Ford FG Falcon RTV a sure bet

By Paul Maric | February 25th, 2009

While the outgoing RTV ute wasn’t a runaway success, it did sell in numbers to the type of people after a Falcon with extra ground clearance.

The good news for ute lovers is that the RTV will make a return in FG guise.

Caught testing at Ford’s proving grounds, the new FG RTV will most likely offer similar equipment to the outgoing RTV. We can expect to see a lockable rear differential, but don’t expect to see a V8. Although this doesn’t look at all different to the outgoing RTV, the vehicle pictured will be running the FG drivetrain package and all other FG components for final testing.

We’ll reveal more details as they come to hand.

Funnily enough, also caught testing at the proving grounds was this, we’ll leave it with you!

Tom

What could that wagon be? Diesel?
Frontman

This ute didn’t have a diesel clatter, did it?
Just a thought
alec

I hope they bring the RTV back.
It was a good combination and sold pretty well considering the lack of advertising for it.
Most people I know didnt even know it existed.

Great resale too, try getting a good one that hasn’t been worked hard… you’ll pay well for it!
FRUGAL-ONE

The problem with the origonal RTV was the high price and the fact they are a really pig to lift something into the tray [cab chassis] its a LONG way up!

They where near enough pricewise to a *proper* 4×4 Japper ute.

From memory around $5k more, that a lot for a difflock, underbody guard and suspension lift kit.

I really liked them, but settled on a std. cab-chassis instead.

As for the SportsWagon, no different to all the Fords and Toyotas that GMH own and pull to bits.Its normal to **reverse-engineer** your main competitors items.

Looking a bit dry @ YouYangs these days!

Cheers

F-0
Darren

Wow that wagon is nice, Ford’s best design to date!
Phil C.

Ford has bought a VE wagon to test. The most recent Wheels comparison of the VE and the Terri had the Ford well out in front.

Wonder if they are using it to evaluate whether they should go the less versatile but more stylised ‘sportwagon’ route with the FG.

Great to see the FG RTV ute coming along. Those that have them swear by them. There are plenty of existing owners who would love to update to a new one!
Bret

Frontman, my mail is it’s the new e-gas engine doing some impromtue high temp testing during the recent heatwave.

I expect we’ll see it in the Territory as well as Falcon.
Frontman

Ha Ha Spam word FALCON

Problem with Egas Terri is, due to requirements of ADR’s re the factory fit tanks, where do you fit the spare wheel?? Cannot see them being silly enough to limit E-gas to 5 seater.
Not unusual to see GM product there though. Either for evaluation purposes or for quality control as Ford does make some bits and pieces for GM & Toyota (oh and Vice Versus)
Bret

Frontman,
But that was with the 93l tank. If you improve the economy of the gas engine, and only need a tank 25% smaller……
Frontman

Agree on the tank size, however it is also my understanding that you cannot have the tanks “In Front of or under” any pasenger seat on a factory fit unit. Yes I am also aware of the company (in Newcastle IIRC) that is building flat tanks But I believe that’ll still have to go behind the rear axle???
Hey believe me I want them to do a sequential gas unit yesterday. The E-gas FG currently is a surprisingly good drive, better than the BF2 for some reason, it is also harder to pick that you are driving one in city traffic (as long as it was warm when you started it so it didn’t take3 seconds ) but an improved set up is called for.
Devil666

Lol Darren, someones def gonna bite on that one hehe.
Phill

The guys in the VE are Holden employes doing Design research.HaHa
Reckless1

Ford needs to re-design the Territory due to its “ancientness”, so they want to copy the best looking local wagon……
Bret

Reckless, yeah you’re probaly right. Why then would they have a Commodore wagon? The Mondeo wagon is obviously out the back.
Steve-Poyza

Haha there have been some funny comments here. I agree the Territory is heavily dated and its about time they release the new model. I wonder if Ford have even started designing it little alone testing it… Hopefully they’ve made more progress then I think because I do like the Territory but the current one has just lost it’s taste.
And I’ll be honest, I think the VE wagon looks better than Mondeo wagon.
Darren, you do know that wagon is a Holden right?
Name (required)

ford needs to bring out a sports wagon mayb thats y they got a sports wagan thier??
Limited Slip

I hate the VE sedan styling ……those wheel arches are so 1970\’s but I love the look of the Sportwagon, best looking Holden by far, ever. But in reality thats all it is…..good looking. It really is useless as a wagon as the so called load space is so small. Have heard women complaining that they cant fit a pram and their shopping in the back. You have to tow a trailer when you go away because you cant even fir 4 peoples luggage n it……useless. Looks 9\\10 usefulness 4\\10. Territory for me anyday……

