A pulsating brake pedal is usually a reliable sign that the rotors are warped.Some mechanics will skim rotors to extend their life, but that's only putting off the inevitable for a short time. Expect 50,000-60,000 km from a set of disc rotors. Go over all the systems in the car, the air-conditioning, cruise, sound, power windows etc, to confirm they're working. Check for a service record to make sure your potential purchase has seen the inside of a service workshop as it needs to.The BF and BFII was quite well equipped to handle a crash. It was a bag car to start with, which meant it had mass on its side when it came to a crunch. It also had dual front airbags, ABS brakes and traction control that added to its crash performance.The BF/BFII Falcon was a big lump of a car and that was shown at the pump. Despite the improvements Ford had made to its engine there's no escaping its size. Ford claimed it would average 10-11 L/100 km on regular unleaded petrol. The actual outcome depends heavily on the pressure applied to the throttle pedal.

The BF Falcon was to be the cure Ford needed to get sales of the Falcon moving again after a painful period of stagnation with the unloved AU.  It followed the BA, which was Geoff Polites' bold move to reinvigorate Falcon sales following on from the disastrous AU.Had the AU been a runaway success the BF probably would have been the model that followed, but tough times call for bold measures and Polites pulled forward the Falcon program and launched the BA earlier than he would have liked.  It worked, the AU was forgotten and the BA embraced. Ford appeared back on track.But if the letters and e-mails received at Carsguide HQ are an accurate reflection of the state of play at Ford the BA was a good car, but flawed.  Owners generally liked them, but were frustrated by the niggling problems they encountered, and Ford's apparent lack of interest in helping fix them.The BA suffered a myriad of build quality and reliability problems, all of which suggested the program had been rushed in an effort to put the AU blues behind them as quickly as possible.  The BF was the first major update of the Falcon after the BA launch, by which time most of the issues that affected the BA seem to have been addressed.MODEL WATCHViewed from afar it was easy to conclude that Ford did little in moving from the BA series to the BF. Discerning the differences required a keen eye.  Externally the BF was little changed, but it didn't need changing. In the course of the BA model change just about every panel was changed, and the result was a much more appealing look.Three years on it still looked fresh so there wasn't much incentive to spend heaps on panel change.  If you cared to look closely you might spot revised bumpers, wheels, taillights, trim and paint colours, but not much more.The main changes were made under the skin where the six-cylinder engine underwent further development and came out with more performance and better economy.  The 4.0-litre six got a more advanced valve timing system that altered the intake and exhaust camshafts independently for better efficiency and a reduced idle speed. Power jumped from 182 to 190 kW.Ford's popular turbo six also grew legs, with power climbing to 245 kW and torque jumping 30 Nm to 480 Nm.  The fuel miser in the range was the E-Gas dedicated LPG version of the 4.0-litre six, which delivered a much more economical motor with a punch of 156 kW and 372 Nm.There were also two 5.4-litre V8s on offer. The entry-level three-valve engine boasted knock sensors, which allowed more spark advance, and the performance grew by 10 kW and 30 Nm to 230 kW and 500 Nm respectively.  The sportier four-valve Boss 260 V8 remained unchanged in the XR8.The base models continued with a revised four-speed auto, but the real talking point at the time was the new ZF six-speed automatic transmission on some of the premium models. It was the first time an Australian car had a six-speed auto and it was one shared in common with cars like the BMW 7-Series and Jaguar XJ.Fuel economy was a major talking point when the BF was launched; the BA was the thirstiest of the big cars and Ford needed the BF to be better.  So it was. The volume-selling models improved 5.2 per cent to claim a combined fuel economy figure of 10.9 L/100 km.With no call for major visual changes Ford made few alterations to the interior, apart from making some minor changes to the interior plastics.The model range began with the XT and added the Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia on the prestige side, and the XR6, the sizzling hot XR6 Turbo and rumbling XR8 on the sporty side.Ford released a MkII BF in 2008 with more fuel economy improvements, and extended the availability of the six-speed auto to the base model XT.IN THE SHOPBuild quality was an issue with the BA/BF Falcons, although it was less of a problem with the later model.  