Ecoboost test drive

[Kable72]

Hey guys,

Just took the Ecoboost for a drive. I gotta say, not bad for a 4 bangin' falcon! It's quiet, aircon is cosy. It's comfortable in the G6E variant and has a bit of power there that you just don't quite expect. I could've seen this car being the savior of the Falcon. If only people knew about it!

[RHR]

Same with the EcoLpi i drove the other day.
What an engine. So much grunt down low and you wouldnt know the thing was on GAS. Very impressed

[GTP534]

Originally Posted by RHR

Same with the EcoLpi i drove the other day.
What an engine. So much grunt down low and you wouldnt know the thing was on GAS. Very impressed

I had an XR6 EcoLPI as a courtesy car a couple of weeks ago. I was quite impressed, a lovely comfortable car to drive.

[xisled]

IMO it does not matter what type of motor a Falcon has, it will still be a Falcon and people opinion's will not change.

Maybe if this motor happened 10 years ago, it would have been in time.

But in saying that, I am impressed with the EcoLPI and the ECO boost motor.

[superfly]

Yeah I agree.

Even the journos are saying Ford should advertise these 2 variants.

[Mechan1k]

advertising and marketing is key .... and we all know how Ford stand with that.

Although they have been better of late in that department ... but still not like other carmakers where you see ads every 5 seconds.

[carwant.com.au]

I dont understand why the government wont give businesses (or employees who have a car allowance) an extra tax deduction for locally built cars (Ford or others). Our government instead gives us the same deduction regardless if we buy local, or support lower cost car manufacturing countries overseas

[Kevaclone]

Q for those who have driven one
I have driven a couple of small capacity turbo engines in heavier vehicles and have been very unimpressed with the performance
And by that I mean the off boost and from a standing start
until they reach around 2200rpm they go just like a small capacity engine in a big car, but once the turbo starts to work they go quite well

The problem is the lag. I just couldn't live with it

So does the Ecoboost have this off boost lag?

[Mechan1k]

I think what really helps these EB Falcons is the very short first gear in them.
I know in my I6 with the ZF ... the thing picks up the nose and launches .... I doubt there'd be much lag in them with such a short 1st gear in them.

Going on the 0-100km/h figures though ... there's little to no difference in EB4 and I6 ... so to me that shows there's little to no lag.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Kevaclone

Q for those who have driven one
I have driven a couple of small capacity turbo engines in heavier vehicles and have been very unimpressed with the performance
And by that I mean the off boost and from a standing start
until they reach around 2200rpm they go just like a small capacity engine in a big car, but once the turbo starts to work they go quite well

The problem is the lag. I just couldn't live with it

So does the Ecoboost have this off boost lag?

No lag ..... they are not the traditional Turbo slapped onto the side of the engine like an after market addition. They are integrated into the engine and is constant.

As stated above, the 6 speed box suits it perfect with the short first gear and really it is not what you would think a turbo engine should feel like. It is not there to turn it into a sports car ..... rather than to make the 4 pot match the 6 in torque and power ..... and it works.

Anyone who has thoughts of driving one should not expect it to be a sports car, just because it has a turbo, it isn't, but it would make a damn great daily!

[Nic85]

It still cannot defy physics - there'll always be some lag due to the way a turbo engine works. The engine needs load on it to spin the compressor, which then needs to pump air through the intercooler and into the engine. Turbo engines are much, much better these days, but certainly aren't lag free.

[Auslandau]

...... take 1 for a drive. I know what lag is as have a Ranger Diesel. That is lag ..... EB has none and has been designed this way.

[Kevaclone]

I drove the Mazda CX7 turbo which I think was about 2.3L
and I could count to two before the thing had any noticeable power

Add to the lag the need to drop two or three gears and then wait for boost when nailing it for overtaking type moves, by the time all this is done the opportunity to pass may have already passed. I felt it could leave you in a bad situation if you miss timed it

I wasn't looking for a sports car back then, just a daily for the wife. And since they had no diesel version available for at the time(which was said to be far better) I didn't buy one

An auto box with a high stall speed converter would also help I guess, letting it rev to 2000 or more to get it up to on boost revs. Something the mazda didn't have, stall speed of about 1600rpm when floored, also it's 2 tonne weight, the Ford would be a few hundred kgs lighter

[NX74205]

Originally Posted by Kevaclone

Q for those who have driven one
I have driven a couple of small capacity turbo engines in heavier vehicles and have been very unimpressed with the performance
And by that I mean the off boost and from a standing start
until they reach around 2200rpm they go just like a small capacity engine in a big car, but once the turbo starts to work they go quite well

The problem is the lag. I just couldn't live with it

So does the Ecoboost have this off boost lag?

None that I could detect when I drove one. But then I don't have a lot of experience with turbos.

I was pleasantly surprised by the low down power available on the EcoBoost. Coupled with the 6 speed auto, it's pretty damn quick off the mark. It also likes to rev a bit more than the six.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by NX74205

None that I could detect when I drove one. But then I don't have a lot of experience with turbos.

I was pleasantly surprised by the low down power available on the EcoBoost. Coupled with the 6 speed auto, it's pretty damn quick off the mark. It also likes to rev a bit more than the six.

Probably be better if you didn't have experience with turbos as you are comparing it to a N/A engine rather than other turbos.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

advertising and marketing is key .... and we all know how Ford stand with that.

They don't really advertise the Falcon, other Ford products seem to get on the TV.

Originally Posted by Kevaclone

Q for those who have driven one
I have driven a couple of small capacity turbo engines in heavier vehicles and have been very unimpressed with the performance
And by that I mean the off boost and from a standing start
until they reach around 2200rpm they go just like a small capacity engine in a big car, but once the turbo starts to work they go quite well

The problem is the lag. I just couldn't live with it

So does the Ecoboost have this off boost lag?

With the right gearing, smaller turbo and DI it can be made seamless. Like others have said go test drive one. Its a good car and its unfortunate that it isn't generating more sales.

[flooded one]

i'd like too see ford heavly advertise the ecoboost against the mazda 3!! I was a bit disapointed in the mazda 3 i drove. i liked the car dont get me wrong. i just dont see what was so great about it!! ford should advertise the ecoboost fuel economy against smaller cars like mazda 3!!!

[bdjames13]

here is a video of ecoboost falcon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q_zk0qGFFI

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by Nic85

It still cannot defy physics - there'll always be some lag due to the way a turbo engine works. The engine needs load on it to spin the compressor, which then needs to pump air through the intercooler and into the engine. Turbo engines are much, much better these days, but certainly aren't lag free.

Not to the point where it is still a problem. I don't think I would buy a new car without a GTDI engine now, they are so much better to drive than an equivalent N/A engine.

[Nic85]

Originally Posted by chevypower

Not to the point where it is still a problem. I don't think I would buy a new car without a GTDI engine now, they are so much better to drive than an equivalent N/A engine.

I totally agree with you. I think modern turbo engines - petrol or diesel - are quantifiably better than their forebearers. My point was simply that because of the design of a turbo charged engine, there will always be some lag while the turbo compressor spins up. It is impossible to have none.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Nic85

because of the design of a turbo charged engine, there will always be some lag while the turbo compressor spins up. It is impossible to have none.

....... they have redesigned it and it is now possible.



OK ..... there might be 0.003 seconds of lag but you would be pretty good to pick it!