2008 Ford G6E Turbo Review
October 13, 2008 by Matt Brogan
2008 Ford G6E Turbo Review & Road Test
Power, performance, poise and price… the G6E Turbo ticks all the boxes.
Model Tested:
- 2008 Ford G6E Turbo 4.0 litre six cylinder automatic sedan – $54,990 (RRP)
Options:
- Matching Alloy Spare $250; 19″ Alloy Wheels $2000; Satellite Navigation $2290; Safety Enhancement Pack $500, Tow Pack $495
Performance, Economy, Comfort, Price Tag
Interior Fit & Finish, Forward Console Lay Out
CarAdvice Rating: 
- Words by Matt Brogan, Photos by Paul Maric
When you go to the breeder to pick out a new puppy you’re told to go for the one who’s most lively, the one that stands out as being more interesting than the others or is simply the first to bound up and lick your face. Similarly from the moment I first saw the G6E Turbo at Ford’s FG Falcon unveiling I knew this was the pick of the litter and for me at least, was the one to take home.
Okay, so it didn’t lick my face, that would have been plain weird, but it did have a calling about it, a stand out quality that told me it was serious, fast but by the same token livable and luxurious – what’s not to like?
From the outset it is a very handsome car. Every line and each contour just seem to follow and flow in to the next seamlessly, without being gaudy or pretentious. It’s almost understated in it’s design which is just one of the qualities I most love about this car.
There is no shouting, no vibrant paintwork or bookshelf spoiler, just a subtle lip on the boot lid, a couple of small and well placed badges and a slightly more purposeful stance over those 18-inch alloys to hint that this is no mortal Falcon.
Inside the piano black finish of the centre console and sumptuous creamy leather trim almost mask the performance credentials lurking beneath the surface, in fact were you to leave the engine switched off, you’d swear black and blue oval you were in nothing more than a new generation Fairmont Ghia. Turn that flip key and give it a little kick in the guts and it soon becomes crystal as to the intent of the G6E Turbo.
Under that soft flowing bonnet lies the same 270kW turbocharged power house fitted to the XR6T, which under full noise generates a 533Nm burst of torque from 2000rpm all the way to 4750 rpm – and what a noise it is, the euphonious force fed in-line six-cylinder sounds orchestral and remains deep, all the way to the red line.
The performance results that ensue are electric, and the entertainment value therein is one of the more pleasurable outcomes of driving the G6E Turbo. Most challengers to a quick saunter from the lights were left dumbstruck when the “family sedan” had annihilated them, whilst with the Dynamic Stability Control – Ford’s take on ESP – switched off it was I left wondering where I was amid a thick Dunlop fog.
Hey Mike, are you serious? Who in the hell is going to take their G6ET onto the track apart from doing some driver training. If you wanted to get serious you would use an FPV F6. In fact the F6 beat the Mazda RX8 in that Wheels handling test and the winner was the Porsche 911GT2.
Here we go again CB. The Accord Euro @ $32,000 doesn’t get power passenger seat or even power drivers seat and it doesn’t get your beloved xenon headlamps either. You have to go to the Euro Luxury to get those features, but then why let to truth get in the way of a good story eh!.
Maybe Car Advice should compare an Accord Euro Luxury to the BMW 335i and see how the Accord fares even with its $65,000 price advantage.
# Joe Says:
October 19th, 2008 at 7:30 am
“Here we go again CB. The Accord Euro @ $32,000 doesn’t get power passenger seat or even power drivers seat and it doesn’t get your beloved xenon headlamps either. You have to go to the Euro Luxury to get those features, but then why let to truth get in the way of a good story eh!.
Maybe Car Advice should compare an Accord Euro Luxury to the BMW 335i and see how the Accord fares even with its $65,000 price advantage.”
My mistake. But you only need to spend $40K to get those – still $15K less than the Falcon.
Andrew M Says:
October 18th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
“CB,
whats lane change assist???
your inability to explain a feature you promote as making a better vehicle is hilarious ”
Actually what’s funny is the inability of many of you to let go…
BTW, saw a G6ET in Perth yesterday – it was parked next to a Mazda 6. Made me realise the Falcon’s days are numbered.
