Ford Falcon 2005 News

What have been the most significant Australian cars since January 1, 2000 so far? With the first 25 years of the 21st century now out of the way, we rate the 10 most important models that left their mark, or came into their own afterwards.

     

The dedicated gas Falcon is also good news for anyone hit by the rising price of petrol. The EcoLPi liquid phase injection promises zero compromises for the Falcon's six-cylinder engine, right up to the XR6, with  27 per more power and 10 per cent more torque than previous E-Gas LPG system and fuel consumption cut by 12-15 per cent. The new-age LPG system is coming a little late, a delay put down to the engineering load at Broadmeadows for the global T6 pickup development program, but nothing like the six-month overrun on the EcoBoost four-cylinder Falcon that won't hit showrooms until January 2012. Ford says it is using the most up-to-date LPG technology available, with much-improved operation and driveability than the previous ventur-  style vapour system fitted to its E-Gas Falcons. The heart of the system is an injection system that is similar to a conventional petrol engine, using a high-pressure fuel rail that delivers liquid LPG directly to the intake port. So there is no gas conversion before the liquid is fired into the cylinder for combustion. The system is also more controlled and efficient, which provides the boost to performance while also cutting consumption and CO2 emissions. "Falcon EcoLPi offers customers the power, torque and overall engine performance they expect from a traditional Aussie six ... while at the same time delivering the fuel costs of a smaller car," says the president of Ford Australia, Bob Graziano. Ford has yet to reveal the exact economy of the LPG system or the pricing.

"I used to roll my pedal car down our long driveway with my feet up because the pedals would go too fast for me," says the 46-year-old electrician.  I suppose that was the fun thing to do at that age."He graduated from pedal cars to real cars when his father bought him a 1977 XC Falcon ex-taxi.  But what he really wanted was something more exotic.A few years later he bought a 1979 Alfa GTV for $7700 at auction and even though it had "rust like you wouldn't believe on a three-year-old car", Moore had become hooked on Euro-exotica."My neighbour had a lot of Renaults at the time, he says.  "I liked the shape of his 15TS and the Alfa was sending me broke, so I decided to get one.  He wouldn't sell me his, but I got one for $1800."The love affair with French cars, in particular Renaults, had begun Over the years he's owned a Peugeot 205 GTI, two Pug 405s, a 1973 BMW 2002 tii, a 1954 Renault 4CV, a 1989 Renault Alpine GTA Turbo and a 2005 Falcon BA Futura wagon as the daily driver.  The Pugs have since been sold."Generally French cars are more comfortable and I guess I like to be a bit different," he says.  "I appreciate well-made cars and given a few million dollars I'd own a lot of cars from other manufacturers, but four is enough for most of us."Moore bought the 4CV for $500 in 1992 and has since replaced the 749cc engine with a 1605cc donk from a Renault 16TS.  Likewise, he is about to replace the 2458cc V6 engine in the GTA for a three-litre V6 from an early '90s Volvo 960.The 1988-plated engine was made under an alliance with Peugeot and Renault. The flexible engines were made from 1972 to the late '90s for use in either transverse or longitudinal engine bays in the front or rear mated to either rear-wheel-drive or front-wheel-drive.The original GTA model produced 154kW, but Moore has already fitted a bigger GT30 71R Garrett turbo that returns about 186kW.  "With the new engine and bigger cams, valves and injector and depending on the boost I expect to get over 300hp (223kW)," he said.  "I do all my own mechanicals and modifications except for wheel alignments and upholstery," he says.His interest in bigger engines stems from his amateur racing career in motorkhanas, hillclimbs and club sprints.  He mainly uses the 2002 for race duties, but the Alpine will figure more prominently once he shoehorns in the bigger motor.Renault-owned French manufacturer Alpine produced 3400 GTAs in left-hand drive and only 343 in right-hand drive between 1986 and 1991.Moore bought his rear-engined right-hand-drive coupe for about $14,000 in 2004.Apart from the engine, the rest of the vehicle is all original, although he has replaced the wheels with AZEV 255/40 17s because tyres for the original 255/50 15s were too difficult to find and too expensive."It handles well," he says.  "In slow corners it understeers and if you come on the boost mid-corner it will put its tail out a bit.  "They say rear-engined cars don't handle ... someone forgot to tell Mr Porsche that."Moore also has a shed full of bikes in need of restoring.  "I'll have to work until I'm at least 80 to pay for the things I've got to restore," he says.Allan Moore's garage:1989 Renault Alpine GTA Turbo2005 BA Futura Wagon1973 BMW 2002 tii1956 Renault 4CV1986 Honda TLR200 Trials1976 Yamaha XT5001974 Yamaha TY250A1972 Suzuki T5001970 Triumph Bonneville1968 BMW R60/21938 BMW R711937 Rudge Special

