FG Falcon Upgrade Delivers More Equipment and Better Fuel Economy

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Brazen

I doubt it, the Statesman in China is a very high-end Merc and BMW competitor almost hand-assembled. Over here the Statesman is built alongside tens of thousands Commodores and middle east exports. Holden is in a much much better position to continue building the Statesman and supply the US market than China.

Again, I find myself using this:



Holden isn't in a much better position to do anything. Ford cancelled the Fairlane, not because it wasn't a good car, because it was, but because it was selling in numbers that make local production a loss making venture, and any future development un-viable. Statesman is falling to Fairlane like numbers, and, if they can make if off shore, where they can make money, they will. Don't think that just because Holden make it in Australia today, that they will continue to tomorrow.

By the way, the Buick Park Avenue is not any more hand assembled than your precious Commodore or Cruze is. It is sent to China in a box, and is constructed in much the same way as it would in Australia, just that the component manufacturers closer, and they don't need to go through Australia first.

[Road_Warrior]

Although in fairness, one of the reasons the Fairlane in BA and BF guise performed so poorly in the sales race (compared to the Stato) was that it resembled the bog standard Falcon. Had it had different styling then the outcome may have been different. Notwithstanding the general shift away from LWB cars and investment in the segment of course.

People don't want to be paying 70 large for a luxury car that resembles a fleet hack.

[Bobman]

Yeah, but AU Fairlane was completely different from the AU Falcon and that still didn't help it's cause. I thought it was a decent car.

WH Statesmans looked very similar to their VT Commodore counterparts, but still sold well.

[Joe5619]

That AU Fairlane was a terrible, terrible, terrible looking thing.. Worse than the AU itself!! What in gods names where they thing with the whole AU lineup?? That thing was never going to sell while against a very nice looking statemen..

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by irlewy86

Make it a paddy wagon and see what happens. Reading some of the comments on the Caprice PPV and Taurus they bang on about how much equipment they need and to separate the prisoners from the driver as they are often violent.... Seems odd they have never tried a paddy wagon.

Paddy wagons dont make very good pursuit vehicles.
I know on Cops im pretty sure ive seen a variation of the paddy wagon in Los Vegas to pick up the drunk and disorderlies at the strip (the word Paddy wagon is American anyway)

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

That AU Fairlane was a terrible, terrible, terrible looking thing.. Worse than the AU itself!! What in gods names where they thing with the whole AU lineup?? That thing was never going to sell while against a very nice looking statemen..

You won't win many fans around here if you spew that drivel.

The AU Fairlane was a fine car, as was the BA Fairlane. I think the problem for Local Long Wheel Based cars, is that, for the same money, you can get a BMW, or Mercedes-Benz, or Audi, with better build quality, more fruit, and that warm fuzzy feeling that only European models can give you. The locals don't stand a chance.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

That AU Fairlane was a terrible, terrible, terrible looking thing.. Worse than the AU itself!! What in gods names where they thing with the whole AU lineup?? That thing was never going to sell while against a very nice looking statemen..

AU statto looks good IMO, the statto looked bland like the BA/F Fairlane.

[EDManual]

I liked the AU fairlane, much nicer looking than the newer ones. Stood out a bit.

[Cooper69S]

Originally Posted by russellw

A number of software changes have also been made to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), to deliver emissions, driveability and fuel efficiency improvements, including:

• Optimised cold start and warm up calibration
• Optimised hot idle calibration
• Revised pedal progression in line with Ford global DNA to provide a more progressive and linear launch profile
• Minor transmission shift schedule changes for optimised upshift and cruise gear selection
• Enhanced Deceleration Fuel Shut-Off (DFSO) for optimal urban fuel economy

Haven't seen any discussion about what exactly they mean by a more progressive launch profile...
saw this interpretation in the local paper yesterday

On the downside, Ford Australia has been forced to fall into line with Ford's global policy of having more progressive takeoffs from a standstill. This contradicts the well-know Aussie drivers’ love of getting away from the lights like a drag racer at every opportunity. Commodore drivers may chose to take advantage of this – just joking, we couldn’t possibly condone anti-social behaviour.

sounds like a clueless comment to me. it would take a fair bit to slow a 6spd Falcon down to 3.0L Commodore levels...

[irlewy86]

Originally Posted by NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

On the downside, Ford Australia has been forced to fall into line with Ford's global policy of having more progressive takeoffs from a standstill. This contradicts the well-know Aussie drivers’ love of getting away from the lights like a drag racer at every opportunity. Commodore drivers may chose to take advantage of this – just joking, we couldn’t possibly condone anti-social behaviour.

I much prefer a more progressive pedal anyway. As for "taking off from the lights quickly" WOT will more than suffice those needing an ego boost.

[Gaz]

The B-series and the FG's IIRC don't have a equal ratio of pedal to TB movement. The first part of the pedal has a greater effect on the TB opening than the last part.

EG 30% Accelerator might equal 50% TB opening.

I like the sound of the DFSO - in the work BMW (Diesel) looking at the instant economy gauge, as soon as your off the pedal it drops right back to 0. As opposed to my BF when you accelerate and back off and the instant consumption hangs and takes a few seconds to drop back to idling levels.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by Gaz

The B-series and the FG's IIRC don't have a equal ratio of pedal to TB movement. The first part of the pedal has a greater effect on the TB opening than the last part.

EG 30% Accelerator might equal 50% TB opening.

I was down in Melbourne a couple of years ago and got stuck with a Maxima. Maybe mine was a strange one but even a seemingly light throttle application had the thing launching, giving my passengers whiplash for the first day or two.

Was happy to get back in my XR8, at least the throttle application feels a lot more linear, even if the ratio is out.

[Mr Hardware]

Rodp, i had the same experience with a Tiida work car i had. 15% throttle application seemed to provide about 60% TB opening. Whiplash city.

I think a linear throttle is a good thing. Good and right throttle response is a seldom-achieved art in carmaking. Biggest failure in throttle response i've ever driven was a VZ Commodore, as it were.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Throttle repsonse obviously has a big impact on fuel consumption too!!

[anto]

i quite like the instant throttle reponse on the FG as apposed to my AUXR8, it makes sense as most of the time when youre stop starting in traffic and you get used to the amount of pressure you need to apply.

[anto]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

That AU Fairlane was a terrible, terrible, terrible looking thing.. Worse than the AU itself!! What in gods names where they thing with the whole AU lineup?? That thing was never going to sell while against a very nice looking statemen..

they were thinking, "this line up looks sweet" ...and they were right.

[Bobman]

So now that we've seen what the 50th anniversary models will look like, hopefully some of the small styling cues will also feature on the updated non-anniversary models.

'Edge' to replace 'Ego' sounds like the same transition from 'Mercury Silver' to 'Silk'.

[Bobman]

It's nearly July and not much on here that I could find about the updated Falcon.

Any further details about wheel changes or similar? I'm guessing they'll start to appear in showrooms in a few weeks.