CB,
everyone already knows you are a nob, no need to push the impression further.
now whats lane change assist??
whats wrong? didnt they explain it on the brochure you pulled the name off of?
you carry on with your worthless opinions.
you dog the falcon for not havng lane change assist, yet clearly dont know what it is.
Then when you dissed the falcon for carry over switch gear, you were also unable to list the basics to back up your usual tool of a statement.
If you are a nob and you know it, Clap your hands……
Clap, Clap
CB,,,,,,,, you are truly a brainwashed fool just like some of these Toymota fools crapping on how good their stupid fake sewing machine company is, get a grip on life and open your mind, by the way, this new Falcon is the best built car in Australia ever, spilling garbage on forums or blogs instead of actually driving any new Falcon has absolutly false connection with your blind opinions..
The Falcon seems well built already, but only time will tell how it will hold up on reliability. The previous models were never as good as the Japanese counterparts, but at least they’re better than any Commodore.
I had a look at an XR6 in the showroom and the paint on the aircon vent has already been damaged, which the Germans will consider a worthwhile laugh. The dashboard isn’t as well thought out as an Accord either. But its biggest flaw is the fact that it looks almost the same as the previous model. Albeit handsome, it’s not as exciting as what the Orion CGIs suggested. While it’s hands-down better than what Holden has to offer, people may get turned off with too much similarity in design. Even I have to squint sometimes to tell an FG from its predecessor, but thankfully, the G6E’s chrome infested front can easily be distinguished from any BF.
Joe, Joe , Joe, be realistic you can`t truly believe that a Falcon can compete with the others in that test the only thing it has going for it is price and alot of people who buy these cars don`t give a toss about the price they have a taste for the quality products of the world, I admit they are pricey for the average person like me, thats why I buy them 2nd hand and a 2nd hand Euro [3yr old] still is better equipped and better built than a Falcon or Commodore do yourself a favour and get ur one eyed head out your backside and broaden you horizons you might just realise there is a whole world out there Joe not just Australia. BTW I own an RTV ute and happen to like it alot, but I don`t go around believing its the best car in the world because its built in Australia.For what its used for its perfect but its no quality product and I have owned a 2003 xr6 turbo ute and a mk2 ba xr6 turbo sedan and I have been in the latest they are ok but they do not compare with Audi`s BMW Merc or my 2001 VW, it left my Falcons for dead in quality so I talk from experience Joe not out of my backside.
PS get a life.
And here I thought that all of blinkered europhiles had had their say and up pops up Jon. Yeah, Jon knows how good a G6ET is, cause he has owned a couple of Falcon utes. It’s a bit like me saying that I know how good a VW Phaeton or Toureg is because I drive a Caddy van. I don’t think so.
Jon, it must be frustrating to keep reading all these glowing articles about FG’s written by so called professional motor journalists especially as being the owner of a 7 year old VW you’re the real expert.
Seriously, no one(including Ford)expects the G6ET to be a better car than a Merc E500, Jaguar XFV8 or similarly priced Euro or even Jap car,but to dismiss this car and rest ot the Australian Motor Industry so casually really shows your true colours.
BTW in the last 30 years I’ve probably driven more cars than you’ve had hot breakfasts.
Jon, it must be frustrating to keep reading all these glowing articles about FG’s written by so called professional motor journalists especially as being the owner of a 7 year old VW you’re the real expert.
Seriously, no one(including Ford)expects the G6ET to be a better car than a Merc E500, Jaguar XFV8 or similarly priced Euro or even Jap car,but to dismiss this car and rest ot the Australian Motor Industry so casually really shows your true colours.
I`m no expert Joe but I`m smart enough to know that a 2nd hand Euro is a better car than any Aussie car and thats just plain to see, even Stevie Wonder could see that and he is blind. I`m not dismissing that the Falcon isn`t a bad effort but a bad effort doesn`t mean its a good car and you need your eyes checked I also owned an xr6 turbo sedan and that was given car of the year and it had rattles after 20,000kms just like most of the work cars, not to mention the back seat that carry`s the bits that fall off, actually I can`t think of one that doesn`t have something on the back seat.Oh and my true colour lies with what ever I believe is a good car, unlike your blue blood. Anyway soon enough the Falcon will be gone and we won`t be discussing it ever again and then there will be only 1 poorly built local car left.