The humble Ford Falcon depreciates faster than any other car on the Australian market, retaining only 47.9 per cent of its value after two years. The Falcon BF MkII slid from $39,890 when new in 2007 to a mere $19,100 to delight used car buyers but create a financial headache for its first owner. But though it topped the list for the car to lose more money in two years than any other, information from automotive researchers Glass's Information Services show the Falcon wasn't much different from its rivals, the now-obsolete Mitsubishi 380 SX and the VZ Holden Commodore. The 380, dumped from Mitsubishi's line up after its Adelaide factory closed last year, retained the same 47.9 per cent as the Falcon and is according to Glass's data, is now worth only $15,800. Glass's operations manager, Chris D'Sousa, says there should be no surprises that the large car sector — of which the 380, the Falcon and Commodore belong — has been hit the hardest on the used car market because of last year's surge in petrol prices. However, he acknowledges that the niche market of the FPV range resulted in the GT Cobra retaining 92.2 per cent of its value after two years. On the other side of the ledger, small cars fared much better. The 2007 small car that retained its value more than any other was the Honda Civic Hybrid with a massive 87.6 per cent of its value retained. It is listed as costing $32,990 new and is now $28,900. But it isn't all good news for the little cars with the worse performer being the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA three-door that fell from $63,990 new to $37,600 now. Even the baby light-car segment has its heroes — the Mazda2 with a whopping 92.1 per cent retained value — and losers. In this case the Proton Satria lost 40.5 per cent of its value, slipping from $18,990 new to $11,300 now. There were interesting winners in the medium-car class, where the Mercedes-Benz C-Class diesels occupied the top 10 places. Sports car winners were dominated by the Ferrari models — the best is the Scaglietti with a 101.9 per cent retention meaning it's worth more after two years than when new in 2007. Even more bizarre is the Ford F250 and F350 range that record a retained value of between 112 per cent and 122 per cent. Mr D'Sousa says these cab-chassis and crew-cab trucks wee highly sought after by tow-truck operators and fifth-wheel buyers and, because they were now out of production, the used market has soared. 2007 LARGE CARS (retained value): THE WORST: 1. Ford Falcon BF — 47.9% 2. Mitsubishi 380 — 47.9% 3. Holden Commodore VZ — 48% THE BEST: 1. Ford FPV GT Cobra — 92.2% 2. Mercedes E-Class — 72.9% 2007 MEDIUM CARS (retained value): THE WORST: 1. Saab 9-3 sedan — 56.4% 2. Jaguar X-Type V6 — 56.4% THE BEST: 1. Mercedes C-Class diesel — 80.8% 2. Ford Mondeo LX — 76.7% 2007 SMALL CARS (retained value): THE WORST: 1. Alfa Romeo 147 GTA — 58.9% THE BEST: 1. Honda Civic Hybrid — 87.6% 2007 LIGHT CARS (retained value): THE WORST: 1. Proton Satria — 59.5% THE BEST: 1. Mazda2 — 92.1% 2007 SPORTS CARS (retained value): THE WORST: 1. Citroen C4 VTS — 51.9% THE BEST: 1. Ferrari Scaglietti — 101.9% 2007 SUV COMPACT (retained value): THE WORST: 1. Ssangyong Actyon — 54.4% THE BEST: 1. Mazda CX-7 — 82.7% 2007 SUV MEDIUM (retained value): THE WORST: 1. Holden Adventra V6 — 56.8% THE BEST: 1. Toyota Prado diesel — 88.9% 2007 SUV LARGE (retained value): THE WORST: 1. Ford Explorer — 55.7% THE BEST: 1. Mercedes GL diesel — 92.2%

