Today's DRIVE - low-fat ford & 6spd auto confirmed
Dont expect an all aluminium body for BA2, but we are getting a slimmer falcon. While Richard Parry Jones was here for the AUS GP, he basically confirmed that new materials, stronger yet lighter major body structures will be used to shed weight. No mention of how much but a few quotes from the man himself...
"With the BA, we knew what we had to do to get the job done."
"The initial reaction is the thing seems to have gone very well, and with it, the reputation of Ford Australia is on the up-swing."
"The straight six engine has a lot of character with it's new twin-cam cylinder head, but the car still has some performance and economy issues."
The last paragraph says...
While in Australia, Parry-Jones will test some of Ford's new performance Falcon's. He notes the "performance car culture" here, and says that although the core model of the range must be right to ensure successfull sales, "you have to have the hero car right, too".
While we are all waiting to see the performance times drop after a weight loss on the BAll, i dont think much could be done to the weight apart from swapping materials.
They weigh that much for a reason, they have a 80% stiffer chassis for better handling and safety.
They have more features standard than other cars, making it a better buy.
They have heavier motors, but are more linear and practical in the way they drive.
Frankly those who still bag the weight increase sh$t me to tears..look at the facts dudes at WHY it is heavier.
If the new shape commy in a few yrs doesnt weigh a heap more, it'll get a caning in the safety and handling department. They will be ecven more behind in technologies than they are now. You cant make a car safer without not adding weight.
On the subject of 6-speed auto's, expect the 0-400m & 0-100km/hr time to drop by a heap....
__________________ BAXR8 Ute 5M- 13.51@106.03
zorst, SS Cai,240rwkw
While in Melbourne for the FPV weekend, I took the tour of the Broadmeadows plant with the NSW FPV-Tickford club.
Although much was blocked off to hide the FEU Territory's as they went through the factory, in the body stamping building AusXH and I spotted a few door panels clearly marked with the labels 'composite material test' in amongst the machines as the small train drove us around.
If you get bonnet, boot, doors, front quarters and roof panel all made with lightweight composites, you'd be looking at a fairly sizable potential weight loss.
Cheers
Jason
__________________ Editor: Street Fords Magazine - Issue #1 on sale MARCH 2005
E-mail: jr@streetfords.com
Co Founder: 3FB Inc.
To see my old BA Falcon XR6, click HERE
Were did this 6 speed auto come into the quote? From what I have heard from my local and trusted transmisson guy is that there will not be a 6 speed. He found out by asking his buddy at BTR. There is quite a possiblity that it would be a 5 speed, not a 6.
Sorry to disapoint sum, but don't forget these are still rumors and we will need to wait to find out. Even if it's not a 6 speed, a 5 speed will do me just fine.
Alex
__________________
Alex
"Give me any task to do, and I will find something else to do in it's place." Plato - a definition of procrastination
Says six speed in here :) By next model, does it neccesarily mean it will be the BAII? Could be the 2005 model update?
__________________
"If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier -- just so long as I'm the dictator." -- George W. Bush (December 18, 2000)
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