It was particularly noticeable on the inside where the fit and finish wasn't up to scratch.The six-cylinder engine is robust and reliable, having benefited from years of development. Fuel consumption is a concern.  Generally the V8s are smooth and pack the sort of torque wanted, but there are lots of reports of problems extracting the spark plugs from the three-valve engine come service time. The plugs break easily while mechanics attempt to remove them and it's then a case of lifting the heads to get them out.Noisy diffs in XRs are a common complaint and it's nothing to hear of cars having two, three or more diffs. Ford usually replaces them with new diffs up to a point, but then reverts to using used diffs as replacements.  Noisy brakes are annoying and there seems no answer for complaint cars. The noise is a rubbing noise as if the pad is constantly rubbing on the disc.  Warped discs can also be a problem, more so with the performance models.IN A CRASHAn Electronic Stability Program was a key improvement on the BF, although the XT and Futura models missed out.  Front and side airbags were available for a comprehensive crash package.  The BF was rated at five-stars for crashworthiness.AT THE PUMPThe BA was criticised for its relative lack of fuel economy compared to its competition, but Ford hit back with significant improvements in the BF.  Depending on the drivetrain Ford claimed 10.2-10.9 L/100 km for the volume-selling six.  Ford's six can readily be converted to run on LPG.OWNERS SAYWesley Hartley bought his 2007 BFII XR6 six months ago with 24,000 km on the clock. While he loves its looks and its handling, he's not so convinced of its build quality. It's been back to his dealer several times with diff issues. The original diff was replaced, and the replacement was also replaced because it was noisy. There have also been ongoing problems with noisy brakes. Paul Raudino took advantage of the pre-FG run-out deals on the BF earlier this year and traded his AU on a 2007 BFII Falcon ES. The BF and is far better to drive than the old AU, he says. The six-speed auto makes it great to drive and it gives great fuel economy on a trip.Two years ago, after 40 years driving V8s, David Walker bought a six-cylinder BF wagon. He's been impressed by the power and smoothness of the engine, and even more so by the fuel economy. To date it has only been back to the dealer for its scheduled logbook services  -- everything is just spot on after 40,000 km.James Lehane and his wife have owned a second-hand BF XR6 Turbo for just over a year, and both love the car, even though they admit it's a bit of a gas-guzzler. They bought it because they say the BA/BF XR is the best looking Aussie-made car of the period, the six-speed auto is hard to fault, and the Turbo is a fast and satisfying daily driver. If they could they would improve the steering feedback, reduce the weight, and the fuel consumption, fit discs that don't warp, and improve the fit and finish of the interior plastics.LOOK FORo Family-sized motoringo torquey six performanceo new six-speed auto transo sizzling turbocharged XR6To variable build qualityo noisy diffsRATINGo 70/100

That same car retailed at almost $40,000 when it was new.Now, my dealer mate added his profit to the price before he retailed it out of his yard at $20,500, but even then it was still just a tick over half the original sticker price.The BA Futura used here is just an example of the bargains out there in near-new cars, particularly the Falcons, Commodores, Magnas and Camrys.The BA Falcon was a make-or-break car for Ford. After the disastrous AU the BA had plenty of ground to make up if the company was going to be viable going into the future.Thankfully for all of us it turned out to be a pretty decent car, far and away better than its disappointing predecessor.Ford pumped lots of new features into the BA, far more than it really would have, had it been a normal upgrade.The 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine was given a major overhaul with double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder with infinitely variable valve timing. In base form the Barra engine put out 182kW at 5000 revs and 380Nm at 3250 