Toby Hagon, drive.com.au, April 10, 2008
Sharing its turbocharged engine with the potent Falcon XR6 Turbo, the Falcon G6E Turbo also gets a load of luxury fruit.
When it comes to performance in the FG Falcon range there’s little doubt Ford has turned its efforts to its hot-shot flagship, the turbocharged version of the six-cylinder engine.
In the Falcon XR6 Turbo, the 4.0-litre inline six-cylinder is quicker than ever, capable of launching the sizeable sedan to 100km/h in a fraction over five seconds. In independent performance testing Drive managed a 0-100km/h sprint of 5.1 seconds.
And the new-to-the-range G6E Turbo shares exactly the same drivetrain, consisting of the turbocharged version of the 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine with a six-speed automatic transmission.
As a sub-$60,000 large sedan that’s loaded with standard equipment – including a reversing camera, leather seats, and electric everything – it makes the Falcon G6E Turbo a tempting proposition against more fancied luxury opposition.
The extra attention to detail in the cabin, too – from the better thought-out centre console to the more upmarket materials – also helps in establishing the Falcon G6E as an impressive bit of kit for the money.
The G6E Turbo is also one of only two models in the seven-model FG Falcon range that comes standard with a full complement of airbags, including the side curtain airbags that add $300 to the price of a Falcon XT, G6, XR6, XR6 Turbo and XR8.
The G6E Turbo package is an interesting mix. Its performance is identical to the XR6 Turbo, ensuring it’s a seriously impressive device. Its road manners, too, are similar to the XR6 Turbo – both share standard 18-inch wheels, for example – although the G6E Turbo gets a unique, slightly softer and more compliant suspension setting designed to improve the ride of a vehicle pitched at being comfortable and quick.
First impressions are that the G6E Turbo is an impressively comfortable car, ably absorbing bumps and thumps to make for a secure yet confident car.
The extra give in the suspension means the G6E Turbo takes a fraction longer to recover from big road imperfections than the XR models.
But the combination of serene driving quarters in a brisk, confident package helps you appreciate why Ford thinks the G6E could be one of the quiet achievers – and image makers – in the FG Falcon range. After all, the XR6 Turbo started life in a similar way and has now established itself as a cult car that helped define the Falcon’s modern image.
Inside, the FG Falcon G6E Turbo is loaded with equipment, making it a comfortable place to travel.
Like all new Falcons, it benefits from the more thoughtful interior design and extra headroom liberated in the front.
The shiny black centre console – designed to stand out from the regular Falcon crowd and bring an upmarket feel to an otherwise mass market car – is a mass of buttons, although the G6E and G6E Turbo get the full-colour screen and better sound system that are optional on other Falcons. In some ways, though, we’d prefer that the push up/down buttons for the temperature and fan speed were knobs, because they’d be easier and quicker to use.
While it’s not cheap, there’s plenty of value to be seen in the new G6E Turbo, especially considering the V8-beating performance.
Ford Falcon G6E Turbo: Performance*
0-100km/h: 5.1 seconds
0-400m: 13.4 seconds
Top speed after 400m: 172km/h
* Performance figures conducted in controlled conditions using satellite-based timing equipment. G6E Turbo performance figures were obtained using a Falcon XR6 Turbo with the same 4.0-litre turbocharged engine and six-speed automatic transmission.
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