Australian Resource for Car Reviews, News, Advice
May 17, 2008 by George Skentzos
In this video we see a performance demonstration of the launch control feature on the new Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo manual model.
The launch control system works by holding the revs at 3500rpm and deactivating two of the cylinders which are instead used to spool the turbo to reduce lag at take-off.
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Well bugger me, I just mentioned this vid on the “FPV First Steer” blog.
Ford have nailed it with the FG Turbo….it will define it’s own legend. I’ve got a BA XR6T and it’s quite a good unit, but geez this new one is something else. Launch control is spectacular, but you’d probably be thrown in the clink and have your car squashed into a small metal cube if the coppers caught you using it….
lol nice work the watto_cobra after u said bout it on the “FPV First Steer” blog i went on youtube on it then came bak on then this was up hahaha
Awsome car, All for $45k, they will sell like hotcakes,instant classic car, well done Ford.
And will blow a HSV GTS, so HSV go blow me.
Lets face it , you only buy a V8 for the sound now…..
Gotta be quick Name (Required), haha. Launch control looks good, but I’m lazy now, I’ll have the ZF 6-speed.
I6orNothing, I agree it’ll become a cult car. The last and best Australian engine is getting a great swansong.
I may be proven wrong, of course, but I doubt the TT Duratech will match the last I6 XR6T/F6.
One of the many reasons I’ve decided on an FG F6.
lol i got my P’s 2 weeks ago lol
my learner car was a xr6t 5spd man
but i like my car 2000 au classic auto fun times
I test drove the FG G6E Turbo today….WOW. The boost comes on so much stronger than my old BA XR6T. Trac Cont onand the wheels would struggle to keep traction. Trac Cont off however and first and second drifts. The dealership was quite busy with people waiting to test drive after me. Pity though no XR6T at all until July….Overall very impressed with the G series, quality and finishes above the VE. Even the handbrake has a nice leather cover unlike the VE’s dicky little lever…not as roomy as the VE but alot more cumfy. Almost signed for a FG XR6T auto, premium sound for $48000 drive away but want to test drive manual before ordering. This video may help my decision.
Actually one last interesting note…the dealership has sold 10 FG XR8 Utes and a few sedans. Apparently not as many turbos sold…I didn’t get to drive the XR8 but it did sound nice driving by.
Wowaweeewa!! I’m going for a test drive this wednesday, its all booked and i cant wait!!! That sounds tough on the 3500 limiter, sounds like its being hammered but its obviously not.
I imagine quite a few people are going to be using that on the way to the shop just for the sake of showing off that they’ve got launch control.
Shane,
48K drive out?
thats not a bad price on the road with those few extras.
I’d really like to see a video of the Auto beside this as well as someone in a manual not using launch control to see a direct comparison
this launch control sounds like a hell of a lot of fun
Nothing bad can come of this. I’m a long time Holden supporter, but i have endless respect for Ford’s recent offerings. Technically, they are a masterpiece.
I still think styling wise they are a generation behind the Holden’s. But this XR6 Turbo is something else. Almost back to the 2002 days again when the turbo was the way to go for performance.
But competition can only be a good thing, i can’t wait to see Holden’s retaliation to this.
TOM; ANDREW M;
Hey it was great reading of DRIVE liftout in yesterdays SMH paper. They said that the Falcon in the models they tested makes an excellent case for Holden supporters to jump ship for first time in like ages and ages (or words closely aligned to these). I think Ford have got it right and to all who think that the new Falcon is too similar to BF…..smidgeon agree but after sighting one I can say no way and new Falcon has slick lines now and is sharp as a tack for cute looking. The other thing that stuck out to me is the whole car gels really well and great model differentiation as one goes up range!
hmmm funa at the traffic lights hey
cant wait to see it leave a
W427 looking like its a W253
LOL
I dont get this two cylinder deactivating thing? How does turning off two help spool the turbo?
I read somewhere that it’s meant to be used very rarely.
