FG X, The Last EVER Falcon - Picture & Discussion Thread

[CQB-241]

Originally Posted by bionic2006xr6t

Guy other than the top gear magazine road test, write up and shoot out with the redline what other motoring magazines have had write ups on the new XR8's?

Cheers Ryan

Motor this month. Nice smoky pictures. But displaced off the main part of cover by a Walkinshaw Performance tuner Commodore.

[bionic2006xr6t]

Purchased motor magazine last night at the servo. They managed a 13.28 @ 179km/h in an auto XR8 and 0-100km/h in 5.17sec for those interested!

Cheers Ryab

[NanoDuke]

Originally Posted by turbo4

Just a bit above rrp.....

But the custom plates add $15k to the value. Didn't you know that?

[Sioso]

I read yesterday that the new C class merc outsold the falcon two to one last month!
I wouldn't have predicted that 10 years ago.
Maybe the FG X will change that.

[MickyB]

Originally Posted by bionic2006xr6t

Guy other than the top gear magazine road test, write up and shoot out with the redline what other motoring magazines have had write ups on the new XR8's?

Cheers Ryan

Caradvice have a good write up on the XR8 http://www.caradvice.com.au/321745/2...on-xr8-review/

[LooLoo18]

Originally Posted by T.O.Wallace

I read yesterday that the new C class merc outsold the falcon two to one last month!
I wouldn't have predicted that 10 years ago.
Maybe the FG X will change that.

Cant see FG X selling anymore then the current Falcon

[2242100]

Originally Posted by bionic2006xr6t

Guy other than the top gear magazine road test, write up and shoot out with the redline what other motoring magazines have had write ups on the new XR8's?

Cheers Ryan

Actually I should have been a bit more specific. I was talking about all the supercharged 335 kW and GTF 351 kW road test numbers that I've seen in magazines and on the Internet, and in most cases I don't think we've seen the cars true potential pace.
The WHEELS GTF Auto test time from 100 to 180 kmh works out to 7.1 seconds (or close to that, no hundredths of a second published). With the MOTOR test of the car (also no hundredths), the time from 100 to 181 works out to 8.2 seconds and the extra 1 kmh shouldn't take much more than 1 tenth, so in percentage terms that's a pretty significant difference and with that in mind I'm thinking that the car likely wasn't getting much (if any) of the 15% overboost for some reason on this occasion.
Regarding the only Supercharged (XR8) test data that I've seen. The MOTOR time from 100 to 179.13 kmh for the test car works out to 8.11 seconds.
In contrast, my own untuned FG XR6T Auto's (GPS measured) time over the same speed bracket at WSID was 7.97 seconds.

Also they recently tested an XR6 Turbo Auto (October 2014 MOTOR issue) and I believe that they were extremely impressed with the cars pace and they made that very clear with the following comment.
"Holy crap it's fast".
However the performance numbers don't seem fast to me. Their time from 100 to 180 kmh works out to 9.57 seconds, whereas in slightly warmer air my XR6T covered the same speed bracket in 8.11 seconds.
So I'm thinking that their car must have been a rocket like mine on the road and they perfectly described the XR6T's pace, but for some reason there was probably no overboost when it ran the published 400 metre time at the track, hence the considerably slower times.

[lucas2]

Originally Posted by responsef6

Whilst real world drivers did high 12s.

Part of the holden media marketing machine. Can't have 6cyl turbos thrashing the holden v8s, can we?

I'm pretty sure the car was Lee's from RDP

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by OZQUAD44

He doesn't like the HUD, and that's OK. Just because car manufacturers put new crap on cars doesn't mean they're the be all and end all. HUD can be a little distracting.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

If I recall Nissan made the same claims in the 1990's when they released the Maxima with a HUD (the model with the keypad on the door handle) and feature never gained traction in other makes and models.

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

If I recall Nissan made the same claims in the 1990's when they released the Maxima with a HUD (the model with the keypad on the door handle) and feature never gained traction in other makes and models.

I think it was the Bluebird, not the Maxima.

As for keypad on the door handle, it has gained traction - it is rather common on high end Fords in the US, at least. Not entirely sure what it's for, though.

[commodorenutt]

You're right, it was the bluebird with the vacuum fluorescent style HUD (it was probably LCD but it looked like an 80s VCR display) that was terrible in daylight, and painfully bright at night. Not sure how much adjustment capacity it had, but my friend was never happy with it.

The maxima keypad idea had merit back in the 90s when all we had was 90s technology..... I had one as a courtesy car for a week, and found it very gimmicky, with one exception: At the beach, it was brilliant - lock the keys in the car, and use the keypad to get back in.