RTV ute is a beauty…so happy they are FG\’ing it.
Frontman

Ummm Sorry am i missing something here??? I saw the RTV and the Commodore Hatchback, but I didn’t see a wagon…………
As for Ford needing a Sportswagon, why? Ford has a load lugger and a Family wagon. ie BF111 XT and Territory. If you want a sports version, then buy the Territroy Turbo.
JML

Reckless1 Says:
“Ford needs to re-design the Territory due to its “ancientness”, so they want to copy the best looking local wagon…… ”

That’s quite funny seeing that design-wise the VE is a Territory turned into a sedan.
Limited Slip

Frontman…well done….I didnt think of it like that, it really is a Commode hatchback…….it sure isnt much of a wagon.
AWD RTV

An AWD using territory AWD system would be nice.
Hjalle

I like the wagon design, i think it is alot nicer than the current Faclon ;p

Nahh i think that Ford have invested in a Commodore SW so that they can compare it to their new Falcon Estate
realcars

The MIGHTY AU is pushing 300,000klms so I would definitely be in the market. RTV Egas with bench seat = heaven.LOL
realcars

Replacement for the BF wagon is my bet.
realcars

Hope they include the alloys on the FG RTV like the early RTVs and not the steel rims yhey had on the BF2 RTV.
Wheelnut

Alec you’re right about the previous RTV it was a fairly popular Falcon derivative However; I don’t think that it wasn’t as popular as Holden’s “experiment” the Crewman Ute.

As for the Sportwagon Ute Holden have followed the design cues from a number of European Wagons which are also referred to as a Sportwagon including Audi.

Who knows maybe we can expect to see not only a Falcon Wagon but also a Jacked Up Commodore Wagon [like the Territory].. I’d like to know who is going to be the first to release a “Nomad” Delivery Van; [Sandman] Panel Van
realcars

A VE crewman would be a good thing!

Versatility in a vehicle that looks drives and goes like a commodore.

For those that criticise the VE go and sit in one.They are really a nice piece of automotive design and I am a Falcon man! If they made the 195kw/5 speed auto standard the game would be over in IMO.
Frontman

Ummm Wheelnut, the first “sportswagon” we saw in Aust was actually a (Ummmm giggle) Hyundai Elantra…… Now I don’t really think Holden are that Korean are they?? Otherwise they could have called it a Eurowagon. I mean they did have the stickers on their adopted parts list at least!

As for the VE realcars, yeah nice enough to look at, but you’d be crazy to say the ho Alloytech was a nicer drive than the povo I6! Seriously the I6 matches the HiPo’s Vaunted 340nm at a lowly 1900rpm & carries it through to 4900rpm instead of the asthmatic 2800>3200 range ov the alloytech. And fuel consumption? Ha! Sorry but the VE was a great Australian.
Simon

Is that a window at the rear end of the wagon, or a peep hole?
http://honda holstein hore ).( ).(

Tyrannosaurus Rex just checking out Diplodocus in dino land , soon be both extinct.
Wheelnut

Realcars – My mates at the Holden Factory told me [a couple of months after the VE was released] that they had plans to build a VE Crewman which would have beena unitary design based on the the WM Statesman Platform unlike theprevious model which was essentially a VX wagon cut in half with a tray section bolted onto it. However; since the economic downturn and GMs worsening financial situation it like so many other projects has been put on ice

Frontman – I didn’t say the VE Sportwagon was the fist Sportwagon in Australia I said it has taken its design cues from similar Wagons from Europe – which is far more classy and refined than from Asia.

They called it the Sportwagon as its aimed at those with an active lifestyle and are interseted in Sports.. They could have called it the EuroWagon but howmany people are Interested in Female Kangaroos? [ A Female Kangaroo is called a Euro ]
Wheelnut

I’m a Holden man and even I admit that Holdens biggest Downfall is with the V6 engine.. If you could put the Falcons Engine and Inline 6 speed [ZF] gearbox under the VE Commodores body you would have one hell of an impressive [near perfect] Aussie built sports sedan/ute.
Limited Slip

Wheelnut……..yeah if you put the Falcons engine and trans and interior and suspension and great styling……..well you would have a great car then…….its called an FG Falcon !!!
Marcus

Even better…..how about you delete the Falcons engine and trans and interior and suspension and great(suspect) styling and you would have an even better car, a VE Commodore
Limited Slip

Marcus…….Everyone knows an FG Falcon is a much much better car than a VE Commode. Thrashy trashy driveline in the VE is no better than an old XD Falcon and the Daewoo inspired interior cheap plastics is a disgrace. If you think its a better car than an FG then you really dont know anything about cars. You probably think a daewoo Barina is the best car in its class….lol lol lol lol lol lol

Al Juraj

It’s not about making a good car, but rather coming up with something that would sell.