Sounds good, but personally i believe that anyone buying an GF XR6 turbo is absolutely mad if they don’t go with the ZF auto! It’s just such a more complete car with that little box ticked.
As a dedicated holden mad, i must admit, the FG XR6t is a jewel. Holden sucessfully countered the BF XR6t with the VE SS which i and many others believe is a better car, however ford have most definetly counter pounched with the FG XR6t. It will be VERY interesting to see what holdens reaction will be come VE series II.
Who said the performance car industry in australia is dead! No matter which side your on you just have to love it!
please excuse my two spelling errors in last post, GF XR6t was obviously meant to be FG, and pounched, i meant punch. appologies
Max, from my understanding, it cuts spark and opens the valves on two of the cylinders, letting the air flow straight through because a piston engine is really just an air pump, which gets the turbo (which is now smaller) spinning, therefore much less turbo lag.
Fantastic idea. That sentence was a bit long tho, lol.
Also, on the autos, during full throttle acceleration gear changes, spark is briefly cut to three cylinders, dropping the torque for a fraction of a second, allowing faster and smoother gear changes. Must be a part of why the XR6T/G6ET is nailing 5.1’s in auto form.
Richo, I agree there. SS is good cheap power (why else did it win BFYB 2 years in a row). Me being on the blue side, thank god we have an answer (at least til 2010 :-( )
And I definitely will have the “ZF” box ticked.
While the XR6T offers a good alternate to the VE, its not like the SS is a generation behind or anything (ie, the xr8), the Ford is just packing more firepower. Everything else in the Commodore is up to scratch, and another 20kw would even the cards out.
Looks QUICK. Sounds like crap though (when at standstill)
Trying to hijack a non-toyota topic TP just like your beloved Dingo; as you know nothing about any other car apart from Toyota and are going through withdrawal as ther hasnt been a story on Toyota on this site for a whole 2 days – must be hard..
TP, it sounds like that because it’s hitting an artificial 3500rpm rev limiter. If I heard that next to me at the lights, knowing what I know now about it, I’d think “well, I won’t even bother trying, cause I’ll be eating dust!”
Not that I’m into stop light drag races, still damn impressive.
Quote from Junes motor magazine
“Seriously. Why any Motor read would buy a dull-sounding, Ill-geared Commodore Sv6 or an uninspired, personality deprived Aurion Sportivo over the new Falcon XR6 is purely down to brand bias.”
TW, when it comes to base models, I think a person would be mad to choose Omega with its wheezy/gruff Alloytec V6 and 4-speed auto over XT. For hot versions, those Chev V8 are hard to beat. Thankyou FordOZ for I6 turbo.
TW, those comments are a bit out of context mate, its worthwhile reading the whole article… i think the falcon XR6t is a fantastic car, but its not head and shoulders above the VE commodore and after reading the same june motor mag i can tell you neither do they!
TP,
do you know what a rev limiter is? let alone ever heard one in action?
Question guys,
is there a launch control button, or does the vehicle sense that it is revving whilst the vehicle is not moving?
Andrew.M, there is no button. You just hold the clutch in 1st, flatten the throttle, the electronics do the rest.
Launch control is a good thing, although should be able to be turned off and on. Being on all the time is annoying for some. Things like this should be at the driver’s discretion.
Looks awesome, but id be worried that some kid gets to take his dads XR6T out with his mates and kills it(the box/clutch/diff etc) or himself….. I am a massive fan of the ZF 6spd, thats what i’d take…
Blue Blood, I almost wet myself with your reference to the W253, or 2-fluffy-3 as i like to call them…
i can only see the problem as being a problem for people who want to do burnouts, because they won’t be able to dial up enough revs! But i bet everyone $100 the primary reason ford introduced this was to stop wankers dialing up 6000rpm and dumping the clutch on the thing! this way, ford prevents warranty claims which they KNOW is due to vehicle abuse but cannot prove, plus they get a handy marketing tool
What other cars have launch control other than the ford falcon range?
Good point there Richo, I hadn’t thought of that.
