FG2 Launch: Fuel and Emissions challange

**Polyal** · 20-07-2011, 12:03 PM

Ok so its probably not going happen but I was thinking how interesting it would be. With all the different drive train options coming out this year I feel that perhaps the usual media route might not be enough to convey the message (theres so many!) So...heres an idea, not perfect, but something different.

The fleet would be:

Territory TX TDi RWD
Territory Titaniumm AWD I6
Falcon LiLPG XR6
Falcon XT EB4
Falcon G6E I6
(maybe a ute?)

Make legs between each capital city (including going to Tassie), with drive routes in and around each to see how each handles all conditions from highway to urban.

Make the mix of people from motoring journo's to the man Bob (CEO) himself. Run a competition for each state for people to participate locally or drive to the next capital (fly them back, whatever, get QANTAS to sponsor the event and offer the flights in return to their logo on the side..Aussie Aussie Aussie etc).

Have Wheels or Motor run a massive spread following the progress, the news papers would be all over it. And depending on how the maths stacks up previously, throw in a camry hybrid and a commodore V6 sidi-abcd.

Is it risky, well a little, but if you dont push you wont get noticed and I think a few myths could be debunked along the way. It opens the countries eyes, involves all states and best of all an Aussie product.

So come on Bob, your a marketing guru, yes it would cost a bomb but so does closing the doors when the poo hits the fan. FoA have a history of running events to prove a point, the XP durability run is an example that changed many opinions.

Virtual Gauntlet thrown down.

Dooo iiiit Bobby!

UNR8D · 20-07-2011, 12:53 PM

I was reading that thinking yea.... another thread about FG2 but what you suggest makes alot of sense and would go a long way to people thinking they are just a fuel sucking dinosaur... reason is more and more now days people are looking for PROOF not just spin, its a good way of shuting up the skeptics.

GT-E · 20-07-2011, 01:23 PM

May be they could get a few journalists to visit their facebook friends all over the country to see how the fuel economy is. It is a great idea to show real world consumption figures, not just numbers on a page with "official" testing figures.

Yellow_Festiva · 20-07-2011, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT-E

May be they could get a few journalists to visit their facebook friends all over the country to see how the fuel economy is. It is a great idea to show real world consumption figures, not just numbers on a page with "official" testing figures.

True, however 'official' testing figures are (I'm assuming) based on set circumstances and procedures to keep things fair and transparent.

I drove to Melb from Syd and back in my TDCi Focus. Going there we had all the time in the world, cruised along at 99-100km/h and averaged 4.2-4.4L / 100km.

Returning home we were in a bit of a rush, set the CC to 112km/h. Average jumped to 5.4-5.6L/100.

Large difference. Any car can be driven to achieve well below 'official' figures, it all depends on the driver. What speed to you think a journalist would drive if they supported the blue flag? And would that change if they had a personal bias towards the Red?

The idea does have merit however

burnz · 20-07-2011, 02:28 PM

isn't the ford terry ad stating 1,000k's to a tank?? (facebook friends')http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5sOPlCgikc

same as holden ad... people understand simple statements, not confusing numbers.

Yellow_Festiva · 21-07-2011, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burnz

isn't the ford terry ad stating 1,000k's to a tank?? (facebook friends')http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5sOPlCgikc

same as holden ad... people understand simple statements, not confusing numbers.

I agree. Actually, thinking back to conversations I had with my now wife when we were first dating, I asked her about her Mirage, and what sort of economy it got.

She had no clue, put petrol in, drove, and when it got low she would put more in. Had it for 8 years and wouldn't know if it used 6 litres or 12 liters per 100. Just wasn't something she was interested in knowing.

On the other hand, I learn't this in the Festiva within 1 week of ownership.

We just returned from a trip to Melb. Funnily enough, I took this as an economy test for the Diesel Focus we have. Yes, it does got Sydney to Melb on a tank (just - depends on your average speed).

When my wife called her friend back in Sydney (who happens to be dating a Melb boy) she was amazed that the Focus would do the trip in 1 tank, and almost measured the worth of the car by the fact it could do this feat in 1 swoop. After all, she needed to stop half way in her Accord to fill up when she drove down.

At no time did she ask what the tank capacity was (which is the first question I would have asked) but perhaps that's a guys way of thinking.

If only the Focus had an extra few litres of storage! Would have then been able to also advertise '1,000L to a tank' alongside the Diesel Tezza and Fiesta no worries...

Perhaps this is the case with the new Focus?

**Polyal** · 20-07-2011, 03:03 PM

Well yeah the theory would be then to have real world comparisons of CO2, usage, user friendliness, consumption etc.

If Ford have gone out to have best in class options like I think they have then I say put your balls on the line and show us why we should buy your product.

jpd80 · 20-07-2011, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

The fleet would be:

Territory TX TDi RWD
Territory Titaniumm AWD I6 <------ Not available anymore, try RWD Titanium I-6?
Falcon LiLPG XR6
Falcon XT EB4
Falcon G6E I6
(maybe a ute?)...Falcon EcoLPI Ute

Make above changes and I'm on board...

R1XSTA · 21-07-2011, 10:17 AM

Is all of the testing at Ford done in a "controlled enviroment?"
Is it all just sitting on a "rolling stand" and just driving on cruise on 100 k/ph with all the windows up, a/c and radio off, and just 'driving' on rollers to see how long it'll take till its empty?

Or is it REAL testing, with alternate heat levels, G force levels, wind levels, overtaking..

Seems hard to rely on a car thats "1000km to a tank" if its done inside a factory.

Yellow_Festiva · 21-07-2011, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R1XSTA

Is all of the testing at Ford done in a "controlled enviroment?"
Is it all just sitting on a "rolling stand" and just driving on cruise on 100 k/ph with all the windows up, a/c and radio off, and just 'driving' on rollers to see how long it'll take till its empty?

Or is it REAL testing, with alternate heat levels, G force levels, wind levels, overtaking..

Seems hard to rely on a car thats "1000km to a tank" if its done inside a factory.

While you are correct, it isn't very hard to beat 'official' figures. I have done this in every car I have owned on the open road.

External influences do play a big part, but I think it has more to do with the person behind the wheel.

Take a look at many of the economy records done on the road. Well below factory figures. For while I think a Daewoo / Ssangyong / Merc Musso held the large SUV diesel economy record. Was sub 5L per 100 if mem serves (it was several years ago).

R1XSTA · 21-07-2011, 10:35 AM

I agree completely. my BA XR6 was done to 9.9L/100KM at one point, and that was due to the fact i just purely drove slowly, didnt accelerate harshly.

I think ford rated it at 11.8L

Yellow_Festiva · 21-07-2011, 10:41 AM

Makes for interesting reading:

http://www.fuelacademy.com/world_record_drives.html

The Musso test was done in 1999, got from Brisbane to Melbourne on a single tank!

Lots of cars there actully. Some very amazing figures.

I have said this many times in regards to economy, lowest speed in highest gear and you will always get further.