The XR8 is what it is and that is an Australian designed muscle car, it has just enough technology to keep you safe and sound, enough comfort to travel long distances and an engine that is an absolute beast. Ford US wanted the car dead years ago and Ford AU saved it, but never allowed them the big bucks needed to match the commodore. I cant stand these dickhead journos raving on about the stupid little things like an older interior, a seating position that they cant get comfortable in... I mean who complains about a supercharger whine... what a fk tard. Some idiots that comment here "I have driven both and the falcon is shit...." are full of shit. No one without bias could drive the XR8 and not get out of it with a big smile on their face. Its an awesome car, the old interior is brand new to me and I never owned an FG, the seating position is fine, I just traveled 600ks in one sitting and it was awesome. Personally if you need a car that parks itself you shouldnt be behind the wheel of a SC V8 anyway. The Commodore is no doubt a great car but they are everywhere and I love my XR8. Wouldnt change my XR8 for a GTS HSV..
Steve Q I think the seating position thing comes from journalists getting out of the (very low) seating position in the Commodore and getting into the (pretty normal for a sedan) seating position in the Falcon - your average motor journo is pretty thick and probably just thinks lower=better because "sporty". Compare it to say, an Aurion, the seating height is the same, but nobody bags the Aurion seat because it's not constantly compared to the super low Commodore. I drove from Hamilton to Wellington last week via New Plymouth - 600km like your trip - and it was super comfortable. Every time I take it on a long trip it amazes me how fresh I feel stepping out of it, no aches or pains, it's a damn good seat. Mine is a G6E-T so it does have much softer suspension than the XR8, but the seat is the same.
+Steve Q Mate I have to agree with you, I had a commodore it was comfy but wasn't reliable than mum get a el fairmont wow it has some good shit had alot of room and I found the falcons from the Fg to be more comfortable for bigger than the commodore isn't.I don't about tech i just want realiable car and the falcons were unbeatable in that roll and that holden fail ecept for the kingswood which will be the only holden i buy
Steve Q these type of journos / when they do magazine reviews / are exactly why nobody bothers buying car mags any more - slim content / mindless nitpicking etc etc There’s
The lowest point in my life was when I was a holden fan for around 6 months that is when my dad and brother disowned me. But I'm rehabilitated now and my family has welcomed me back in their lives.......
That was a shitty review. I agree the Clubsport is better in almost every way. I think the Falcon looks better though. David McCowen was very neutral about both cars, and I enjoyed his point of view for things. As for Mark Short, that was just classless reviewing. He picked on every little bad point, and even complained about supercharger sound, Yet according to him there is almost nothing wrong with the Clubsport. I'd rather just watch David do the review himself. And I will say again, that the Clubsport is the better car.
Well said my friend, I agree that as an overall package the clubsport would probably be the better car to buy but I wouldn't buy it. To me it just looks like your average commodore and for the price there's so many better cars you could get. Also have to ad that the guy in the black T-shirt was the most biased reviewer ever! How does he have a job still. Dude with glasses told it how it is though so props to him
I agree, i am not a fan of either of these cars but this review serves no purpose than just praise HSV! Give the falcon some credit where it's due. Take it to a track and battel it out, see which one wins.
Why did they just compare the HSV against the Ford? Put the SS up against XR8. and the HSV against the FPV. Lets compare a taxi and a Statesman. Thank you Australian motoring writers for the downfall of the Aussie icons that are Falcon and Commodore.
***** Oh I think by Australian he means the people that settled this country . Not the aboriginal's all they did is build humpys of sticks . The people who toiled their guts out working sunup to sundown . And fought in ww1 and ww2 defending our country and or freedom . Yes they were immigrants , but you would never understand Aussies because you are not one. No offense meant .
Jason Pointon its not only Australia that fought in ww1 and ww2 and if u want me to educate you I will because you talk as if it was only Australians that's were. Australians over look things and don't educate the people and a some of Australian history has been deleted by historians did you know about the black anzacs and also india fought beside you because thay are in the commonwealth
***** no other 4 door cars for the price that have the strength of a falcon. they always have had superior towing capabilities to holden. iv'e seen crapadoors that can only tow as much as a Camry can. the falcon will be missed very much. where as i'd rather have a 10 year old merc over any hsv. compare what is to what is. i can honestly say the build quality is not anywhere near European standards. in the end you get what you pay for from ford and from holden you get something comparable to a 10 year old merc
i saw a review not too long ago, which was far more balanced and informed. the HSV is a better track car, but the XR8 is an all round better car on the road. i actually prefer being able to feel bumps and imperfections on the road, i prefer to drive by feel as opposed to relying on a whole heap of gadgets that you dont actually need. so for the way i drive personally, the XR8 is better.
Funny how in every other review they comment how good the xr8 sounds, yet this guy (Mark Short) complains about the beautiful supercharger whine! He clearly says the SSV redline came out on top although Carsales review came to the collusion that the xr8 was the clear winner over the SSV! Mark says the Falcon feels 20k cheaper before they even drive the cars! No doubt the clubsport is a step up from the SSV but this is really just an attack on the falcon from Mark. Very disappointing
With the 15 grand you save buying the xr8 I think you could sought out the little issues..... I also think owning one of the last ever aussie v8 would be wicked either way.
Personally I like the Ford's. Simple and easy to use interior, the VF interior is just too busy it strains my eyes to take the mish-mash of different materials and angles and curves going all over the place.... sometimes less is more...
Thanks for your feedback David. Only brain dead bogans get worked up about the whole "holden versus ford" thing so I can see who the real uneducated inbred is here...
