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This Aussie bruiser is probably the greatest performance bargain on the face of the planet. While GM brings a re-branded Holden to the UK as the Vauxhall VXR8, Ford of Australia has no plans to put any of the new Falcon XR6 Turbos on the boat to here. Which, on the evidence of the new car, is a real shame.

The XR6 Turbo was introduced in Australia in 2002, a legacy of the late Jaguar/ Land Rover boss Geoff Polites, and it has already developed cult status there, ...Read the full article

As a lad from down under it's great to see Autocar at least giving a passing mention to the Aussie metal.  The Falcon's not sophisticated inside, but it's a great performer.  And you should see this same engine in the Ford Territory - an SUV that drives as well as an X5.

I don't understand why Vauxhall in particular doesn't bring over more of the Holden range.  Sure they bring the HSV Commodores across as the VXR range.  But a top-end Commodore (a 5-series equivalent) selling at GBP25k or so seems to me to be a much better proposition.  And if the General could show a bit of joined-up thinking it could have (i) used the economies of scale to improve the Commodore's interior and (ii) accelerated Holden's introduction of the V diesel.  One of those for under GBP30k should be able to capture a chunk of the 3-series market.

About time the UK started to wake up to Aussie metal. How Ford can miss the trick by not exporting this car baffles me, as the Australian vehicle standards are the equal of Europe it should be a walk in the park to gain type approval. As regards the engine coming from another age, I would have thought 24 valves, dual variable valve timing and euro compliance would compare favourably with some of the asthmatic gutless wonders Europe produces

Having just driven the FG on New Zealand's winding but rather lumpy roads, I would suggest Toby's "hint of rack rattle" comment is quite an understatement.

Given the previous Falcon had no memorable knocking up front the FG's annoyingly clunky steering would be a deal-breaker for me. The steering isn't as sharp as it once was nor is it anywhere as good as the VE Commodore's. Nit-picking maybe but I was also infuriated by the clearly audible intermittant wiper relay click, it was like driving a metronome.

No issues with the Turbo 6 though, an absolute stonker. But it's already engineered to within an inch of it's life. Moving forward it'll never meet European emissions standards so it's no wonder Ford Australia have no export market... Other than us Kiwis that is.

Why they didn't get the Volvo D5 engine under the bonnet of the Falcon and Territory product while they had the chance will always be a mystery to me...That surely would've been the best opportunity for entry into European show rooms?

the only reason Ford sold so may Falcons in Oz is they 'gave them away' to fleet sales buyers!  Hardly the best reason to give them the 'most sales' gong.  Probably not a lot different to Europe, with one or two car makers providing the mechanical dross for fleet buyers, that come up as the best of a bad bunch, for all those people that have their cars bought for them.  I believe the mark of a car maker is in the number of cars it sells to private buyers - people who part with their own money, and demand completely different standards and credentials.  Would anyone suggest for a second that because MB sells an obscene number of cars as bog taxis in Germany, they are the best you can get?  That fact merely seriously dilutes the value of the marque.

Both Ford and Holden in Oz are on real notice from perfectly legitimate, and in some respects superior, imports such as the Nissan Maxima, Toyota whatsits, the recently demised Mitsubishi 380, Honda Accord....what have I missed.  All standing up as the new-breed family car, with 5 seats and 6 cyinder power.  One Toyota whatsit manages 200kW from 3,5 litres, and the local new 3.8 litre whizz-bang V6 from Holden can only muster 190kW's.  Sadly Ford and Holden are still trading on the 'we're local, and have been here for ages' mantra, whch is now so thin it is transparent.  Ford have absolutely no choice here with the Falcon that follows the brand new[???] re-bodied FG, than to install a European V6.  Clunky old agricultural straight sixes, like the Falcon, have seen their day, and no amount of polishing the turd will save that old engine.  And Holden continue to sell one third of new VE Commodores with 6 litre V8's.  Its got me stumped!

So what evidence to you have to support your comment that engine belongs more in the "ice age than the iPod age". If you knew how to use google you'd find that the motor contains; variable value timing - independent for both inlet and outlet, dual mode split plenum composite intake manifold, use of composites to reduce weight and for the turbo a raft of improvements on the intercooler to dramatically reduce both intake restriction and weight. So I'd like to know on what grounds you stand on to defend your statement; could it possibly be that it's a straight six? Well BMW still has the straight 6 in their model line up - yet you don't hear the 'ice age' comment on their products - so where did this comment come from?

Perhaps food critic is more you’re calling ~ less technical mumbo jumbo to deal with.