Is this beast of burden a dying breed?
Model Tested:
- 2008 Ford BF MkIII Falcon XT Wagon 4.0-litre, six- cylinder auto – $37,720 (RRP)
Options:
- Metallic Paint $400 (Fitted); Side Airbags $300 (Fitted); Six CD Player $700 (Fitted); Rear Power Windows $470 (Fitted); Rear Parking Sensors $515; Heavy Duty Suspension $350; Limited Slip Differential $400; 16″ Alloy Wheels $500 (Fitted); Cargo Blind $150 (Fitted); Roof Rails $210 (Fitted); Power Adjusting Pedals $250; Dedicated LPG (E-Gas) $1400
CarAdvice Rating:
- by Matt Brogan
In what has essentially become a one horse race, Falcon is now the only remaining ‘big six’ rear-drive wagon available on the Australian market. Sure Holden has the sexy new Sportswagon, but with diminished cargo area and load capacity (due to its sedan origins) it’s better suited to family buyers leaving the heavy hauling, beast of burden, Falcon out on its lonesome.
This isn’t a bad thing, in fact for Ford it’s pretty much a coup d’état with fleet and business buyers now presented with very little choice in matching size, payload, price and running costs anywhere else in the market place.
Not yet updated to the ‘kinetic’ FG shape, this third series Falcon wagon is the final refinement of the BF model and as such has received only minor cosmetic and mechanical improvements over the predecessor which include ESP (available on petrol models only), Flip Key, Satin Alloy Accents on the front grille surround, ‘Warm Charcoal’ carpet, Goodyear Eagle Excellence tyres and Mk III badging.
Available in five-seat XT specification only, the wagon is offered exclusively with a 4.0-litre, six-cylinder engine and four-speed automatic transmission combo, albeit in petrol or dedicated E-Gas (LPG) guise.
Delivering 190kW at 5250rpm and 383Nm from just 2500rpm (156kW/370Nm for E-Gas) the in-line 4.0-litre six certainly has the might to lug its fair share of kit and with an impressive 1254 litre cargo area (to window height – seats up) and a braked towing capacity of up to 2300kg when fitted with a transmission cooler, hauling your gear around couldn’t be easier.