BTW in the last 30 years I’ve probably driven more cars than you’ve had hot breakfasts.
Doesn`t make you an expert Joe just shows your age, your a Neanderthal,its about time you evolve.
The G6E Turbo also does 80-120kph in 2.95s, this puts it in the company of the worlds top supercars.
Jon, the beauty of blogsites such as this, is that anyone can have their say, irrespective of their knowledge/experience of the matter being discussed. I don’t need to comment any further other than to say that if I am a neanderthal due to my 30 years experience with cars you definitely sound like a rank amateur, judging by your posts so far.
BTW, are you saying that the Camry/Aurion is a well built aussie car?
Joe,well I`d definitely say the Camry/ Aurion is a better built car than the other 2, I wouldn`t say its superior in many ways to the others but I doubt you would have as many warranty complaints or unsatisfied customers as the others, look we could discuss this all day the bottom line is I have owned a few later model Falcons, 1 which Ford replaced so as far as being an amateur, I am on most things but not on Fords and I think that is how all this started Joe, my opinion is I`d never own another, even my current 1 has the same seat belt issues, the rattles after 20000 km`s and the same poor quality that my $44000 2003 ute and the $56000 2004 sedan I had and these cars were mean`t to be premium models, like I say if you start with s#it you can add as much glamour as you want but its still s#it. They are glorified Taxi`s and thats about it and if you want a list on what was wrong with my Falcons I`m happy to accomodate you but I doubt a so called experienced Ford man would want to know about the same I`d guess as your local Ford dealer.
Jon’s right on the money – purchase a 3 or 4 year old Euro and you’ll get great value for money in Australia. E.g. you can pick up a 2004 E60 530i with M-Sport package for LESS than a G6ET. Makes the Aussies look sad really.
BTW the previous post by “CB” was not me – disappointing to see such childishness…
Andrew M keeps going on about Lane Change Assist. It’s not just that Andrew – just to reiterate the BF/FG Falcon misses out on the following:
- climate controlled seats
- high end sound system
- auto up/down on all four windows (ha ha ha…)
- lane change assist
- lane departure warning
- adaptive headlights
- xenon headlights (ha ha ha…)
- tri-zone climate control
- adaptive cruise control
- full electric seats for front passenger (ha ha ha…)
Frankly it’s an embarrassment the “world class” and “top of the range” Falcon misses out on some of the items above.
The last couple of posts really do prove that you’re either a New Car Buyer or a Used Car Buyer.
CB,
the “embarrassment” lies with in your method of sticking your chest out about “lane change assist”, yet not even knowing what the hell it is.
Wow!!!
can you really pick up a few year old E60 530i with M-Sport package for LESS than a G6ET???
I thought you said they held their value well/better??
it doesnt matter what the make, a used car will always be better value than a new one.
Now,
Lane change assist???
i just love to watch you squirm around such a simple question.
you have shot the bullet with out even knowing what it was.
now thats funnier than no electric seats for the passenger in the falcon ha ha ha ha ha ha
The E60 530i makes the FG Fairmont Ghia look tired and old.
BTW Andrew M, you don’t work for Ford Australia do you? I mean I’d be frustrated too if even after tariff protection, luxury car taxes, years of fleet sales guarantees, and tax payer funded handouts the company still can’t survive…
Given the limited budget and resources etc Ford and Holden have to work with I think that they bboth do an excellent job in building practical reliable well built cars that are ideal for handling the unique environment and road conditions etc in Australia.
I’d like to see BMW try to build a car from scratch for $1 billion… see how many safety devices like ABS ESP EBD TC SRS IRS BSA and other features like Cruise Control Power Window Trip Computer the car will have then
I mean Jeremy Clarkson Loved the VX-R8 when he tested it against the 5 series
You’ve got to remember the reason it takes a bit longer for features that were on a Euro car 5 years ago to appear on an Aussie car is because of the size of the market and the population. Europe is much bigger and therefore BMW can recover money spent on R&D of a model much quicker than Holden or Ford particularly considering BMWs are sold in more countries than Ford and Holden – not because they are inferior but the execs in Detroit have an inferiority complex and don’t want the world to see how crap their US built products are
CB >>>>> please stop smoking weed, obviously the effects have made an error in judgement, people like you bagging a great product is the reason jobs are going in Australia, go eat some humble pie and test drive a new Ford G6E Turbo.. hahahaha its most likely much better then what your driving now…
Wheelnut Says:
“I mean Jeremy Clarkson Loved the VX-R8 when he tested it against the 5 series”
Didn’t Jeremy say he thought that it was moronic, and he wouldn’t have one?
