Falcon scores first local 5 star ANCAP rating

[fpv_gtho]

Falcon officially gets five – Car Reviews, News & Advice - CarPoint Australia

Falcon officially gets five (August 2008)

Words -
Mike Sinclair


Ford's FG is officially the first-ever locally built five-star car

Ford Australia's FG Falcon is the first-ever locally-produced car to gain a five-star rating under the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). The announcement was made today alongside the Falcon production line at Ford's Broadmeadows factory by local company chief, Bill Osbourne, and ANCAP Chair, Lachlan McIntosh.

Though news the car had grabbed the top-ranking crash score leaked earlier this week, today's announcement was the first official confirmation of the score.

The five-star rating applies to petrol-engined sedan variants of the FG only. The ute and cab chassis versions are yet to be tested and, as a carry-over BF variant, the wagon does not achieve the rating. LPG-engined versions of the FG are excluded as they do not offer stability control. Stability control became prerequisite for a five-star rating at the start of this year.

Falcon's entry-level XT variant was the version ANCAP tested and achieved the five-star rating. At least in part justifying Ford's decision not to fit curtain airbags as standard equipment across the full FG range, the five-star rating was achieved by the fleet model fitted with Ford's head and chest protecting side airbags, not full side curtain bags.

Curtain airbags are standard on higher series FG models and a $300 option on the XT.

The petrol XT achieved a total score of 34.6 points out of a possible 37 points, outperforming its key local large car segment competitors, Holden's Commodore and the Toyota Aurion.

The FG's tally is the highest score ever recorded by a locally-produced car by a significant margin, says Ford. It also places it in the top 7 per cent of all published ANCAP results, as well as in the top quarter of published ANCAP five-star results, the company claimed.

ANCAP's testing awarded the Falcon 14.6 points in the Offset Frontal crash test. This compares to 11.5 and 13.6 points for the Commodore and Aurion respectively. The Ford also registered maximum score on the side impact and pole test (see table below).

Not all of ANCAP's comments were complimentary, however. Though better than the previous generation Falcon, ANCAP rated the FG's pedestrian protection at just two (out of four) stars. That said, it scored 10.95 points out of a maximum 36 -- this compares well to just 8.98 (one star) and 7.76 (one star) for the Holden and Toyota large cars. (Note: ANCAP does not attribute child safety ratings like the European NCAP.)

"I have great pleasure in announcing the new Falcon is the safest vehicle manufactured in Australia and it has the stars to prove it," announced Osborne at the kick-off of today's safety soiree.

"The petrol FG Falcon sedan range has been judged by ANCAP as being the safety leader among locally-manufactured vehicles. It cements Ford's long standing reputation for safety leadership in Australia," he said.

"Not only is the FG Falcon the safest vehicle ever produced in this country, it is also competitive with the safest sedans in the world.

"These safety test results add further validation to the extensive crash simulation process and physical crash test program conducted by Ford Australia for the FG Falcon, which was the most comprehensive in the company's history," Osborne opined. (More on the FG's safety story here

Osborne stressed that Ford's key design attributes for the FG were related to real world safety but said the carmaker would use the ANCAP imprimatur to help separate its products from key competitors. Expect plenty of marketing money to be spent on the FG's new 'credentials' over the next few weeks.

The Ford boss said the company would label all of its five-star cars (Mondeo and Focus get five stars in Euro NCAP testing) in the showroom, but stopped short of committing to apply safety rating labelling -- ANCAP's so-called 'Stars on Cars' program -- to the full Ford fleet.


ANCAP RATINGS
FG Falcon VE Commodore Toyota Aurion
Offset frontal 14.6 11.5 13.6

Side impact 16.0 15.0 15.4
Bonus points 2.0 1.0 1.0
Pole test 2.0 Not eligible Not tested
Final score 34.6 points 27.5 points 30.0 points
RATING 5-star 4-star 4-star


Comparison - European vehicles
Vehicle ANCAP star rating ANCAP score
Ford FG Falcon (08-on) 5-star 34.60 points
Volvo V70 (08-on) 5-star 34.20 points
VW Passat (05-on) 5-star 33.99 points
Citroen C6 (06-on) 5-star 33.81 points
Peugeot 407 (04-on) 5-star 33.66 points
Audi A6 (04-on) 5-star 33.30 points
Mercedes-Benz E-Class 220CDi (04-on) 5-star 32.95 points
Saab 9-5 (03-on) 5-star 32.56 points
Land Rover Range Rover (02-on) 4-star 29.87 points
BMW 5 Series (03-on) 4-star 28.88 points

[clutch-monkey]

well done, ford.

although i'm starting to dislike some of this safety stuff immensely.

