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#1 | ||
Guzzler
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Country Victoria
Posts: 539
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http://ninemsn.carpoint.com.au/revie...alcon-g6-18105
Holden Commodore Berlina v Ford Falcon G6 Comparison Test Carsales Network verdict Performance: Ford Falcon G6 Handling: Ford Falcon G6 Comfort: Ford Falcon G6 Value: Ford Falcon G6 Overall: Ford Falcon G6 The Contenders There's no substitute for cubic inches... or so the old saying goes. In the long-fought battle between the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon the fight has taken a twist in recent times. The launch of the latest generation Commodore with direct-injection technology (dubbed SIDI) has allowed the company to shrink its V6 engine to 3.0-litres in the Omega and Berlina models in search of greater fuel efficiency. The same fuel saving technology is also applied to the 3.6-litre V6 found in the SV6 and Calais models. Meanwhile, cross-town rival Ford perseveres with an updated but aging 4.0-litre inline six-cylinder unit that doesn't have direct-injection to fall back on either. In theory the Holden holds all the aces and the Ford should struggle to stay close on economy. But that's just the theory... Real world driving conditions are the only way to test these arch enemies to determine if size matters after all. In order to do that the Carsales Network has recently tested both Commodore engines against their Falcon counterparts in a two-part, two-state test. But the test is more than just a fuel economy comparison, because we know people don't buy cars purely based on fuel efficiency (no-one except Prius drivers that is!). Add to that the fact sales of both cars are in decline, this comparison is also a test of the merits of Commodore and Falcon in the current automotive landscape of smaller, efficiency focussed vehicles. To cut to the chase, we've already listed our 'winner' across a range of categories and overall. The time-poor among you may choose to move on now -- or hit the keyboard in adulation/disgust (delete whichever is inapplicable). But to get the full story of the battle between Australia's two favourite homegrown large cars read on... More details on Holden Berlina here. More details on Ford Falcon G6 here. The Test Given that so much has been made by Holden of the new 3.0 SIDI Commodore's ability to make it Sydney to Melbourne on a single tank, we decided that would be the ideal challenge for the Berlina and its counterpart. Officially Holden claims an engineer got the Commodore as low as 7.5L/100km on a Sydney to Melbourne trip and although we'll be travelling a different route it will still be the benchmark. That GM sanctioned trip was via the most direct route, down the Hume Highway, but we've decided to get off the Hume at Canberra and take the Monaro, Cann River and Princes Highway the rest of the way. That means a longer journey, but one that encompasses a wider variety of roads and conditions. To keep the fight fair the Berlina will go up against its most direct rival, the Falcon G6. Both cars are the entry-level luxury models, both similarly equipped and priced, and both are fitted with a six-speed automatic transmission. The G6 does grab an early advantage on comfort and equipment, even if it misses out on leather upholstery. Advantages over the Berlina include a reversing camera, fully integrated iPod connectivity and a high-resolution, full-colour screen. In comfort terms the two cars are on par, but the Holden has an edge on ergonomics with its more adjustable seats and steering. But the Berlina looks much plainer inside with harsher plastics and switchgear, a mono-colour low-resolution screen and the leather seats don't have a premium feel. Our test officially began when we topped the tanks of both cars up in the Sydney suburb of Arncliffe (only minutes from the airport) and reset the trip computers. I take the first leg in the Berlina, with fellow Carsales Network staffer Feann Torr in the G6. Heading down the M5 Motorway during the afternoon peak meant a slow crawl through the King George's Tunnel but before long the traffic cleared and the two cars could be set to a steady 110km/h on the Hume. Initially, the cruise control system in the Berlina impresses with its ability to maintain a steady speed, unlike other systems in more expensive vehicles that are both more complicated to set and have a habit of gaining speed down hills. A weakness is detected with the Commodore during up-hill travel and overtaking, though. The smaller engine labours more than the Falcon on slopes. Indeed, whenever torque is called for at short notice. That's not to suggest the 3.0-litre V6 isn't powerful enough, because it can pull the Commodore competently enough but it requires more revs, which largely defeats the purpose of cutting the capacity. By the time we get to Canberra in the early evening the Falcon has taken first blood with the G6 sipping 7.3L/100km compared to the Berlina's 7.8L/100km. It's an ominous sign for the Holden because the rest of the trip is going to take us across more undulating territory. Day two begins early in the nation's capital and with the new day comes a new car because for the next stage of the journey I'm in the G6 and Feann's taking the reins of the Berlina. By the time we reach Cooma just after 9am the Falcon has continued to impress with more than just fuel economy. It's a more