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Ford Australia President Tom Gorman today announced details of the new BF
Falcon MkII range, which will go on sale in October.
"The introduction of the new BF Falcon MkII is the next step in the evolution
of the iconic Falcon brand," Mr Gorman said.
"BF Falcon MkII builds on the strong engineering foundations laid by the BF
Falcon and SY Territory programs, while also delivering a host of fresh exterior
and interior styling elements that further refine the Falcon's contemporary
design.
"The depth of engineering and technological innovation in the Falcon range
has been extended with BF MkII, with greater access across more models to some
of the Falcon's class-leading features and technologies."
Where the BF Falcon introduced performance and luxury buyers to the benefits
of a world-class six-speed automatic transmission and state-of-the-art Dynamic
Stability Control system, BF Falcon MkII opens up this world of technological
advances to even more Falcon sedan customers.
With the release of BF Falcon MkII, the ZF six-speed automatic transmission –
which was the first six-speed automatic to be fitted to an Australian-built
vehicle at BF Falcon – will be available on all petrol Falcon sedan models.
Falcon XT, Futura and Fairmont sedan customers can option their vehicle with
the six-speed automatic transmission and delight in the real-world benefits it
offers in terms of reduced fuel consumption, increased functionality, precision
and refined performance.
"The six-speed automatic transmission has proven to be a standout feature of
the BF Falcon, especially for its ability to deliver a tailored driving
experience for customers," Mr Gorman said.
"Not only does it reward a sporty driving style with livelier performance and
sharper responses, but it also delivers significant benefits in terms of reduced
fuel consumption and greater refinement, with smoother shift quality a notable
feature during everyday use."
Falcon XT customers opting for the six-speed automatic transmission will
notice an improvement in fuel consumption of more than six per cent when
compared to the BF Falcon four-speed automatic equipped vehicle, with an
accompanying Australian Design Rule (ADR) 81/01 fuel economy test figure of 10.2
l/100km.
Fuel economy on petrol BF Falcon MkII XT, Futura and Fairmont sedan models
with the four-speed automatic transmission has also improved. As a result of
further drivetrain efficiencies that have been achieved on these Falcon models,
fuel economy will improve by a further two per cent, dropping 0.2 l/100km to
10.7 l/100km.
Powered by the most technologically advanced six-cylinder engine ever
produced by Ford Australia, with its dual independent variable camshaft timing
and dual knock sensors, four-speed automatic Falcon I6 models across the range
have benefited from a program of continued refinement that has delivered:
- Improved transmission thermal management – faster warm-up and reduced
friction losses allow it to reach optimum efficiency earlier, improving fuel
consumption during cold starts and on short trips (a common usage pattern for
many drivers)
- Revised Powertrain Control Module (PCM) calibrations in line with the
optimised transmission thermal management
- Improved aerodynamic performance (reduced drag) of the new front bumper
design
"The extensive engineering program undertaken at BF Falcon delivered
significant gains in the areas of fuel efficiency and refinement, as well as
more useable performance from our Barra 190 six-cylinder engine," Mr Gorman
said.
"But the process of improvement is a continual one and our engineers have
responded with further improvements on the top-selling four-speed auto Falcon I6
models, delivering greater real world benefits to Falcon owners.
"In the last two years we've delivered a seven per cent improvement in fuel
efficiency on the Falcon XT. The availability of the six-speed automatic
transmission on Falcon XT with the BF MkII program has taken the level of
improvement even further, to more than 11 per cent."
Dynamic Stability Control will also be available across the wider Falcon
sedan range as part of an optional sports pack, which includes the six-speed
automatic transmission, Sports Control Blade Independent Rear Suspension and
17-inch alloy wheels and tyres.
"The BF Falcon introduced traction control as standard on all petrol Falcon
sedans, as well as on XR Falcon Utes, while also incorporating the very latest
in chassis control systems as standard on premium Falcon sedans," Mr Gorman
said.
"Now the BF Falcon MkII raises the bar even further with the availability of
DSC on Falcon XT, Futura, Fairmont and XR6 sedans, adding to the high levels of
active safety already built into each Falcon."
Ford has developed four distinct levels of DSC calibration, ranging from
comfort to sports, to cover the variety of engine, transmission and body styles
available across the Territory and Falcon vehicle families.
The calibration of the DSC system when fitted to a Falcon XT, Futura,
Fairmont or Falcon XR6 will match the system currently fitted to the Fairmont
Ghia, with DSC interventions being tuned to the overall sportier nature of the
package compared to Fairlane and LTD variants.
In addition to the wider availability of DSC and the six-speed automatic
transmission, BF Falcon MkII also introduces a host of exterior design and
interior styling upgrades within the Falcon line-up.
Fairmont Ghia leads the way with a new European-inspired sports luxury
exterior look, reflected in its new, dark accent headlamp treatment, tapered
bonnet, chrome grille, bejewelled fog lights and front bumper finishes, and new
seven-spoke 17-inch sports alloy wheels.
An exposed chrome exhaust, XR-style side skirts and rear bumper, and
contemporary block font 'Ghia' badging complete the distinctive Fairmont Ghia
package, resulting in a fresh, aspirational appeal and bold road presence.
Inside, the BF MkII Fairmont Ghia is a statement in refined elegance, from
the black chrome instrument cluster, chrome air vent highlights and black onyx
Interior Command Centre to the sumptuous China Beige leather seat trim, suede
feel seat backs and door trims, and new front seat headrests.
Fairmont, Futura and Falcon XT also receive notable upgrades to the exterior
design, as do Falcon Ute XL, XLS and RTV models. All feature a new tapered
bonnet, aggressive front bumper design and new headlamp treatments, along with
revised rear bumpers on sedan models.
A new interior environment sets the BF MkII range of Falcon XR and Falcon Ute
XR models apart from their predecessors, with a new "Chicane" metallic yarn seat
trim, new instrument cluster design and satin alloy inserts in the instrument
panel.
The new seat trim can also be customised with a wide range of stitching and
embroidery colours, which will lend the interior a subtle or high impact finish,
depending on personal taste.
Five new exterior paint colours will be introduced to herald the arrival of
BF Falcon MkII, including two new hero colours and a new Chromaflair® colour for
the XR range, while another two colours – Seduce and Ego – were released in the
lead-up to the new model.
"With the recent influx of new models sparking renewed interest in the Large
car segment, the new BF Falcon MkII offers customers an exceptional family car
package that delivers outstanding fuel economy, performance, refinement and
safety," Mr Gorman said.
"BF Falcon MkII builds on Falcon's core strengths of world-class engineering,
state-of-the-art technologies and superior driving dynamics, with a fresh and
aspirational design that is sure to appeal to customers and keep the Falcon
nameplate at the vanguard of the local car industry."
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