Australia’s Drive has created a bit of a swan song for both the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon. The Aussie publication took the highest output variant from both the Falcon, being the XR8, and the Commodore, the SS-V Redline, and sent them into the ring one last time.
We say one last time because even though the Commodore will be sticking around in its rear-wheel drive guise a tad longer, this Ford Falcon XR8 is the final high-performance Falcon to be sold. It only makes sense to give both of these icons one last go-around.
So, Drive puts both of the cars through its paces, testing out road feel, acceleration and overall fit and finish. The Falcon goes first firing away with its 5.0-liter supercharged V8 burbling down the street, and reaching 60 mph quicker than its rival Commodore. Arguably, the Ford sounds the part much better, but battles aren’t won on noises, even if they are ever so satisfying.
Next up, the Commodore. The Commodore hauls its way down the road with its naturally aspirated 6.0LÂ V8, but the Falcon leaves it behind. Good thing for the Commodore though is its revised FE3 suspension, providing better on road feel than the Ford. Where the Commodore lacks in grunt, it makes up for in driving dynamics.
The Commodore does blow the Ford away in the cockpit arena. As Drive points out, the Ford feels like a fleet car, where the Holden feels like a truly refined machine. And that’s evident from the Ford’s cost cutting on the inside.
We won’t spoil the results of this test, but each Aussie road king makes its case. One, massive power just like it was 1978 in Oz all over when the two cars really began their storied rivalry. The other, a refined machine, nearly matching the power, but lacking some in favor of overall driving experience. No matter the winner, both cars are icons for Oz. Check out the included video review.
Comments
Falcon is FoMoCo’s longest running vehicle (4 years older than Mustang).