New Everyday Driver

Bruceynz

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Hi Guys,

As you are aware Ford use to make cars in Australia, they stopped production in 2016. I just bought myself for my everyday driver a 2013 Ford Falcon 2.0 Ecoboost, yeah its 4 Cylinders and its teamed up with a ZF 6 speed auto, they are a RWD car, the ecoboost engine is impressive! I know its not mopar but I am not spoilit for choice like you guys in the Americas, anyway this is just for interest sake to show you what we get down under. They clock up 0 - 100kmph (62mph) in less 7 seconds.

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kkritsilas

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I think that is the equivalent of what is called the Ford Fusion here, which is also available with the 2.0L Ecoboost (I think Ford's platforms are the same world wide, with local variations in trim and minor body style changes).
 

Bruceynz

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Are the fusions rear wheel drive with ZF auto trans? This car was Aussie designed and built until 2016! They released a Face lift model called the FG-X, mine is the FG Mk II.

These come out on 4.0L Aussie designed 6 195kw, turbo charge 4.0L at 270kw I think it is and a Coyote V8. In the past they had a quad cam 5.4 with the heads designed in Aussie.

These cars are dynamite, you guys in the USA would of loved them! Pitty they never exported to USA! I love my mopars don't get me wrong but for a car that was designed out side of USA and all Aussie engineers this thing is superb! I have read articles in the past where car magazine guys from USA went to Aussie and were so impressed with how they performed and handled!

They had a model called the Ford Territory, it was designed and built in Aussie, it was a road SUV for ride and handling up there with the Mercedes, for power I think the Jeep SRT8s blow everything away!
 

kkritsilas

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No, Fusions are front or all wheel drive.

There is a version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee on the way called the Trackcat (or something like that). It uses the 707 HP Hellcat engine in a large SUV body. Suspension, brakes and transmissions are designed for heavy duty use. FCA hasn't put a Demon engine (808 HP on premium pump gas, 840HP on higher octane gas) in a Jeep yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see one sooner or later.
 

Oldiron440

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Cool ride for sure!!! But as I sit here I have a Ford sweatshirt on and a Mopar hat, my version of a crossdresser.

Didn't Jag have a 4L v8 when Ford owned them? It was a mod motor I believe.

Its not a Fusion for sure because Fusions are FWD, you have a hotrod for a daily driver, so cool!!

You Aussies did not go FWD like the rest of the world in the 80s, so you had the Holden (GTO in the US), your car but I thought it was a Falcon beating each other up on the road coarse down under.
 

Oldiron440

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For all those who don't know I have a1964 Farlaine with a 292 289, 455 hp 445tq na, very mild with good heads, thats less than 5L, get that from a Mopar!


That's my daily driver, summer time only.
 

BudW

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What vehicles are still being built, in that area? (Australia and/or NZ)
 

AJ/FormS

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For all those who don't know I have a1964 Farlaine with a 292 289, 455 hp 445tq na, very mild with good heads, thats less than 5L, get that from a Mopar!


That's my daily driver, summer time only.

That's real nice.
Well to claim that, you should probably start a new thread with details, cuz of course we Mopar-heads, will all gang up on you and call you out; without pictures, build details and a dyno sheets,lol.Cuz we can't hardly do that with a 80 more cubes and pumpgas.

Better yet, go over to FABO and post it up there, cuz we're all gonna wanna build something like that.

I mean it. I'm not trying to be a jerk. Your achievement is incredib, no that's the wrong word, your achievement is enviable in the least, boy I'm struggling for adjectives here, desirable to be cloned in Mopar form;I know you got my attention.
 
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Bruceynz

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very fast cars, the 4.0 turbo in the video would rival many v8s in USA. Its a 4 door sedan but i think hellcats just way to powerful!
 

Bruceynz

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Thats awesome, the 289, 302, 351 windsors are a sweet little motor! I have been a mid 60s falcon with built 289 and 5 speed manual and was very impressed!! The engine looks such a small V8 in the engine bay!


For all those who don't know I have a1964 Farlaine with a 292 289, 455 hp 445tq na, very mild with good heads, thats less than 5L, get that from a Mopar!


That's my daily driver, summer time only.
 

Aspen500

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At work I drove a fairly new Fusion with a 1.5L Ecoboost and at first thought it'd be a pooch. Turns out, that tiny engine puts out more than adequate power!

