Policemans Thoughts On Fg Xr6t

[sparxxx]

Well guys, to make it 2 Police officers recommendations I actually bought myself an FG XR6 Turbo and think that if the Police forces changed from Expensive Daewoo to Ford we would actually be able to catch some of the hoon drivers instead of calling it off because the gutless VE's can't keep up.

I love my work, driving to & from because that's the only time I get to drive my FORD.

[notol]

Friend of the family with the Fed's said the same thing. Was checkin mine out the whole night last christmas, said it was his preference as well. Also let on about some tricks in..ahem.."inducing" hooning - said "you gotta have some fun in the job".

[hulk xr6t]

I test drove a FG XR8 6spd and a FG XR6T 6spd auto back to back.. I drove in to the ford dealer with my BA XR6T when I owned it. At the time it was pumping 322rwkw. So I had a decent benchmark.

First in the XR8. It felt like it had heaps of muscle down low. As a Big V8 should.. I really opened it up on the M4 and took it into a few backstreets. (I was by myself).. It sounded like a LS2 to be honest. Ive heard them sound better than that. But I was impressed and it showed some good power. It was more than enough and I was impressed.

I then jumped into the FG XR6T and thought it would have to be pretty good to beat that. I was just rolling around the dealer carpark to get out on the road and it definately felt like the V8 was missing, the sound the low down growl was not there. It didnt have that immediate torque hit of the V8 just rolling around. I thought ew, this isnt going to be that good. Then when I got out on the highway and opened it up, GEEEEEEEEZZZZZZ...

It made the XR8 feel slow as.. From a standing start without loading up boost, it spooled up much harder and faster than my BA XR6T (322rwkw). Almost no lag and it broke traction in the dry no problems. It was skating around a fair bit, all I was doing was booting it from stand still. I was thinking that's ridiculous not to tame that power in a stock car. Below about 4000rpm it would cream the BA/BF XR6T but above that I thought my modded car would have it for power.

For a stock car it was a ripper and the power felt far more usable on the street than the BA/BF XR6T.

[Iconic Bionic]

Dont forget tyres also play a big part in wet weather grip/traction etc and that's where I find the dunlops (sports maxx) fitted to the FG's are crap (plus the performance models are under tyred on the rear)

Overall the Dunlops havent been rated that well on these forums and its rare for ppl to re-fit them. But I disagree totally, and believe there perfect for the Fords. They were also purposely designed for the XR series. They havnt let me down once, even though I didnt re-fit them, due to cost, they coped with everthing thrown at them, including some track work.

Ive also found that they prefered I high running temp, over 38psi and even 42 was ok, though also well over the specifications but under the max tyre pressures. I dont think too many ppl tried this.

And im also driving a new VE SS that has cylinder shutdown, gearbox is still pathetic, but power delivery is very smooth. Maybe so far, so good, because its so new and in a few weeks it will be like all the others.

I.B.

[Ironman]

I gotta agree with what many are saying here....I test drove both the VE SS and the FG XR6T extensively before going with the T and the SS (imo) sounds nice and is much more predictable to drive ...that linear power delivery is something aint it? and very relaxing ....compared to the brute force of the XR6T. The T won me in the end and I find the engine, transmission and even to some degree the suspension are so beautifully sorted that once you have a feel for it ...you own the open road. Getting up in the sunshine coast hinterland in the hills on those long winding, 'big-dipper' roads in just cream your pants stuff and at speed (eg 140 - 200) on the longer sections is just the bees knees and the car really does shrink around you.....just gotta remember to steer positive and point this baby where you want it to go ...and she obeys.... The ZF box and the 'rush' of the T on the open (and lonely) road are what a performance vehicle is all about.

Not sure I agree that the SS is a better handler at speed ...I found both very well balanced and the T at say 180+ seems to hunker down and hug the road very well ....I haven't noticed any 'floatiness' at all if YOU drive the car and don't try to correct all the time. Yesterday there was just a tiny bit of moisture on the road and in manual shift mode I opened her right up (really truly open) in 2nd and for the first time she completely broke traction and would'nt regain until I backed off ...wow, was a bit shocked but me and the lad had grins a mile wide on our gobs. I agree that the traction control is there to :"assist" ...not take over (I never tried this in an SS btw). If this happened at speed whist overtaking I reckon some smelly stuff would start squirtin out of the old pantiloons....

Overall...I just love my FG T sedan....just wish there was more places to have a bit of fun ...damn thing get to speed limit no matter where you are within a few short, but fun seconds ....ah well .....also ...with a good mix of city and country driving Im getting around 12.2- 12.4 l / 100klm ....pretty damn good and vastly superior than any of the ford or Expensive Daewoo 8's I have owned...but it still seems like you can see the bugger drink when you're having fun!

[SuckSqueezeBangBlow]

I have a mate who is highway patrol near sydney, and he says they haven't got the FG turbos yet because their brakes aren't good enough to pass their testing. When he said this I realised I had not seen one FG XR6T police car yet. anyone seen one in sydney area is my mate having a laugh?

[Wingnut]

Said it time and time again, would love to have both....

Considering trading in my SS for an FG T a lot lately, but that's simply because I want cheap performance.... But doing it on the cheap always comes back to bite you. Plus I still hate the look of the FG and until I know what a 350rwkw cammed V8 is like then ill keep my big 6L. I only have a cat back atm and every time I put my foot down I get shivers lol... For me, nothing comes remotely close to the sound of a big V8..

[Iconic Bionic]

I have a mate who is highway patrol near sydney, and he says they haven't got the FG turbos yet because their brakes aren't good enough to pass their testing. When he said this I realised I had not seen one FG XR6T police car yet. anyone seen one in sydney area is my mate having a laugh?

Yeah whereabouts?

Anyway the FG's have passed the brake dilemma and you'll start to see them anyday now. In fact they have all been purchased but the fleet will still remin predominatly SS for a while though.

I.B.

[dule]

Did they have concerns with the brakes or was it just the lengthy testing process?