DAVID Russell is the early leader of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar series after a win and a second on the streets of Adelaide. Russell followed James Moffat home on Friday afternoon on the Clipsal 500 undercard but dominated with his Falcon on Saturday after Moffat Jnr got too greedy on the opening lap, although he did still take second for the weekend with Jonathon Webb in third.MARCOS Ambrose has made another big breakthrough with tenth place on one of the toughest tracks in Nascar racing, the high-banked one-mile oval at Briston. He qualified 13th in his Toyota Camry and advanced as Kyle Bush went on to win. The result means he is now 24th in the Sprint Cup pointscore, well inside the top-35 cutoff to avoid having to pre-qualify for races.Defending champion Gavin Bullas made a winning start to the Biante Masters series in Adelaide. He drove his Mustang to victories in all three races to take maximum points ahead of Steve Mason, Rod Wilson and Drew Marget.ANOTHER British raider is out to dominate Formula 3 racing in Australia. Joey Foster is the latest and swept the F3 supports at the Clipsal 500, although he was helped when Tim Macrow crashed and handed the minor places for the weekend to Mathew Radisich adn Mathew Sofi.NEW rules for the World Rally Championship will outlaw turbochers from 2011 as the series switches to cheaper Super 2000 regulations. The rules, already used in Australia, still allow four-wheel drive cars but turbos have been banned to cut costs and the cars will instead used 2-litre naturally-aspirated engines restricted to 8500 revs.KART start David Sera continued his winning run in the USA last weekend with victory in the Formula Kart contest in Florida last weekend. Driving his Australian-made Arrow chassis, the 20-year-old recovered from engine problems and now returns home to prepare for the 47th National Sprint Kart Championships in Townsville over Easter.AUDI beat Peugeot again as the two Euro brands renewed their Le Mans sports car rivalry at Sebring in the USA. Audi took victory in the 24-hour French classic last year and, despite Peugeot's best efforts last weekend, repeated the dose with the all-new R15 diesel in Florida as the best of the French contenders came home second. 

There is more to towing than just hitching the trailer or caravan and pulling into traffic for a trip.Anyone who has lost control of a loaded trailer or caravan can tell you that getting it wrong can have serious consequences.Even taking a load of junk to the tip or picking up a box-trailer load of garden supplies can get ugly — or worse — if you are not adequately prepared.And learning to back and park with a trailer on the tail takes skill.The potential for disaster is everywhere: from choosing the right tow vehicle and preparing it for the job, to carrying too much weight, incorrectly distributing the weight of the load, or failing to maintain a trailer or caravan.STARTING POINTThe first step into tow land is to decide what you want to tow.More importantly, you need to calculate how much it weighs when fully loaded and ready for the road.This will help you work out if you can keep your existing car or whether you need to buy something new, perhaps a four-wheel-drive if you have horses or a big boat, to handle the tow work.TOWING CAPACITIESAll modern vehicles have a rated towing capacity.For example, a big 4WD such as a Nissan Patrol has a maximum towing capacity of 3500kg, but a small car such as a Toyota Corolla has a towing capacity of only 1300kg.The towing capacity includes the trailer or caravan, as well as all its contents, so people intending to tow a caravan should include everything they plan to take with them, including full water tanks.If you already have the caravan/trailer and can borrow a friend's tow car for a while, then it is easy to work out the weight of what you are towing.Just go down to a public weighbridge and roll the trailer on to the scales.Most new caravans have a rating that tells you how much the van is able to safely weigh, then you can compare this figure with the car's towing capacity.If your vehicle doesn't have a specified towing capacity (this often happens with older cars), you are allowed to tow up to 1 1/2 times the unladen mass of the tow vehicle, as long as the trailer and braking system complies with the relevant Australian Design Rule.If the trailer is not fitted with brakes, the mass of the caravan/trailer must not exceed the unladen weight of the tow vehicle, or 750kg.BRAKESThere are two common types of trailer brakes.The older type is mechanical, which triggers a hydraulic system that reacts when the tow vehicle decelerates.New trailers and caravans have an electric braking system that is much easier to control.Apart from being adjustable, electric brakes can be operated separately from the tow vehicle's brakes. If a trailer or van starts to sway, the driver can apply its brakes separately and have a much better chance of bringing it under control.WEIGHT-DISTRIBUTION HITCHA tow vehicle running with its nose in the air and rear almost rubbing on the ground is dangerous.Apart from all the wear and tear it causes, it also affects steering and braking.So a weight-distribution hitch is an important part of safe towing.OTHER GEARIt is a legal requirement for drivers to have a clear view of the road at all times, so you should consider fitting larger mirrors or mirror extenders, especially if towing a caravan.SPREADING THE LOADThe way a trailer or caravan is loaded is important.Put too much weight at the front or too much at the back of the caravan/trailer and it will negatively affect the handling, perhaps leading to a crash.MAINTENANCEMost trailers are stored in the back yard and are not used often, so it is important that they be regularly check and maintained.Wiring can easily corrode, causing lights to stop working, tyres can crack from old age, wheel bearings can dry up and braking systems can seize.The same goes for caravans.They may also be fitted with gas cylinders for cooking, which need to be regularly checked.GETTING IT RIGHTTow-Ed driving instructor John Eggenhuizen, who runs a national towing course, says towing accidents happen far too often.He tells of a just-retired couple who bought a $70,000 Toyota LandCruiser and a $65,000 caravan to set off on holiday, only to lose control and write them off in a crash.Eggenhuizen says such accidents are often caused by poor caravan/trailer set-up and a lack of experience.He says proper training prepares drivers for such situations, but also helps drivers with the sometimes difficult task of backing a trailer or caravan.BUYING A TOW CARBigger is usually better when it comes to tow cars.You don't need to have a giant 4WD, but they are often the best machines for the job.Vehicles designed for carrying heavy loads, including 4WDs such as the Nissan Patrol, Toyota LandCruiser and Land Rover Discovery, are the best if you have a heavy caravan/trailer.Mid-sized 4WDs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Prado are also excellent, and family machines such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore are good.Ford Falcon wagons and utes make better tow cars than Holden Commodores and regular Falcons because they have leaf-spring suspensions, and the Ford Territory's extra weight and reduced rear overhang makes it a good tow vehicle.Small 4WDs such as the Subaru Outback or Nissan X-Trail are OK for towing relatively light loads.Turbo diesels are the prime engine choice for many tow cars because they have lots of torque and don't use as much fuel as a petrol engine.Six or eight-cylinder petrol engines are good because towing requires maximum pulling force. The more torque an engine has the better it will be for the job.Four-cylinder petrol engines can pull lighter loads, but often struggle with heavier cargo.TOW DRIVING TIPSAllow extra distance in traffic.Apply throttle and brakes more gently.If the caravan/trailer starts to sway do not apply the tow vehicle's brakes. If the trailer/caravan is fitted with independent electronic brakes, apply them slowly. If not, continue at a steady speed or accelerate slowly.Engage a lower gear for better control downhill.If possible, pull off the road to allow faster traffic to pass and stop more often to rest. 

