Is the Falcon with I6 one of the last of it's kind?

brett7777 · 24-07-2012, 11:41 AM

Had a couple of conversations over the last week or so about the straight six motor & it got me thinking.
Just how many cars are there still being built with an I6 motor? And more so than that, an I6 with RWD?
In one of the conversations the person I was talking to said they couldn't really think of many I6's still being built, maybe some Euro models, BMW perhaps? (I'm no expert on all the different models available globally).
The other conversation was with an American who said he wasn't aware of any US built cars that are currently still built with an I6.
If there are Euro I6's are they FWD?
Are the Japanese still doing any I6's?
Just wondering how unique the Falcon I6 has actually become, in terms of the global market.

Road_Warrior · 24-07-2012, 12:08 PM

Yeah BMW probably and that's it. Nissan still uses the 4.8L straight six in the Patrol I think??

**DFB FGXR6** · 24-07-2012, 12:40 PM

BMW still make them, just about all turbo's now. Volvo also make inline 6 for transverse applications, again turbo's. A non turbo varient of the volvo 6 is also used by land rover in the freelander. And as above, the nissan patrol 4.8. Jeep have phased out the inline now too. So yes, Falcon is amounst a small group of inlines.

KIWI-1 · 24-07-2012, 12:43 PM

...and Benz will have a new one in 2015.

Fordman · 24-07-2012, 12:50 PM

Ford and BMW have always gone down a similar path. BMW are moving to 4cyl turbos more and more, Ford following suit.

Rodge · 24-07-2012, 12:52 PM

I love the big long donkey, so reliable, torquey and with outstanding longevity, besides there's nothing wrong with 198 Kw's and 409 nm's of torque running on 95 Octane even by 2012 standards. BMW is the only other manufacturer that springs to mind.

tranquilized · 24-07-2012, 02:56 PM

Yep the Falcons layout has become very rare. I love how BMW's are pretty much the only other passenger cars with an I6 and RWD, and soon Mercedes will go back to the I6 also. Not bad company to be in!

From what I understand, broadly speaking, inline 6's are superior to a V6 - a lot smoother. But V6's are everywhere simply for packaging reasons - apart from Volvo you wont see any FWD I6's.

Commodore only has a V6 because that Buik boat anchor was all that was available to Holden in the late 80's when they were basically broke, and loosing money on the VL due to the rising Yen.

Sadly, come 2016 or so, there will be one less I6 RWD in the world...

mik · 24-07-2012, 05:44 PM

yes that`s really the only down side to the Falcon inline 6 , it`s not as versatile in the packaging area for the manufacturer, but a fantastically reliable engine.

**DFB FGXR6** · 24-07-2012, 06:10 PM

THE ONLY interesting thing about the Holden (nee Daewoo) Epica was the fact that it also had a inline 6. Whilst quite gutless, a inline 4 of the same capacity would not have been as smooth or refined.

JG34JA · 24-07-2012, 08:01 PM

Yep, the I6 is balanced, and now very rare in the world. Exclusive even. Enjoy it while you can: so few people realise what a truly unique drivetrain it is.

Mine is AWD and north-south facing inline 6! Top that!

Buntz · 25-07-2012, 08:04 PM

Yeah. There is just something about Inline engines. Some of the greatest engines, and cars of all time have had them. And our 4.0L inline certainly is unique.

And it instils automotive passion in the car. But now a days, fewer people like cars.

I also prefer the sound of inlines. V's may growl, but Inlines roar.

Jeddak · 25-07-2012, 08:18 PM

Commodore only has a V6 because that Buik boat anchor was all that was available to Holden in the late 80's when they were basically broke, and loosing money on the VL due to the rising Yen.

I wouldn't go so far as to call the BOC ( Buick/Oldsmobile/Cadillac) engine a boat anchor ,as a pushrod engine it worked rather well and was used in a front wheel drive layout in the US with good result (Buick Grand National anybody?) hence the flat front of the engine and accessory drives as well as that ridiculously long top radiator hose going to the back of the engine on the VN.

having said that the only true six is of course an inline one!!