David Stanic my grandfather didnt learn to drive with a whole heap of fancy gadgets, neither did my dad, and neither did i. i actually prefer a basic interior, there is nothing distracting me. besides, as my dad told me when i was learning how to drive "if you rely too much on fancy toys instead of common sense, you are in trouble." case and point, my ex gf bought herself a car with all the trimmings, including a reversing camera and reversing sensors. i drive an AU falcon, and my interior is very basic, no toys of any kind except for the CD player and cruise control, but i can still reverse and drive better than the ex gf because i rely on my eyes and how the car feels instead of a whole heap of expensive toys that can deceive you as she discovered when trying to reverse into a spot at the local shopping center, she smashed into the car behind her because she looked at the camera instead of using her eyes.
@@rocketmagnet427 Look at dyno videos, the fords always produce more than the claimed power output and the holdens produce significantly less when accounting for drivetrain loss
The guy who loved the clubsport from the start was so obviously biased toward the HSV the entire time.... flawed review... sorry guys, get a better journalist..... the bigger bloke was awesome.
the hsv does look good... from my rear view awwwwwwwwwwww snap... who the hell complains about blower whine???? He should stick to doing astra reviews... n for the most part hardcore fan boys only buy these cars n all the matters is the drag race... noone after losing a race says 'yea but my interior is quieter'.. man they hav no idea...
I feel like Holden pay EVERY reviewer to make it sound like a MUCH better car than it is to it's competitors. And why does every reviewer only say Bad things about the XR8 and ALL good things about the Holdens/HSV's?
Why don't they say the Commodore isn't Australian!!! Thats a Vaxhaull with a Chevy engine!!! The Falcon is the Australian!!! And Holden sponsor drive Magazine what did you think you were going to say???!!! They're paid to say the opel/vaxhuall/zeta with a chevy engine is anything but an import converted to LHD and put a tired old 6.2L Canadian pushrod engine in it. Give the owners $5K to spend on each car and the falcon with EAT pretty much anything on the road!
It's not a Vauxhall. Why do people who don't know a thing about holden make up false accusations. The cars are designed in Australia made in Australia and they are sold in other countries rebadged as Pontiacs and Vauxhalls ect, and yes a lot of them are powered by Gm engines not Chevy engines. And a lot of them were powered by 202, 253, 304, 308, 355 they are engines that were designed in Aus and made in Aus
justin nigel that was a long time ago.. before gm bought them out. 186 6cyl was a great motor. know someone who used to have one that left 202s crying.
They did that comparison too - the SS won because it had a more comfortable interior for their fat asses to sit in whilst they watch the XR8 disappear into the distance.
@@rocketmagnet427 Wow, old comment. You are right though, the Holden has the better chassis and mechanical grip - not that it really matters on a road car if you are traffic light racing. As I recall my only point was they are reviewing two cars with a massive price difference, and not cutting the far cheaper Ford any slack for being $15,000 cheaper than the car they are putting it up against - the Ford was amazing value for money but they totally gloss over that. Pure biased bullshit review if ever I saw one. Regardless they were both amazing, and both sadly gone the way of the dodo now.
@@Beer_Dad1975 Both of the fgx xr's would be cheaper to get power out of than the NA holdens. But they do feel a generation behind inside. Day to day driving you arnt really going to notice anything power difference though. Holden just made the more complete car. And now we have lost it. I won't be getting rid of my gen-f gts anytime soon
@@rocketmagnet427 Yeah I have a G6E-T I've had for 6 years now, mildly modified to just over 400rwhp. It's getting pretty high KM now so thinking about a replacement, but there isn't much to choose from in new vehicles anymore. The Stinger GT looks good but it's a V6 and I'm not a huge fan of them.
I guess everyone has their own opinion between the Ford and Holden brand but for me personally after driving both Falcons and Commodores I still feel more comfortable in the Falcon Regardless of XR6 or XR8.
Makes me wanna cry how beautiful this country once was and that I missed the glory days of Australia! Mum and Dad always told us how lucky me and my brother were to grow up with all this technology (born 99') now as an adult I laugh and tell them they were gifted with the best times this country ever saw!
As a Ford Driver for the past 30 + years the one i had before I got my g6 was a BA falcon with some minor adjustment air intake high flow cat pacemakers and a very good sports suspension I'd get 120 map in 2d gear it was set-up for me for the way I drive not me driving someone else car that they like. I would say the Barra motor was the best inline 6 made by Ford ever and that is the only reason around my area i would flog most Holden's it was MY CAR
It must not be forgotten, a lot was at stake for both Ford and Holden, as far as each of their survival as a brand was concerned. Politically, lots of jobs were already at risk, so that none of these tests were able to be criticized without maintaining a balance which would not discourage people from buying either. In the end, most cars these days are very reliable, extremely ergonomic as far as driver comfort is concerned, so that it really is difficult to separate any of them any more. As far as us rev heads are concerned, much and all as we may hate one, and love the other, without either, we wouldn't have the motor racing we love so much, which is unique to this country, so it will be interesting to see where it all goes, once each of these vehicles ceases to exist.
Xezatt Aussie cars unreliable? Maybe in the 70s but it's 2015 now, obviously they're good now. Plus Euro cars are very expensive to repair and service!
My 2001 aussie mitsubishi TJ magna still going strong no problems at all... Fucking love everything about it, I grew up in it too. Large sedan Australian cars late 90s-2017 are great, look great, built tough, have character and are reliable. Just too small of a market for big v6 sedans especially these days and the impossibility of competing profitably in australia
Good review but perhaps a bit biased towards the Holden. What hey fail to mention is the huge blind spot issues he ve/vf generation of cars have especially those massive a pillars which is especially an issue at roundabouts and on tight corner And what about the crap foot operated park break.?
