Your thoughts on FG's design, 20 months on.

[mik]

i look at fg`s all the time .....probably a bit of AU envy , at times the xt looks a little plain but still quite good for entry level, i quite like the rest, i did`nt think i`d like the gt but after haveing a look in the flesh and a sit in one .... it was love at first sight/sit, still looks the goods, but of late the g6e is really growing on me, very classy indeed.

[Professor Farnsworth]

yeah i have to agree regarding the GT, but i only like it in one form..

silver with black stripes, very much looks the goods. saw a 5th anniversary one a while ago, very nice.

[FalconXR6]

The FG, for me, seems to look better the longer it's on the market.

The design looks fresh and much more modern than the now very, very dated looking VE.

When I see one on the road (even an XT!!!) it stands out.

Beautiful car, IMO.

Do the BA/BF GT's look tougher than the FG GT's - maybe, but the FG FPV's are still a bloody menacing looking vehicle.

[imugli]

I like them more and more every time I see one.
The XR is a really nice 'restrained' sporty while the G6E(T) and has to be the classiest looking car ever made in this country - bar none.
The work they did on differentiating the front end graphic has really paid dividends. There's no confusing them and they look as fresh today as they did 20 months ago.

[Trek]

One thing that annoys me to no end about the XT/XR range is the non-body colour plastic section that sits above the exhaust on the sedans. It looks poxy to no end and screams compromise to me. If I had any input I would've at least made it body colour in the XR range, like the sections that are normally painted on previous model XR's.

This is about the only feature that lets it down as a car, even though it's only cosmetic. The rest of the range is tops.

Someone feel free to name the specific section I'm talking about

@ imugli: I'd say the P5 LTD/Landau were the classiest cars made in Aus ;) But if we're talking modern, then you'd be spot on.

[Falc'man]

It's the rear skirt, Trek. And I agree, that section could have been better executed.

Also I think the XT in general could have looked so much better had they applied more thought into where they've placed some chrome, which currently leaves it a little unbalanced to the eye.

The G-series is unequaled. Period. Very upmarket but not overkill, it brings out the best in FG's design.

The XR range I'm starting to like more, the more I see them.

The GT-P looks too good. From 100m away it gives off quite a menacing and classy appearance from head on.

The F6 looks exactly like it should; a very subtle hint of boy-racer/ricer with the exposed cooler, dark agent rims, and no bulge. In addition to that, being the quickest car ever made here leaves an impression of respect.

All in all, I think FG's design was a huge success.
__________________

[FALCONXTV8]

Love the front end ,especially the xr's,but have never really like the rear of the sedans.I think they look too similiar to the AU,but having said that i do like it more as time goes on.The FPV range is seriously hot.

[Brazen]

Love the FG, the interior is outstanding. I love the way the centre console and transmission lever sit up high.

Things I dont really care for:

Make the rear suspension sit up a bit higher, to give the car a more wedge look, the Commodore does this really well.

Extend the taillights across into the bootlid (like accord euro). It would give the car more character, make it look more expensive and remove it further from the BA.

I think the base ute looks better than the XT from the front. The honeycomb grille and body colour bonnet cap on the ute looks better than the slat grill and chrome eyebrow on the XT front. I love the idea of chrome on the base model, but I think it could have been executed better.

In the interior make temperature and fan speed controls dials instead of buttons, anything you have to adjust (like radio volume) I feel should always be a dial, pressing up and down on little buttons takes too much attention off the road.

Oh and if it was up to me, I would give the Falcon more ground clearance, crunching Falcons into driveways and speed humps gets very tiring. Its actually got pretty pathetic clearance for a car designed for Australian outback roads.

Apart from that the FG is great, I think the rear should have more character (like my tailight suggestion) but is a very handsome looking car which has aged very well.

[Airmon]

I was one who voted that I didn't like the FG range when it first came out. The press release photo's made the cars look horrid. But after seeing them in the flesh I take it all back.
One of Fords better designs. I too thought the BFII Ghia was the best looking car out bar none, but after seeing the BFII Ghia next to a G6E, the BF looks dated. The FG still looks fresh, whereas the VE looked dated 6 months after it came out (looking horrible to begin with didn't help it, although I'll give the calais Credit as the best looking VE).

The XT doesn't look cheap anymore, and there is no reason why it should. Ford have always made their base models look cheap for seemingly no reason, but with the FG they look much better.
G series, clearly the winner of the FG (still shoulda been Called a Fairmont).

