Ford Falcon Gets EcoLPI Option For 2011, On Sale Now

Ford's EcoLPI option for the Falcon sedan and ute range is now on sale, making its debut in Melbourne today at the opening of the Australian International Motor Show.

Bringing a significant increase in power and torque over the previous E-Gas LPG system, the EcoLPI-equipped I6 petrol engine produces 198kW at 5000rpm and 409Nm of torque at 3250rpm. 

These figures are identical to the Falcon's unmodified I6 petrol engine fueled by 95 RON, representing a 27 percent increase in power and a 10 percent boost in torque over its E-Gas predecessor.

"Awareness of the climate change issue and the importance of cost of ownership to consumers has seen Ford deliver a range of product actions in recent years, which have introduced sustainable technologies that are conscious of both the environment and our customers," Ford Australia boss Bob Graziano said.

"Improvements in fuel economy, CO2 emissions and cost of ownership have been achieved through a combination of engineering developments, the introduction of a new range of small and light cars, and the expanded availability of alternative fuel vehicles such as diesel and LPG."

The new engine is available with both Falcon sedan and Ute bodystyles, mated to a ZF six-speed automatic transmission.

For the sedan, this will include the XT, G6, G6E and XR6 variants, while the Ute's EcoLPi models will include the XL, R6 and XR6 in both Cab Chassis and Styleside Box bodystyles.

Fuel consumption for the EcoLPI engine is listed at 12.5 l/100km for the Falcon XT, and 12.6 l/100km for the G6, G6E and XR6 models - an improvement of 16.1 and 15.4 percent respectively.

Technical highlights of the new EcoLPi powertrain

• New fuel rail, including injectors, designed and developed specifically for the Ford EcoLPi engine
• New design lightweight pistons, including low-friction ring pack
• Higher compression ratio (12.0:1) to improve engine thermal efficiency and fuel consumption
• New polymer fuel lines with a low thermal mass to keep the LPG fuel liquefied
• New fuel line filter and in-tank filter added to prevent system/component contamination
• Significant modifications to the fuel tank, including all-new internals and sub-level components, as well as a new high-pressure fuel pump
• New catalytic converter – high density brick and new washcoat (common with I6 petrol engine)
• Major calibration and engine management system modifications, including a new fuel priming strategy
• Transmission upgrade to the acclaimed ZF six-speed automatic on all EcoLPi variants

Pricing

The EcoLPi engine option is available for the recommended Manufacturer's List Price of $2500 ($500 over E-Gas) above the RRP of each available Falcon model.