It’s curtains for the new Ford Falcon … or is it?
Filed Under Curt Hennig | Posted on April 12, 2008
SENIOR executives from Ford Australia will meet next week to
discuss whether to fit curtain airbags as standard equipment on
every new Falcon.
Despite the latest model being the first all-new Falcon in
almost 10 years, only two of the seven models in the range have
standard curtain airbags and the others have them as an option -
even though curtain airbags are standard equipment on both the
Falcon’s main rivals, the Holden Commodore and Toyota Aurion
V6.
Instead, the new Falcon has a head-protecting side airbag in
each front seat. But curtain airbags (which drop down from the roof
and cover the glass area in the front and rear doors) provide
broader protection from intrusions, as well as better protection
for rear passengers in a side impact.
The issue came to a head at the media preview drive earlier this
week when Ford initially refused to reveal how well it expected the
new Falcon to perform in independent crash tests by the New Car
Assessment Program. The body, which is funded by roads authorities
and insurance companies across Australia, awards a star rating out
of five according to a car’s level of occupant protection following
a series of crash tests.
Bill Osborne, the boss of Ford Australia, says that fitting
curtain airbags across the Falcon range could be done “at a
moment’s notice” but such a decision would not be reviewed until
senior management met next week.
“We wanted to have a price point that was $300 cheaper than the
Commodore,” Osborne says. “When you add curtain airbags as an
option to the Falcon, it’s the same price as a Commodore. We wanted
to give customers the choice.”
Asked if he would prefer to have his family in a Falcon equipped
with curtain airbags if in a side-impact crash, Osborne replied he
would be “comfortable” in a car without them.
“We are very proud of the safety of our car, and we believe it
will be class leading with or without curtain airbags.”
At first coy about the Falcon’s expected NCAP rating, Ford
executives then said that a five-star rating was likely, based on
what the company knew from internal testing. It would be the first
Australian-made car to achieve such a high score. The Holden
Commodore and Toyota Aurion each score four stars in NCAP
tests.
Production began last Monday but Ford is stockpiling the cars
before distribution to dealers across Australia later this
month.
For first-drive impressions of the new Falcon, see
drive.com.au/FordFalcon2008.
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