Falcon 6 speed auto mentioned in Drive

[loxxr6]

Apologies if this has already been posted...


Falcon hits a six
The Sydney Morning Herald
Friday April 1 2005

A gearbox once exclusive to Jaguars and Aston Martins is destined for locally made Ford sedans, writes JOSHUA DOWLING.

Ford will have the most technically advanced automatic transmission in an Australian-made car when an updated Falcon goes on sale in October.

In a major coup, Ford's performance and luxury models will be available with a six-speed automatic transmission - the first time such a gearbox has been fitted to a locally made car.

Significantly, Ford will leapfrog Holden, which amid much fanfare late last year released a five-speed automatic gearbox for its V6-powered performance and luxury models.

The Falcon's six-speed automatic is being sourced from the respected German transmission specialist, ZF.

Ford Australia will not confirm what changes, if any, are to be made to the Falcon later this year to bring the range into line with the latest emission standards, as well as to give it a visual freshen-up before Holden releases an all-new Commodore in March next year. (An all-new Falcon is not due until 2007).

A number of Ford Falcon GTs with German number plates have been spotted in the car park at ZF's German head office and Drive's European sources have confirmed they are being tested with the new six-speed transmission.

The Falcon's six-speed automatic will be far more expensive than the humble four-speed auto it replaces.

For this reason, Drive understands the six-speed will be reserved for the upstream models such as the Fairmont Ghia, Fairlane and LTD and the performance models such as the XR6 Turbo, Typhoon, XR8 (pictured) and GT. It is expected the rest of the range will retain the four-speed auto.

Other makers to use the Falcon's new six-speed automatic include Jaguar and Aston Martin - brands owned by Ford's luxury division, the Premier Automotive Group.

Drive believes that Ford has used its enormous buying power to lower the costs and enable such an expensive and technically advanced gearbox to be fitted to Falcons.

Ford was forced to fit an expensive ZF gearbox because no other automatic could comfortably and reliably handle the huge power outputs of Ford's latest range of engines.

The shift to a ZF gearbox is certain to take Holden by surprise, in more ways than one: first, that Ford is prepared to get such an exotic transmission and, second, that it can afford it.

Ever since the disaster that was the AU Falcon, Ford has adopted a policy to be a technical leader wherever possible. The AU Falcon was built to a price - and it showed - while the BA was built to a higher standard of excellence at a substantial cost.

Fortunately, Ford's investment has been rewarded with stronger Falcon sales, although the company says there is still room for improvement on the sales charts.

WHO WAS FIRST?

Ford was first to fit automatic transmission to a locally made sedan. The XK Falcon of 1960 (pictured) was available with a choice of "three on the tree" or a three-speed automatic. Holden followed a year later with the three-speed Hydramatic gearbox in the 1961 EK Holden as an option. The R Series Valiant followed with an automatic option in 1962.

http://www.drive.com.au/editorial/ar...vf=4&bg=1&pp=1

[Polyal]

yeap cant wait..shoudl be an impressive bit of gear!

[Dark Horse]

ZF

[b2tf]

Thats awesome stuff. The Holden 5 speed is one of the most overrated peices of junk theyve ever had anyway.

[Polyal]

haha the engine drowns out anything else in the new commies anyway...lol

[paul7v7]

good news. it has been a long time coming..

[Cobra]

Lets hope it is as strong as everyone has been saying it is. If it can safley handle bing numbers from modified XR6Ts and XR/GTs without or very minimal mods then it's a good thing!

[EFFalcon]

now thats a damn good reason to fit a new driveline in the EF :P
6 speed is deffinately a welcome addition!

[Sam]

choices, choices, 6 speed manual or 6 speed auto.mmmmmmm

[Bossxr8]

Possibly one of Australia's worst kept secrets.

[YOOT]

We are going to have a dilema! I am a manual fan, but a six speed auto is going to be A)super strong and B)super fast!

Choices choices... :Up_to_som

[XRated]

Bloody fantastic to see Ford Oz will be parading with the best of them!

[Cobra]

With a much better version of the T56 than Holden, as well as the only one with a twin plate clutch, and now the first with a 6 speed auto, ford are going to have EVERYTHING over holden in the transmission stakes.

