First Drive: Falcon Ecoboost - Page 2

Smoke Pursuit · 05-12-2011, 02:32 PM

So they test drove it but did not report on fuel economy??

right......

madmelon · 05-12-2011, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASH GT

So they test drove it but did not report on fuel economy??

right......

I think they said something like "these are pre-production validation vehicles, there is more calibration to be done"...

...nice excuse

geckoGT · 05-12-2011, 02:36 PM

I will be interested in seeing what the CO2 emissions are as that is now one of the essential criteria for government fleet selection, more so than fuel consumption.

Rodge · 05-12-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASH GT

So they test drove it but did not report on fuel economy??

right......

It isn't nick-named drivel without good reason

**Polyal** · 05-12-2011, 02:37 PM

Probably because they still want people to buy now and not wait until this actually comes out. All these options are slowly killing the I6, which is probably part of the plan anyway.

Fords putting alot of feelers out to see what the market likes.

HULK EF · 05-12-2011, 02:44 PM

i4 acceleration = win
fuel economy = most likely a win.

could be a nice small T motor like the Sr20T..

with a tune 200 kw and 400 nm+? 6 second 0-100s and fuel economy of a small car.. performance of a muscle car and seats a whole family...

Wretched · 05-12-2011, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASH GT

So they test drove it but did not report on fuel economy??

right......

Was it a final spec car?
Would Ford allow that information to be revealed before the formal unveiling?

blueoval · 05-12-2011, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HULK EF

i4 acceleration = win
fuel economy = most likely a win.

could be a nice small T motor like the Sr20T..

with a tune 200 kw and 400 nm+? 6 second 0-100s and fuel economy of a small car.. performance of a muscle car and seats a whole family...

This is what Im thinking the mini modders will do down the track. It has the potential to be nimble on the road and frugal on the fuel and still be family friendly. Of course it won't be a weapon like the 6T but a lot who choose to mod this little engine will get some benefit from tuning the little turbo. Time will tell.

HULK EF · 05-12-2011, 03:09 PM

OH BOY!!!!! just a thought! this is going to "F^*%" the FF and other random dyno comps right up!! This will be the birth of the RWD Turbo I4 Category.. -Currently non existant within dyno comps that i know of.

blueoval · 05-12-2011, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HULK EF

OH BOY!!!!! just a thought! this is going to "F^*%" the FF and other random dyno comps right up!! This will be the birth of the RWD Turbo I4 Category.. -Currently non existant within dyno comps that i know of.

^^^ This has yet to be confirmed. Let's not too ahead of ourselves mate. I want it to be RWD too but I think for manufacturer's sake there is a strong push to go FWD sadly.

loxxr6 · 05-12-2011, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASH GT

So they test drove it but did not report on fuel economy??

right......

There's a mention of economy in this article but it's still speculation.

blueoval · 05-12-2011, 03:44 PM

Here is Car Advice's review of the eco boost

http://www.caradvice.com.au/149806/2...oboost-review/

Quote:

The Ford Falcon EcoBoost is arguably the most important new vehicle for Ford Australia since the introduction of the Territory in 2004.

Though the local manufacturer is downplaying the four-cylinder Falcon’s role as the great white hope for the embattled 52-year-old nameplate, there’s no denying its success – or failure – will shape the next-generation of the traditional large car, as well as Ford’s manufacturing future in Australia.

The Ford Falcon EcoBoost goes on sale in Australia early in the second quarter of 2012, claiming to offer a no-compromises family sedan with strong performance and impressive fuel economy. It will answer an important question for Ford and for the Australian automotive industry: have new-car buyers been leaving large cars in droves because of their higher fuel consumption or simply because of their size?

Ford Australia announced its decision to produce a four-cylinder Falcon in July 2009 after confirming it had abandoned plans to assemble the all-new Ford Focus small car in Broadmeadows.

Following more than three years in local development (and a delay that should have already seen the car on the market), the Falcon EcoBoost will become the first vehicle in the legendary nameplate’s history to feature a four-cylinder engine. When it is launched (around April next year), it will be the first rear-wheel drive vehicle in the world to feature a 2.0-litre EcoBoost powerplant.

After a short drive of some Falcon EcoBoost development vehicles at Ford Australia’s You Yangs proving ground near Geelong, we think the local manufacturer has given itself every chance of making the four-cylinder Falcon a success.

The engine – which has been in production in Spain since 2009 – combines direct injection, turbocharging and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT), all of which are designed to maximise combustion efficiency and optimise power delivery and fuel economy.

Exactly how powerful and fuel efficient will the Falcon EcoBoost be? At this stage, Ford isn’t saying. The popular belief is that the Falcon will get the tune already offered in the mid-sized Mondeo in Europe. That engine generates 177kW of power (at 5500rpm) and 340Nm of torque (1750-4500rpm), which would put it 18kW/51Nm adrift of the 4.0-litre inline six (I6) in the standard Falcon.