XR still looking good. FPV war paint very mean looking, I always thought it was on the verge of being too out-there and overdone, but then HSV introduced its VE II range and now the FPV range looks alot better.

FPV Utes, the rear wheels way too narrow for the size of the rear flares, looks worse then the VE. Fat wheels under the back would improve it 100%.

What I love most about the design is how Ford have managed to hide the shear size of the FG. Its larger then a BA but when on its own looks smaller! Very well executed design, without being too plain.

The only thing I hate about the FG is that it makes the B series cars start to look dated. Oh, that and the door handles.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Oh and if it was up to me, I would give the Falcon more ground clearance, crunching Falcons into driveways and speed humps gets very tiring. Its actually got pretty pathetic clearance for a car designed for Australian outback roads.

Thank God it's not up to you then - my XR8 ute looks like a 4WD and I can't stand it.

FG's overall design is excellent, I am very, very happy with mine. The only gripe I have is that yet again, it seems Ford have skimped on some things which are core items of the car - ute tailshaft is the biggest one for me.

[gocruzin]

I think the FG's only look good in FPV livery but thats just me.

[SM1DY]

The FG looks great from every angle, bar one -



This one, though it has been 20months I still can't bring myself to embrace the front end on these things. The rest of the FG Falcon and FPV range give me goosebumps, even the war paint on the FPV's, I love it!!!

[Giant Cranium]

I love the xr8's.
The bonnet changes the looks a lot compared to the xr6 and the tray on the utes look fine after a while.

Every day i get thumbs ups and looks directed to my ute and i cant park it without someone coming 4 a look.

Im 6"5 and 120kg and i finally found a car that fits me since you sit lower and have more shoulder room compared to ba's.

Just look at the photo to the left.

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by captain awesome

I love the xr8's.
The bonnet changes the looks a lot compared to the xr6 and the tray on the utes look fine after a while.

Every day i get thumbs ups and looks directed to my ute and i cant park it without someone coming 4 a look.

Im 6"5 and 120kg and i finally found a car that fits me since you sit lower and have more shoulder room compared to ba's.

Just look at the photo to the left.

6 inch 5? i'm not sure how to interpret that!! :P one ' for foot

but being 6 foot 5 i guess i shouldn't stir you too much

a dash xr6 ute parked next to me the other day and i have to say i did stare at it for a while, but i love dash. Yours is nitro i'm guessing?

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

6 inch 5? i'm not sure how to interpret that!! :P one ' for foot

but being 6 foot 5 i guess i shouldn't stir you too much

a dash xr6 ute parked next to me the other day and i have to say i did stare at it for a while, but i love dash.

yeh must concentrate!
But nitro then menace are the best colours IMO.

[Joe5619]

I love it!!! There will be a brand new one in my garge end of December.. Can't wait!!

[GK]

Love the G6E/T and XRs, particularly the 8. Lovely bonnet buldge. Crisp, clean, classy lines. Makes the commondore look like a boat!

GK

[I6DOHC]

Originally Posted by LukeyST

Oh and the bare plastic fake diffuser is 'cheap' looking.

Have to agree with this, probably my main gripe with the FG and if I bought one I'd get that lower part of the bumper replaced & colour coded. Just brings the look of it down.

Coming from BA XR6T the look initially didn't make me want to trade up, however it has really started to grow on me of late, especially the more I see of it on the roads. Personally I think it looks better in the darker colours.

Bottom line is it's aging well, and I'll probably stick my @rse in one in the next 12 months.

[tapeworm]

imo, slightly awkward c pillars-they extend too far onto the boot area and the things are just too fricken big.

But apart from that their a mint design spesh the XR front on.

[data_mine]

Originally Posted by gocruzin

I think the FG's only look good in FPV livery but thats just me.

I've the opposite opinion. They've lost the aggression and road presence the B series FPV's had.

[Wretched]

I only like the style of the G6E/T and the XR series.
The XT is as expected base model and the FPV series is just too tacky for my liking.
They got it on the right track with the GT-E and F6-E but the price for it isn't worth it.

[Whitey-AMG]

FG XR8 - best looking of the lot......

GT , didn't like it on release and don't like it now - very confused looking car.
F6 , somehow manages to look better , maybe the dark argent wheels blend better ?

G6 - Grandpa car
G6E - As a CALAIS competitor , it does a poor job. CALAIS has much better road presence and looks much more "planted"

G6ET - Looks nice in black or white only - definitely my second favourite.

Utes.......Look like they need 10"rear tyres on the rear.........as it stands, they look terrible. The cabin and tray blending is the worst I've seen. The Holden utes pulverise them....especially the SS ute with a good lowering job and big wheels.