revs, more than sufficient to give the BA plenty of zip. There was the choice of a five-speed manual or four-speed auto, the latter having sports shift.The suspension was also revamped, particularly the rear suspension.The overhaul continued inside as well with an all-new layout focused around a central control console. Standard features in the base XT included airconditioning, CD sound, power driver's seat, power front windows, trip computer, cloth trim, dual front airbags, anti-skid brakes, 60/40 split-fold rear seat.In addition to that, the Futura had cruise control, power rear windows, 16-inch (40.64cm) alloy wheels, rear centre armrest, cup holders, grab handles and courtesy lamps.Make the next step up to the Fairmont and you also drove away with dual-zone airconditioning, velour trim, six-stack CD, woodgrain dash, leather-trimmed steering wheel, side airbags, and traction control.The last step, sporty XRs aside, was to the Fairmont Ghia which had the added features of a six-way driver's seat with memory for settings, adjustable pedals, 17-inch (43.1cm) alloys and fog lamps.With just 30,000km or so under its wheels there should be little that's gone wrong with the Falcon. To date there is none of the head gasket, radiator, power steering problems that were a regular occurrence on the AU. And rental car agencies say they're having a better run out of the BA Falcon than they are with the equivalent Commodore or Magna. In reliability terms they are rating it as high as the Camry.Mechanics working on roadside assistance are reporting an annoying BA problem.It seems they simply stop and can't be started again without being towed to a Ford dealer where the electronics can be checked.With decent handling from independent suspension front and rear and anti-skid brakes the Falcon delivers quite good primary safety.On the secondary level it has dual front airbags, and on the Fairmont, side airbags.There are lots of compelling reasons for buying used large cars, but saving money is the best one. At auction, BA Falcon XTs are being knocked down for as little as $14,500 on average. At retail prices, the same car will sell for $3000 more. The Futura sedan retails for about $18,500 and the equivalent wagons will cost about $18,500 and $19,500.

All four big local guns are fighting back. The new Mitsubishi 380 has already hit the street. Next year Holden will launch the VE Commodore and Toyota will release the Avalon replacement. Ford is also fighting back, but with a different approach.Improvements under the skin of the Falcon range include a new six-speed automatic and fuel savings across the board.Ford's approach with the BF has been heavy on engineering and light on styling.It's no surprise, because the BA was a big body switch from the unloved AU Falcon.But it also gives Ford the chance to reply to Holden's new VE Commodore.Though Ford is yet to confirm it, we can expect to see a BFII in the second half of next year with some styling changes.A key part of the BF upgrade is the new ZF six-speed automatic transmission that is optional on some models and standard on the top-end cars.This self-shifter is the same unit, with some small changes, that is used in the top-shelf Jaguars and the BMW 7-Series.The base Falcons will continue to use an upgraded version of the four-speed automatic.The Barra 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine was significantly upgraded when the BA hit the road, adding dual camshafts with variable timing, but new camshaft phasers can now operate independently.The camshafts can be controlled more accurately to reduce fuel consumption as well as to improve torque delivery.Power lifts by 8kW to 190kW at 5250 revs and there is 3Nm more torque for a total of 383Nm that kicks in at 2500 revs.Ford promises fuel consumption improvements of about 5 per cent on Falcons with the four-speed automatic and up to 11 per cent with the six-speed auto.Styling changes have been limited to new bumpers, tail lights, new wheels and some interior seat and centre console tweaks.The XR6 is available with a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic as standard. The six-speed auto costs an extra $1250.It has 17-inch alloy wheels, colour trip computer and sound system control screen, airconditioning, cruise control, XR sports seats, body kit with front fog lights, electric windows and rear split-fold seats.Standard safety gear includes driver and passenger airbags, anti-skid brakes and traction control.Electronic stability control has been introduced for XR6 Turbo, XR8 and Fairmont