Based on other applications of the engine (including the Mondeo and Volvo S60), it seems likely the Falcon EcoBoost will have an official fuel consumption rating between 8.0-8.5 litres/100km. That would make it more economical than the 3.0-litre SIDI V6 engine in the Holden Commodore (8.9 litres/100km), and considerably sharper than the Falcon’s I6 (9.9 litres/100km). Ford will not reveal official performance and fuel figures until closer to the car’s second-quarter launch next year.

Perhaps the biggest reservation Australians will have about the Falcon EcoBoost is whether a 2.0-litre engine has got the guts to pull a large family car. While the I6 will be better suited to tasks like towing, the EcoBoost proved to us it won’t get left behind on the road.

Ford Australia engineers put I6 production vehicles and EcoBoost development vehicles head-to-head in a series of 0-100km/h tests. With a driver and front-seat passenger on-board, we achieved 7.05 seconds in the six-cylinder Falcon and 7.22 seconds in the EcoBoost. The difference is so minute that it’s impossible to tell which one is faster from inside the car without looking at the clock.

The most obvious difference between the two is the sound they make. While the I6 accelerates with a deep, progressive rush, the EcoBoost is higher pitched and a little noiser, although still acceptably quiet and refined. There’s a hint of turbo lag from the EcoBoost but it’s really only something you notice when you’re pushing to get the most out of the engine. In normal driving conditions, it feels just as sophisticated as the I6, and doesn’t sound or feel like it is working hard to haul around the large frame.

Ford’s engineers revealed the EcoBoost Falcon is about 60kg lighter than the I6 variants (which weigh 1704kg), with the engine and transmission lighter in comparison. A 3.5 per cent weight saving doesn’t sound like a lot, but you can certainly notice the difference from behind the wheel. That’s because the majority of the weigh has been lifted off the front axle, which pushes the car’s weigh distribution closer to 50:50 and makes it feel more balanced. Stepping out of the I6 and into the EcoBoost, you just feel like there’s less weight in front of you. It’s a positive thing, especially as the I6 Falcon’s already strong handling characteristics have been carried over to accompany the new engine.

Although the cars we drove were development vehicles, Ford’s engineers revealed to us they were in the final stages of calibration (fuel consumption and emissions data has already been calculated) and said they were likely to be highly representative of what to expect from the production vehicles.

So who is going to buy a four-cylinder Falcon? Ford Australia president and CEO Bob Graziano says he believes there are a number of customers who want the fuel efficiency of a smaller car but don’t want to compromise the versatility, comfort and performance of a traditional large sedan.

“EcoBoost is the replacement for displacement. It’s no longer about the number of cylinders, but about capability.

“When you think about operating costs and things of that nature, those are the customers that we’re looking for with the EcoBoost Falcon.”

The EcoBoost engine will be available in XT, G6 and G6E variants. (It seems to us like a slight identity crisis, but Ford says it never considered changing the model names to ‘G4’ and ‘G4E’.) Pricing will be revealed early next year, but don’t expect the EcoBoost to be a cut-price alternative to the I6 – despite the engine being half its size. Graziano would not confirm if the new model would be cheaper – or indeed more expensive – than the conventional six-cylinder.

“[EcoBoost] is as much a technology story as it is a value story. It’s not a discount strategy with that powertrain because … you’re not really having to give up anything to move into the EcoBoost.”

Graziano said there would be no ‘XR4’ EcoBoost variant, insisting that the XR badge was iconic and had a different character and identity to the new downsized 2.0-litre alternative.

Ford Australia spokeswoman Sinead Phipps said the addition of EcoBoost to the Falcon range meant customers had a broader choice of alternative powertrain technologies than ever before.

“All of them – our I6 turbo and non-turbo variants, the EcoLPi and EcoBoost – are all designed to complement each other and target different customers. Australian consumers are very clearly saying that they want choice and we are aiming to give that to them.

“It’s not up to us to dictate which powertrain they should choose – it’s about offering them choice and giving them a reason to stay in a Falcon instead of consider an alternative.”

Hulk EF - Apologize for doubting you mate. Looks like this is heading the way of RWD as you say. Very interesting indeed.

Bossxr8 · 05-12-2011, 03:48 PM

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25795D000017F2

They are claiming at least 1 second quicker to 100 than the Sisi 3.0.

Road_Warrior · 05-12-2011, 03:48 PM

http://www.carpoint.com.au/reviews/2...st-drive-27914

Quote:

In longitudinal trim, Ford has also installed it in test versions of its F-Series full-size pick-ups - but the Falcon is the first rear-drive application of the engine to come to market. Thus Falcon and Territory platform chief Bruce Hampel revealed that the work Ford Australia is doing on the Falcon EcoBoost is plugging in to other programs using the engine in longitudinal/rear-wheel drive installations in the USA. Once again Ford Australia is turning new turf.

O rly

Interesting comment to make.

HULK EF · 05-12-2011, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueoval

^^^ This has yet to be confirmed. Let's not too ahead of ourselves mate. I want it to be RWD too but I think for manufacturer's sake there is a strong push to go FWD sadly.

Im pretty sure there has been mention of Falcon being the 1ST rear wheel drive application of this new ecoboost motor in the world.

-Even if there was a big bad surprise in FWd would it have been mentioned in the "drive article" -Would be a massive story..