CB,
lane change assist please????
keep to the task at hand……..
Im self employeed for the record.
no matter what you say about the ford motor companys operations wont hurt me. you are just childish to try.
I recently bought an FG for what it is. Not based on the good or poor fortunes that the manufacturer of it may be facing.
i couldnt give a stuff about the price of eggs in china
whats lane change assist????
I love this blog… :-)
Wheelnut Says:
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:11 pm
“Given the limited budget and resources etc Ford and Holden have to work with I think that they bboth do an excellent job in building practical reliable well built cars that are ideal for handling the unique environment and road conditions etc in Australia.”
You lost me at “reliable well built”. The only cars that handle Australia’s UNIQUE conditions are all Japanese made.
“I’d like to see BMW try to build a car from scratch for $1 billion… see how many safety devices like ABS ESP EBD TC SRS IRS BSA and other features like Cruise Control Power Window Trip Computer the car will have then”
It was a foolish decision on someone’s part for spending such a sum of money for what is essentially an operation that survives due to handouts and assistance. If Holden could actually survive on its own two feet without support from the USA and the Aussie tax payer I’d be impressed. Holden’s own boss said their operation would not be viable without US support.
“You’ve got to remember the reason it takes a bit longer for features that were on a Euro car 5 years ago to appear on an Aussie car is because of the size of the market and the population. Europe is much bigger and therefore BMW can recover money spent on R&D of a model much quicker than Holden or Ford particularly considering BMWs are sold in more countries than Ford and Holden – not because they are inferior but the execs in Detroit have an inferiority complex and don’t want the world to see how crap their US built products are”
Don’t blame the USA – you wouldn’t have your precious Holden and Ford without their support.
Team Vodafone,,,,Endurance Experts Says:
October 22nd, 2008 at 9:21 pm
“CB >>>>> please stop smoking weed, obviously the effects have made an error in judgement, people like you bagging a great product is the reason jobs are going in Australia, go eat some humble pie and test drive a new Ford G6E Turbo.. hahahaha its most likely much better then what your driving now…”
I’ll stick with my 335i Coupe thanks.
Andrew M Says:
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:37 pm
“CB,
lane change assist please????
keep to the task at hand……..
Im self employeed for the record.
no matter what you say about the ford motor companys operations wont hurt me. you are just childish to try.
I recently bought an FG for what it is. Not based on the good or poor fortunes that the manufacturer of it may be facing.
i couldnt give a stuff about the price of eggs in china
whats lane change assist????”
It must really hurt you to know that there are so many cars both new and second hand that make the FG seem second rate. E.g. I could buy a beautiful 18 month old Audi S3 for less than the G6ET (check it out,it was reviewed on this very site).
Awaiting further comments from the blind faithful…
CB,
you have been bent over.
just admitt it.
thats what really hurts you isnt it??
i thought you said the Euros had good resale.
whats this now….
an 18 month Audi worth nothing??
whats lane change assist by the way ha ha ha ha ha
dont you hate trying to bluff people and getting found out?? ha ha ha ha ha
Gee, for $55K I could buy a BMW, or Lexus, or MB, or Audi, or even a Honda, or Mazda, or Volkswagen, or Subaru, or heaven forbid a Holden Calais V…
But no, Andrew M would rather purchase the epitome of luxury motoring – the BF Fairmont Ghia twin the G6ET, complete with luxuries like halogen lights, six speaker sound system, power windows, and one power adjustable seat!! I guess it must hurt the pride that a German gearbox was used instead of the old “world class” Aussie 4 speeder, but we’ll overlook that small detail.
BTW I read above Andrew M purchased an XR6. I wonder if it was in pink, orange or bright green…
CB -
Ok you dont like it, thats clear and thats your choice.
For mine i find it the best luxo expess sedan ever made in this country.
Love how its so easyyyyyyy to get them tuned up for so little.
Long live turbo motors!