comfortable car and has a greater feeling of luxury to the Berlina. Although the FG Falcon styling is more conservative than the VE Commodore we think it is already ageing better. Holden's decision to leave the MY10 Commodore aesthetically unchanged and let the SIDI engines carry the show has, in the opinion of this writer at least, backfired. The fact that Holden has decided to keep the 'Pontiac Commodore' in the line-up suggests customers want a makeover to the VE. By 10:30am we've reached Bombala and it's time for another car swap, meaning I return to the Berlina. Before the hour is out we've crossed the border into Victoria and are greeted by a testing stretch of downhill, sweeping roads. Even though neither car has any serious sporty aspirations, the 20km leg is a good chance to test out both cars dynamically. The Berlina feels soft, with a noticeable amount of body roll in the bends, which doesn't inspire confidence. And once again the engine labours when the time comes to overtake, lacking the midrange punch of the Ford. Comparing the experience with Feann over lunch in Orbost, he confirms that the G6 was much flatter and stiffer in the turns. Interestingly though, despite this firmer suspension set up we both agree that the Falcon also has a more comfortable and compliant ride. The final leg of our test takes us west across Victoria from Orbost and into Melbourne via Sale. As we close in on Melbourne, and after almost 1000km of driving, the Holden takes its first major victory of the test. At Sale the Falcon was displaying a range of only another 160km while the Berlina was claiming it could go for at least 300km. By the time we have reached Berwick on the edge of greater Melbourne the G6 already had its fuel light on for 30 minutes and was warning it would be out of petrol in 20km. So, not wishing to push the car the final few kays to home, it's time to refuel both cars and compare economy figures. The Berlina takes the moral victory because its fuel light hadn't yet gone on and claimed it could still travel another 100km, but it's the G6 that takes the actual win. Based on the readings from each car's trip computer the Berlina used 8.1L/100km while the G6 used only 7.8L/100km. Calculating the economy based on the fuel we actually poured into the car against distance travelled the result only changed slightly: Berlina 8.0L/100km versus G6 7.9L/100km. However, and this is where the battle gets a little confusing, there was a discrepancy of roughly 30km between the two cars' trip readings; the Commodore saying it had travelled further. Ultimately though, the fuel economy debate is overshadowed by the inescapable fact that the Falcon is the better car; more comfortable, better equipped, better ride and a fresher look. And proof that perhaps there really is no substitute for cubic inches. The larger engine gave the Falcon the advantage on the hills of the Monaro Highway. Perhaps taking the Hume would have closed the gap, but our test proves that smaller engines aren't always better in real world conditions. What impresses about both cars is their comfort and ability to tackle such large distances with relative ease. Despite driving the whole distance without assistance both Feann and I felt fresh throughout the journey. It's a great testament to the design and engineering work by the local teams at Port Melbourne and Broadmeadows. In the face of declining sales and perhaps even the slow death of the great Australian road trip, the Commodore and Falcon remain ideally suited to our wide brown land. Look our for the second instalment in our Commodore v Falcon update -- the sports alternatives
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AUI XR8 - 250kw Herrod enhanced, 18's, lowered 1999 Mustang Cobra, Mick Webb tweaked, 18's, 1971 XYGT (replica) My first love. Last edited by SVTVNM; 28-01-2010 at 09:48 PM. |
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#2 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Victoria
Posts: 836
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The only real positive they said about the Commodore was the larger fuel tank... good stuff! Last edited by block58; 28-01-2010 at 09:54 PM. |
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#3 | |||
Browsing here and there..
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Posts: 2,075
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#4 | ||
PX3 WildTrak & RTV
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Central Coast Sydney
Posts: 1,931
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Nice review....now for them totest with the bigger holden V6..be interesting.
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[COLOR=Red]I really am Falcon Crazy[/COLOR NextGen Ranger Wildtrak with loads of goodies Sold PX3 Ranger Wildtrak 2.0Ltr UHF, Long Range Tank, Bullbar, Snorkel - 104,000km BA Falcon RTV - Project Ute 265,000km Sold PXII Ranger XLT Cool White. 105,000 Sold PX Ranger XLT in cool white, 151,700km on clock. Sold FGII XR6T Ute LTD Edition in Kinetic. Sold FG XR6 Ute Sold BA Falcon RTV. 251,300km.Was a great mate for last 7 years Sold AUII XLS Ute Sold '85 XF & Crashed 84 XF |
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#5 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 489
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Awesome stuff, not surprised really at all, if the berlina had the option of the 3.6l with no extra cost it would have been abit better on the juice.