[pimento]

It's a good marketing point and something to lord over other cars. Not sure how much it will affect sales though.

[SlickHolden]

Great Stuff Ford, Great Achievement!.

I also wonder how these results go into real world crash?.

If you look at the pics, That alone makes you go, How did it score better from front impact.
I remember the VE lost points because of a rear door that popped open?.


What happen to the report on the "A" Pillar?.. It was something i was interested in on viewing, Seeing as the VE has the large A Pillar, And ford used Boran steel to make strength but not size, I really wanted to know how much better, Or if it was better, Over the VE's A pillar.

[fpv_gtho]

Funny you should mention that Slick. I had the benefit yesterday of seeing a recently crashed, brand new Accord Euro. My brother commented on how much seemed to be hanging off the front end, but when you looked closer there was barely any deflection etc.

Theres various arguments for and against ANCAP being relevant to real world. Toyota and Holden say their own standards are more real world than ANCAP because they simulate more tests, or possibly because they didnt get the 5 star expected from VE and Aurion.

[SlickHolden]

My car was similar, The front looked bad, But underneath, It was contained to the rad support..
We did also see a VE's front fell apart, Lights grill front bar in millions of peace's, Is it just the ways cars are today?, Fall apart to take impact?.
That Euro was probably almost drivable.

I remember Holden saying they had better real world crash from day one, But must admit, I don't remember Toyota saying that?.

[fpv_gtho]

Theyve both either said it or been aligned with that train of thought, but theres definately been alot more noise made about the Commodore, possibly because of the hype behind it. Plenty of people think VE would get 5 stars now that its got full curtain airbags standard and if Holden provided the car for the side pole test, but i dont know whether it would be enough to counter its poor frontal offset score.

[SlickHolden]

I don't think it would get 5 star's also from just side's, I think they need something else, Was it the seat belt reminder for the passenger also?, And it would help if the back door wouldn't slightly open on impact, Can't remember which crash did it?.
They said they should have re tested it, But they never did, They settled with it.
I guess now they might believe they should have.

[motorsportnerd]

Holden (or Toyota for that matter) can only get a 5-star rating for the VE if it is willing to supply a car for the side impact pole test. So far they have not supplied a car. Now that the Falcon has gained 5-stars, it seems likely that the VE and I guess also the Aurion, will be retested and that the pole test will be included.

[SlickHolden]

I think they will retest it with VF..

Strange frontal offset crash, The A pillars didn't hardly move, Yet it was low, Wonder if?.

Just found out it was the side impact test where the door open. So that stopped it from getting 16 max points there.

Ad 2 for the Pole test, And that makes 30.5.. Not enough for 5 stars??.

They need to get these points back...

Upper Leg variable & Conc. loading 2 pt deduction left

Past that, I guess side airbags can ad points for protection cant they?.

[motorsportnerd]

VE may have got a low rating for the frontal impact if the forces recorded by the dummies were too high. Fact that A-pillar hardly moved may mean that too much force was experienced by the dummies.
That's the problem with the ANCAP test - car both has to be strong so as not to deform too much and lose points, yet it also has to soften the impact to the passenger by deforming in the right places.

[SlickHolden]

VT's A pillar moved back something like 75mm.. But i think, It's frontal crash came out better, Even though i would be safer in the VE?.
I think the biggest killer was the, "Potential" leg injury from the steering column, That took way 2 points.. Some where saying they were shocked with that, Considering the gap under the legs between the FG and VE.
I was thinking, Could it be the higher seating position?.

What ever that is, They need to get into it and fix it, Some extra support maybe is needed?.

Actually, The same thing happen with toyota, Upper leg injury potential from steering wheel hub.

[Rockefella]

How difficult is it to score a 5-star rating in Australia's NCAP system?

[SlickHolden]

Pretty hard, There has been new things added almost every month it seems,

The Barina got a 2 star, The F-150 i think only got a 1.5 or 2?. I might be wrong altogether on the car.

[fpv_gtho]

Originally Posted by Rockefella

How difficult is it to score a 5-star rating in Australia's NCAP system?

Its easier than EuroNCAP, but i think theyre about the hardest to score with. Compared to the American system, probably equivalent or easier again.