I have an issue with my brain that makes me incapable of driving a manual without great difficulty (this is not a joke) and I still like to drive these cars so.. That's probably why
Hmmm, specialist tuner HSV Clubsport vs factory XR8. Maybe the SS would have been more appropriate? Not biased either way, I just like fair comparisons.
Both great cars but They forgot to mention one feature , is that after all these Years , Holden STILL DON't have cruise control on the steering wheel ! After all those improvements on the interior , it's STILL on the stick !
Biased opinions.. Comparison of a standard XR8 vs Holdens top of the line. I'm a ford man but I do enjoy a lot of the holdens (epsecially the interior, as fords kept with the same sort of interior since the BA models)
Two dickheads I see. This Falcon was a flop in every regards, cheap and ugly bloody thing. Same front end on a Ford Focus, and same interior since 06. HSV is bloody gorgeous, looks tough as and pretty obvious what I’d rather daily.
Falcon loses instantly due driving position. Feels like a Tarago. CUBs will get excited over the nuke under the bonnet, but big deal, where can you use all that grunt most of the time anyway. I'd take the HSV, due to it being better overall. Well, for HSV money I'd rather a Audi RS3 anyway...
David Webb I can't believe how much of a let down the Falcon was. The interior is disgusting, the most out-dated thing I've ever seen. The only reason as to why someone would buy the Falcon is the price, looks or the 1/4 mile time. Huge disappointment, thanks to old mate Bob Graziano.The utter turd that he is.
now how about you take it to a track and see which is faster and by how much. Also time them from 0-100kph and 0-400m plz. Drive always favour holdens anyway so no real surprise.
haloaum Falcon would EAT IT alive down the quarter. Blown 335 with overboost, mid 12s ALL DAY. VF R8 wont break 13 standard. Guarantee it. Go to the drags and see it in real world.
So I take it the HSV lost the drag race then lol. And if you don't enjoy a supercharger whine, you're shopping in completely the wrong segment. Like they said, the XR8 is actually a GT R spec in mechanical specification. It isn't meant to try and be an expensive, well developed and engineered car, which both of them aren't and never have been compared to the germans.
When biased Holden fan boys try to produce a non biased comparison between 2 differing cars, both of which had been canned & had limited budget towards the end of production. The 10k and change price difference i saved when i bought my XR8 Sprint, let spend it evenly around the car to make something better than the Commodore at the time
tomigonga yeah and what’s wrong with that? Ford Australia back then had the writes to use a little bit of design from the Jag. It’s shouldn’t be viewed as a negative point but more of a positive one because in the end it didn’t make the Falcon look taxi spec like previous models.
just remember that a holden engine isnt a holden engine we may as well call it a chev. ford aus makes pure aussie built engines and if u don't believe me go take it to google
+JUICY WOMBAT Holden has always had engines made by Gm not to mention that ford has always made the best engines back then. The ford Xy phase 3 shits on your tiny manaros and your toranas don't get me wrong though Holden makes beautiful classics. Oh and not to mention that the new hsv has an engine from a 2011 Cadillac ct-v
I'll take the Ford over the cluby any day of the week only coz it's supercharged who give a fuk how bad it looks at then end of the day the Ford will smash the hsv and I am a holden fan, sold my ls1 vx ss and got my self a xr6 turbo due to the fact non turbo fg where hanging door to door with me so I jump ship lol
Next time try giving an un biased opinion. Or if that's not possible don't do it at all! If you're going to compare a car worth at least 10 grand more to another you need to have an open mind. Otherwise you might as well have a Ferrari and a Datsun. For starters many like the sound of the supercharger.
Sad that the Falcon needs a supercharger to compete with the HSV and it has a worse interior and at the end of the day it is a v8 xr6 and the clubsport yes a commodore but it is a HSV
xXDahChubChubXx..Maybe you could flip that around and say the opposite...why compare 6.2 litres to 5.0 litres then...The Commodore is a real nice car but I'd buy the Falcon first...just a classier car..not such tin top gimmick Cheers Rod
Rodney McGiveron Why would you buy a Falcon and for that money it is as they mentioned stuck in 2008 and the Commodore yeah more expensive but it such a better car and even if your compare the SSV to that falcon sure down 10kw or so but to drive and sit in it is so much better and the only way i would buy a Falcon would be a XR6.
xXDahChubChubXx Because it's $10,000 dollars cheaper that's why. Spend a few thousand dollars on bolt ons and a tune and you are pushing 550+ to the rear wheels, another few thousand dollars on coilovers, sway bars, some good rubber, performance brake pads and you are going to obliterate the HSV in every way performance wise, and you'll still have change left over.
xXDahChubChubXx it's not as nice as the commodore, but it's hardly shit. It's a very pleasant place to sit... And what would you rather have, a fancy set of switch gear or the satisfaction of being able to destroy almost anything on the road?
Wow.. so they buy sports cars and then don't do any actual sports testing.. as in the things the hoons out there would actually want to see.. get someone good who has no holden/ford bias (someone who has never heard of holden would do) and have them do laps in both and see which is faster. then do some stopping tests, a 1/4 mile test etc... give us real stats rather than just a couple of drive reporters trying to act like they are not biased.
how is it that the falcon looks 10x better than the clubsport despite the fact that the commodore is 10,000 dollars more ... holdens special vehicles have always looked bulky and they always manage to put the shittest wheels on there vehicles...
