Series 2 Rumors Or Fact?

[mercturbo]

  BLKXRT said:

still reckon the XRT or the XR8 will be dropped at same future point ... they just doesn't fit in the range together

MOTOR 3rD PCOTY, 1ST Wheels COTY, MOTOR NO1 PERF CAR and a host of other awards, waiting lists of 4-5 months. The only thing that will happen to xr6T is it will be improved.

[Cobra]

  mercturbo said:

  BLKXRT said:

still reckon the XRT or the XR8 will be dropped    at same future point ... they just doesn't fit in the range together 

MOTOR 3rD PCOTY, 1ST Wheels COTY, MOTOR NO1 PERF CAR and a host of other awards, waiting lists of 4-5 months. The only thing that will happen to xr6T is it will be improved.

I hope you are right ... :D

IMO one of the two (either the XR8 or the XR6T) has to give way

Ford Marketing/Planning are a world unto themselves

[cdm]

Ford marketing would probably be the ones wanting to save the XR8 and 6T. As mentioned earlier there are some people who love an 8. Regardless, they just have to have 8 and not 6. So, give them 8. Ford marketing is also continuosly trying to establish a link between its FPV and touring cars. The XR8 is the cheapest performance 8 that Ford offers so it is the closest link it has (other than FPV) to the racers. Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. The only chance I can see of Ford dropping the XR8 may be in about 2005 or 6 when Expensive Daewoo has their new turbo HFV6. Then maybe the turbo six will become the performance icon of the mainstream brands, and the 8's will be left to HSV/FPV. On top of this Ford just spent a stack on this engine so there is no need to drop it.

As far as changes in series 2 go.

I rekon, the XRT will go 250kw (probably just ECU tweak or exhaust fiddle)

The BA's may be able to drop about 20-30kg accross the range if their lucky.

Obviously a few cosmetic changes. Different wheels etc. Although I would like them to make the XRT look a bit more aggresive, I doubt they will. People already complain that the FPV's look like the XR8.

Oh, and I rekon the XRT will finaly get the XR8 manual.

Keep in mind the AU series 1,2,3 where quite different to try and reel in more customers. Remember the cheese greater grill on the AU1 Forte? And series 2 changed the bonnet to the fairlane one. With the huge success of the BA they wont need to change much at all. Plus they don't want to burn the enthusiasts who got in first to purchase like they did with the AU. I rekon we will see a series 2 VY in about september/october but no series 2 BA untill about may/june 2004. Such long time period and small changes should keep the relative resale values of the BA's up there. My 2c...

[Mondie]

  BLKXRT said:

IMO one of the two (either the XR8 or the XR6T) has to give way

Ford Marketing/Planning are a world unto themselves

Hhhmm Rob,

So which is it gonna be?

l dont reckon they will/can do it. Ford have spent multi millions $$ on getting both of these engines to the market and just cant drop one now. l have seen posts from several people saying how theirdealer has plenty of XR8's in stock, as even the local dealer here has, so they obviously arent selling in anywhere the same numbers as the T6. That's not suprising.

What will Ford do; up the price of the T6, or lower the price on the XR8.......

[Guest stang_67]

  blackout said:

I believe to begin with the XR6turbo was 270kw but was detuned to stay below the XR8. That is what I was told by someone who works for ford.

Hhhmmmm! that's what I heard Blackout, the current transm was too weak to take the power output of the XR6T so they tuned it cause it blew a number of trans while testing the XRT. Its believed the new trans will take the original output for the turbo which is 270kw. SS have no match now!

[HellionXR6T]

  CDAA said:

ok, my thoughts for series 2...

220BA models = 230kW with improved gearing

220BA? What is a 220BA? The BA XT/Futura/Fairmont/XR6 N/A is 182kw. (Barra 182).

I don't think they would make such a jump. Although a decent manifold/exaust system will easily bring them over the 200kw mark.

XT/XR6NA : 230kw? (I wish)!!!

XR6T : 240-250kw (Any more powerful stock standard and the XR8 would become extinct except for a select few that love the note of a V8). That's how it practically is at the moment anyway.

[Guest bakes]

The Barra 220 is the 5.4 V8 fitted to the XT Sedan, Fairmont and Fairlane as an optional engine.

[HellionXR6T]

  bakes said:

The Barra 220 is the 5.4 V8 fitted to the XT Sedan, Fairmont and Fairlane as an optional engine.

Ahh Crap, sorry dude, my bad, of course it is.

"D'oh"!!!