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#6 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Victoria
Posts: 836
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#7 | |||
Regular Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 489
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Good to see the ford ontop where it belongs though, imagine the 4.0l with DI! ![]() |
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#8 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,876
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Is that G6 without the 6 speed auto? Just great economy, from both actually. I wonder if the Australian public realise how good on fuel these big cars are nowadays.
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#9 | |||
PX3 WildTrak & RTV
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Central Coast Sydney
Posts: 1,931
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Will do about 3,000km next week - up to Brisvegas, over to Toowoomba, up to Rocky and back...will see what i pull on that trip.
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[COLOR=Red]I really am Falcon Crazy[/COLOR NextGen Ranger Wildtrak with loads of goodies Sold PX3 Ranger Wildtrak 2.0Ltr UHF, Long Range Tank, Bullbar, Snorkel - 104,000km BA Falcon RTV - Project Ute 265,000km Sold PXII Ranger XLT Cool White. 105,000 Sold PX Ranger XLT in cool white, 151,700km on clock. Sold FGII XR6T Ute LTD Edition in Kinetic. Sold FG XR6 Ute Sold BA Falcon RTV. 251,300km.Was a great mate for last 7 years Sold AUII XLS Ute Sold '85 XF & Crashed 84 XF |
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#10 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,312
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#11 | ||
Fordaholic
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 884
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It seems one article after another keeps confirming what every one on AFF is saying that the Falcon is the better car for the moment.
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#12 | ||||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,602
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#13 | ||
Pity the fool
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Wait Awhile
Posts: 8,997
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68 litre tank in the Falcon
73 litre tank in the Commodore. Hmmm. Commodore trip computer not speak with straight tongue.
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Fords I own or have owned: 1970 XW Falcon GT replica ![]() Proud to buy Australian and support Ford Australia through thick and thin |
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#14 | |||
You dig, we stick!
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 7,461
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Go the mighty Falcon!
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"....You don't put the car through engineering" - Rod Barrett. |
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#15 | |||
P6 LTD
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Perth
Posts: 3,288
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#16 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Gren A Waverrey
Posts: 2,367
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How is having a bigger petrol tank a moral victory?
Falcon beats the Commode in handling, performance, comfort and value. What more must it have to actually win, with the Commodore to be called 'truly inferior to the Falcon'?
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Practicing - Sleeping with a guitar in your hand counts, as long as you don't drop it. Don't snap my undies. |
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#17 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Victoria
Posts: 836
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I wonder if they discuss reviews and news topics on JustCommodores... :evil3:
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#18 | |||
Thailand Specials
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Centrefold Lounge
Posts: 49,084
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#19 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 622
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Quote: From www.motortrend.com "Torque is the new horsepower" Last edited by Chilliman; 29-01-2010 at 02:45 AM. |
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#20 | ||||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2,602
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#21 | ||||
Getting it done.....
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 2,219
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Hard to imagine anyone (ford fan or not) who is into cars and the local market esp to be surprised by this result. Is there anyone left that thinks the 3.0 SIDI is anytyhing other than a complete failure (hey where are you prydey? LOL) Based on the quoted fuel burn i'd say the G6 with 5sp auto will have gone pretty close on fuel burn to the berlina anyway (if not a fraction more). When Ford puts in the 6sp auto on base cars standard (and other tweaks e.g. epas stearing sytem) it will just improve further.
