The choice? XR6 HP or VCT

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by XR_Strider_GuY

There are good and bad things with both. Me, I'm the HP its that bit more raucious and although it needs more driver involvement around the twisties, you have to work the steering, set the corner approach up, brake at the right time, but when you do it rewards and flatters, in the sense that you did the work and was your effort.

+1 i agree ppl are goin on about LSD 6 stacker etc my HP is a june/00 model SII has LSD (all XR's do) and premium sound i love my XR but i didnt know the difference between the 2 wen i bought mine id prob choose either but mine happened to be a HP and i love it (5sp) rides good goes hard wen i want it to which is rarely cause i hardly ever go beyond 3000 rpm but wen i want to do it it will honestly though id take either

[V8falcons]

Originally Posted by 00VenomXR

+1 i agree ppl are goin on about LSD 6 stacker etc my HP is a june/00 model SII has LSD (all XR's do) and premium sound i love my XR but i didnt know the difference between the 2 wen i bought mine id prob choose either but mine happened to be a HP and i love it (5sp) rides good goes hard wen i want it to which is rarely cause i hardly ever go beyond 3000 rpm but wen i want to do it it will honestly though id take either

In HP's LSD was an option series II/III ,premium sound was an option, prestige (100w 6 stack)sound is standard in XR VCT's , not sure on HP.Series 1 was an option to have a CD player at all....

Nice car you have BTW.

[Abacus]

When I bought my current car I started out looking at AU XR6s. Every previous Falcon I've had was a six. I like them. I figured the XR6 would have to be the best of the best.

First I drove a couple of HPs, but to be quite honest, they didn't feel like a great leap forward over my EL Futura. To be fair, the EL was lowered and had 225 G-Grids, so it handled better than a stocker, but the HP just didn't do it for me. I didn't really feel like I was "trading up". The XRs had more power than the EL, for sure, but I thought the ride/handling compromise was pretty ordinary, verging on choppy.

Then I drove a VCT. Admittedly, I wasn't on a race-track. The test drive more-or-less typefied the driving I do every day. That being said, it felt a LOT better to drive than either the HP or the EL, and I put this down to the IRS. The motor didn't thrill me though. It felt like it had more top-end than the "normal" 6, but it didn't really seem to want to leap away from the lights unless you floored it. I like grunt.

And both the XRs dissapointed with their interior spec. I honestly felt the EL dash and general presentation was a lot better. I still do. Whoever designed the low series AU dash should have been sent to Baghdad to develop the middle east market. By going door to door. Wearing a "Bush is Great" t-shirt. C...c...c...beetle.

In the end, just for the heck of it, I took my current ride for a run. Only 175kw, but heaps more low-down grunt than any of the sixes I tried. The interior, I felt, was a great leap forward over the XRs. Ford should have put this interior in all the AUs. Scrap the fake wood and replace it with alloy finish or grey plastic, it would still kill the XR dash for looks - and how much more could it cost to make? Two fifths of bugger all.

But in the end, the IRS finally made me decide that it was time to trade up from the EL. I believe that mine has a "sports suspension" package, because it rides noticeably firmer than a couple of other Ghias I subsequently drove, though not as hard as an XR. That being said, I'm fitting Lovell springs and 17x8s to it soon, and I expect it will wind up riding and handling pretty similar to the XR6 VCT that I test drove earlier.

So for my money, and I've had quite few Ford sixes over the past 25 years, neither of the AUII XR6s really cut the mustard. If you don't mind the low series interior, and you really want performance with the IRS, then go XR8. There's not much of a price difference. Sure, a modded HP will kill a stock XR8 -but what if you spend the same money modding the 8? Throw in the IRS, and I know what I'd rather have my bum sitting in.

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by vctxr6ute

In HP's LSD was an option series II/III ,premium sound was an option, prestige (100w 6 stack)sound is standard in XR VCT's , not sure on HP.Series 1 was an option to have a CD player at all....

Nice car you have BTW.

sorry i wasnt to sure im still learnin stuff about AU's btw mine has prestige sound not premium 100w 6 disc and sub

[Perana]

LSD was STANDARD!!! on early build AUII HP's...

Late AU2 VCT's also had the single disc sound standard and prestige was optional.

[Casper]

yup, for at least the AU1 VCT prestige sound was an option, standard was a single in dash CD premium sound.

[Mark351]

Originally Posted by vctxr6ute

In HP's LSD was an option series II/III ,premium sound was an option, prestige (100w 6 stack)sound is standard in XR VCT's , not sure on HP.Series 1 was an option to have a CD player at all....

Nice car you have BTW.

Again, LSD was optional in late series II. I have an early Series II, I have LSD, and it was standard.