Photo: Ford Australia
Drawing on the performance heritage of Ford Australia, the Blue Oval is thoroughly excited about the high-performance Falcon Sprint series. Set to go on sale in May, the 2016 Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo Sprint and 2016 Ford Falcon XR8 Sprint are the last hurrah of the full-size sedan’s seventh (and final) generation.
Internally known as the 201X and referred to as the FG X, the outgoing Falcon is going to be phased out of production in October 2016. Vehicle line director for the Falcon and Territory David Wilkinson has declared that Ford isn’t planning to replace the Falcon. Taking into consideration the decline of the large sedan segment in Australia, the front-wheel-drive Taurus is unlikely to replace the Falcon. Therefore, the medium-sized Mondeo will be left to soldier on alone.
The swan song of the FG X Falcon and Falcon nameplate, for that matter, will be produced in limited numbers. Of the 1,400 Sprint sportsters, the XR6 Turbo Sprint will spawn 550 units and the XR8 Sprint will be produced in 850 units. Bragging rights are the name of the XR6 Turbo Sprint game.
Thanks to 325 kW (436 horsepower) and 576 Nm (425 lb-ft) of torque, the 4-liter turbo straight-6 is a peach of an engine. An overboost function ups the ante to 370 kW (496 horsepower) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) for a brief period of time. Only a 6-speed automatic is available for the 2016 Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo Sprint.
Then there’s the 2016 Ford Falcon XR8 Sprint and its supercharged 5.0-liter V8. This iron fist in a velvet glove is rated at 20 kW more and 1 Nm less than the XR6 Turbo Sprint. But if you are brave enough to tap into the V8’s overboost function, the standard 345 kW (462 horsepower) and 575 Nm (424 lb-ft) level up to 400 kW (536 horsepower) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of twist. Not bad at all.
Compared to the models without the Sprint affix added to their nameplates, the XR6 Turbo Sprint boasts injectors from the F6, a larger intercooler, turbo, and intake, as well as a lower airbox. The XR8 Sprint, meanwhile, steps up the get-up-and-go from the FPV GT-F, also borrowing the 6-speed auto’s calibration.
If an automatic isn’t the transmission you’re looking for, the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 can also be mated to a manual. Gold Brembo six-pot calipers up front and four-pot calipers down the rear are on the menu for both models, as is the boot lid spoiler. The XR8 Sprint also gains a black-painted roof and black mirror caps.
Inside you’ll find seats wrapped in leather and suede trim with the obligatory Sprint embroidery. In terms of standard equipment, the Sprint series comes with a thumping great audio system, dual-zone climate control, unique graphics for the instrument cluster, and so forth.
Each Sprint series vehicle will have a plaque affixed to the engine for added individuality. Pricing for the 2016 Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo Sprint starts at AUD 54,990 (approximately $38,655). The 2016 Ford Falcon XR8 Sprint, on the other hand, is AUD 59,900 ($42,105) for the manual and AUD 62,190 ($43,715) for the 6-speed automatic model.
The swan song of the FG X Falcon and Falcon nameplate, for that matter, will be produced in limited numbers. Of the 1,400 Sprint sportsters, the XR6 Turbo Sprint will spawn 550 units and the XR8 Sprint will be produced in 850 units. Bragging rights are the name of the XR6 Turbo Sprint game.
Thanks to 325 kW (436 horsepower) and 576 Nm (425 lb-ft) of torque, the 4-liter turbo straight-6 is a peach of an engine. An overboost function ups the ante to 370 kW (496 horsepower) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) for a brief period of time. Only a 6-speed automatic is available for the 2016 Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo Sprint.
Then there’s the 2016 Ford Falcon XR8 Sprint and its supercharged 5.0-liter V8. This iron fist in a velvet glove is rated at 20 kW more and 1 Nm less than the XR6 Turbo Sprint. But if you are brave enough to tap into the V8’s overboost function, the standard 345 kW (462 horsepower) and 575 Nm (424 lb-ft) level up to 400 kW (536 horsepower) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of twist. Not bad at all.
Compared to the models without the Sprint affix added to their nameplates, the XR6 Turbo Sprint boasts injectors from the F6, a larger intercooler, turbo, and intake, as well as a lower airbox. The XR8 Sprint, meanwhile, steps up the get-up-and-go from the FPV GT-F, also borrowing the 6-speed auto’s calibration.
If an automatic isn’t the transmission you’re looking for, the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 can also be mated to a manual. Gold Brembo six-pot calipers up front and four-pot calipers down the rear are on the menu for both models, as is the boot lid spoiler. The XR8 Sprint also gains a black-painted roof and black mirror caps.
Inside you’ll find seats wrapped in leather and suede trim with the obligatory Sprint embroidery. In terms of standard equipment, the Sprint series comes with a thumping great audio system, dual-zone climate control, unique graphics for the instrument cluster, and so forth.
Each Sprint series vehicle will have a plaque affixed to the engine for added individuality. Pricing for the 2016 Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo Sprint starts at AUD 54,990 (approximately $38,655). The 2016 Ford Falcon XR8 Sprint, on the other hand, is AUD 59,900 ($42,105) for the manual and AUD 62,190 ($43,715) for the 6-speed automatic model.
We're excited to launch the limited edition, high-performance #FalconSprint series, which goes on sale in May! pic.twitter.com/8RvNEXFWvV
— Ford Australia (@FordAustralia) February 8, 2016
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