- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
5.0SC, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
335kW, 570Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 14L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Ford Falcon XR Sprint first drive review
"This car is a celebration of everything the Falcon represents."
So says Ford man David Burn, the engineer eulogising the brand's final Australian car during a presentation that feels more triumphant than funereal.
There's a lot to take in - the 200,000 kilometres of development testing, the more powerful engines, sharpened chassis and decades of history behind the Falcon brand.
We should be paying attention, but this doesn't feel like the time for a power point presentation.
I can't help but drift off, remembering personal highs and lows as we prepare to drive a new Falcon for the last time. To farewell an old friend.
Memories will naturally vary from person to person, but as a lifelong motorsport lover, my Falcon highlights include seeing the blue machine of Glenn Seton take pole for the first Bathurst 1000 I attended in 1994, hearing a partisan Mount Panorama crowd rejoice as the "green eyed monster" Falcon of Holden defector Craig Lowndes crashed out of contention in 2001, and cheering myself hoarse alongside blue-eyed friends and family as Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards led Ford Performance Racing to a breakthrough victory in 2013.
Away from the track, there were the rural land-speed trials in a tired EL Falcon the moment my first friend earned his P-plates, the white-knuckle ride to my bucks' party in a tuned Ford Performance Vehicles Typhoon and the unmistakable V8 roar that erupted the first time I floored the throttle in a Falcon GT.
This car is part of Australia's cultural fabric, no matter how your age, social status or geographic location.
But personal moments pale into significance alongside the fateful morning in May 2013, when we heard Ford was set to shutter its Broadmeadows factory in three years. The newsroom was a frantic place as we pieced together a diagnosis that proved fatal for local car manufacturing.
It's hard not to wonder what might have been had local manufacturers been given a better chance by their American and Japanese parent companies. Or the Federal Government.
But we've been given a glimpse of that in recent months, first through Holden's brilliant VF II Commodore, and now with the final Falcon XR Sprint.
It's clear that Ford has done everything in its power to make this model the best possible Falcon under difficult circumstances.
It has more power - significantly more power - as well as cosmetic touches and an uprated chassis intended to make the most of the most powerful engines offered by Ford in Australia.
Starting with the looks, the new machine features black-painted 19-inch wheels with sticky Pirelli tyres, gold-finished Brembo brake calipers, a low-profile rear spoiler, black headlight bezels and distinctive exterior graphics. The XR8 features a black-painted roof and mirrors that separate it from six-cylinder models.
On the inside, new Sprint-branded seats have a mix of leather and suede trim, and there are special badges to let you know that this isn't a run-of-the-mill Falcon.
Priced from $54,990 (plus on-road costs) in XR6 form, the Sprint costs around $10,000 more than the outgoing Falcon XR6 Turbo, while the $59,990 asking price for the V8 is around $7000 more than a standard XR8.
Naturally, the Sprint's position at the top of the Falcon range is reflected by standard kit that includes dual-zone climate control, satellite navigation and premium stereo systems.
The most important changes for many customers will be under the bonnet, where engineers have turned up the boost to create what should be the fastest-ever factory-built Falcons.
Available with a turbocharged 4.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine in XR6 Sprint form or with a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 for the XR8, Ford claims two sets of numbers for engines that should be familiar to Australian enthusiasts.
The XR6 officially makes 325kW and 576Nm, while the XR8 offers 345kW and 575Nm of grunt. Those represent increases of 55kW and 10kW respectively over regular models, numbers that climb further as part of what Ford calls a "transient overboost function" providing extra power for up to 10 seconds in each gear when conditions are right. Using that, the XR6's peaks rise by 45kW and 74Nm to 370kW and a staggering 650Nm of torque, while the XR8's efforts rise by 55kW and 75Nm to 400kW and 650Nm.
Those fierce outputs could cement the Sprint as the fastest of the blue-oval breed.Ford won't say exactly how fast it is. We'll put it to the test at a later date.
Blue-blooded fans welcomed the news that the brand's locally-developed six-cylinder engine was to receive a proper send-off. Unlike US-sourced V8 engines offered by Ford and Holden, the XR6 Sprint's heart is a truly Australian product that has evolved over decades to become a world-class performance motor.