In this age of common keyless entry & proximity keys they keypad is fairly redundant - with the exception of the beach scenario.

[amiers]

Bit off current topic, does anyone have an idea of how many FG XR8's were made?

[FGX008]

For those in Queensland, today's Courier Mail has a great write up about the FGX XR8 on pages 3 and 13 of the Cars Guide Lift out section.

The car also came second in the Guides "Car of the Year award". The winning car was the Benz C200 so this is high praise indeed. The write up by Richard Blackburn on page 3 is great and in my view it is very complimentary towards the XR8.

[DFB FGXR6]

Have now read a few reviews of the new Falcon, unsurprisingly most have been of the hero XR8. Its funny in a way, for years the journalists have been petty and harsh towards Falcon's. But with the old girl knocking on deaths door, it seems a fair amount of respect and sorrow as well as lenience has crept into the reviews.

Having read Top Gears reviews this morning, author James Stanford gave a really unbiased and almost sad review of Australia's longest running nameplate.
One piece of information from this article, and of interest to all those who have found the seating position a problem in BA-FG Falcon's, it seems to the seat has been altered.
Quote ".....there was no chance to drop the frame any lower - apparently this is a problem with the floor pan design - but Ford did recut the seat foam to allow one's cheeks to sit a little closer to the ground..."

[Eaturbo]

I really am getting tired of the whole seat being to high thing. Any bloody lower and you might as well be sitting on a skateboard. You sit in a commodore at lowest setting and you can't even see over the dash let alone have any rear view. Never had a problem with Falcons seat position or vision.

[335POWER]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

I really am getting tired of the whole seat being to high thing. Any bloody lower and you might as well be sitting on a skateboard. You sit in a commodore at lowest setting and you can't even see over the dash let alone have any rear view. Never had a problem with Falcons seat position or vision.

I was thinking this too. Gone past some "how cool do I look" commy drivers with the seat all the way down and I'm thinking how the **** can you even see!!??

[335JET]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Have now read a few reviews of the new Falcon, unsurprisingly most have been of the hero XR8. Its funny in a way, for years the journalists have been petty and harsh towards Falcon's. But with the old girl knocking on deaths door, it seems a fair amount of respect and sorrow as well as lenience has crept into the reviews.

Having read Top Gears reviews this morning, author James Stanford gave a really unbiased and almost sad review of Australia's longest running nameplate.
One piece of information from this article, and of interest to all those who have found the seating position a problem in BA-FG Falcon's, it seems to the seat has been altered.
Quote ".....there was no chance to drop the frame any lower - apparently this is a problem with the floor pan design - but Ford did recut the seat foam to allow one's cheeks to sit a little closer to the ground..."

i also read the top gear review, they mention of the bonnet bulge is now subtle, im not too sure of this, too me it looks to have grown even bigger than the FG, perhaps it does'nt raise as high as the FG...

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

I really am getting tired of the whole seat being to high thing. Any bloody lower and you might as well be sitting on a skateboard. You sit in a commodore at lowest setting and you can't even see over the dash let alone have any rear view. Never had a problem with Falcons seat position or vision.

Nor have I. If you were jumping between other cars, then yes you do/would notice it.

At the end of the day, its a family car not Porsche.

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

I really am getting tired of the whole seat being to high thing. Any bloody lower and you might as well be sitting on a skateboard. You sit in a commodore at lowest setting and you can't even see over the dash let alone have any rear view. Never had a problem with Falcons seat position or vision.

How tall are you?

I've noticed in full electric seat models my hair will always brush the rooflining, but not so in the base models or standard XR of B Series/FG.

[Bonn]

Originally Posted by amiers

Bit off current topic, does anyone have an idea of how many FG XR8's were made?

Nowhere near enough

[HO 3]

Originally Posted by BOSS 4LTR

i also read the top gear review, they mention of the bonnet bulge is now subtle, im not too sure of this, too me it looks to have grown even bigger than the FG, perhaps it does'nt raise as high as the FG...

If your sitting slightly lower in FGX XR8, ie 1 inch, your perspective of the bonnet view will be altered.

Cheers Mick

[MAD]

I notice straight away the sensation of sitting too high when I drive an FG. Can't adjust the steering wheel high enough to see the top of the speedo either.

[arronm]

Originally Posted by Eaturbo

I really am getting tired of the whole seat being to high thing. Any bloody lower and you might as well be sitting on a skateboard. You sit in a commodore at lowest setting and you can't even see over the dash let alone have any rear view. Never had a problem with Falcons seat position or vision.