I think the point where you start complaining about a supercharger whine, and that how comfortable the interior is for your fat arse is the most important part of a car is the point you should realise that you are really not a car person and go take a job as a food reviewer. Seriously, both these cars are awesome, but the XR8 is $15,000 cheaper, and they do not cut it one inch of slack for that huge price difference. To be fair, lets put the HSV up against an RS7 or AMG Merc or something and see how well it does, and not mention the price difference.
Justin- you have the Internet you are wrong about everything take the binders if your eyes you've been tricked and scammed!!! Do some searching and find the truth and the 308 was the only engine but that was due to ordering wrong parts to the 253 so they had to stroke it. Don't be a sheep
The last gt is the xb gt this is not even close to being the best falcon just like the vf is not the best commodore.They are just modern v8s that dont sound anything like the old ones but are teliable and comfortable but not exciting
MaZEEZaM you are stupid ofcourse its going to have poor fuel economy its a supercharged v8 ffs. People who are buying these cars dont give 2 shits if it gets 400ks out of a tank.
TheWretchedWorld Thank you! Why buy a blown V8 if fuel economy is so important?? Ive always owned performance car and never cared about the fuel economy. It completely and utterly defies the purpose of buying and owning a performance car.
Ugliest Ford Ever! and who would want such poor economy of these cars :S Ford did have a nice interior back in 1995 with the LTD. I dont like the look of the club sport, I much prefer the standard model.
7 years on from purchasing my FGX XR8, with 47000km on the clock, no paint fade, no leaks, but that damn supercharger still whines!!!!!!!!
You poor bastard, having to put up with that incredible sound 🤣
The XR8 is what it is and that is an Australian designed muscle car, it has just enough technology to keep you safe and sound, enough comfort to travel long distances and an engine that is an absolute beast. Ford US wanted the car dead years ago and Ford AU saved it, but never allowed them the big bucks needed to match the commodore. I cant stand these dickhead journos raving on about the stupid little things like an older interior, a seating position that they cant get comfortable in... I mean who complains about a supercharger whine... what a fk tard.
Some idiots that comment here "I have driven both and the falcon is shit...." are full of shit. No one without bias could drive the XR8 and not get out of it with a big smile on their face. Its an awesome car, the old interior is brand new to me and I never owned an FG, the seating position is fine, I just traveled 600ks in one sitting and it was awesome.
Personally if you need a car that parks itself you shouldnt be behind the wheel of a SC V8 anyway.
The Commodore is no doubt a great car but they are everywhere and I love my XR8. Wouldnt change my XR8 for a GTS HSV..
Steve Q I think the seating position thing comes from journalists getting out of the (very low) seating position in the Commodore and getting into the (pretty normal for a sedan) seating position in the Falcon - your average motor journo is pretty thick and probably just thinks lower=better because "sporty". Compare it to say, an Aurion, the seating height is the same, but nobody bags the Aurion seat because it's not constantly compared to the super low Commodore.
I drove from Hamilton to Wellington last week via New Plymouth - 600km like your trip - and it was super comfortable. Every time I take it on a long trip it amazes me how fresh I feel stepping out of it, no aches or pains, it's a damn good seat. Mine is a G6E-T so it does have much softer suspension than the XR8, but the seat is the same.
+Steve Q Mate I have to agree with you, I had a commodore it was comfy but wasn't reliable than mum get a el fairmont wow it has some good shit had alot of room and I found the falcons from the Fg to be more comfortable for bigger than the commodore isn't.I don't about tech i just want realiable car and the falcons were unbeatable in that roll and that holden fail ecept for the kingswood which will be the only holden i buy
Steve Q these type of journos / when they do magazine reviews / are exactly why nobody bothers buying car mags any more - slim content / mindless nitpicking etc etc
There’s
FGX all day long ...The whine isn't the car ..it's that Mark Short ...That's annoying ..
Doesn't like the sound of the supercharger winding someone get him a tampon......
Lil bitch. Thats the sound of a supercharger isnt it mate
The lowest point in my life was when I was a holden fan for around 6 months that is when my dad and brother disowned me. But I'm rehabilitated now and my family has welcomed me back in their lives.......
Who hates the sound of a supercharger??? Oh yeah the pillock in this video.......
If I wanted a constant whine I'd take me wife
@@scottyszoo.8093 and low horsepower or maybe your wife goes hard...
I'm a proud ford supporter but I would like the supercharger to be abit quieter for a more chill drive but then again i am abit old
@@rileylittle9349 I'm 59 FUCK QUIET
fg x is doing quite well in supercars, go frosty
That was a shitty review. I agree the Clubsport is better in almost every way. I think the Falcon looks better though. David McCowen was very neutral about both cars, and I enjoyed his point of view for things. As for Mark Short, that was just classless reviewing. He picked on every little bad point, and even complained about supercharger sound, Yet according to him there is almost nothing wrong with the Clubsport. I'd rather just watch David do the review himself. And I will say again, that the Clubsport is the better car.
Well said my friend, I agree that as an overall package the clubsport would probably be the better car to buy but I wouldn't buy it. To me it just looks like your average commodore and for the price there's so many better cars you could get. Also have to ad that the guy in the black T-shirt was the most biased reviewer ever! How does he have a job still. Dude with glasses told it how it is though so props to him
+StandoffSiren02 As soon as he said, the supercharger whine was annoying. I didn't listen to a word he said afterwards.
I agree, i am not a fan of either of these cars but this review serves no purpose than just praise HSV! Give the falcon some credit where it's due. Take it to a track and battel it out, see which one wins.