The share market is shot, superannuation is in “negative growth” whatever that means, house prices are dropping alarmingly and interest rates look like falling. Where can you make an honest investment dollar these days? Well, art has some attraction but the numbers involved would make plenty of people tremble in their boots.What about collectable classic cars?We have all heard the stories about the six figure Falcon GTHOs and Monaros not forgetting the European thoroughbred classics, some of which go for multi-million dollar prices.But what if you're just an average punter and want to get in on the action.Take a look at Japanese collectable cars - is the advice coming from those in the know.This is because they have the potential for increased value from a relatively low base. And depending on the car (and luck) you could have a tidy little nest egg in the garage, one that you can take out and actually enjoy at your discretion.Christophe Boribon is the National Auction Manager for Shannons Auctions and he has some firm ideas on what cars are good buying with potential appreciation and those that are dead certainties.Chris' named the Toyota 2000GT as the most collectable classic Japanese car in Australia because of its rarity (only eight imported) and the specification of the car. He says a good one will go for between $2-300,000.Hardly accessible to the average punter.But other cars from most Japanese manufacturers operating here are shaping up well at the auctions and as long term prospects.Mazda's 1960s R100 coupe is worth a look at 10 grand according to Chris' as is the original, glass back RX7.“The RX3 is also good buying at $25-35,000 if you can get a good one and it should appreciate if looked after,” Chris' said.”Then there is the late '90s twin-turbo RX7 and RX7 SP - a locally fettled hotrod that will appreciate because it was a low volume performance car.”“You will pay big dollars for a Mazda Cosmo (up to 100 grand) but the first MX5 is a good proposition for not much money.” He said the SP versions of the later MX5 will be worth more in the long run and even the Japanese turbo model, the SE, should appreciate over time.Toyota has a few potentially collectable models including the late '60s Celica RA23 and TA23 models as well as the rear drive Sprinter 1.6. Celica GT4s should also be good buying if you can find one that hasn't been raced. Honda's most collectable car is the NSX but Chris' says the first S2000 sports cars are worth a look if you can get one that hasn't been thrashed. The tiny S600 and S800 sports cars are good property and even the quad headlight Integra TypeR could appreciate given time.Any Mitsubishi Lancer Evo in reasonable road condition will be worth a punt as a collectable particularly the Evo 6.5 Makinen edition. And if you can get hold of a twin turbo GTO 3000 (non-factory import) it should be a solid investment.Nissan has plenty of collectable cars dating right back to the 1960s. Think Datsun Fairlady sports cars, Datsun 240Z and 260Z coupes and of course the R32 Skyline GTR Godzilla Bathurst winning car - (Australian spec) of which only 100 were imported by the factory. You'll pay about $35,000 for Godzilla these days and it's on the way up for a decent standard one.Subaru has a couple of collectable cars too, the SVX coupe 3.3-litre flat six all-wheel-drive has possibilities and the 22B two door Impreza WRX STi for which you'll pay about $100,000 and going up.Good luck. 