Buntz · 25-07-2012, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeddak

Commodore only has a V6 because that Buik boat anchor was all that was available to Holden in the late 80's when they were basically broke, and loosing money on the VL due to the rising Yen.

I wouldn't go so far as to call the BOC ( Buick/Oldsmobile/Cadillac) engine a boat anchor ,as a pushrod engine it worked rather well and was used in a front wheel drive layout in the US with good result (Buick Grand National anybody?) hence the flat front of the engine and accessory drives as well as that ridiculously long top radiator hose going to the back of the engine on the VN.

having said that the only true six is of course an inline one!!

The Grand National was RWD. Renamed the Regal when it changed to FWD

Motorbreath310 · 25-07-2012, 08:37 PM

I hope the i6 layout lives on. Have not driven a v6 that I liked. They sound thrashy and rough and like they're about to explode when you give them the berries.

flooded one · 26-07-2012, 03:01 PM

it was one very tuff motor (4 litre inline 6 cylinder) .I love the note it has!! one of the better sounding 6 cylinder cars i've heard!!

last fairlane · 26-07-2012, 10:12 PM

Me too
Ive got an in line 4.0 litre inline six driving all four wheels
a Territory Ghia
and for the day time
an inline six driving four of the 22 wheels
a Mack coolpower

chevypower · 27-07-2012, 01:41 AM

Was in my inlaws GMC Envoy the other day, that Vortec 4.2 I-6 is smooth and torquey, I didn't realize it had DOHC. It's the engine that should have been in the Hummer H3, and I think I like it better than the 5.3 V8.

Buntz · 30-07-2012, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevypower

Was in my inlaws GMC Envoy the other day, that Vortec 4.2 I-6 is smooth and torquey, I didn't realize it had DOHC. It's the engine that should have been in the Hummer H3, and I think I like it better than the 5.3 V8.

Wow. Didn't know that GM still made an inline 6. I'm intrigued. Will research that engine.

jpd80 · 30-07-2012, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

Wow. Didn't know that GM still made an inline 6. I'm intrigued. Will research that engine.

Pretty sure the GM I-6 ended production around 2009...

Buntz · 31-07-2012, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

Pretty sure the GM I-6 ended production around 2009...

As my research informed me. It also informed me that with more capacity, it still couldn't produce as much torque as Ford's I6.

Still, I love unique things like that. Something that is a departure from the norm. Would make a great engine for a resto mod sports car or classic.

BMW still clings to it's 3.0L, bless em.

jpd80 · 31-07-2012, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buntz93ED

As my research informed me. It also informed me that with more capacity, it still couldn't produce as much torque as Ford's I6.

GM are reknown for producing vehicles with softer state of tune but
217 Kw @ 6,000 and 275 nm @ 4,600 on regular unleaded is still not too bad...

Quote:

Still, I love unique things like that. Something that is a departure from the norm. Would make a great engine for a resto mod sports car or classic.

BMW still clings to it's 3.0L, bless em.

Hopefully Mercedes will join them..

RASER · 31-07-2012, 07:27 AM

The IL6 is a very decent motor, if they fitted it with direct injection, cylinder-shut down on low load, stop on idle, higher compression, weight reduction, it would have smashed that EB/4 to pieces and got down to high 6L/100km

Vale IL6

2011G6E · 31-07-2012, 07:41 AM

I love the old straight six. It's probably got more heritage behind it than any of the V8's they've put in Falcons over the years. I mean, the straight six started out as a Yank motor, but it became our own over the years and now is something that is pretty much a world class engine. Of course, increasingly strict emissions standards will kill it eventually.

I think Ford could have taken a few tips from BMW over the years...they've always been the king of the straight six. Some of those damn things in the M5 used to make 300kw or something rediculous out of an NA sub-4 liter engine...

falconnut · 31-07-2012, 01:14 PM

ill miss the i6, they are pretty rare dude to small 2.0l turbos like the ecoboost making the same or more power with better emissions and weight as well as been alot smaller.

I guess thats what happens when technology finally catches up.

The falcon i6 would have died of years ago if it was any other company or country making it.