carsales classic: FPV F6 Typhoon (2005-2008)

Let’s face it, Ford knows a thing or two about muscle cars.

It introduced the concept in 1967 with the Ford Falcon XR GT and promptly won Bathurst with it that same year, the first V8 to do so.

And the company also created the legendary Phase I, II and III GTHO models between 1969 and 1972.   

By the mid-2000s, turbo technology sat alongside V8 muscle at Ford Australia with one of the fastest Falcons in the land being the six-cylinder Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) F6 Typhoon, based on the Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo sedan. 

The BF version of the FPV F6 Typhoon was launched in October 2005, following the introduction of the F6 Typhoon moniker in the previous BA MkII Falcon series.

At the Typhoon’s epicentre was a 4.0-litre DOHC straight six-cylinder engine, known as the ‘Barra’, featuring a larger turbocharger than that of the XR6, and married to a bigger intercooler, together with dual ram air intakes, high-flow exhaust, FPV oil cooler and a high-capacity fuel pump.

It punched out 270kW and 550Nm, its flat torque curve giving it linear acceleration resulting in a 0-100km/h time of 5.9 seconds, a 60-80km/h time of 2.2sec and 80-120km/h in 3.6sec.

While the BF Typhoon had no more grunt than its predecessor, it came with a swag of improvements, the most significant being a six-speed automatic transmission (with sequential manual shift function) as an option to the Tremec six-speed manual.

The multi-mode, Tiptronic-style ZF auto had an adaptive driver recognition function with brake-support downshifts and gear holding when cornering or driving up and down hills.

Brakes were given a workover, with Brembo 355mm front discs and four-piston front callipers plus single-piston rear callipers as standard. Six-piston front grippers were optional.

The BF F6 also wore a flash new body kit to distinguish it from other FPV models and it rode on 18-inch alloy wheels with 10mm-wider tyres than the XR6 Turbo.

For a flatter cornering attitude and a firmer ride, the double wishbone front suspension and independent rear suspension was boosted with stiffer rear coil springs, bigger anti-roll bars and heavy-duty bushing used throughout.

The full sports dash of the XR6 Turbo was the foundation of the F6 cabin, embellished with contoured sports seats featuring suede-like bolsters and a long list of creature comforts including a six-speaker 150W sound system with a six-disc CD player, TFT colour display, dual-zone climate control, a powered driver’s seat and cruise control.

Safety features ran to dual front and side airbags, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, traction control and front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters.

When the MkII version of the BF rolled around late in 2006, the F6 Typhoon received cosmetic upgrades with new-look alloy wheels, a change to graphite fog lamp surrounds replacing the body-coloured versions, and optional striping kits.

In 2007, FPV produced a run of 300 ‘R Spec’ F6 Typhoons. These were considered the jewel in the Typhoon crown and featured stiffer sports suspension for improved handling and 19x8-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the R Spec had leather sports seats, exclusive R Spec floor mats, an MP3 accessory port, and individual build plates and badging.

The R Spec colour range comprised Winter White, Lightning Strike, Vixen, Neo, Ego, Bionic and Silhouette, and can be identified by dark grey accents for the front and rear bumper inserts, around the fog light, on the rear spoiler, door pillars and alloy wheels.

Also offered on the R Spec model was a special-order Conquer Blue Metallic colour.

When new, the BF FPV F6 set you back $59,810 plus on-road costs for the six-speed manual and $61,060 plus ORCs for the six-speed auto.

While RedBook values the car from $8800 to $15,000, the asking price for several examples listed on carsales recently has far exceeded those estimates. This could be due to their limited production build and sought-after Aussie classic status – particularly in the current volatile market.

As always, the price depends on many factors like overall condition, number of owners and documented service history.

Why we want one
• It’s an Aussie classic
• Ownership costs won’t ruin your bank account
• It’s the first Australian car with a six-speed auto with sequential manual shift function

Click here to view BF FPV F6 Typhoon vehicles currently available at carsales.