Rodge · 05-12-2011, 03:57 PM

Car advice review is far better than the drivel one, there's a surprise, (NOT).
Those comparitive acceleration figures look interesting. If they can get that motor really close to 8.0 litres per 100 km's it deserves to do well.

Road Games · 05-12-2011, 04:00 PM

8.0 litres per 100 ??

We need a 8.0 litre motor !!!

Smoke Pursuit · 05-12-2011, 04:17 PM

And the G6E comes with 18 inch wheels unlike the LPG car.

Very keen to see how the eco 4 pans out.

blueoval · 05-12-2011, 04:23 PM

A review done by the Motor Report

Quote:

Surprising - that's the new FG Falcon MkII with EcoBoost. If you were expecting a slug, which I was, then, like me, you'll have to think again.

Some scepticism, of course, is understandable. Putting a four-cylinder engine in an Australian family car has a chequered history.

You too might remember the 'Starfire' four-cylinder Commodore, all 58kW of it. The stuff of nightmares...

However, if our first drive is any indication, the FG Falcon MkII with Ford's new direct-injected and turbocharged EcoBoost with twin-independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) - designed to maximise combustion efficiency - is about to rewrite and redress that history.

Because with the Ecoboost under the bonnet, the performance of the Falcon off the mark, when lined up against the I6 engine, is near enough to be directly comparable.

2012 ford fg falcon mkii first drive review 04

To cut straight to the chase, with two occupants in the new FG MkII Ecoboost, we recorded 7.6 seconds dead in the 0-100km/h dash.

Two-up in an otherwise identical G6 with the proven and very respected I6 under the bonnet, we recorded 7.2 seconds.

Now, the Falcon 'six' is a known quantity - known to be strong, and known to make the FG Falcon a swift point-to-point tourer.

That the Ecoboost is within half a second of its time, hauling the same big and strong Falcon body, is little short of remarkable.

To prove the point further, we loaded up with four lardy motoring journalists to test its performance with some serious ballast in the seats - the kind of load you might have in the car when shuffling the family and the in-laws about - and ran it again against the clock.

Despite the four heffalumps, the Ecoboost ran a best of 8.02 seconds in a stall-start run.

That's not half-bad, and proof of at least one thing: four turbo-fed super-efficient cylinders can move the FG Falcon very smartly.

Ford Australia is keeping 'mum' for the moment on power and torque outputs; but that performance in the FG would suggest that there may be more than the 149kW and 300Nm found in the EcoBoost Mondeo.

We put the new car, in pre-production trim, around the inner track at Ford's Proving Ground south-west of Melbourne. Our time in the saddle was brief, but two things were clear: the FG Falcon MkII with EcoBoost 'works'; this car feels crisp, responsive and lively underfoot.

Few would pick that there are just four-cylinders at work under that expansive Falcon bonnet.

Secondly, knocking two pots off the straight-six rebalances the nose. It shifts weight rearward of the front suspension, reducing weight by 50-60kg off the front axle, and by 10kg off the rear.

At the wheel you'll notice the change. The FG MkII with EcoBoost feels more nimble and more compliant at the front end.

Turn-in, always a strong point of the FG, feels slightly sharper and cornering balance also seems slightly improved. And, as those 0-100km/h dash figures showed, there's little turbo lag to complain about.

Mated to the six-speed ZF automatic, with crisp changes and quick downshifts, the EcoBoost worked very well.

We'll need to verify all that with a longer test, but for now impressions are very positive.

So, yes, it works. If fuel consumption figures also deliver, Ford Australia will have hatched an unlikely winner for family and fleet buyers with the FG MkII EcoBoost Falcon.

Click on link below for pics of the engine bay and dash
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/529...t-drive-review

Rodge · 05-12-2011, 04:25 PM

Turbo engines typically have a very wide spread of maximum torque so the "on paper" power and torque superiority of the inline six may prove to be just that in the real world. Rolling / real world acceleration may even slightly favour the ecoboost. Interesting times for the Falcon what with Ecolpi and now this.

FPV GTHO · 05-12-2011, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

O rly

Interesting comment to make.

I guess they can thank us when it appears in the MY14 Mustang.

HULK EF · 05-12-2011, 04:29 PM

very different looking in the engine bay! Very 1st time ive seen a pic of the bay. Not quite small looking though!.. -that doesnt bother me at all though - just an observation.

blueoval · 05-12-2011, 04:30 PM

I agree Hulk. It's bigger than I thought it was going to be. I was expecting to see a few mice in a wheel and a rubber band, but that engine looks like it's sitting hard up against the fire wall with plenty of space between the engine and rad support.

Road_Warrior · 05-12-2011, 04:38 PM

Looks trippy in the Falcon's engine bay. Dare I say it, like a corporate diesel engine.

Bossxr8 · 05-12-2011, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HULK EF

very different looking in the engine bay! Very 1st time ive seen a pic of the bay. Not quite small looking though!.. -that doesnt bother me at all though - just an observation.

It definately looks bigger than I was expecting. Doesn't appear to be much more room at the front than a V8, which is to be expected I guess considering they are both 4 cylinders long.