Ford Fairmont

The first thing we noticed when testing the Ford Fairmont was the smoothness of the drive especially over some of the more worn-out roads of Sydney. Hats off go to its four-wheel independent suspension, generally ideal for a car of this size. The double-wishbone suspensions in the front allowed for more control over the camber angle of the wheel and helps minimise roll or sway and provides for a more consistent steering feel. However before you plan to go out four-wheel driving in your new Fairmont know that it has a limit. Due to its relatively low clearance, aggressive driving over bumps results in scraping the undercarriage, a downside to its suspension. Additionally the luxury spec tires of the Ford Fairmont tend to shriek when you attempt a brisk low-speed maneuver. It is a compromise Ford has made of comfort over performance, but one that can be reversed by upgrading to the factory sports suspension pack.

The steering of the Ford Fairmont is satisfactorily slanted and progressive owing to the tall 215/60 16 Goodyear Eagle NCT5 rubbers that are found in the Ford Fairmont.

Brakes:

Weighing in at a massive 1750 kilograms you would think that braking would be a difficult task, however the Fairmont seems to pull it off with ease thanks to its ventilated front discs that are found with 2-pot calipers and the solid rear discs with a single-pot caliper. Additionally with sensitive brake pedals a greater sense of control is given to the driver. Besides that it had the standard ABS not uncommon in today’s cars.

The Engine:

The engine found in the Ford Fairmont is the 5.4 liter bent eight. It has relatively long skirt pistons to minimize piston slap, with 3 valve-per-cylinder alloy heads that are created help incorporate VCT controlled single overhead camshafts. The cam timing in the Ford Fairmont is variable over a 60-degree range that is relative to the crankshaft. The Ford Fairmont is listed at 220kW at 4750 rpm, and 470 Nm between 3250 and 4000 rpm.

The Ford Fairmont is much more advanced than the superseded Windsor V8. It is more refined at idle, more responsive, very powerful and is an extremely flexible car. It is because of the fitting of the standard electronic throttle control in the Ford Fairmont that it feels stronger than most cars. The Ford Fairmont runs out of puff at a low rpm, with the rev limit being about 5200; however the effective rev range is actually similar to most cars like its competitor Holden’s 5.7 V8.

Fuel Economy:

It may be surprising to note that despite its size and weight, the Ford Fairmont rates well in fuel consumption. In country driving, it easily gives 100 km with 12 liters. The best fuel to satisfy the fuel thirst of the Ford Fairmont is regular unleaded. This satisfies the Ford Fairmont’s conservative 9.7:1 compression ratio.

So after all this what is the verdict on the new Fairmont. Well if you are looking for a luxury and powerful drive without wanting to spend the big bucks and do not care too deeply about image then its safe to say that it is a steal at its price. It has more power then its European counterparts and we felt it had better value then its main competitor’s Holden. The engine really has everything you’d want in a top of the line engine and it was a blast to drive. We’d probably recommend the sports suspension pack though to make cornering easier.