Ghia models. ON THE ROADYou won't pick how much Ford has improved its new Falcon unless you drive one.Only Ford fanatics would pick the different BF front bumper or tail lights.The new paint range, including the loud Menace coat of the XR6 test car — a bright shade of plum — helps some of the new XRs to stand out. But all this is minor.Slide inside and there is not much to indicate the improvements either, except for the number six on the new automatic gearshift. That is the biggest news about the BF upgrade.The transmission is terrific and has put a gap on its Australian rivals.The ratios give a great spread, allowing punchy take-offs yet still quiet cruising, and the actual shift is smooth and refined.The touch-change manual mode really encourages you to take control, with almost instant shifts and full manual control.Unlike a lot of cars, including Tiptronic Porsches and the Audi S4 we have just driven, the Falcon will hold right to the red line without making an unwanted automatic upshift.And Ford sets the touch-change lever for push-forward downshifts, the choice of BMW and other driver-focused companies.It is well worth the $1250 over the regular four-speed automatic.The power pack in the latest Falcon is as impressive as most European cars.This engine is much sweeter than we expected and has been well matched to the new transmission.The combination is also economical.There is torque from little more than idle and the in-line six is eager to rev to its red line, unlike earlier Falcon sixes.The development of the 4.0-litre engine just shows how quickly car companies can move.Only five years ago, you had to buy a V8 to get such punch.The upgraded Falcon engine is smoother and more refined at all engine speeds.One of the first things you notice about the BF is how quiet it is inside — a big improvement.The XR6 is still as much fun as ever to punt along a twisting road and has good steering feel and little body roll in turns.The ride is quite comfortable and absorbs most of the bumps and lumps with little fuss.The seats are good, but the steering wheel still feels clumsy.The centre console and dashboard were upgraded substantially from AU to BA in 2002 and is still a local leader with its quality colour screen and good plastics. But the stereo buttons feel a bit light and cheap.It is also a bother that some of the buttons are hidden behind the steering wheel.These are small gripes in a car that is very impressive and a cut above its opposition.

The Ford XR6-Turbo gives you the Falcon muscle car image of Supercar race champion Marcos Ambrose, complete with V8-style power, but with the running costs of a six-cylinder.Falcon-racing Ambrose and his success in winning the past two Supercar championships as well as leading this year's series is very relevant to this report.Sales of the Falcon XR range have gone through the roof since his XR-based machine started winning on the track.Ford makes the sporty XR Falcon in XR6, XR6-Turbo and XR8 versions. The first uses the standard Falcon six-cylinder four-litre motor, albeit a pretty fair 182kW of power. The XR8 has the big 5.4-litre V8 giving 260kW power.The XR6-Turbo is an excellent compromise. It's the six-cylinder engine with a Garrett turbocharger bolted on. It's helped by an intercooler, resulting in 240kW of power at 5250rpm and 450Nm of torque.While this torque is just 10 per cent shy of the V8 engine's, the V8 peaks at 4250rpm while the XR6-Turbo torque maxes at a usable 2000rpm.Yet on the road, subjectively the performance gets more scintillating as the revs build up and the turbocharger is spinning hard, force-feeding that air into the engine.A major upgrade for the Falcon BA Series II is the XR6-Turbo and XR8 getting a six-speed manual transmission (the XR6 retains the five-speed). Ford has calibrated the six ratios sensibly.It didn't want just another extremely tall gear on top of the five-speed, which would be a waste with Australian speed limits.So it set desirable first and sixth ratios and crammed in all the others so they can be used with effect. The XR6-Turbo needs 2200rpm at 110km/h in sixth gear, with good response if the driver does not want to change down and really get charging.Fifth gear can be used to cruise main suburban roads at 60km/h.The clutch is medium-firm but tolerable for everyday use. The chunky gearshift, as usual, baulks a bit when the gearbox is cold, but flows OK although a little notchy when warmer. The gearshift is purposeful rather than light. A four-speed sequential shift automatic is optional.The XR6 five-speed