Saturday, 3 September 2011
Ford BA MkII Falcon Ute
The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia, between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan derivatives, and the engine and transmission received further upgrades. In late 2004, Ford introduced a Mark II update, bringing subtle styling and mechanical changes, and twelve months after that, replaced the BA with the BF. The model's market share briefly topped that of its chief competitor, the Holden Commodore on two occasions, but have failed to match those of the record-breaking EL Falcon. In the final months of 2002, the BA model received the influential Wheels Car of the Year award, breaking a 36-year drought. The BA also won four consecutive Australia's Best Cars awards, spanning three years.
Development and design
The BA model represented a AU$500 million investment, and 24,000 hours of engine and durability testing. Germany's Nürburgring test track was used for some suspension testing. The anti-lock brakes and Electronic Stability Control were calibrated in Sweden, as well as Australia.
Exterior design
Exterior styling was led by design director Scott Strong, then chief designer for Ford Australia. After Strong departed from operations at Ford in 2001, Simon Butterworth took over this role. Ford Australia's intention was to create a European influence for the vehicle, whereby most aspects of the AU's "New Edge" design would be revised. The result was a significant update of the existing AU body shell, rather than a completely new design. The BA model introduced an integrated aerial in the car's rear window, instead of the conventional retractable antenna. The aerial placement improved the vehicle's aerodynamics and ended the breakage issues that had plagued the retractable type found on previous models. Interestingly, interference from the engine did not affect the radio reception.
Interior design
From the inside, the "New Edge" interior of the AU was discarded in favour of a contemporary style, based upon European designs. Marcus Hotblack, the director of interior design, focused on improving user friendliness. The resulting design was an ergonomically-correct interior command centre, highlighted by the satin-finish centre console. The theme was further extended by the audio and cruise control switches' location on the steering wheel.
A prominent feature of the new command centre was a large liquid crystal display which displayed information regarding the air conditioning unit and sound system. Buyers could opt for a premium sound package, standard on the Fairmont Ghia, which included a full-colour screen. Ventilation outlets were larger than those of previous models, resulting in a cabin that could be more effectively and efficiently heated or cooled. Another change was the headlamp switch, which was now located on the end of the turn signal stalk for easier reach.
Interior colour schemes varied from model to model, but shared a common design approach. The entry-level XT featured a black plastic panel for the upper half of the dashboard, with either a black, charcoal, or beige panel for the lower half. Not all variants offered the distinctive colour palette; the sports variants could not be optioned with the two-tone interior.
Engine and mechanicals
Powerplants consisted of both straight-sixes and V8s, with the entry-level Barra 182 six-cylinder being a significant improvement over the AU Falcon's six, with a gain of 25 kilowatts (33 hp) of power for a total of 182 kilowatts (244 hp). The 156 kilowatt (209 hp) LPG-only Barra E-Gas engine was offered as an option on lower specification models.
A turbocharged variant of the Barra engine was introduced in a new XR6 Turbo model and produced 240 kilowatts (321 hp) of power. A 5.4 litre V8 replaced the Windsor engine of the AU. The new V8 was a modified version of Ford's North American Modular V8 available in two variants: the Barra 220 generating 220 kilowatts (295 hp) and a 260 kilowatt (348 hp) Boss 260. The new engine was smoother, more fuel efficient, and quieter than the engine it replaced.
Two transmissions were available for the BA—a four-speed automatic and a five-speed manual. The automatic transmission featured Sequential Sports Shift, a first for the Falcon nameplate in Australia. The new Control-Blade independent rear suspension (IRS) fitted to all sedans—first used in development of the Ford Focus and the Jaguar X-Type— was superior to the optional double wishbone IRS suspension used on AU sedans, and was cheaper. However, it was heavier than the previous live rear axle used for base models, and the change contributed to the base model XT sedan's 130 kilogram (287 lb) weight increase from the previous model. The wagons and utilities retained the leaf spring live axle rear suspension of the AU wagon and utility; consequently, they did not gain as much weight as the sedan.
The Ford BA Falcon was also smoother on the road, with increased towing capabilities from previous models. Fuel consumption in the Barra 182 was measured at 12.5 L/100 km (19 mpg U.S.) for city driving and 8.2 L/100 km (29 mpg U.S.) for highway driving. These numbers were government figures, measured indoors using a dynamometer. Real-world testing has shown that an extra 12% is actually consumed.
Safety
Passenger safety was a key design aspect for the Ford engineers. Anti-lock brakes were standard on all models; electronic brakeforce distribution was also standard on most variants. The addition of traction control for higher trim levels helped to prevent loss of traction. On top of this, dual front airbags were a standard fitment across the range; with side-impact airbags being equipped on higher luxury levels such as the Fairmont. In a crash safety assessment conducted by ANCAP, the BA model scored 27.27 out of a possible 34 points, giving a rating of four out of five stars.
Mark II
Ford released the Mark II (BA MkII) Falcon in October 2004 to maintain sales interest until the 2005 introduction of the BF update. Modifications included some cosmetic changes and a new six-speed Tremec T56 manual transmission replacing the five-speeder on XR6 Turbo and XR8 models. The Futura model gained power adjustable pedals, and side airbags, with a DVD entertainment system being offered on upmarket trim levels. The XR8 sedan variant also received the premium audio system.
