In the recent avalanche of torque and power from the release of the forced-induction range of FPV belters, you could be forgiven for perhaps somewhat mentally misplacing the venerable Falcon XR6.  After all, it doesn’t boast the turbo-boosted drama of its FPV F6 cousin or even its XR6 Turbo sibling. In fact, in contrast to its origins, the XR6 badged car now gets the same 4.0-litre 195kW/391Nm inline six as the basic XT model, with differences being limited to cosmetic upgrades and a sportier suspension/steering set up.  But then it doesn’t have the nudging-$60-grand pricetag of the Turbo either. In fact at $53,990 the XR6 represents remarkable value for money for someone wanting a large RWD car that is relatively economical and yet still fun to drive.  Which is exactly what the XR6 does best. With a claimed combined fuel consumption of 9.9L/100km, the XR6 could never be accused of being a fuel miser - and in the real world the 9.9 figure would have to include a fair bit of open road cruising to achieve - but for the size of the car and the power available, it is still fairly impressive.  Inside is pretty much what you would expect from a large Aussie car - spacious, comfortable and well laid out, but with some obvious cost-cutting measures in place regarding materials and assembly. In other words, you can almost predict where the rattles will start. But regardless of this, the interior is still an admirably nice place to be with sensible ergonomics and the same brilliantly comfortable and supportive seats that the rest of the Falcon (and Falcon-based) range is blessed with.  Out on the road the XR6 is as good as it ever was with a wonderful rear-drive poise and a remarkably composed ride. The engine strikes an almost perfect balance between being powerful enough to be useful and fun, but never powerful enough to get the big Falcon unintentionally badly out of shape.  Get the engine up in the revs and play around where the power peaks at 6,000 rpm and you are rewarded with a pleasingly raspy snarl. Drop down in the revs and the engine tends to lose aural character, but then you have a lovely big lump of torque to play with, so who really cares?  The six-speed automatic transmission hooked up to the XR6’s big inline six is a smooth operator that whips through the gear changes with ease and at all the appropriate moments. Sliding the lever across to manual mode sees you rewarded with instant responses to you gear-changing inputs, again highlighting just how well this transmission would work with paddle shifters fitted to the steering wheel, something that Ford just doesn’t seem interested in doing. But then again, it is the lack of (some would say) unnecessary fripperies like this that mean a big, entertaining and well-appointed car like the XR6 can be priced as sharply as it is.  Looks are a subjective thing and personally I have always preferred the sleek, uncomplicated lines of  the Falcon over the brash, bulging shape of the Holden Commodore. This is a situation that has increased over time as both models advance into middle age and, again to my eye, the Falcon has simply aged better than the Commodore. Again, looks are subjective, but no-one could deny that the XR6 is a quietly handsome car.  At the end of the day, while the big Australian Falcon’s days may well be numbered, as it yet again comes under threat of replacement by a FWD “global car”, the XR6 still represents all the best qualities that has seen the traditional large Aussie car has become a much-loved icon. Big, comfortable and supremely capable, the XR6 is probably the best argument for the continuation of the traditional big Aussie RWD car.