manual is $38,655, the XR6-Turbo six-speed is $46,360 and the XR8 six-speed is $51,275. Only the XR6 charges $1000 more for an automatic.Other than the turbocharger and intercooler (with its metres of large-diameter pipes around the engine bay), the XR6-Turbo has little that the standard XR6 does not, and is obvious only by a small TURBO badge on the boot lid.They have 17in-diameter wheels and 45-series tyres, body dressup kit and rear wing, alloy pedal covers, airconditioning, limited slip differential, a driver's seat with some adjustments powered and a traction control that can be switched out (we will desist from calling this the Hoon Button).Fuel economy is important in this examination. The factory figures say the XR6 averages 11.5 litres/100km, the XR8 a thirsty 14.1 litres/100km and this XR6-Turbo in between at 12.9 litres/100km. But our week's drive in the XR6-Turbo returned a pleasing 11.6 litres/100km. Pleasing because although it did include a cruise to the Fleurieu, it also did a lot of stop-start city work and had its open-road strong acceleration exploited a few times.Ride is supple enough, with the slap of the tyres on small surface irregularities heard rather than felt. Steering is not go-kart sharp but the 1751kg sedan corners better than standard Falcons.And there's the advantage of it being based on a Falcon sedan: a spacious interior and a large and deep boot, even with a full-size spare wheel. The middle rear passenger has leg space compromised by a large transmission tunnel.Some performance-car buyers might want a bit more safety. The car has strong ABS and traction control but only twin front airbags. Side airbags are an optional extra. The rear outboard passengers get only low, fixed head restraints.But out on the road when the right foot is planted and later at the servo when the wallet is opened, all is forgiven.SMALL TORQUEFord Falcon XR6-TurboPrice: $46,360 manualEngine: Six-cylinder in-line, dohc, 3984cc, turbochargedPower: 240kW @ 5250rpmTorque: 450Nm @ 2000rpmTransmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel-driveWheels/tyres: 17in x 8in alloys; 235/45 Dunlop SP Sport 3000

It's a Tremec T56 box found in other Ford muscle cars including the Mustang Cobra and, oh yes, Holden Commodore V8 though the Ford version is individualised in terms of shift feel and gearing.It's a bit of a payback when you think Holden uses a copy of the Falcon front suspension in its V8 Supercars. Component sharing is bigger than you think between the two.The six-speed replaces a good five-speeder in the previous model and is intended to more efficiently capture the potent performance of the 4.0-litre, turbo six.It does that better than in the XR8 and delivers absolutely sparkling performance pretty well everywhere.Slip it into gear, push the throttle and away you go – whoooosh.The box offers smaller gaps between ratios and therefore a more sporty feel. Even so, the turbo engine still delivers a long, smooth and strong run through each gear.The turbocharger goes into warp drive quickly and is rarely caught off-boost unless a totally wrong gear is selected.It isn't a high pressure turbo and relies on clever induction design and other electronic stuff to boot out some 240kW and an even more impressive 450Nm of torque from just 2000rpm.Ford engineers shortened the final drive to optimise the new six-speeder and maintain its oomph.The XR6 Turbo is a weighty beast at nearly 1700kg, even more for the four-speed auto version but all that engine torque deals easily with the situation.The car also feels more nimble than before possibly due to firmer springs and other minor tweaks.A couple of interesting things come with the six-speeder: electronic lock out of reverse while the car is moving, alloy pedals, a new flywheel and other mechanical changes that improve the car.A new range of colours is available but the stunning orange and lime have been deleted. Boo hiss.The test car was a hoot to drive and was particularly entertaining on winding roads. It is something else again to surf the turbo boost and feel the potent engine hurl this big car forward, much better than the XR8 in fact.There is an audible whistle from the turbo that has been all but engineered-out of other turbo cars. Go Ford.Dynamics are up with the high output engine giving the XR6 a sporty feel and good manners, even on rough roads.A traction control system has a high threshold making spirited driving more satisfactory.At $46,350 the turbo model commands a premium of $7500 on the "atmo" XR6 but it's a whole lot more car.