Falcon gets tune-up it needed

By DAVID LINKLATER

Styling revisions are the most obvious aspect of Ford's AU II Falcom revamp, but the significant changes are ones you can't see.

Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), a bugbear for the current model, has come in for some high-tech treatment. The much-criticised brakes have also been upgraded.

Minor suspension changes are intended to sharpen the car's handling, there's a dedicated LPG fuel option and the XR8 has been blessed with a major power boost.

The AU II's most significant step towards better NVH control is a laminated firewall, which is now fitted to every car in the range.

The firewall comprises two layers of steel sandwiched together with a visco-elastic bonding resin.

Changes to the brakes include bigger pads, thicker rotors, refinements to the master cylinder and a higher capacity booster.

The system includes a twin pot aluminium-headed front caliper, which contains a non-asbestos organic pad with 70 per cent more volume than the old set-up.

The standard 16-inch wheels have prompted minor recalibration of both the live axle and independent rear suspension systems.

On the road the changes are most obvious in the entry-level Forte. The venerable 4.0-litre powerplant is unchanged from the previous model, but its characteristically gruff engine note has faded well into the background.

The live-axle rear suspension remains well balanced, but the bigger wheels and suspension changes have improved the car's response to small steering inputs. Overall, it's a more confidence-inspiring package. The Forte - along with the Futura and S - also now has a dedicated LPG option. The entire standard fuel system has been removed, including the fuel tank, fuel lines, pump, injectors and fuel rail.

In its place is a bespoke LPG system developed by Ford and Tickford, which the company claims suffers no power loss compared with the standard 4.0-litre car. After a brief drive it's an easy claim to believe. Aside from the one or seconds extra winding on the ignition key required to start the LPG system, our test Forte's performance was indistinguishable from a petrol-powered car. That's the sensible powertrain development. In the sheer grunt category is the uprated 5.0-litre V8 fitted to the XR8. With another 15kW, it now produces 200kW at 5000rpm, with maximum torque of 420Nm at 3750.

The more powerful engine is shared with the Fairmont-based Australian-market TE50 - one of the reasons why that vehicle won't be appearing in New Zealand. However, the TS50, with 220kW, will arrive here in limited numbers in the last quarter of the year as an exclusive Falcon flagship, at a price of about $95,000.