+StandoffSiren02 ahh, the i really dislike the rear end of the falcon, looks like a mondeo
Robert Weatherall Passed one the other day. Thought it WAS a mondeo until I saw it in my mirror.
did a 12yo make this video as his first school project?? these animations...my god
+gureno19 We'll be sure to use more star wipes.
Drive.com.au hahaha nice! But seriously aren't some of you in the office or where ever you are based,cringing a little looking at this editing!?
Why did they just compare the HSV against the Ford? Put the SS up against XR8. and the HSV against the FPV. Lets compare a taxi and a Statesman. Thank you Australian motoring writers for the downfall of the Aussie icons that are Falcon and Commodore.
Ross Whyte ruclips.net/video/CApb3zO7Elg/видео.html
Cheaper, better rear wheel drive v8? Show me.
***** Oh I think by Australian he means the people that settled this country . Not the aboriginal's all they did is build humpys of sticks . The people who toiled their guts out working sunup to sundown . And fought in ww1 and ww2 defending our country and or freedom . Yes they were immigrants , but you would never understand Aussies because you are not one. No offense meant .
Jason Pointon its not only Australia that fought in ww1 and ww2 and if u want me to educate you I will because you talk as if it was only Australians that's were. Australians over look things and don't educate the people and a some of Australian history has been deleted by historians did you know about the black anzacs and also india fought beside you because thay are in the commonwealth
***** no other 4 door cars for the price that have the strength of a falcon. they always have had superior towing capabilities to holden. iv'e seen crapadoors that can only tow as much as a Camry can. the falcon will be missed very much. where as i'd rather have a 10 year old merc over any hsv. compare what is to what is. i can honestly say the build quality is not anywhere near European standards. in the end you get what you pay for from ford and from holden you get something comparable to a 10 year old merc
Does the HSV steering vibrate like the VF V8 Commodore?
Lol that HSV guy was so tunnel vision'd, typical.
i saw a review not too long ago, which was far more balanced and informed. the HSV is a better track car, but the XR8 is an all round better car on the road. i actually prefer being able to feel bumps and imperfections on the road, i prefer to drive by feel as opposed to relying on a whole heap of gadgets that you dont actually need. so for the way i drive personally, the XR8 is better.
Has everyone forgotten about the new Xr8, Xr6 sprint!!!!!
Funny how in every other review they comment how good the xr8 sounds, yet this guy (Mark Short) complains about the beautiful supercharger whine! He clearly says the SSV redline came out on top although Carsales review came to the collusion that the xr8 was the clear winner over the SSV! Mark says the Falcon feels 20k cheaper before they even drive the cars! No doubt the clubsport is a step up from the SSV but this is really just an attack on the falcon from Mark. Very disappointing
Ryecon Productions Well said! I am a holden fan but can appreciate the new Xr8. Mark Short was way over the top with his complaints
I’m a massive Holden fan but how can this donut say that supercharger sounds bad
With the 15 grand you save buying the xr8 I think you could sought out the little issues.....
I also think owning one of the last ever aussie v8 would be wicked either way.
Personally I like the Ford's. Simple and easy to use interior, the VF interior is just too busy it strains my eyes to take the mish-mash of different materials and angles and curves going all over the place.... sometimes less is more...
Thanks for your feedback David. Only brain dead bogans get worked up about the whole "holden versus ford" thing so I can see who the real uneducated inbred is here...
David Stanic my grandfather didnt learn to drive with a whole heap of fancy gadgets, neither did my dad, and neither did i. i actually prefer a basic interior, there is nothing distracting me. besides, as my dad told me when i was learning how to drive "if you rely too much on fancy toys instead of common sense, you are in trouble." case and point, my ex gf bought herself a car with all the trimmings, including a reversing camera and reversing sensors. i drive an AU falcon, and my interior is very basic, no toys of any kind except for the CD player and cruise control, but i can still reverse and drive better than the ex gf because i rely on my eyes and how the car feels instead of a whole heap of expensive toys that can deceive you as she discovered when trying to reverse into a spot at the local shopping center, she smashed into the car behind her because she looked at the camera instead of using her eyes.
This sounds so scripted
That wasn't biased at all.
Well this was an unbias review lol like the comparison wheels did better (Y)
FG X XR8 Sprint - 400kW/650Nm
GEN-F2 Clubsport - 400kW/671Nm
Let the games begin !
difference is ford understates power output and Holden gives you the theoretical max
@@CAIDMASTEROFPYRO that's ford's overboost numbers
@@rocketmagnet427 Look at dyno videos, the fords always produce more than the claimed power output and the holdens produce significantly less when accounting for drivetrain loss
The guy who loved the clubsport from the start was so obviously biased toward the HSV the entire time.... flawed review... sorry guys, get a better journalist..... the bigger bloke was awesome.
the hsv does look good... from my rear view awwwwwwwwwwww snap... who the hell complains about blower whine???? He should stick to doing astra reviews... n for the most part hardcore fan boys only buy these cars n all the matters is the drag race... noone after losing a race says 'yea but my interior is quieter'.. man they hav no idea...
The holden looks as if its had a stroke
Biased review anyone???
I feel like Holden pay EVERY reviewer to make it sound like a MUCH better car than it is to it's competitors. And why does every reviewer only say Bad things about the XR8 and ALL good things about the Holdens/HSV's?
Why don't they say the Commodore isn't Australian!!! Thats a Vaxhaull with a Chevy engine!!!
The Falcon is the Australian!!! And Holden sponsor drive Magazine what did you think you were going to say???!!!
They're paid to say the opel/vaxhuall/zeta with a chevy engine is anything but an import converted to LHD and put a tired old 6.2L Canadian pushrod engine in it. Give the owners $5K to spend on each car and the falcon with EAT pretty much anything on the road!
