Ford Falcon XT sedan Reviews | Engine

> car reviews > ford > falcon > xt sedan > Engine

Make / Model Search

Car reviews - Ford - Falcon - XT sedan

Engine

19 Dec 2002

AT THE heart of the Barra Falcon lies a radically updated version of Ford's faithful straight six for the 21st century. The new engine still cranks into life slowly and has a familiar gravelly sound under load, but that's where the similarities with its 32-year-old predecessor end.

Now featuring a twin-camshaft alloy cylinder-head with four valves per cylinder, the freer breathing powerplant also benefits from variable camshaft timing over a range of 60 degrees (previously only two-stage) for both the inlet and exhaust camshafts.

The result is a higher revving engine - the rev limiter has been raised from 5700rpm to 6000rpm - and more power and torque than the two-valve six it replaces, right across the range.

Producing a class-leading 182kW of power at 5000rpm - some 30kW more than Commodore's V6 - and an impressive 380Nm of torque at 3250rpm, Falcon's new 24-valve engine sets new benchmarks for an Australian six-cylinder engine.

Standard in XT, Futura, Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia, the hot new six retains its 4.0-litre displacement and long-stroke 92.26 x 99.31mm cylinder dimensions, and also forms the basis of the giant-killing XR6 Turbo engine.

Revised from top to bottom, the new six also features new combustion chamber and port designs, an electronic throttle, coil-on-plug ignition, a single chain drive for the camshafts, coil-on-plug ignition, a crank-mounted oil pump, sump refinements and three new hydraulic engine mounts. Failsafe Cooling protection and the Smart Start ignition lock-out systems continue.

In combination with a sophisticated and unobtrusive new traction control system, the reponsive new engine raises basic Falcon performance to new heights safely and with impressive refinement.

Of course, in concert with a significant weight increase, the more powerful new engine does use more fuel than Commodore (a claimed 11.5 litres per 100km versus 10 on the city cycle), but we'd gladly pay the difference to experience the substantial benefits Falcon's new engine delivers in terms of performance, driveability, emissions and noise, vibration and harshness.

Did you know?

Some 305 Ford dealers were linked to the Blue Oval's satellite-based Fordstar training service at the BA launch

Click to share

Click below to follow us on
Facebook Twitter Instagram

GoAuto can help you buy a new Falcon

Customer Terms and Conditions – New Car Lead enquires

Agreement

This is an agreement between GoAutoMedia Pty Limited ACN 094 732 457 of PO Box 18, Beach Road, Sandringham, VIC, 3191 (“we/us”), the owner and operator of the GoAuto.com.au website (“the website”) and the person wanting GoAuto.com.au to provide them with a lead for the purchase of a new car (“you”).

By completing a New Car Lead Enquiry, you agree to the terms and conditions and disclaimers and acknowledge the policies set out below.

Terms and Conditions

In order for us to effect a lead you must you must complete a New Car Lead Enquiry (“Enquiry”).
We will call you as soon as possible after you complete the Enquiry and certainly no later than the next business day. When we call, we will discuss with you your new car requirements.
You consent to our passing on the Enquiry and your requirements to an appropriate authorised motor car dealer as a lead.
We will contact you again in approximately eight days following your initial enquiry to check on the progress of the Enquiry.
While we will provide the dealer with the Enquiry and details of your new car requirements, we take no responsibility for what happens after passing on that material as a lead.
You acknowledge that we are a new car information service providing new car editorial information, pictures and prices to our customers as a guide only. Any new car prices published on the website are the manufacturers’ recommended retail prices and do not include delivery charges and on-road costs. Any authorized motor car dealer to which we pass on your Enquiry as a lead will provide you with full details of the price at which the vehicle will be sold to you.
You acknowledge that we do not sell motor vehicles. Any sale of a new car to you by a dealer after we have passed on your Enquiry to that dealer as a lead, is a sale by that dealer not by us.

Privacy Policy– New Car Lead Enquires

We take privacy very seriously. We understand that you will only complete an Enquiry if you can trust us to protect your personal information and use it appropriately. Our policy is to ensure that the personal information collected when you make an Enquiry is only used for the purposes of connecting you with an authorised motor car dealer.
We do not on-sell information collected from you or any other customer.
From time to time, we may email you with information or promotions that may be relevant for car buyers. You will continue to receive communications from us unless you tell us that you do not want to receive any advertising or promotional information in the future by unsubscribing from these communications.

Motor industry news

GoAutoNews is Australia’s number one automotive industry journal covering the latest news, future and new model releases, market trends, industry personnel movements, and international events.

Download page