Cheers
F-0
CB,
and lane change assist is????………
FRUGAL_ONE Says:
October 24th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
“CB -
Ok you dont like it, thats clear and thats your choice.
For mine i find it the best luxo expess sedan ever made in this country.
Love how its so easyyyyyyy to get them tuned up for so little.
Long live turbo motors!
Cheers
F-0″
Actually F-O, it has the best drive train of an Aussie built car, and with a few extras and a bit of extra polish it would be quite superb in Oz in that price bracket.
But yeah, for me Ford messed up the looks quite badly… and the cost cutting in various areas shows… shame.
Long live turbo motors indeed – my 335i is prime for tuning but I couldn’t bear to touch it – current performance is fine for me.
CB, and lane change assist is? (PLEASE EXPLAIN!!!!) ;)
CB, it must hurt really bad to type crap all the time,,,, ROGER THAT !!!!!! OVER AND OUT !!!!!!
CB,
and lane change assist is???
and the carry over switch gear in the FG is???
CB’s credability is ZERO
Plus the pinnacle of the Ford range also has a Satellite Navigation system operated by a remote control. Talk about cheap! Even the two year old Calais V has controls on the centre console.
Just to reiterate, the “World Class” G6E Turbo has luxury features such as:
- Halogen lights
- Six speaker “Premium” sound system
- Power windows and mirrors
- One power adjustable seat
- AND Satellite Navigation operated by a remote control
I’m sure all those “Corporate” buyers Ford is seeking are impressed… nothing better than having a colleague sit in your car and wanting to adjust the seat, and you have to tell them to pull the lever up to move the seat backwards… and all this after you’ve told him you’re sitting in a “luxury” car. :-D
CB still going on about lane change assist?LOL
Oh the shame of a passenger having to manually adjust their seat. Oh the shame!!!LOL
CB,
And lane change assist is????
and the carry over switch gear in the FG is???
CB’s credability is ZERO
I can’t beleive that this blog is still going 2 weeks later. Obviously this dope CB just can’t or won’t let go will he. In response to his last blog:
* halogen headlights- these have been universally praised
by every tester as the best high beam
on almost any car in Australia.
* six speaker premium sound- seven speakers(subwoofer)
actually with colour monitor,
in dash 6 stack cd, full i-pod
integration & 262 watts of
power
* power windows & mirrors- with auto down on drivers window
memory & auto adjust
* one power adjustable seat- with 3 position memory
* sat nav with remote control- and Suna Traffic Channel.
Obviously judging by CB’s nitpicking even he agree’s that for the price there is no better performance/luxury car available in Australia let alone the world.
Now can we please move on and maybe compare these 2 German luxury pretenders BMW & Audi to the real German Luxury(and more recently-performance)cars, Mercedes.
And at least Mercedes has good resale value unlike BMW & Audi.
Quote ” And at least Mercedes has good resale value unlike BMW & Audi. ”
Give me a break,you ever spent $160,000 on a Merc ,within 12 months couldnt resell it for anything over a 100k ,thank god for tax deductions!
Merc full of quality over BMW and Audi,pftttttttttt the CD player went back 3 times in the Merc we had !Old mans cars !
Simply is the more you spend the more you lose !
And Joe Im betting Ive driven as many cars as you too !
Some people !Shakes head !
CB – I think you’ll find that Every car on the road has Lane Change Assist…. It’s called the steering wheel,,,, it also helps you go around corners too… been around for years
Wheelnut,
true stuff that.
these fancy names get me confused sometimes.
it also reminds me of a joke…….
A man walks into a Bar with a Steering Wheel down his pants.
The Bartender says to him “Hey mate, did you know you have a steering wheel down your pants?”
The man answers “Yes, its driving me nuts”.
…………………………………………
and that one reminds me of another…..
3 Guys walk into a Bar,
surely one of them would have seen it.
ah we all need a little humour dont we??
we all cant be as tight and wound up in our own little worlds in the way CB is
Bavarian Missile: Slightly off topic, but knowing your love of BMs, my relatives in Victoria just traded their ‘04 525i for a new 520d.
Hey Bavarian Missile, I agree that the more you spend the more you lose. I also agree that the quality on Mercs isn’t as good as one would expect but that is also the case with BMW & Audi. The whole point of my last post was to put a bit of pressure on CB and get him thinking about the real competitors to his 335i and to try to end his inane G6ETurbo rants.
