New Falcon: More changes announced

YOU'RE looking at a detail photo of thenew Barra Falcon. Notice anythingdifferent compared to the current car? The windscreen wipers are nowlowered out of the airflow, The windscreen washers havedisappeared off the bonnet to beconcealed below the bonnet line and the retractable aerial has gone,replaced by on-glass antennas.

Ford has issued the photo as partof its ongoing controlled leak ofinformation regarding the new Barra, which goes on sale in October.

At the same time as it issued this photo, Ford revealed a group of features itwill introduce with the new Barra, two if which it claims are firsts foran Australian-built car.

They are:
* Electronic throttle control
* Electrically adjustable foot pedalpositioningAt the same time Ford revealed the Falconwould be offered with reverse parkingsensors and its satellite navigation updatedfrom CD to DVD-based. There will also beimprovements to the air-conditioningsystem.

The electronic throttle - more commonlyknown as drive-by-wire - is standard acrossthe Barra range and replaces the traditionalsystem that comprised a mechanical cableand linkages.

One of the major advantages of drive-by-wireis that it enables pedal responses to betuned individually to suit each Barraengine/transmission combination.

It also doubles as the cruise controlactuating system, but not all Barra Falconswill be equipped with cruise as standard.

The throttle is adapted from an internationaldesign developed by Ford and supplierVisteon.

The pedal adjusters are adapted from thesystem first seen on the new Jaguar S-Typeand will be fitted standard to the top-specFairmont Ghia and available as an optionacross automatic models in the range.

The pedals can be moved electronically toand from the driver via a rocker switchlocated on the steering column.

The parking sensors are adapted from aBosch system to cope with coarse chipbitumen surfaces, outback roads andtowing.

The system engages automatically whenreverse is selected and warns of obstaclesfrom as far away as 1850mm. It will be stan-dardon Ghia and optional across the rest ofthe range.

The DVD-based sat-nav is the same Densosystem as used by Toyota, although thereare differences, such as Ford eschewing thetouch screen function because it found thescreen became marked and dirty.

The air-conditioning system now includes adebris filter designed to restrict coarse dustand leaf particles being drawn into the freshair inlet ducts. A particulate air filter isoffered as an option.