Ford utes are hot property!

The current BA series Falcon has numerous versions, each of them with a job to do. Our test vehicle is the XR8. The Citric Acid example we tested had as much style as we could ever want and as much performance as we would ever need.

After just a few kilometres in the XR8, one thing became very apparent ...... a good long drive needs to be planned for this car. It's so obvious that this car wants to to be driven, you do just that ...... you drive it, you drive it and you continue to drive it!

In planning our trip for the XR8, we chose the twin lakeside towns of Forster and Tuncurry as the destination for our day trip. The day arrived and it was perfect summer weather.

We set off from Newcastle with some suburban driving and then up the Pacific Highway, stopping in Karuah for morning tea then continuing via the Lakes Way. With plenty of time to look around, we "cruised" the short coast line and had a look around the twin towns. After finding a big shady tree alongside the lakefront we spread out our picnic rug and did what we all aspire to do ..... nothing at all!

Over lunch we watched Forster do what Forster does best ...... fishing and boating and relaxing and walking and enjoying the summer holidays. Then it was down to business as we discussed the attributes of the XR8. We particularly enjoyed the comfort levels provided by the simple but well designed passenger compartment. The test car's optional leather-trimmed sports seats, were very comfortable, soft yet very comfortable. The roomy cabin is delightful for travelling. The style is overtly dramatic, due to it's vivid colours and stylish trimmings. The desirability of the XR8 is compelling! The appeal of so much style and so much performance makes it easy to understand why the Falcon XR8 ute is a popular choice amongst ute buyers.

As stated earlier, driving the XR8 ute is particularly pleasing. Everything works well, the 5.4 litre "Boss" V8 is so smooth, the handling is excellent for a ute, the brakes do their job, the steering is light and easy. The relationship between the pedals, the driver seat and the steering wheel is very good for those above medium height. The seat adjustment controls ensure a comfortable position is just a moment or two away.

When a car oozes the style which the XR8 possesses in abundant quantities, it's easy to overlook any shortcomings. Let me save you some time. There's no need to look for the driver's footrest ..... there isn't one. Not that it bothered me, because the car drives so delightfully, why would you push it to breaking point? This car is for enjoying, not for destroying. Hence, there is no desire to go beyond the mighty fine cruisin' abilities of this car, so I soon discovered I didn't even need the non-existent footrest.

The Falcon XR8 comes with the bonnet bulge. It's also equipped with air conditioning, limited slip differential, premium brakes, power-adjustable drivers seat, power windows, trip computer, 100-watt 4-speaker AM/FM radio with single CD player, power-operated exterior mirrors, (4) 17"x8" alloy wheels, bedliner and a soft tonneau cover.

If there is a problem with the XR8 ute, it's the lack of vision caused by the B pillar on the driver's side. You have to look carefully before changing lanes because of the big blind spot.

The performance comes along easy and it's relevant to say that the performance is more mild than wild, but clearly it's ample and certainly more than adequate for a "cruisin'" role. The test car was equipped with auto transmission of the sequential sports shift variety. This is an easy system to use, once you've gotten over the back to front shift pattern.

A driver's delight, a visual delight ...... what more could you want in a car? If a 2 seater ute is on your shopping list, together with performance and stand-out styling then it's a fair bet to suggest you intend visiting your neighbourhood Ford shop. At $43,175, the test car (together with it's options) look like it's worth more, such is the excitement generated by an XR8 ute!

To sum up the XR8 ute, it's best put in a simple sentence ...... having covered some 972 kms in this ute, I just could not get enough of Ford's absolutely wonderful XR8 ute!

Stephen Walker
27th January 2004