Ford Performance Vehicles boss Rod Barrett admits he has been surprised by the $170,000 price tag on the 7.0-litre HSV 427 but, despite suggestions that the car's 200-unit production run is fully subscribed, he doesn't see a similar pricing structure for a GTHO. “I think that's a lot of money,” Barrett says. “I don't think I could put a car up at that money. “I know we're talking a couple of years off at the moment, but that price would be double the most expensive car I've released (the FG-based GT-E) and I just don't know where I could get the content to justify charging that price. “Anyway, I want to make this car affordable — affordable to the bloke who's a genuine GT-P, Cobra or GT Anniversary driver or collector. If the GTHO was to be a $100,000 car, I would be OK with that.” Original Phase III GTHOs from the 1970s have become something of a phenomenon in recent years, with auction prices soaring. While predictions of a million-dollar sale have not been realised, the top auction price has hit $750,000. Barrett said that while any production GTHO would be a limited-edition vehicle, it would be “special and affordable”. “The whole thing in this vision is that it'll be a completely different car to the Cobra or the 40th Anniversary GT. I've promised not to badge-engineer this car and I won't. “It will be a purpose-built car that reflects the attributes of a 1971 GTHO in all its forms. “We're not going to spray a car in a colour, throw on a stripe and say, `There you go — that's a GTHO'. That's not my vision for it.” Barrett says he has a clear plan in his head as to what will underpin a modern GTHO — right down to the wheels and the colour. There's just one key piece of the puzzle missing: what V8 is going to sit under the bonnet. “The (current 315kW) 5.4 is probably at the max of its power, so we would have to be looking at the global Ford family to find something suitable,” Barrett says. “Whatever it is, it has to have the character, reliability and driveability that's at the core of all FPV cars.” At the opposite end of the FPV scale, Barrett is working on ideas for a small — possibly four-cylinder — FPV hero. “To be honest, I haven't yet delved too deeply into the Focus, but it's on the priority list, albeit down the order,” Barrett says. “When the Focus comes down the production line at the Broadmeadows factory (scheduled for 2010 or 2011) that's something we'd be looking at. “Again, no formal discussions have been entered into with Ford, but that's the most realistic opportunity for us to do a small car because we can use the same mother-car model. “At the moment we would struggle with making a business case out of an imported car.”  

After being a smiling model on quiz shows The Price Is Right and Temptation, McGregor has landed a gig hosting the Foxtel reality show, Blood, Sweat & Gears."It was always the next step," McGregor says. "I meet people saying they love Temptation, but it's so hard to get your personality across when you're just smiling in the background."A graphic designer by trade, 26-year-old McGregor spent the past two-and-a-half years in Nine's Temptation family with Ed Phillips and Livinia Nixon.McGregor admits he's not "the craziest car fan," but didn't hesitate when it came to auditioning for BS&G."To be honest, I got a phone call from one of the guys at Foxtel asking me if I would like to audition for it," he says. "I never knock back an audition, even if I don't think I'm suited to it."He may not be a revhead, but the Aussies on the show certainly are."They're absolute nuts. It's like a religion to them. Since I have had the gig, I have had so many people come up to me and tell me a story about their cars," McGregor says.The show pits seven guys and their beloved cars against each other.The contestants are;Andrew: Japanese Import (Nissan 200SX)Andy: American Muscle(Chevy Corvette)Dave: Classic Australian(Holden LJ Torana)Dimitri: Classic Australian(Ford GT Falcon)Dominic: Performance Rotary (Mazda RX7)Jeremy: Australian Muscle (Holden Commodore VL HDT)Mohamed: High Performance European (Ferrari 350 Modena)Official judges are Ian Luff, a former race driver, and Nathan Luck, a motoring journalist. Each week, the revheads and the cars will be put through a series of tests. While the drivers will know who wins each stage, they never find out their placing on the leaderboard. McGregor says it adds to the tension."They don't know who is doing well and the challengers get a little angry and eaten up inside," he says."These guys think their car is the best. But they find out a few things about themselves as drivers - maybe they're not as good as they thought. I think it will get people into the show."While McGregor is enjoying his debut as TV host, he is unused to seeing himself as a presenter."You're always your own biggest critic and it is still kind of strange when I see myself. But I love hearing feedback, even when it's bad. It makes you better at what you do."