It's not a Vauxhall. Why do people who don't know a thing about holden make up false accusations. The cars are designed in Australia made in Australia and they are sold in other countries rebadged as Pontiacs and Vauxhalls ect, and yes a lot of them are powered by Gm engines not Chevy engines. And a lot of them were powered by 202, 253, 304, 308, 355 they are engines that were designed in Aus and made in Aus
justin nigel that was a long time ago.. before gm bought them out. 186 6cyl was a great motor. know someone who used to have one that left 202s crying.
What is the cost difference between these 2 cars?
yeh but it should jave been a gt vs a hsv. if it was even it would have been a an ss vs an xr8
They did that comparison too - the SS won because it had a more comfortable interior for their fat asses to sit in whilst they watch the XR8 disappear into the distance.
@@Beer_Dad1975 maybe in a straight line but even the s1 ssv beat the xr8 around a track
@@rocketmagnet427 Wow, old comment. You are right though, the Holden has the better chassis and mechanical grip - not that it really matters on a road car if you are traffic light racing. As I recall my only point was they are reviewing two cars with a massive price difference, and not cutting the far cheaper Ford any slack for being $15,000 cheaper than the car they are putting it up against - the Ford was amazing value for money but they totally gloss over that. Pure biased bullshit review if ever I saw one.
Regardless they were both amazing, and both sadly gone the way of the dodo now.
@@Beer_Dad1975 Both of the fgx xr's would be cheaper to get power out of than the NA holdens. But they do feel a generation behind inside. Day to day driving you arnt really going to notice anything power difference though. Holden just made the more complete car. And now we have lost it. I won't be getting rid of my gen-f gts anytime soon
@@rocketmagnet427 Yeah I have a G6E-T I've had for 6 years now, mildly modified to just over 400rwhp. It's getting pretty high KM now so thinking about a replacement, but there isn't much to choose from in new vehicles anymore. The Stinger GT looks good but it's a V6 and I'm not a huge fan of them.
The only difference between the 2 is the optional extras...ie the dipstick in the driver's seat of the holden
Both great cars, defiantly no complaints here.......
I guess everyone has their own opinion between the Ford and Holden brand but for me personally after driving both Falcons and Commodores I still feel more comfortable in the Falcon Regardless of XR6 or XR8.
Blandest looking XR8 ever. Bring on the stang
I'm been curious for years about why Australia uses kW reading on vehicle's power output
INUMIMI28 We prefer to keep the horses in the pies....I mean paddock :D
INUMIMI28 You want to know why Australia uses the metric system?
Gerhard Myburg Yes sir, I was curious about the history behind why Australia started to use metric system unlike other countries.
There are many countries that use it. Infact most do as far as I know.
Metric is a better system...
Makes me wanna cry how beautiful this country once was and that I missed the glory days of Australia! Mum and Dad always told us how lucky me and my brother were to grow up with all this technology (born 99') now as an adult I laugh and tell them they were gifted with the best times this country ever saw!
can anyone tell me what color is the HSV Clubsport??
Jamie Santos I'm not anti HSV , but DAMN that's the UGLIEST colour i've ever seen on ANY car !
actually i kinda like it? do u know the exact name of the colour?
Jamie Santos i believe its called Jungle Green.
Jamie Santos It's called Gastro-vomit.
As a Ford Driver for the past 30 + years the one i had before I got my g6 was a BA falcon with some minor adjustment air intake high flow cat pacemakers and a very good sports suspension I'd get 120 map in 2d gear it was set-up for me for the way I drive not me driving someone else car that they like. I would say the Barra motor was the best inline 6 made by Ford ever and that is the only reason around my area i would flog most Holden's it was MY CAR
Ford is perfect for taxi
Holden- Hope our luck doesn't end now.
How come its up against the clubsport and not an SS?
It went up against the SS and around the track it lost.
It must not be forgotten, a lot was at stake for both Ford and Holden, as far as each of their survival as a brand was concerned.
Politically, lots of jobs were already at risk, so that none of these tests were able to be criticized without maintaining a balance which would not discourage people from buying either.
In the end, most cars these days are very reliable, extremely ergonomic as far as driver comfort is concerned, so that it really is difficult to separate any of them any more.
As far as us rev heads are concerned, much and all as we may hate one, and love the other, without either, we wouldn't have the motor racing we love so much, which is unique to this country, so it will be interesting to see where it all goes, once each of these vehicles ceases to exist.
Two very good cars people, buy them!!
Xezatt Why do they?
Xezatt Aussie cars unreliable? Maybe in the 70s but it's 2015 now, obviously they're good now. Plus Euro cars are very expensive to repair and service!
Holdens and falcons are built tough. Like you can thrash the shit out of em and they still just keep goin
+Xezatt the ACCC or something like that said the fiat-Chrysler brand was the least reliable. And merc reliability is horrendous.
My 2001 aussie mitsubishi TJ magna still going strong no problems at all... Fucking love everything about it, I grew up in it too. Large sedan Australian cars late 90s-2017 are great, look great, built tough, have character and are reliable.
Just too small of a market for big v6 sedans especially these days and the impossibility of competing profitably in australia
Good review but perhaps a bit biased towards the Holden. What hey fail to mention is the huge blind spot issues he ve/vf generation of cars have especially those massive a pillars which is especially an issue at roundabouts and on tight corner And what about the crap foot operated park break.?
I’ve driven both and the HSV is better but everyone is different.
The clubby is a gorgeous car
Why would you put an automatic in a powerful car like that?