Don't feel bad. I've always been a Mopar or no car guy, just like my Dad. However, last April I bought a summer daily driver, a 2008 Mustang and demoted my '96 Dakota to the winter daily driver after major rust repair over the summer. I wanted a newer 2 door car and that narrows down the field REAL quick. Challenger's are so huge and even the oldest ones are still way out of my price range. A Camaro was NEVER even a consideration, and never will be! Well, that leaves Mustang's. I've always liked the 2005-2008 style and ran across a California car with 61,000 miles, ZERO rust and VERY well taken car of, for only $7,200 and it came home with me. Would of course prefer a Mopar but sometime's you have to make an exception.
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kkritsilas

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Cool ride for sure!!! But as I sit here I have a Ford sweatshirt on and a Mopar hat, my version of a crossdresser.

Didn't Jag have a 4L v8 when Ford owned them? It was a mod motor I believe.

Its not a Fusion for sure because Fusions are FWD, you have a hotrod for a daily driver, so cool!!

You Aussies did not go FWD like the rest of the world in the 80s, so you had the Holden (GTO in the US), your car but I thought it was a Falcon beating each other up on the road coarse down under.

The platform that the Fusion is on can be front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, or all wheel drive. The 2.0L turbo 4 is also available worldwide, in a number of different power levels ("tune"), depending on local gasoline octane levels and emissions standards.

Jaguar's 4.0L V8 (AJ8 family) was an in house design, and only available as an aluminum block, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder form. The current V8 Jaguars use the 5.0L version of this engine, both regular and supercharged. Ford ended up using it (in the first 4.0L form) for the Lincoln LS sedans, and the Thunderbird convertible (last generation). The Jaguar V8 was smaller in external dimensions than the mod motor V8s, which allowed for smaller engine compartments.

The 4.6L and up Ford V8s are the "mod" motors, available in either cast iron (vast majority) or aluminum, and in SOHC, DOHC, and in 2 Valve, 3 valve, and 4 valve forms. . The current Mustang GT's Coyote engine is the 5.0L versiin of the mod motor.
 

Bruceynz

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I am happy with my eco boost at 24mpg around town and gas in NZ is $8.50 a gallon so ecoboost is great, it's about 6.5s to 60mph compared to a 3.6 Chrysler 300 at 8s so its no slouch, I can stick it to a Chrysler 300 to 60mph! I still love my doba and my 360v8 but I won't be driving it to work each day!
 

Aspen500

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$8.50 a gallon? Dang!!!!!!!!!!! Guess we shouldn't complain too much about the gas prices here, which in this area is $2.44/gal for regular. Not to twist the knife as they say but, at the V.P. Racing Fuel station (a.k.a Rib Mt. Petro Mart)near my house, the 110 octane (leaded, off-road only) race fuel is "only" $7.89/gal.
 

Aspen500

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One of the reasons I wanted a modern daily driver is better mpg combined with plenty of power (for daily use). My '08 Mustang V6 does 0-60 in just over 6 seconds, can break the tires (well, one tire anyways) loose from 20 mph and return an averages 21-23 mpg. It's a 4.0L SOHC V6 with the 5 speed automatic. Compare that with my '96 Dakota 2 wheel drive, reg cab, short bed (now the winter DD) with a 3.9L V6 and 4 speed automatic. It weighs about the same as the Mustang but 0-60 is closer to 11 seconds and it only averages 16-18 mpg. Different type of car but for comparison my Aspen does 0-60 in the mid 4 second range (traction is the limiting factor) and gets a whopping 10-11 mpg if you're careful with the right foot, but it's obviously not a daily driver, lol.
 

4speedjim

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GRRR! Envious Bruce! Nice ride! No apology needed. Always wanted Chrysler, DCA and FCA to build turbo cars and RWD. Fords way ahead of the game here with their wide spread use of turbos and slightly smaller lighter cars. The Challengers are 11/10ths to original 70-74s. So ya, they are huge, heavy and more expensive than anything from ford or gm. But I doubt you could build something similar for the $60-$80K USD the hellcat and Demon cost. Or you could have a new 1500 3.0 or 3500 6.7 Cummins or a few 2 bath 3 bedroom homes for the same money here. Enjoy your new car Bruce, theres plenty down there many here would love. Like a rwd turbo car from more than one company.
 

Bruceynz

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not going to rub anyone up the wrong way, just going to say ford nailed it down under. ZF trans, 2.0 ecoboost, full size sedan RWD.

Chrysler pulled out of Aussie when they were going tits up in the late 70s, Mitsubishi pulled out, Ford pulled out and and GM is about to pull out, the last 2 sighting high labor rates and falling sales for full seize sedans, people moving to SUVs.
 
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