- Powerful ‘Barra 270T’ engine
- Impressive ride/handling balance
- Refined six-speed ZF automatic transmission
- Accurate, well-weighted steering
- Powerful Brembo brakes
- For ZF transmission, coolant lines in heat exchanger were susceptible to failure
- No curtain airbags or electronic stability control
- Prone to drivetrain clunks
- ‘Control Blade’ semi-trailing arm rear suspension inferior to VE Commodore-based four-link IRS
Review: FPV BF.II Force 6 (2006-08)
Overview
Released in October 2006, the FPV BF Mk.II (BF.II) Force 6 was a rear-wheel drive, performance sedan. Manufactured in Campbellfield, Victoria, the Force 6 was powered by a 4.0-litre turbocharged six cylinder petrol engine that was mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Compared to the related BF.II F6 Typhoon , however, the Force 6 had a greater emphasis on luxury features and was released in conjunction with the similarly-equipped BF Force 8 .
FPV F6 270T engine
The Force 6’s FPV F6 270T engine had a cast iron block, a cast aluminium cylinder head, a Garrett GT35/82R turbocharger which had engine oil-lubricated and water-cooler bearings, an air-to-air intercooler, an electronic single bypass wastegate, double overhead camshafts (DOHC, simplex chain-driven), dual independent variable camshaft timing, four valves per cylinder, Duratec-style finger followers, a dual resonance inlet manifold, coil-on-plug ignition, electronic throttle control, twin knock sensors and a compression ratio of 8.8:1.
Relative to the Barra 245T engine in the BF Falcon XR6 Turbo , the FPV F6 270T engine had:
- A 50 per cent larger twelve-core intercooler and dual entry ram airbox that increased boost pressure by 50 per cent to 0.64 bar (9.28 psi);
- Revised internals parts including high-strength valve springs and heavy-duty connecting rods; and,
- A unique FPV oil cooler.
ZF 6HP26 transmission
The BF Force 6 was solely available with a six-speed ZF 6HP26 automatic transmission. The Force 6 was fitted with the high-performance version of this transmission – which had upgraded clutches with extra plates in the clutch packs – and a torque capacity of 600 Nm.
The ZF 6HP26 transmission featured adaptive ‘Driver Recognition’ behaviour, including brake support downshifts, gear holding when cornering, gear holding for uphill and downhill driving and gear holding for fast-off throttle driving situations. Furthermore, the ZF 6HP26 transmission had a remote transmission oil cooler (RTOC) – with a three-way coolant thermostat – that was mounted to the engine block. Acting as a heat exchanger, coolant lines (or tubes) passed through the radiator to warm-up the transmission fluid on start-up and provide cooling under high load/high temperature operating conditions.
Dimensions
The FPV BF Force 6 was 4944 mm long, 1864 mm wide, 1444 mm tall and had a 2829 mm long wheelbase; kerb weight was 1776 kg.
Suspension
Like the FPV BF F6 Typhoon , the FPV Force 6 had double wishbone front suspension, while the independent rear suspension (IRS) had three control arms:
- A forged upper control arm;
- A stamped front lower control arm; and,
- A stamped rear lower control arm.
Each control arm had a cross axis ball joint on the wheel assembly end and was attached to the subframe and knuckle. Furthermore, the ‘Control Blade’ was a stamped trailing arm which provided lateral support and acted as a vertical pivot point.
| Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Force 6 | 4.0-litre F6 270T turbo petrol I6 | 6sp auto | 270 kW at 5250 rpm | 550 Nm at 2000-4250 rpm |
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the FPV Force 6 included dual front airbags, front side airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, traction control and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters.
Brakes
The FPV Force 6 had 355 mm by 32 mm cross-drilled and slotted front brake discs with four-piston Brembo calipers and 330 mm by 28 mm cross-drilled rear discs with single piston calipers.
The optional, extra-cost ‘Premium’ braking package differed in that it had Brembo six-piston front calipers and 330 mm by 28 mm cross-drilled rear discs with Brembo four-piston calipers.
Features
Like the BF F6 Typhoon , standard features for the FPV Force 6 included a 150 watt sound system with six speakers, a subwoofer and a six-disc CD player, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, cruise control, a TFT colour display, front fog lamps, automatic headlights, split and folding rear seats, remote central locking, power mirrors and windows, a tilt and reach adjustable steering wheel, trip computer and an immobiliser. The Force 6, however, was distinguished by its 19-inch shadow chrome alloy wheels, Regency Red or Dark Charcoal leather seats, an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat with memory settings, rear parking sensors and woodgrain interior trim.
The Force 6 was also fitted with a limited slip differential.
Related links
- Specifications: FPV BF.II Force 6 and BF.II Force 8 (November 2006)
- Ford Newsroom: A new Force in luxury performance (March 2007)
- Wikipedia.org: FPV BF.II Range