Overall, the only FG I'd lay out my coin for would be the XR8 sedan.

[vztrt]

Still think it looks great, mind you I like the XR's more then the non XR models which is a shift from when it first came out as it was the other way around.

[Dezza]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Make the rear suspension sit up a bit higher, to give the car a more wedge look, the Commodore does this really well.

I disagree with this. I hate the way the bootlid gets higher on all the newer models. I hate the "**** in the air" look, and have found it's a lot harder to see behind too. Personally the best design is low, long and wide.

Even still I'm a fan of the FG design. I have gotten a bit bored of the BA-BF design as they're everywhere and visually most seem to get the same mods (side stripes on BA XRs for example). The FG is a breath of fresh air on the other hand.

[Brazen]

Another thing I like on the FG are the mirrors, they are much bigger than the BA. I remember driving a BA for the first time and thinking that the mirrors were the size of postage stamps. Visibility in the FG Falcon is really good for a modern car.

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Another thing I like on the FG are the mirrors, they are much bigger than the BA. I remember driving a BA for the first time and thinking that the mirrors were there size of postage stamps. Visibility in the FG Falcon is really good for a modern car.

ahhh.. if you think BA mirrors are small, which they really aren't, try driving an EF/L

[JG66ME]

I love my FG. love it way more than my BA. Best looking car on the road in my books, especially the XRs.

[yanknbank]

Well after 18 months, I stiil like the way the G6ET looks (and go's). Alot.
As far as I'm concerned it's (G6ET) the 'looker' of the FG series. Now day's I'm seeing a lot more of the XR series on the road now and everytime I spot one I'm reminded of what an attractive looking car they are and the rest of the FG series in general.
The XT can look a bit bland with the steel wheels and the plastic wheel covers, but what base model doesn't.

Some have critisized the back end, the tail lights in particular. When I first clapped eyes on the G6ET at the Melbourne motor I have to say I wasn't intially taken with the rear end of the car. And I would assume neither were Ford at the time. The first thing the Ford rep asked me when I spoke to him on the stand, was how did I like the look of the rear end on the car.
Now that I've had twenty odd months to look at it, I reckon Ford pretty much got it right. I like the shape of the rear tail lights and the rear end blends in well with the rest of the vehicle.

There's still a few out there stuck in the past with the BA/BF series. The BFII Ghia that I owned was a nice looking car, but with the arrival of the G6ET it suddenly became ancient history in the Ford scheme of things, well for me at least.





With the introduction of the FG, the Ford brand moved up quite a few notches. It's the cleaner, more modern looking car of the two without a doubt. Ford did a good job of hiding the fact that it's a bigger car than the BA/BF Falcon, which itself was bigger than the AU series.
It's only when you see them side by side that you are able to recognise just how much bigger the FG is, for example, than the AU's.







By pulling in and rounding off the front and rear corners of the car Ford were able to give it a smaller 'signiture' out on the road.
Moving from the outside to the inside of the car, the interior's are nicely done. Especially in the G6E/T's. I hired an FG XR6 in Perth recently and whilst I liked the XR's look and feel inside, the G6ET's light cashmere leather looked and felt so much better to sit in when I got back home. Very classy indeed. The car still looks as fresh and as new, inside and out as it did when it was first released nearly two years ago.
The car isn't faultless of course, but overall for the money I paid for it, I reckon it's a pretty impressive package. That impressive in fact, I was dead keen to get into another one when it clicked over being a year old. I've now decided to wait for the series 2 G6ET due sometime in the latter half of next year.

Has it been a success, as in the way it look's ? I would have to answer yes, without a doubt. More people have stopped, looked, gawked, asked, stared, passed comment on this car than all of the other cars I've owned put together.
The most recent was the guy (an absolute Holden tragic) I had around at home who not long ago had purchased a Holden clubby. He made sure that he had a good long hard look at the G6ET, as he hadn't seen one close up before. After passing a number of favourable comments, he finished by saying the car looked 'as sweet as'.

To me that was confirmation that Ford had 'nailed it'.

[foxtrot3]

Hi Overall great car but 1/ Where's the wagon
2/ Where's the Territory
3/ Centre console too high ( feels like early commondoor)
Cheers MD

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by yanknbank

I wish they blacked out the headlights, I think it would make a big difference. I really didn't like the front end of the G6ET when they first came out... looked too in your face, but as time goes by I like it more and more. It's on my short list for a next car - if I get it, maybe I'll tone the colour down a little if it hasn't completely grown on me.