Ford Австралияның «Barra» қозғалтқыштары: Тарихы мен дамуы

Barra is a name for an engine range created by Ford Australia, including the inline 6 and unrelated SOHC V8 in the Ford Australia Falcon between 2002 and 2016. The inline 6 engines are unique to the Australian manufactured Falcon and Territory and were developed and manufactured in Geelong, Victoria. The Barra was first introduced in the BA Falcon, named after the "Barramundi" code name used during the development of the BA update engine. The V8 engine, from Windsor, Ontario, were discontinued with the FG model whereas the I6 engines continued production until 26 September 2016, coinciding with the end of production of the Falcon and Territory on 7 October.

All Barra I6 engines are DOHC with Variable valve timing and contain 24 valves. They are a development of the SOHC "Intech" I6s produced between 1998 and 2002, or the SOHC produced from 1988 to 1998, which in turn are a development of the 3.3 and 4.1 L push rod flat tappet I6, developed in Australia as an "Alloy Head" Crossflow in 1980, eventually in both carburetted and injected versions, which itself was developed from the original iron head cross flow engine from 1976, and which in turn was developed, again in Australia, from the original non cross flow family of light Ford sixes which originated in North America as the "Thriftpower Six" designed for the original American Ford Falcon compact of 1959, initially in just a 144 cubic inch (2.4 L) displacement.

According to Ford Program Manager David Burn and Program Analyst Justin Capicchiano, there are differences in the internals between turbo models, however no forged internals have been used.

On 23 May 2013, Ford Australia confirmed that the Barra engine would be discontinued along with the Ford Falcon and Territory by October 2016. Ford Australia's engine manufacturing operations ceased on 26 September 2016 and car assembly on 7 October 2016. Ford Australia president Bob Graziano cited unprofitability due to high labour costs and dwindling market share for the demise of local manufacturing.

In the years following the discontinuation of the Barra 6, it gained enormous popularity among tuners, and a common engine swap, as people believed the engine to be 'unbreakable', into X series Falcons, Australian Cortinas, Mustangs, Nissan Patrols and in the US in Shelby GTs. The Barra has gained incredible support the world across with components and conversion kits for a lot of cars.