Not sure Duck, I think it is the first Aussie car with it (well why would Toyota need it???)
In answer to your question Duck, I read somewhere that the previous gen BMW M3 with the cracker 6 cylinder had a ‘hidden’ launch control feature – it supposedly had a complex procedure to set it off (punching traction control buttons on and off a few times) and it was also rumoured to void the warranty after use. Anybody able to shed light on whether this was fair dinkum or not?
Back on topic, the XR6T will be marvellous – I am guessing it will be pretty much world class. Shame it is only us who get it – I wonder if Ford would be able to export a few to the UK (or alternatively the FPV variants) to compete with the Vauxhall Holdens out there? Prove how good they are on the world scale. I know this is an old argument and unlikely to happen, but it seems selfish keeping them just for ourselves :)
Jenny Talia – as Watto illuded to the launch control is control is controlled by a computer sensor which is activated when the car is in first gear.
If you don’t want to use it simply star off in second and bunny hop off the line.
or don’t flatten the throttle
well basically, anyone who wants more then 3000rpm to take off either can’t drive or wants to do a burnout! Simple as that really, and i would suggest that if you would want to do a burnout in a 45k motor car then your a tool
True that Richo – then again, last week some guy had the law confiscate his $200k old Falcon for burnouts…each to their own I guess
BOSSCR, I once had a two fluffy three with traumatic. Moons ago, of course. Never heard them called that before.
:)
Ahhh Golfie, that must have been many moons….. ;-)
Duck,
BMW M5/6 have a version of launch control
I assume most have read the article about the VW Gold with the 1.4 Turbo/Supercharged motor and how it matches the 2 litre Turbo engine.
Now imagine a 3.5 litre duratec motor with twin turbos, direct injection and a supercharger and then tell me that it want match if not surpass the current FG XR6T. Will Ford do it? I bet they are already testing this configuration.
So don’t be so down about the retirement of probably the best muscle car (and I believe globally as a production car) currently (dollar per litre) in the world.
You have to be proud of Ford Australia when it comes to being ennovating.
“So don’t be so down about the retirement of probably the best muscle car (and I believe globally as a production car) currently (dollar per litre) in the world.”
I meant the I6 turbo engine. Sorry people.
“Also, on the autos, during full throttle acceleration gear changes, spark is briefly cut to three cylinders, dropping the torque for a fraction of a second, allowing faster and smoother gear changes.”
Watto_Cobra, Based on that little bit of info, I think I’ll be ticking the box of the ZF 6sp for sure. Sounds like they’ve really crossed the t’s & dotted the i’s this time round. I have read in the various mag’s that the 80-120km/h time is 3seconds. How good is that? Very few sub 50K cars in the world can claim that, let alone cars
^ Should read at the end …”
Sorry for this, but I’ve been cut off at the knees again…I’ll spell it out this time:
Very few sub 50K cars in the world can claim that (ie 3s for 80-120km acceleration), let alone cars sub 150K
(must be the less than symbol killing it)
Interesting bit of news, was speaking to a holden dealer sales manager today (he’s a client at the company i work) and he told me that he believes holden are NOT going to copy ford with regard to a turbo 6 as holden feel that their performance market is linked too heavily with V8’s and as such holden are quite happy to let ford have domination of the turbo 6 market as they currently have domination of the V8 market (and in 2007 holden sold more V8’s then they ever have before in their history! who said people aren’t buying these gas guzzling dinosaurs?)
Makes sense really, holdens performance car marketing is dominated by their V8 supercar involvement, so a turbo 6 from a marketing point of view probably doesn’t make that much sense for holden. In other words, the battle lines have now been redifined, its now not only holden vs ford, its now also V8 vs turbo 6!
To disable launch control, one simply needs to turn off the traction control – easy system hey?
Mental note: don’t be tempted to buy a demo XR6T manual in green.
Ford usually destroy their press fleet when they are finnished with them do they? or do some poor suckers buy them? bloody hard luck if you’ve got one!