[sbutler]

What claptrap!! Ford did not have a 3 speed auto box in 1960, it was in fact a 2 speed Ford O Matic. :
And they call themself motoring jurnos:

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Possibly one of Australia's worst kept secrets.

Agreed. I could have told everyone this about 6 months ago....in fact I did!

[crYnOid]

Originally Posted by Cobra

With a much better version of the T56 than Holden, as well as the only one with a twin plate clutch, and now the first with a 6 speed auto, ford are going to have EVERYTHING over holden in the transmission stakes.

Not for long tho. Expect with the VE commy for the V8s to get a GM 6 speed auto (6L80E).

hrrrm whats the date today fellas 1-APRIL-2005

LOL i hope this is true and not some sad joke !!!!

[rodderz]

It will be interesting to see what gear and diff ratio's they mate them with

I remember hearing ages ago that an XR6T was quite a bit faster over the 1/4 than it's current 4-speed form, but it will depend on what they decide to do with output levels and gearing as to how much quicker they will be

[kiwikid]

Originally Posted by james

hrrrm whats the date today fellas 1-APRIL-2005

LOL i hope this is true and not some sad joke !!!!

its been known for months that it is true..

[marcosambrose]

Who wants to bet with me that the 6-speed Auto will be faster than the manual?

(remember the autos in the new Golfs and A6s are faster than the manual [DSG tranny in the golf and A6])

[xr8gn3]

Originally Posted by marcosambrose

Who wants to bet with me that the 6-speed Auto will be faster than the manual?

(remember the autos in the new Golfs and A6s are faster than the manual [DSG tranny in the golf and A6])

Yeah I bet it will be to, just think not so long ago MOTOR unofficially tested the new GTO Monaro with the revised 4 speed Auto and ran 0-100km sprint of 4.99sec and a 1/4 Mile of 13.09sec.

So lets just hope the ZF 6 speed does the same for our big performance jiggas and please ZF dont add any more weight to the already fatarse BA. :

[Steffo]

I dunno.. I'd rather they used the '05 Mustang's 5spd auto. But thats me.. I look at everything from an aftermarket perspective.. Lentech (a company that makes some of the best AOD-E 4spds) is already working on a 5spd '05 stang auto...

No BA/AU/E-Series auto has any aftermarket... but then, to alot of people, that doesn't matter heh.

[M&Ms]

With this news, it wouldn't surprise me if Ford sales plummet for the next six months, then all of a sudden have a 6 month waiting list for a new car!!!

[Cheahman]

Originally Posted by james

hrrrm whats the date today fellas 1-APRIL-2005

LOL i hope this is true and not some sad joke !!!!

lol just though the same thing. I highly doubt Ford will release a 6 speed, a 5 speed maybe, but not a 6. This is Ford where talking about_

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by Cheahman

lol just though the same thing. I highly doubt Ford will release a 6 speed, a 5 speed maybe, but not a 6. This is Ford where talking about_

lol.....when ever the next falcon comes out I hope we get redirected to this thread.

Even if the 6 auto is quicker than 6 manual; id still go manual just for driving enjoyment. Auto are good for drags and thats about it. But we shoudln't start that arguement again.

Steffo, seriously please get over the American obsession. They make some good stuff, but its not the be all and end all.

[chief]

Maybe Ford should get in contact with ZF about clutches. If they make a powerful gearbox they either 1: make a powerful clutch or 2 buy a powerful cluth. I know some Typhoon people wanting a new clutch.

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by crYnOid

Not for long tho. Expect with the VE commy for the V8s to get a GM 6 speed auto (6L80E).

I doubt it, Corvette still has the 4speed Auto, so I cant imagine Holden getting it before it.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by xr8gn3

Yeah I bet it will be to, just think not so long ago MOTOR unofficially tested the new GTO Monaro with the revised 4 speed Auto and ran 0-100km sprint of 4.99sec and a 1/4 Mile of 13.09sec.

So lets just hope the ZF 6 speed does the same for our big performance jiggas and please ZF dont add any more weight to the already fatarse BA. :

The ZF is actually lighter than the 4 speed.

[loxxr6]

10kg's lighter I've heard.

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by loxxr6

10kg's lighter I've heard.

good more Macca's ..lol.. 4: