If you're an Aussie and you got no mates, there is one so far solution buy a Ute. Add a swag in a blue halo and you're a starter for just about any B&S Ball. They're also pretty practical, and there are never any complaints from the back seat. Here to walk us through the entire Falcon new range, Car Advice Road Tester Paul Meric.
So, Paul, is there a place for the Aussie Ute? Absolutely. You could never get rid of the Aussie Ute. You'd be doing an injustice to the Australian people. And when you think about the cab chassis starting at 1280 kilos worth of payload, it's a real workhorse as well. Now the price range for the Ute, is a big stretch because the base model's just over 30 and then the circle works special with 310 kilowatts and 565 Newton meters from FPV, it's just under 60.
So there's a big spending spree and a big spending range on offer. You're be spoiled for choice there. Whatever your purposes, they've got a solution for it. Whether it's, you know, carting around the goods or, as you said, doing the circle work, there's everything there for there's a lot of choice in the Ute market, but is the Falcon still a solid proposition for a trade?
Yeah, I think it still is. The Falcon has that styling aspect about it when you look at the Ute ...you can get the star side you can go to cab chassis or if you want to be outrageous you can go to the FPV models. Ok but talk us through the engine range. Well look you can basically start... That with the 4 litre in mind 6 and now the 6 speed ZF is standard across the range when you are not optioning a manual.
You then go to the 4 litre turbo charge, up with the 4 litre in line 6 6 in the XR6 Turbo. And then you move on to the FPV model which include soon to be a new V8 model from FPV and the colossal four liter turbo-charged six in the F6. That FPV F6 with 565 newton meters and 310 kilowatts, it's great in a sedan.
It must be deadly in a Ute. Well, with leaf-spring suspension, it's bouncing around half the time, so once you get the power down, it shoots like a bullet. What's the gonna think, right?
He's scared half to death half the time.
Well, he probably won't be complaining.
But doesn't the Falcon Ute enjoy a big safety advantage for the Japanese.
Well, Falcon now comes with a five star safety rating and now comes as well with stability control, which is something that's been missing from work horse vehicles for such a long time. So it's great to see that it's finally being implemented and is standard across the room. Mate, if you had to drive one model which one would it be?
You lose luggage carrying capacity the more performance oriented you go. I think the XS6 Turbo is the perfect middle ground you know, you still get that ripper engine. It's got great gearbox as well, and you can still carry just over 500 kilos worth of payload. So it's the perfect compromise between doing your work and having a bit of fun.
Now that reduction in load carrying capacity, that's purely the result of the different tire spec, isn't it? And also the suspension. So you get a sportier suspension tune on the sports model such as the XR6 turbo in comparison to the over 1 ton cab chassis. I guess the other big question there, if you rule out the Japanese utes, is the Commodore versus the Falcon.
Now some people will be culturally disinclined to even compare them, but if you did, why would you buy a Commodore and why would you buy a Falcon? Yeah, shot with the Commodore is that it's got independent rear suspension, so you get car-like handling with the ute load-carrying capacity. The problem there is that the Falcon has more load carrying capacity, because of its lead spring suspension arrangement, so while the Commodore might handle much better than the Falcon, Falcon has that compromise between throwing all your work gear in the back and then having a bit of fun on the weekends.
And you get the different backs on the Falcon as well, whereas there's only one with the Commodore. That's right. The Commodore is just style side. The Falcon has cab chassis and style side as well. So you're sport for choice. Thanks, Paul. That was Paul Maric. Circle work and practicality. What's not to like?
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