Hopefully it worked.
Qoute [Andrew M]:these fancy names get me confused sometimes.
I know Andrew; Companies often like to give their products an impressive name or anagram to make them appear better than the competition.
The Hilux is a perfect example Toyota decided to create a category and call the Hilux an “Action Utility Vehicle” – Why? because to refer to the Hilux as just a “Ute” it would then be thought of in the same way as the Falcon and Commodore Utes… and Toyota want people to think that the Hilux is much better than that [just as they do]… yet there is no way the Hilux can be compared to let alone compete against the SS Maloo XR6 XR8 or Pursuit Utes
If Toyota wanted to be realistic they would have called the Hilux a Pick-Up as its built on a sepperate rigid ladder type chassis whereas the Ford and Holden are sedan based Utes.. However; if Toyota did that the Hilux would then be compared to the legendary Ford F-series [which again is better than the Hilux]
‘yet there is no way the Hilux can be compared to let alone compete against the SS Maloo XR6 XR8 or Pursuit Utes’
Your right, the Hilux 4×4 sr5 is WAY better…
Just one example from at least 6 i think of in ten seconds.. The three ‘utes’ you mentioned will drop 25k in the first year of ownership…. Plus the hilux will cost 150$ per service for 3 years against about 450$ average for the ‘utes’.
I know that was 2 reasons but silly statements like that deserve the smackdown..
Hey Joe have you read the article on here which says your beloved Mercedes Benz [The one German marque you believe is the maker of real performance cars] could have BMW engines in their cars in the future ? If so what do you think about that… says something doesn’t it?
DanMan – A Maloo lose $25K in the first year.. if so can you tell e where I can buy either a $1,000 VU Maloo R8[10th Anniversary Edition] let alone a $25,000 VZ Maloo.. I’ve got more chance finding a $25,000 [TRD] Hilux
As for your comment about the service of a SR5 Hiliux costing $150 and the service on a XR8 costing $450..
I don’t know which dodgy mechanic you go to but most factory/dealership services not to mention places like Ultra Tune charge at least $90-100 plus parts and labour [that's even before they've popped the bonnet]..
Yet given that most people get their car serviced at least twice a year means that services on a Hilux are $75 – what the hell do they do to it for that price
Oh and as the SR5 is a 4WD it would easily require more work than the SS/XR8 as there’s a transfer case and 2 diffs etc.. And don’t forget the availability of parts also has an effect on the price
Plus a friend of mine owns a F-Series V8 Diesel Crew Cab Pick Up whilst her hubby has a Diesel Prado.. both of them are a couple of years old and do the same number of Kms each year and it actually costs more to service the Prado.. go figure!
Wheelnut,
DanMan is refering to the “fixed price servicing” short term promotion that Toyota is using to bluff the sheep into believing that Toyotas are the cheapest to service and maintain, when the reality is, after the promotion is over, is the horrific service costs for these bland a-b mobiles.
Hmmm hard to argue with the 2 experts above, you both have so much industryy experience and like me have obviously bought and sold thousands of cars to thousands of people.
You both, like me, work 6 days a week with cars and car buyers, helping non enthusiast customers get the best car that suits their needs and wants..
You also spend alot of unpaid time doing the necessary training course’s (here and overseas) to stay up to date in a fast moving industry..
You both drive a different car home every day to better understand the differences between brands and ‘know there because you go there’
Right, RIGHT?
So to sound really arrogant, like you both.. the old line applies,
‘I have forgotten more about all things relating to cars than you both will ever know’
Wish i could upload the 88 megs of photo’s of different cars in my driveway…. Here and in LA.
Dan Man your a car salesman how does that make you an expert,been to many a car show and found salesman dont know as much as I do ……….get over yourself !
Oh another country heard from…
Well lets see i talk to a wide of people across all socio-economic and geo-political boundries and they trust me enough about what i prove to them i know, to spend, in some case’s hundreds of thousands of dollars..
2nd generation in the Car indusry after my Father worked for Jaguar in Sydney and Brisbane (Browns lane too!)for thirty years..
Brother in Law owns 2 KTM bike dealerships with my Sister in LA.
If i was a doctor, you would trust me to perform surgery!