I have an issue with my brain that makes me incapable of driving a manual without great difficulty (this is not a joke) and I still like to drive these cars so.. That's probably why
Hmmm, specialist tuner HSV Clubsport vs factory XR8. Maybe the SS would have been more appropriate? Not biased either way, I just like fair comparisons.
or maybe a supercharged HSV vs a supercharged Xr8 ?
Works both ways
Both great cars but They forgot to mention one feature , is that after all these Years , Holden STILL DON't have cruise control on the steering wheel ! After all those improvements on the interior , it's STILL on the stick !
Holders still have cruise control tho
The vf has the cruise control on the steering wheel
Jeez how much did Holden pay this mob to talk that snot box up! Falcon is much better was there even a good thing they said about the falcon!
Why does it sound like that they're reading out lines?
Why are people complaining about the animations? Who cares? I'm here to see the cars!
Biased opinions.. Comparison of a standard XR8 vs Holdens top of the line. I'm a ford man but I do enjoy a lot of the holdens (epsecially the interior, as fords kept with the same sort of interior since the BA models)
Aserium brother that isn’t anywhere near holdens top of the line
guy in the black knows nothing about a Holden the sv6 vz had padshit aswell
and i'm a ford fan
The Ford looks WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY Better!.
Two dickheads I see. This Falcon was a flop in every regards, cheap and ugly bloody thing. Same front end on a Ford Focus, and same interior since 06. HSV is bloody gorgeous, looks tough as and pretty obvious what I’d rather daily.
@@admiralackbar3298 Hahahahahaha Nice joke mate ;)
@@soyunbanano166 Only one laughing champ
Falcon loses instantly due driving position. Feels like a Tarago.
CUBs will get excited over the nuke under the bonnet, but big deal, where can you use all that grunt most of the time anyway.
I'd take the HSV, due to it being better overall. Well, for HSV money I'd rather a Audi RS3 anyway...
David Webb I can't believe how much of a let down the Falcon was. The interior is disgusting, the most out-dated thing I've ever seen. The only reason as to why someone would buy the Falcon is the price, looks or the 1/4 mile time. Huge disappointment, thanks to old mate Bob Graziano.The utter turd that he is.
StandoffSiren02 Yeah I think its the Ugliest ford ever. and who would want that fuel economy :S
MaZEEZaM I really like the exterior styling, but I HATE the interior.
StandoffSiren02 ford had literally no budget when making this car hence why the interior was reused. It looks good in 2008 but not in 2015
TheWretchedWorld $101million taxpayer dollars is a bit more than no budget.
I have a xr8 boss260 and I have thrown a twin turbo in it and its a beast up against any car
Guy in the black giving shit to the guy in the blue about the xr8 😂😂
Fuck the Falcon reminds me of a VT Commodore, Ford need the get their shit together.
now how about you take it to a track and see which is faster and by how much. Also time them from 0-100kph and 0-400m plz.
Drive always favour holdens anyway so no real surprise.
haloaum Falcon would EAT IT alive down the quarter. Blown 335 with overboost, mid 12s ALL DAY. VF R8 wont break 13 standard. Guarantee it. Go to the drags and see it in real world.
zf gearbox is mile ahead of the hsv. supercharger makes it tuneable and day to day it's fast. shame ford didn't have a decent budget.
can I import this ford to the US?
As long as u don't put a Chevy badge on it XD
DeRp NeLson why would I lol
Detroit boy u put a chevy badge on or holden and renamed it xd
What about a drag race?
that water in stomach lol
So I take it the HSV lost the drag race then lol. And if you don't enjoy a supercharger whine, you're shopping in completely the wrong segment.
Like they said, the XR8 is actually a GT R spec in mechanical specification. It isn't meant to try and be an expensive, well developed and engineered car, which both of them aren't and never have been compared to the germans.
When biased Holden fan boys try to produce a non biased comparison between 2 differing cars, both of which had been canned & had limited budget towards the end of production. The 10k and change price difference i saved when i bought my XR8 Sprint, let spend it evenly around the car to make something better than the Commodore at the time
Throw in the HSV Clubby LSA
Jaguar XF copy paste rear light.. not good ford...not good
tomigonga yeah and what’s wrong with that? Ford Australia back then had the writes to use a little bit of design from the Jag. It’s shouldn’t be viewed as a negative point but more of a positive one because in the end it didn’t make the Falcon look taxi spec like previous models.
15000 more , why hsv interior is better
H (Aitch) SV not Haitch. We're not Irish.
You must only know Irish Australians, then
Anyone who complains that a supercharger is annoying probably had their balls removed in experimental surgery
Both cars are history in 2022 [ps who'se the bloke who insists on saying HAITH when correct usage is AITCH]
Sounds like old mate is a holden fan, yet complains about a charger whine ? lol
just remember that a holden engine isnt a holden engine we may as well call it a chev. ford aus makes pure aussie built engines and if u don't believe me go take it to google
+JUICY WOMBAT Holden has always had engines made by Gm not to mention that ford has always made the best engines back then. The ford Xy phase 3 shits on your tiny manaros and your toranas don't get me wrong though Holden makes beautiful classics. Oh and not to mention that the new hsv has an engine from a 2011 Cadillac ct-v
DeRp NeLson the benifits of being a GM owned company.
The 5.0L SC Coyote engine in the XR8 is a yank engine as well
When?
this is all well and good, but WHICH IS FASTER??!?!!?!!!
Someone said in the comments that that this is the best falcon ever built. Are you on drugs or something?
