Six appeal of new Falcon gearbox

A new six-speed manual gearbox in the XR6 Turbo and XR8 performance vehicles heads a list of changes for the facelifted Ford Falcon due in New Zealand in November.

Other updates across the Mark II BA Falcon range include revised suspension, traction control, automatic headlights, new alloy wheels, new-look interiors, cruise control, and new paint colours.

The new alloy rims on the XR6 and XR6 Turbo Falcon retain the five-spoke design while Fairmont Ghia boasts a new nine-spoke alloy.

Ford New Zealand managing director Richard Matheson said the BA Falcon represented a big step forward for the company when it was introduced in 2002.

"Now the BA Mk II Falcon is destined to build on the success of that model. Our new Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission, heavily reworked by the Ford Performance Vehicle engineers to provide optimum performance, adds the final touch to the performance line-up, resulting in improved performance feel." The XR6 and XR8 performance range has accounted for 58 per cent of total Falcon sales in New Zealand so far this year.

FPV planning manager Gordon Barfield said the arrival of the new six-speed manual transmission heralded a new era for the high performance Falcons.

"Drivers will appreciate the improved performance feel, while still having a gearbox that offers tractable performance through all the gears at typical driving speeds," he said.

"The close ratios in the new gearbox make it easy to select the right gear for the right occasion."

The transmission will come with a unique gearset for both the XR6 Turbo and XR8, designed to match each engine's performance characteristics. The final drive ratio in the XR8 has changed from 3.23 to 3.46, while the XR6 Turbo's has been shortened from 3.46 to 3.73.

Double synchros in all six forward gears will be a feature of the new transmission, along with a single synchro in reverse to ensure a sweeter shifting movement.

"Ford and the Premier Automotive Group (Ford's luxury arm) have a long history with the T56 transmission, which has featured in products such as the Mustang Cobra R and the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish," said Barfield.

"Drawing on that experience has helped in providing a transmission that further accentuates the sporting nature of the XR6 Turbo and XR8 while providing outstanding shift quality and performance feel."

Barfield said the Mk II XR8 would also benefit from a minor suspension upgrade.

"Firmer spring rates have sharpened the steering response on the XR8 with a flatter ride and nimbler handling designed to further improve the athletic nature of the car."

The additions to the range of colours are "shockwave", inspired by the BA Falcon's success on the race track; "blaze", a rich metallic described as bold and daring; "velocity", a youthful blue; and "rapid", a searing hot yellow that Ford says is not for the faint-hearted.

The Mk II Falcon also gets an expanded range of accessories.