FG Series XR6Turbo - Changes including turbo compressor wheel.
Some new information on the 2008 FG Series XR6 Turbo
Now Updated! Click here for latest info on launch control and overboost system!
Changes to the turbo:
The engine now puts out 270kW, and 533Nm from 2000-4750rpm. Effectively the specs from the outgoing F6 Typhoon.
Aside from apparently using the stronger LPG conrods, the other internal engine changes are not known at this stage.
However, Ford has made some changes to the turbo itself.
The turbo is still a Garrett turbo, but now has a smaller compressor wheel. While this will mean faster spool-up when the engine is off the boil - rumoured to be 30% faster spool up which will mean less lag - it will also likely limit the ability of the turbo to cope with larger boost. In other words while it will be possible to increase boost via editing of the ECU software, you may not be able to increase boost as far as you can with the existing turbo.
Whether this is an actual problem for tuners remains to be seen - the existing turbo has a very high capacity for increased boost which may not be pushed to its limits anyway in normal tuning. The upper limits of the new turbo setup should be able to be calculated once the new compressor wheel has been properly identified.
Launch control:
Rumours of launch control in the manual XR6 Turbo may be exaggerated. Proper launch control involves the ECU taking control of some aspects of the car (clutch, ignition or similar depending on how they choose to implement it), and has the aim of producing searing take-offs where in wet or dry the car will take off pretty much as fast as possible - without the normal complexity of balancing clutch use with power application to avoid either bogging down or spinning the wheels.
In the FG Series XR6 Turbo, the launch control is said to consist of a ~3500rpm rev limiter which applies when the clutch is depressed. What this means is that you cant rev the car higher before you release the clutch even if you floor it. If true, this seems more aimed at reducing driveline damage and abuse than as a launch control, as even in the BA or BF XR6Turbo 3500rpm will tend to smoke the tyres if launched quickly at that many revs (with no traction control engaged). Add the extra torque and power of the FG series, and it will likely do so even more easily.
Editing the software to increase boost:
The BF introduced a flag in the ECU which is tripped when any calibration has been over-written. This means that despite efforts to reflash the “standard” tune back to the ECU before servicing the car, Ford can tell that at some stage the ECU was reflashed. This will then void aspects of the warrantee related to the impacts of reflashing the ECU (ie engine, potentially powertrain etc).
This flag is also present in the FG series, so it is important that people editing/flashing the ECU know that they are voiding parts of their warrantee - and that even if Ford dont say anything to you, it is very likely if you ruin a relevant part of the car and try to claim it on warrantee that you will be (rightfully) declined at that stage.
No additional protections to stop flashing the ECU have been introduced - but people should be aware of the possible consequences and lack of warrantee support if something goes wrong.
iPod:
The Optional Technology Pack inlcudes iPod and Bluetooth integration. iPods are connected to an interface box in the centre console and it feeds directly into the car’s entertainment system. This interface is much more complex than the current audio-only interface: it means all the relevant information from the iPod (song titles etc) can be displayed on the centre display, and via the car’s controls the driver can control the ipod (select different tracks etc).
The FG Series XR6 Turbo is available starting May 2008.
Tags: xr6turbo gf series ford fg series g series xr6t turbo x
February 19th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
G6E Turbo comes in Automatic only according to ford website…. so your article is incorrect.
February 19th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Thanks for the feedback. As you probably know, the new Falcon range is known as the FG series, similar to the previous BA and BF series Falcons. The includes the full range of cars including the XR.
While the non-XR range is officially called the “G Series”, its not uncommon for Ford people to refer to the whole range as the G (Short for FG Series) - inclusive of the XR range. That’s where I picked it up from (and this information…)
As you will see in the article, I refer clearly to XR6Turbos just about everywhere, which are available in manual as stated. As an example, I started the section on launch control clearly stating “Rumours of launch control in the manual XR6 Turbo may be exaggerated.”. No mention of the G6E Turbo.
But as you point out, the average person doesnt know that as they are only hearing about the cars now, so I have added an “F” so now its even clearer and states “FG Series XR6 Turbo”.
Thanks for your feedback…the article now mentions FG instead of G in those couple of instances, to make it extra clear.