I'll take the Ford over the cluby any day of the week only coz it's supercharged who give a fuk how bad it looks at then end of the day the Ford will smash the hsv and I am a holden fan, sold my ls1 vx ss and got my self a xr6 turbo due to the fact non turbo fg where hanging door to door with me so I jump ship lol
Next time try giving an un biased opinion. Or if that's not possible don't do it at all! If you're going to compare a car worth at least 10 grand more to another you need to have an open mind. Otherwise you might as well have a Ferrari and a Datsun. For starters many like the sound of the supercharger.
when the driver is bigger than the car
Xr6 sprint eats both
Couldn’t agree more
The Biggest problem i can see with the commodore is that it's not a Ford.
Sad that the Falcon needs a supercharger to compete with the HSV and it has a worse interior and at the end of the day it is a v8 xr6 and the clubsport yes a commodore but it is a HSV
xXDahChubChubXx..Maybe you could flip that around and say the opposite...why compare 6.2 litres to 5.0 litres then...The Commodore is a real nice car but I'd buy the Falcon first...just a classier car..not such tin top gimmick Cheers Rod
Rodney McGiveron Why would you buy a Falcon and for that money it is as they mentioned stuck in 2008 and the Commodore yeah more expensive but it such a better car and even if your compare the SSV to that falcon sure down 10kw or so but to drive and sit in it is so much better and the only way i would buy a Falcon would be a XR6.
xXDahChubChubXx Because it's $10,000 dollars cheaper that's why. Spend a few thousand dollars on bolt ons and a tune and you are pushing 550+ to the rear wheels, another few thousand dollars on coilovers, sway bars, some good rubber, performance brake pads and you are going to obliterate the HSV in every way performance wise, and you'll still have change left over.
Matthew Sharpe Yeah but eh still a shit interior
xXDahChubChubXx it's not as nice as the commodore, but it's hardly shit. It's a very pleasant place to sit... And what would you rather have, a fancy set of switch gear or the satisfaction of being able to destroy almost anything on the road?
I was a huge fan of Ford Falcon XR8's. But this new version looks more like a Mitsubishi Lancer now. Curse them
Wow.. so they buy sports cars and then don't do any actual sports testing.. as in the things the hoons out there would actually want to see.. get someone good who has no holden/ford bias (someone who has never heard of holden would do) and have them do laps in both and see which is faster.
then do some stopping tests, a 1/4 mile test etc... give us real stats rather than just a couple of drive reporters trying to act like they are not biased.
Get a xr8 sprint
how is it that the falcon looks 10x better than the clubsport despite the fact that the commodore is 10,000 dollars more ... holdens special vehicles have always looked bulky and they always manage to put the shittest wheels on there vehicles...
Only constant whining is that guy in the black, you are what i don't want in a car
I think the point where you start complaining about a supercharger whine, and that how comfortable the interior is for your fat arse is the most important part of a car is the point you should realise that you are really not a car person and go take a job as a food reviewer. Seriously, both these cars are awesome, but the XR8 is $15,000 cheaper, and they do not cut it one inch of slack for that huge price difference. To be fair, lets put the HSV up against an RS7 or AMG Merc or something and see how well it does, and not mention the price difference.
Why does Australia get such nice cars
Do you know what Ford means, Found in rubbish dump :) Go HOLDEN!!
First On Race Day
They sound exactly the same.
I didnt need to watch this to know the winner.
Yeah just to see which ones quite and which one has better interior
Pardon?
bias much??
Justin- you have the Internet you are wrong about everything take the binders if your eyes you've been tricked and scammed!!! Do some searching and find the truth and the 308 was the only engine but that was due to ordering wrong parts to the 253 so they had to stroke it. Don't be a sheep
why don't they compare this shitty clubsport to the new xr8 and xr6 sprints
Mate the gen-f2 clubby would walk the new xr8 and xr6t sprint. You cant make up for a 55 kilowatt power difference.
ahhaha actually the xr8 and xr6t FGX's are faster than all the holdens besides the 430kw GTS...
James Lovett love how ur responding to a comment I made 2 months ago lol
How is that relevant?? But the xr8 and xr6 turbo is faster than all besides the new gts
Gts is $ 40000 more because of LCT 33% . Without LCT gts is $64000 . Xr8 sprint $ 60000
The last gt is the xb gt this is not even close to being the best falcon just like the vf is not the best commodore.They are just modern v8s that dont sound anything like the old ones but are teliable and comfortable but not exciting
I'm not a fan of that constant "whining in that car"...!
like look at the clubsport rims they wreck the car in my opinion
That guy is wobbling as the car drives along...gross
My dad owns a xr8
Ford just done a terrible farewell product.
Hanxing Ye Yep I was hoping for something a bit special given its final model but no, ugliest version yet with terrible fuel economy.
MaZEEZaM you are stupid ofcourse its going to have poor fuel economy its a supercharged v8 ffs. People who are buying these cars dont give 2 shits if it gets 400ks out of a tank.
It doesn't have to have poor economy generally, you can use superchargers or whatnot for the extra boost when needed.
TheWretchedWorld Thank you! Why buy a blown V8 if fuel economy is so important?? Ive always owned performance car and never cared about the fuel economy. It completely and utterly defies the purpose of buying and owning a performance car.
Exactly hence why my mate runs 3.7 diff gears in his modified ss. Who gives a shit its already shit on fuel so may aswell make it worse and more fun.
Ugliest Ford Ever! and who would want such poor economy of these cars :S Ford did have a nice interior back in 1995 with the LTD. I dont like the look of the club sport, I much prefer the standard model.
They could have at least tried to make it less like a scripted paid advertisement