Supercharged GT Falcon has landed
FPV says this is the car to challenge HSV in performance and sales, with predictions to match its arch-rival by 2012Ford Performance Vehicles has released the fastest and most powerful car ever to wear the GT badge in Australia – and it has HSV firmly in its sights. The new supercharged GT Falcon hit the road today when it was revealed to the media in Melbourne ahead of a celebration of the car at Bathurst this weekend, and arrival in showrooms from next month.
The new cars feature FPV's locally developed supercharged version of Ford's new-generation Coyote V8. The 5.0-litre engine is not only lighter and more compact than the engine it replaces, it also makes more power.
Ford Performance Vehicles boss Rod Barrett is so confident about the new car he reckons it will overtake its arch enemy in sales within two years.
"Sedan for sedan, we'll come close to beating HSV next year," Barrett told the Carsales Network.
"This is the car that is going to take the challenge to HSV. We may not overtake them in sales in our first full year – 2011 – but we will build momentum and get very close in 2012."
Barrett said FPV had "deliberately been aggressive with pricing" on the new model. The GS sedan starts at $56,990, while the GT is priced from $71,290. Ute models kick off at $51,990.
"We think a 4 per cent increase in price for a 6 per cent increase in power is a fair deal. But we won't be building cars to park them on grass, our customers like to order their cars specially and that means they're more exclusive."
While FPV retains its ‘hero' turbocharged six-cylinder models, the Ford performance offshoot says 70 per cent of its sales are V8 powered. This could increase with the arrival of the new supercharged models.
The new FPV GS has a 315kW and 545Nm version of the Aussie-developed supercharged V8 while the FPV GT has 335kW and 570Nm.
The claimed 0 to 100km/h time of 4.9 seconds for the GT makes it the fastest Falcon ever. The new entry-level GS models are claimed to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in just 5.1 seconds with the six-speed auto.
The only blot on an impressive report card is the fact that the GS comes only with standard XR8 brakes, not the race-bred Brembos of the GT – or its HSV rival which has four-piston high performance brakes standard across the range.
"We wanted a sharp entry point with the GS and the reality is that, with the [$4000] optional Brembo brakes it is still cheaper than a HSV Clubsport. Plus we don't charge extra for automatic transmission... Last year's limited-edition GS simply reinforced what we suspected, that there is absolutely a market for an entry-level FPV model," FPV General Manager Rod Barrett said.
"The GS provides our customers with a more affordable entry into the range. It broadens the market for potential FPV purchasers, and at the same time delivers tremendous value.
"Perhaps the most exciting thing about our new GS is that while it matches the output of our previous Boss 5.4-litre V8... It actually smoothly out-performs it in every way.
"It's faster and it's more fuel efficient, but perhaps most importantly, the supercharged configuration provides a tremendous 'drive' … This is a fun car, and we think it's going to be enormously successful for us," Barrett stated.
It's the GTs that will get much of the limelight, however.
FPV says to visually mark the arrival of FPV's new supercharged engine, it has reprised 'hockey stick' body graphics "reminiscent of the famous 1970 Boss Mustang". The GT and GT-P variants get the in-your-face stripes plus Boss 335 badging.
The hotshoe models also get matching bonnet and rear wing graphics, and increased FPV identification via badging on the steering wheel, instrument cluster and key fob. There's also a new-design build badge.
The GT-E model is less obvious and arrives sans graphics. But all three models get a new quad-pipe bi-modal exhaust system which FPV says "enhances both performance and the all-important exhaust note of the new cars".
FPV says it expects to sell 1700 cars this year, down from previous years but this was caused by a dip in sales during the changeover to the new model.
Price guide
FPV GS ute $51,990 (up $2040)
FPV GS sedan $56,990 (up $2040)
FPV GT sedan $71,290 (up $3400)
FPV GT-P sedan $81,540 (up $2800)
FPV GT-E sedan $82,540 (up $2800)
Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