The commodore suits tall people

Hey you can always raise the seat. But in the ford when it's at the lowest there is no where left to adjust. This is a major problem with the falcon. That's why there are so many complaints

[4vxc]

I've never felt the seat is too high and I've never heard anyone else mention it either seems to me once a journalist first came up with this they all seemed to jump onboard and have a whinge, as they do.

[Bonn]

FG seating position is perfect, IMO.
Wife raises it substantially (on the rare occasion she drives it) to see over the bonnet bulge.

[Tbm1121]

I don't think it's so much the seat but the fact the steering wheel sits so low, older models allowed for higher adjustment

[Freiherr]

Never mind the seating changes or the bonnet bulges. The paragraph from TopGear which caught my eye goes like this.
“Driving the FPV GT hard on a winding road was the ultimate Napisan Challenge: when pressed, the car bucked and swayed and the back end let go whenever it could. But the XR8 handles like a go-kart in comparison.”
My question, was there any major change to RSPEC for such a transformation in handling?

[commodorenutt]

If you have the seat all the way back, it's not bad, as the base of the seat is well back from the steering wheel - but for those of us who aren't 6' tall or more, moving the seat forward to a suitable position to reach the pedals makes entry/egress a lot more difficult with a steering wheel in your lap - even when it's all the way up, and all the way into the dash.

Bringing the adjustable reach of the steering wheel out from the dash, because of the angle, does raise it up higher, and away from the seat base a little more, but then it's too close to your chest. There just isn't a good compromise available for someone with my dimensions (height/torso height/leg length) that's comfortable, so you have to put up with it.

If you look under the FG, you can see the vast amount of space between the bottom of the sills, and the floorpan several inches above - almost reminiscent of having a separate chassis/body - there's so much clearance. The Commodore on the other hand "sinks" the seat area of the floorpan down a lot lower in this respect. I can see why Ford can't physically do anything about the structure, as it would be a massive alteration, but allowing the wheel to lift up a bit more could have been something to consider.

I had to drive a hybrid Camry the other day. The seats in it are terrible - they are like sitting on a park bench, and the base stops a good 4" shorter than the falcon - almost like you're sitting on a bar stool, with the front half of your thigh not supported. They have a crude electric system that raises the seat as it moves it forward (there doesn't seem to be a way to just move it forward or up - it's combined into one movement) but because the seats are shorter, and the steering wheel goes way higher than you need it to, there's more than enough room (albeit uncomfortable room).

[FGX008]

Originally Posted by Freiherr

Never mind the seating changes or the bonnet bulges. The paragraph from TopGear which caught my eye goes like this.
“Driving the FPV GT hard on a winding road was the ultimate Napisan Challenge: when pressed, the car bucked and swayed and the back end let go whenever it could. But the XR8 handles like a go-kart in comparison.”
My question, was there any major change to RSPEC for such a transformation in handling?

Bloody good question! I would like to know as well.

[Snowdoggydogg]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

If you have the seat all the way back, it's not bad, as the base of the seat is well back from the steering wheel - but for those of us who aren't 6' tall or more, moving the seat forward to a suitable position to reach the pedals makes entry/egress a lot more difficult with a steering wheel in your lap - even when it's all the way up, and all the way into the dash.

Bringing the adjustable reach of the steering wheel out from the dash, because of the angle, does raise it up higher, and away from the seat base a little more, but then it's too close to your chest. There just isn't a good compromise available for someone with my dimensions (height/torso height/leg length) that's comfortable, so you have to put up with it.

If you look under the FG, you can see the vast amount of space between the bottom of the sills, and the floorpan several inches above - almost reminiscent of having a separate chassis/body - there's so much clearance. The Commodore on the other hand "sinks" the seat area of the floorpan down a lot lower in this respect. I can see why Ford can't physically do anything about the structure, as it would be a massive alteration, but allowing the wheel to lift up a bit more could have been something to consider.

I had to drive a hybrid Camry the other day. The seats in it are terrible - they are like sitting on a park bench, and the base stops a good 4" shorter than the falcon - almost like you're sitting on a bar stool, with the front half of your thigh not supported. They have a crude electric system that raises the seat as it moves it forward (there doesn't seem to be a way to just move it forward or up - it's combined into one movement) but because the seats are shorter, and the steering wheel goes way higher than you need it to, there's more than enough room (albeit uncomfortable room).

I've had all three (FG Falcon, VE Commodore, Toyota Camry Hybrid) and I'm 6'4 and 105 kg. I find the Commodore sits me low and makes the A pillar issue with that car even worse. The Toyota as you pointed out is crap. My G6Et probably feels the most engaged out of the three. It's certainly a different and more upright feeling being in the Ford but with my not so flash back I tend to appreciate that car the most. The commy makes me want to pull over every hour to stretch.