RD

Ahh it didn’t take long for the less intelligent among us to emerge did it….these sort of stories ALWAYS turn into a religious Ford/Holden debate *sigh*.

I wonder why they had a pine tree hanging from the rear vision mirror? Don’t Ford employees like the smell of the VE?

I’d say the wagon is there for comparative purposes only.
HAL

Holstein Hore….hilarious, pure gold
JEKYL & HYDE

limited slip,

i have a new call sign for you.fongo.the ford dingo.fair dinkum,you don’t see frontman or andrew m slander everything not ford,simply because they are pro ford,just like richo or wheelnut is pro g.m.take the blinkers off…
Andrew M

Good to see the RTV make a return.
CA says it wasnt very popular, but i see plenty around.

it is really one hell of a work horse.

Im gonna say the alloys used on the earlier model RTV’s were replaced with “sunrayser” style rims for load reasons.
Since the RTV was/is a well flogged work horse, i can assume that they had problems with alloy rims buckling.
Andrew M

It could even be one of their response/service units for the test track???
it appears to be being used for something rather than testing due to the half folded tonneau and something sticking out the back.

If it was for testing, it could only really be engine testing.
I really dont know why they would be testing anything at all on this out dated setup. Everything they find using this may be irrelevant anyway.
Falcon_Crazy

Could it be? I will be down the dealer with my current RTV (Sitting in back of it right now camping through Tassie – 208,000Km and strong as) with my FG XR6 in tow (16,000km and only 4 months old).

But my oil is RTV is dead – let Ranger fill the gap (will never IMO as a Daily and long distance drive). Will do some diggin and some dreaming
open_road

Great to see the RTV make a comeback!

It was a fantastic niche in the market. As a surveyor I mostly had to work in the country, scramble up rock tracks, dirt roads and not much more. No dunes/sand work. And a heap of kilometres between sites.

My ‘Cruiser was great off road but so bl**dy uncomfortable and thirsty for a long stint. An RTV was the obvious successor – BENCH SEAT, 3 SEAT COLUMN SHIFT, A/C and LPG. Flexibilty, comfort and ability, and much lower RWD fuel and running costs. Plus, the extra height of the tray made it easy to write on a clip board on the back corner of the ute!

I wasn’t the only one, Water Corp and local councils loved the things. Good examples have held their value well.

I’d also welcome an AWD/RWD choice for customers, like the Territory.

Great news!
Wagon Fan

I miss the XR6 Falcon wagons from the early to mid 90s. In the ED and EF Falcons.

ohhh Nostalgia!
XemXoes

I love my BAII RTV, can’t bear to part with it and desperately want another one for my business.

It was perfect for my purposes except for the wheels. Traction in the wet was a problem. Sliding sideways when hitting a slick patch was too exciting.

It now wears BF ute rims and tyres and the handling is much better, as is traction on grass.

Ford…sign me up for another one!
who

fg= fugly ve= awsome tough

it a ba rtv falcon

dickheads
lol
Paddy

Just bought me a 2006 BF RTV on Gas 90k. Clean as a whistle. Had a loud knocking noise. Took it to my mechanic who tightened up a few loose bolts around the rear end. All good, drives great.
Love the ride height and doesn’t handle as bad as I thought it would with the extra height.
Sat in an FG XR6 ute, very nice. Very very nice. I will be the first to put an order with Ford if they bring out an RTV in the FG body.
As mentioned they did sell a few RTV’s without too much effort and very little advertising. Maybe they invest a little in a few adds.
Great combination in the RTV’s
Ford, please realise that you are on a good thing and go the FG RTV.
Paddy
paul glendenning

as far as the rtv ute fills a nich. how about ford producing a rtv panel van. ideal for tradies ,surfers , campers and our ever growing ageing population who want to re-live their mis spent youth . baby boomers are retiring in record no’s and its these people who grew up (literaly) in the panel van. ford do us all a favor and re-invent the past. i’d buy one
stephen

hi ive just got a 2006 rtv in december always wanted one i do a bit of mountain bike riding and im starting my own sheetmetal company that is why i got it i love it but i have one complaint
i wanted to put som all terrain tyers on it but there are none that you can legaly put on it
i found this on auto speed some one alse wanting to do the same thing here waht he found

All Terrain RTV?
As Australia’s leading automotive online news source I thought you would be interested in this:

Are you aware that there is no all-terrain tyre that can be legally fitted to Ford’s Rugged Terrain Vehicle (“RTV”) in Australia?