The 4.0-litre machine ruled the local performance car roost in years gone by, comfortably outgunning Ford's underdone naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8 as well as Holden's 6.0-litre contemporaries.
Ford's last major update to the Falcon largely ignored the XR6 Turbo, which carried on with the same 270kW engine first offered when the FG-generation arrived in 2008.
But the new model benefits from serious changes including cloning parts sourced from the now-defunct Ford Performance Vehicles F6 as well as unique upgrades that include a new carbon-fibre air intake which represents a first for Ford Australia.
Slipping behind the wheel of the Sprint, there's no doubt that the company has worked hard to make the model the best it can be. And, in short, it hammers.
Both cars are happy to tick along effortlessly, cruising over long distances without breaking a sweat. Turn up the wick and they come alive, the six howling mournfully as it hauls in the horizon before punctuating full-throttle shifts with a pleasant burp from the exhaust.
It remains as smooth as ever, with a thick and rich torque delivery that feels ridiculously fit in every gear. The XR6 Turbo to Sprint transformation results in an effortless performer with straight-line pace to rival the world's quickest sedans.
It's a sweet package, one that certainly seems quicker than its V8 cousin - if a little less characterful. The four-litre engine under the bonnet of this machine is a legendary performer - and it's made in Australia, unlike the V8s you find in a Falcon or Commodore. Personally, it is the pick of the pair.
Ford's XR8 Sprint represents a less dramatic transformation as it's an XR8 turned up to 11, with an improved ride, more grip and extra go to keep customers happy.
The V8 remains purposeful but a little muted, particularly in comparison to Holden's latest SS Commodore.
But comparatively priced Holden models wouldn't have a hope of keeping up with these cars, which feel significantly quicker on the road and track.
Both models turn in nicely, thanks to reprofiled suspension and sticky Pirelli tyres, with plenty of grip for drivers to lean on. There is plenty of traction off offer from the 265mm-wide rear Pirellis, and loads of lateral grip for high-speed cornering.
Stable and surefooted - it never feels truly agile - you can't escape the fact that it's a big, heavy car. Still, the Sprint delivers on the muscle car theme like few others on the road. It looks tough, sounds ace and has plenty of speed when called upon.
Unsurprisingly, Ford wasn't able to fix some of the ergonomic issues that have blighted the Falcon for years. It is let down by a truly ordinary high-set driving position, a lack of shift paddles and interior materials that remind you why the world is switching to Uber.
The Sprint also takes a low-tech approach to driver aids such as traction and stability control, which are either (intrusively) on or (completely) off in a binary arrangement that lacks the intuitive playfulness of "sport" stability settings offered by rivals.
There's also an excess of road noise, particularly on coarse-chip roads, and it loves to have a drink.
But that's unlikely to matter to hundreds of buyers looking to snap up a final example of a truly iconic car. Ford will build a total of 1400 Falcon Sprints, 850 in XR8 form and 550 XR6 Turbos. New Zealand will receive 150 of those, while Ford Australia says it has sold its entire allocation of XR6 Sprint and manual XR8 versions. A few automatic XR8s are said to be available to people who haven't put down a deposit.
High demand, inevitable dealer mark-ups and limited availability will make the Sprint a hard car to get hold of. Those lucky enough to get one certainly will have cause for celebration.
2016 Ford Falcon Sprint specifications
PRICE: From $54,990 (XR6) or $59,990 (XR8) plus on-road costs
ON Sale: May 2016
ENGINES: 4.0-litre six-cylinder turbo (XR6) or 5.0-litre supercharged V8 (XR8)
POWER: 325-370KW at 6000rpm (XR6) or 345-400kW at 5750rpm (XR8)*
TORQUE: 576-650Nm at 2750rpm (XR6) 575-650Nm at 2220-6250rpm (XR8)*
TRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual (XR8 only) or six-speed auto, rear wheel-drive
FUEL USE: 12.8L/100km (XR6), 14L/100km (XR8)
*Higher figures are produced through overboost