Looking forward to the review with the sports models. Assuming that is the 3.6 SIDI which is a far better drivetrain package, should be a close contest in performance/fuel burn. I expect the rest of the review to faviour the Falcon..... EDIT: Just noticed this. Apologies if this is something people have already worked out in which case i'm about to look like a real idiot he he.... Quote:
The review says that at Sale the Falcon predicted 160km till it was out of gas, the VE some 300+. So effectively a 140km greater 'range' for the commodore. If you use a rough average of 8L/100km (for the berlina overall as measured) you work out (using 5 L more tankage) a greater range of 62km. WTF. Yeah, 140km more my bum!!! Of course i'd like to know which of the two odometers is really accurate.....given the holden keeps saying it travelled further in all the tests i've seen i know which one i am suspect of.... EDIT mk II: here is a quote from caradvice XR8 versus AFM SS review... Quote:
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Dynamic White 1995 EF XR6 Auto Now with: Pacemaker 4499s Lukey Catback Exhaust Chrome BA XR-style tip Airdam Mounted CAI with modified (bellmouth) airbox Trip Computer install KYB shocks Bridgestone Adrenalin tyres Coming Soon: Exhaust Overhaul..... Last edited by Swordsman88; 29-01-2010 at 12:33 AM. |
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#22 | |||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,551
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![]() ![]() ![]() for the record, not once have i stated that the commodore is a better car than the falcon. clearly it isn't. i just stopped short of calling it a 'failure'. i guess the fact that holden big mouth about 'out engineering' the opposition didn't help their cause any, but the 3.0L still hasn't performed worse than holden claim. it gets within half a litre of its ADR 'extra urban' figure. my point is, and has been all along, when compared to the outgoing model/motor, it makes more power and returns better economy. sure, against the opposition it hasn't made any inroads but it is an improvement on the 3.6L alloytec there - that should get mr swordsman fired up ![]() |
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#23 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 11,292
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Without knocking Holden, I think the 3.0 strategy has the capacity to do just as much harm as good.
While you may attract new buyers, traditional buyers will be disappointed by the lack of bottom end torque and that's why I think the Ecoboost I-4 Falcon will do better, it has more bottom end and better differentiation. I think Ford will be able to pass off the EB I-4 Falcon as a mid sized alternative, opening up a new sales, I sense that Holden may be struggling with their existing market, especially with Camry Hybrid upon us soon... Last edited by jpd80; 29-01-2010 at 08:02 AM. |
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#24 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 14,654
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Quote:
Their target consumers seem to believe what they read and hear..
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335 S/C GT: The new KING of Australian made performance cars.. ![]() |
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#25 | ||||
IWCMOGTVM Club Supporter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern Suburbs Melbourne
Posts: 17,799
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Daniel |
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#26 | |||
Getting it done.....
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 2,219
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As for ADR figures i'm not sure we can do much comparison there because they are well known to be inaccurate, all i know is that a car rated at 9.9-10.1 (with ZF) is consistently burning approx the same, if not less than one rated at 9.3, so i don't think holden should be haning their hat on fuel burn (which they are trying to do...). As for grunt i don't doubt the 3.0 SIDI and 6sp are better to drive than the older drivetrain (although i keep hearing from fleet guys that the old car was more punchy to drive...) but i stand by my earleir points. Beating yourself is a moot point since once a new model comes out by definition the preceding one ceases production. The only true measure it your competition (and/or your own claims) and the 3.0 fails versus both. I'm sure the 3.6SIDI will be much more competitive so am looking forward to that comparison..... Till we debate again prydey ![]()
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Dynamic White 1995 EF XR6 Auto Now with: Pacemaker 4499s Lukey Catback Exhaust Chrome BA XR-style tip Airdam Mounted CAI with modified (bellmouth) airbox Trip Computer install KYB shocks Bridgestone Adrenalin tyres Coming Soon: Exhaust Overhaul..... |
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#27 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 14,654
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335 S/C GT: The new KING of Australian made performance cars.. ![]() |
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#28 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 510
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I was in Canberra recently, and heading north out of the city is an odo check. There's 5 signs exactly a kilometre apart each so you can check your odo over 5 kms. My FG was spot on. I'd like to see a 100km odo check because 5km seems too small to measure appreciable variance.
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Daily: AU1 Fairmont Ghia - 380,000 km (still going strong)
Weekender: 2009 G6ETurbo - 21,656 km - Seduce/Cashmere (The only shopping list I need: 4 Litres and a hairdryer) Daily: SZII - 56,000 km - converted to Tezza |
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#29 | |||
Fordaholic
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 884
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#30 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,876
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Reading the review, something just struck me. Do you think the FG engine is one of the most underated engines in the world being produced today?
It has fantastic power and torque, reliability, economy, smoothness, and even sounds good when revved. The I6 is just one of those engines which will be talked about with fondness for decades. I mean a little engineering team from Australia has finnessed an engine which betters the might and money of a a new direct injection global V6 from General Motors. The I6 in the Falcon just makes it so hard to consider any other car, even before you start considering the Falcons great handling, steering, interior, styling etc... |
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