Amazingly, Ford has known about this since the release of their RTV in 2003, yet they maintain that the only tyres available for the RTV are Goodyear Marathon P215/65R16C 106/104T CARGO G26 HIGHWAY tyres in a highway tread pattern. NO motoring journalists have picked this up.

I found out about this only after I took delivery of my brand new RTV last week and drove it to a tyre outlet to have all-terrain tyres fitted – and was told that there are none!!!

Ford have known that in all mainland Australian States there is common legislation that specifies a wheel and tyre combination diameter no greater than 15mm over the OD of the tyre on the Tyre Compliance Plate on the front driver’s door of the vehicle – refer http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au & http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au & http://www.transport.qld.gov.au

This means there are no all-terrain tyres that comply.

I have spoken to certifying vehicle engineers and insurance companies and they say that there is no way around this, except for Ford specifying a tyre size option that will allow all-terrain tyres to be fitted.

The insurance companies says that, in spite of being told there are modifications to a vehicle, the underlying condition of their policies is the vehicle is legal and if it is not, there is NO insurance coverage.

Goodyear Tyre Service told me that at least 1 in 8 vehicles on the road today are illegal due to this 15mm OD law. That is over 1.69 million illegal vehicles on Australiaroads out of 13.5 million – http://www.abs.gov.au

I have been in constant contact with Ford all week and they say the only tyres that are specified or will be specified are P215/65R16C.

Do you know of an all-terrain tyre that can be fitted to a 16” x 7” rim and fall within 15mm of the OD of a 215/65R16? – I can’t find any!

How can Ford sell a Rugged Terrain Vehicle and not allow their customers to legally fit all-terrain tyres to it? Any experienced driver knows that it is extremely unsafe to drive highway tyres onto rugged terrain or dirt roads and then expect to be able to drive out even after only light rain.

John Hooper
Australia

Can any readers suggest an all-terrain tyre to suit?
Mel

When is the FG RTV going to be released? There are none on the Ford website.
Al Juraj

The RTV needs the Territory’s 4WD system to complement the raised ground clearance. This would define a true ute, capable off the beaten track but still have the fun and performance for the weekend.
Reggie

I have owned a B.A.R.T.V. ute since feb 2004.the vehicle itself is a good vehicle.The engine is great, heaps of power and torque,goes like a scalded dog & tows well, frequently tow heavy tandem trailer with 1 tonne plus. the locking diff is good, especially going on rough bush tracks with loose gravel and holes, surprisingly good offroad,(I have a 1200acre property with bush tracks and rocky terrain) good interior with easy to clean rubber floor mats, column auto,big comfortable bucket seats with cloth trim,NOT BENCH SEAT as some would have you believe, BIG roomy cab with good space behind seats for storage. The vehicle has some downsides though, I fitted a heavy 8′ steel tray and the Ford suspension bushes chopped out in 2000km, replaced with nolathane and now have 101000km on them and no problems. I fitted airman airbag suspension and that improved the vehicle no end,marked improvement in load capacity, steering, ride, handling, headlight function (can see better when headlights don’t point at the sky).Tyres, dont get me started, Goodyear Cargo, absolute rubbish, tough tread but no sidewall strength and $300 each easily staked (have done four) ply seperation (2).The vehicle would benifit greatly from better tyre choice. That’s probably why people fit sunraisers and proper offroad tyres, cheaper & better in the long run as probably will do with mine.They are a pig of a thing to see out of and reverse due to low seating position and “B” pillar in the door frame which is a big hinderance offroad and at some intersections. In slippery conditions like wet blacksoil/clay tracks difflocker will push the vehicle straight ahead no matter where you steer.It gets a bit thirsty when towing a heavy load as I My advice to Ford would be Better tyre choice, a heavy duty manual gearbox, possibly territory 4.W.D. system with hi/lo range, slightly longer wheelbase, and improved vision out of the cab