MELBOURNE, Australia Ford Australia gave rock-star treatment to the debut of the all-new Falcon here, in a bid to reverse declining sales in the large-car segment.
At a development cost rumored to be the equivalent of U.S. $450 million, the latest Falcon features new exterior and interior architectures and designs, an all-new front suspension, new powertrains with more power, more torque, improved fuel economy and an advanced safety package.
The all-new Falcon introduces a new model lineup incorporating the sports luxury G Series sedans, along with three unique front-end treatments and a significant realignment of models and specifications.
There are now three families of Falcons: the Falcon XT, the three-model G Series and the XR sports range. The Falcon and XR Ute are also included in the makeover, but one notable omission is the station wagon, which gets a revision rather than a redo. All gasoline-powered Falcon sedans receive the full complement of safety features from airbags through electronic brakeforce distribution and Dynamic Stability Control.
Powertrains include a standard six-cylinder engine, making 262 horsepower and 288 pound-feet of torque, a turbocharged version rated at 362 hp and 393 lb-ft, and the Boss 290 5.4-liter V8, matched to either five- or six-speed automatic transmissions depending on the model variant.
Prices are expected to be released shortly before the new Falcon goes on sale in May.
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