FPV F6 E 2010 Review

Ford Performance Vehicles F6 E

Road Test

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $79,740
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Satellite navigation $3230
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: 95 RON PULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 12.1
CO2 emissions (g/km): 289
Also consider: HSV Senator

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 2.5/5.0
Safety: 2.5/5.0 (and we wouldn't give the Senator more than 2.5 either!)
Behind the wheel: 3.0/5.0
X-factor: 4.0/5.0

About our ratings

We miss the Tornado, Typhoon and 'Force 6' monikers for Ford Performance Vehicles' (FPV) blown Falcons. Any mention of wind and the Beaufort scale seemed appropriate for a turbocharged car that could brew up a storm.

For its latest sports/luxury sedan to hit the road, FPV has stripped bare the F6 of all its external cosmetic trinkets and created the F6 E -- a turbo six-powered answer to the HSV Senator. Unlike the donor car, the F6 E is altogether stealthier, but still means business.

The powerplant in the F6 E is full of character and bite. It's a throaty, snarling inline engine in the classic mould and it's a perfect match to the ZF six-speed box. As a package, the drivetrain is absolutely up for anything.

Hefty throttle in the dry with the transmission left in 'Drive' mode will provoke a noticeable protest from the tyres once the turbo hits its stride at speeds of 50 or 60km/h. And it's not like the F6 E lacks power up to that point either; it's effortlessly strong everywhere in the rev range. In 'Performance' mode with the stability/traction control disabled and shifting the ZF box manually, the F6 E is traction-challenged in at least the first three gears.

As long as you have traction, however, it is astoundingly quick. But half throttle in the wet spells instant power oversteer or crabbing in a straight line -- much like any other Falcon derivative powered by the turbocharged six, the F6 E calls for a little caution once the road's damp. The good news is, as we've found with the XR6 Turbo and G6E Turbo Falcons, traction control and stability control in the forced-induction Fords allow a fair amount of latitude before they put a crimp in your fun.

It's worth mentioning at this point that the F6 E's suspension is well tied down. Even when the turbo power is getting away from the tyres, there's never any sense of squirm or discomfit from the suspension. However, to be blunt about it, the incredible surge of power generated by the engine is a real handful for a two-wheel drive setup -- even one as adept as this.

The way this engine operates, very few cars would cope dynamically without all-wheel drive. Part of the issue too, we suspect, is that the F6 E is under tyred. Not only is it easy to break traction with the power, but the Brembo brakes and the F6 E's high-grip suspension can overpower the tyres under brakes or around corners -- even with ABS and stability control enabled.

It took most of the seven days the F6 E was in our possession to work out that unleashing the power has to be done judiciously, in short, sharp bursts.

What the F6 E does well, however, is allowing you to choose from a very wide spectrum of driving practices. You can achieve rapid acceleration when required with merely half throttle or you can go full tilt if there's plenty of road available. In quieter moments, you can dawdle around town easily without upsetting those of more fragile dispositions. The car can be composed and serene when you want it to be.

Some weeks ago, we drove Holden's Commodore SV6. While the Holden is priced and positioned well apart from the F6 E (straight line performance rates a 'chalk and cheese' metaphor too), the basics remain comparable.

Ride comfort was slightly better in the Holden, although the F6 E's ride quality at lower speeds and over longer frequency bumps would be acceptable for most people. While the F6 E is moderately firmer at higher speeds, that's a trade-off we would willingly concede for its consistent body control.

It seems like the steering of the F6 E is lighter than we recall for the Holden and we would say that turn-in seems just a little more immediate in the Commodore, which may be a reflection of the SV6's weight distribution as much as anything.

Feedback remains as good as we recall for the F6 driven during the local launch of FPV's FG range, but Ford and FPV are yet to fix the steering rack rattle that has afflicted the current model Falcon since its release last year. Otherwise, the F6 E feels like a well sorted rear-drive sports sedan.

There's not much between the two (F6 E and SV6), when it comes to handling. The F6 E will oversteer into a corner on a trailing throttle, just as the Commodore does. Both cars boast similar levels of front-end grip and the flipside of the F6 E's slightly slower turn-in is it feels less prone to letting go at the rear than the Commodore -- in spite of the extraordinary magnitude of power and torque being pumped out through the rear wheels.
 
The F6 E can run at a constant speed on the open road and return a fuel consumption figure of about 11.0L/100km or less, or it can power its way around the suburbs for a combined figure of around 16.0L/100km. We achieved an average figure of 14.3L/100km for the period the car was in our possession.
 
With their high metallic content, the F6 E’s brake pads squeal slightly under even gentle braking, but the Brembo setup itself is impressively powerful. They’re well modulated and pull the car up smoothly without any last-moment lurch.

Traction control, once it's committed to saving the day, takes a little while to re-establish order. This is not an indictment on the system itself as much as a hint of the sheer power the engine can muster on full boost.
 
The Dunlop SP Sport 245/35 ZR19 tyres rumble a lot, but do contribute to the low-speed ride comfort. At freeway speeds, they're quieter and wind noise is the stronger source of NVH. The drivetrain is respectably subdued when the car's cruising.
 
Inside the F6 E, the dash layout is conventional high-end Falcon in looks and operation. We're not huge fans of woodgrain, but in the F6 E it's more discreet and attractive. The champagne-coloured gloss-finish resin in the centre fascia may not be to everyone's liking either, but it should be durable.

Operation of the HVAC and audio is straightforward with a little familiarity. In common with the rest of the Falcon range, headroom in the rear is borderline for a taller adult, but most will feel comfortable there. Certainly rear-seat leg and kneeroom posed no problem whatsoever.
 
We're not all that fond of the leather-trimmed seats in the front. They're still the same marshmallow-soft units fitted in lesser Falcon variants and they envelope you as you sit in them. Although they hold you in place properly while cornering, provide plenty of under-thigh support and are definitely comfortable enough for touring, they're what Ford calls a 'V-shaped' cushion, as designed for Americans.

Unlike the seats in the Commodore, which were a bit flatter and firmer, the F6 E's seat feels almost like springs in the seat base are broken or sagging.
 
For the money, it seems to us that the F6 E, which is mostly well equipped, could justify a keyless entry and start system. Granted it costs money to develop, but there's the starter button there anyway, so why, are buyers paying well above the Luxury Car Tax for a vehicle they can't just jump into and start with one push of the button. Instead, they have to fiddle around finding the ignition lock barrel and slipping a key into it with the right hand, in order to push the start button with the left hand.

And since we're on the subject of buyer expectations for their dosh, how about an 'auto-up' facility to go with the 'auto-down' electric window for the driver?
 
Headlights on low beam are no better than the Commodore's, which is to say they lack power and are set too low for country roads with reciprocal traffic. On high beam though, the F6 E's lights are excellent.
 
In case you hadn't got the picture yet, the F6 E is a phenomenally athletic car, but that athleticism comes modestly dressed. There are the 19-inch alloys, which are conspicuous enough, but most other visual cues are subtle, to say the least. Yet it features some nice detailing all the same, such as the chrome bezels for the headlights and the clearly visible intercooler through the grille.

The nice thing about this sleeper is that you can cut your way through traffic alongside a WRX and the driver of that car will not even notice you... Or perhaps he was just ignoring the F6 E...

The F6 E flies under the radar to a much greater degree than other models in the range. If you like the idea of owning a car with the performance potential of an FPV, but not the attention such a car tends to attract, the F6 E might be for you.

The upshot of all this? The F6 E is the nearest you'll find in a home-grown product to match the fast Jags, Benzs and BMWs so loved by the Euro-philes. Buy one while you can and cherish it.

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