The fastest ever Ford Falcons go on sale across Australia today — and apparently they’re already sold out. The final edition of the Ford Falcon is going out on a turbocharged and supercharged high note, with two of the most powerful models ever made.
The Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo and supercharged XR8 “Sprint” editions offer the same blistering performance as the arch rival Holden Special Vehicles GTS, but with a price tag starting at just AU$55,000 – or around half as much. Only 1400 Falcon Sprints will be made between now and October 7 2016, but it seems as though almost every single one already has a name against it, and Ford says it cannot and will not build any more.
“We want this to be a special celebration of the Falcon,” said Ford Australia boss Graeme Whickman. “We’d rather have one order too many than one car left over.”
Ford dealers have said that enthusiasts have been waiting to buy the final edition of the Falcon, but those who didn’t get in early will miss out. “We have more customers than we have cars,” said one veteran Ford dealer. “We haven’t been able to sell Falcons in decent numbers for years; now that it’s about to come to an end, buyers are coming out of the woodwork.”
The XR6 Sprint turns the wick up on the existing XR6 Turbo’s 4.0L straight-6 engine, producing 325kW (436hp) of power and 576Nm (425lb-ft) of torque, making it the torquiest engine ever produced in Australia. The XR8 Sprint also has more power over the standard XR8, and will develop 345kW (463hp) and 575Nm (424lb-ft) of torque.
Ford admits, however, that both engines feature a ‘transient overboost’ function that increases power and torque for up to 10 seconds in the right circumstances. While this function has been public knowledge for a while, this is the first time Ford has offered official overboost figures. Ford claims that with the right intake air temperature, the XR6 Sprint can produce up to 370kW (496hp) and 650Nm (479lb-ft), while the XR8’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 lifts to 400kW (536hp) and 650Nm (479lb-ft) respectively.
To differentiate the limited edition Sprint models from regular XR variants, they will receive 19″ black wheels, gold brake calipers, black headlamp bezels, a new black rear spoiler and new front fog lamp surrounds, while the XR8 Sprint adds a black roof and wing mirrors. The brakes themselves are six/four piston Brembos.
Available as a six-speed automatic only, the XR6 Sprint will cost AU$54,990 while a manual XR8 Sprint will set you back AU$59,990 and the auto a further AU$2,200.
