Autoblog

Ford brings FPV Falcon production in house [w/video]

Seyth Miersma — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:59:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Videos, Ford, Australia

For the first time since 1976, Ford of Australia is bringing the assembly of its stonking Ford Performance Vehicle line back in-house to the company's Broadmeadows and Geelong facilities. That's a point of pride for FPV, which builds high-performance versions of the Australian Falcon model like the F6, GS and the heroic GT seen here.

In the video below, we hear FPV employees talking in hushed tones about the important legacy that cars like the GT have for Australian gearheads of all stripes, and how proud they are to say that hand-built machines like this GT R-Spec with its Boss 355 engine are now rolling out of their home base. For our part, we're just dying to drive this version of the Coyote V8; the engine is rocking a "Miami" supercharger from Harrop and makes some 450 horsepower.

Continue on below for the video, or you can check out some images of the new FPV at the facility, as well as a gallery of the GT R-Spec car.

Continue reading Ford brings FPV Falcon production in house [w/video]

Ford brings FPV Falcon production in house [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HSV sales strong despite Aussie slump, around 20% of Ford Falcon sales

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Holden, Australia

The economic doldrums are having a hard time sullying the teflon-coated sales numbers of Holden Special Vehicles, the division that serves the same purpose within Holden that AMG does within Mercedes-Benz. Despite a slump in purchases of large sedans that has affected General Motors' standard Holden Commodore and savaged the Ford Falcon, the pricier and thirstier HSV models are, according to the division's CEO Phil Harding, doing fully 20 percent of Ford Falcon sales. Note, that's not 20 percent of Ford Performance Vehicle sales, the Blue Oval's competitor to HSV, it's to the basic Falcon. It would be like the BMW M5 doing one fifth of Mercedes-Benz E-Class volume.

Naturally, the people in charge at HSV are happy about this. It's true that sales numbers have come down, but Harding said the business case was built on the line's current sales. For now, the brand is "in the black" and "stronger than we've ever been as a business for investing in our future." The previous high flying numbers were a bonus that have helped pay for the work on the HSV version of the VF Commodore that will appear in Q2 next year. And on that note, if HSV could arrange to have that car shipped this way as well alongside the Chevrolet SS Performance, we'd be most grateful.

HSV sales strong despite Aussie slump, around 20% of Ford Falcon sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FPV putting concept into production as limited edition GT Black

Jeff Glucker — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Ford, Australia

In Australia, a muscled-up showcar has given way to the real thing. Earlier in the year, Ford Performance Vehicles showed off a sinister-looking Falcon GT Sedan, which boasted a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine under the hood. The FPV Concept was shown to the public at the Australian International Motor Show, and the team behind the car were happy with the overwhelming support for the blacked-out brawler. Their thumbs-up reactions helped Ford's Australian brass give the concept car a green light, albeit with limited production.

The end result is called the FPV GT Black, and it's limited to a run of just 125 units. There's only one color choice, and it's staring you in the face right now. Power is supplied by the aforementioned 5.0, which enjoys a bit of forced induction to help push output to around 450 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. All of that twist is available from 2,200 rpm up through 5,500 rpm.

We already know cars in Australia are more expensive then vehicles sold here in the states, and this limited-edition sedan is no exception. Still, we're rather curious how the $74,290 sticker price would translate stateside. Still, this is as close as we'll get to wondering about that, because these sports sedans are staying in Australia. Hit the jump for the official press release.

Continue reading FPV putting concept into production as limited edition GT Black

FPV putting concept into production as limited edition GT Black originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FPV shows off sinister GT-based concept with supercharged 5.0

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows, Australia

Ford of Australia's performance arm, Ford Performance Vehicles, always unveils machines that cause our drool to drip all the way down to the Outback - and we're not talking gimmicky steakhouses here. A new FPV showcar has just been revealed for the Australian International Auto Show in Melbourne, and we're already stuffing our mouth with gauze. It's called the FPV Concept, and it's based on the Ford Falcon GT sedan.

Looking decisively evil in its blacked-out color scheme, the FPV Concept is powered by a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine. Large 19-inch wheels help sort the handling and power, with eight-inch-wide rollers up front and 9.5-inch-wide wheels in the rear. The suspension is track-tuned and in our dreams, the exhaust system has been tuned by Hades himself.

Sadly, this FPV Concept is just another vehicle in a long line of Australian muscle machines Americans will never get to buy. Learn more about this particular one by reading the full press release posted after the jump.

Continue reading FPV shows off sinister GT-based concept with supercharged 5.0

FPV shows off sinister GT-based concept with supercharged 5.0 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Aussies developing Ford Falcon GT-H

Zach Bowman — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:02:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Ford, Australia

Ford FPV Falcon GT-H spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

Word on the web is that there's something big brewing from Ford Performance Vehicles. The Australian team responsible for building some of the meanest factory Blue Oval beasts down under has been rumored to be slaving away on a new sedan packing a potent supercharged version of the same 5.0-liter V8 found in the nose of the North American Mustang GT. As you may recall, FPV just recently turned out a pair of four-doors with forced-induction 5.0-liter mills under their hoods, but power on those machines was kept to a relatively tame 430 ponies.

Now it looks like FPV is keen on turning loose an unleashed version of that engine in the new Falcon GT-H. A set of twin intercoolers and more aggressive boost will likely help the car dish out close to 500 horsepower. For now, we just have a handful of spy photos to go from, but Ford is expected to unveil the Falcon GT-H at the Melbourne Motor Show later this year.

Gallery: Ford FPV Falcon GT-H Spy Shots

[Sources: CarPix, Motor Authority]

Spy Shots: Aussies developing Ford Falcon GT-H originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prodrive develops supercharged Ford V8 for Falcon

Jeff Glucker — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 10:05:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Etc., Ford, Australia

Prodrive turns the Falcon into a real Boss - Click above to view high-res image gallery

The latest news from Oz comes courtesy of Prodrive, which has a close relationship with Ford Performance Vehicles. Starting with a Coyote V8 engine block, Prodrive has created a supercharged V8 that's lighter and more powerful than the naturally-aspirated unit it started with.

Known as the "Miami" engine, the supercharged V8 generates 449 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 420 pound-feet of torque from 2,200 rpm up to 5,500 rpm. By altering the boost levels, Prodrive offers a less powerful version that produces 422 horsepower.

Both versions are planned for use in various trim levels of the Ford Falcon four-door. The 315kw (422 hp) unit will be available in the Falcon GS while the 335 kW (449 hp) engine is offered with the Falcon GT, GT-E and GT-P. The Falcons will wear the Boss name on the fenders and both versions provide yet another reason to book a flight on Qantas.

Gallery: Prodriver develops supercharged V8 for Ford Falcon

[Source: Prodrive]

Continue reading Prodrive develops supercharged Ford V8 for Falcon

Prodrive develops supercharged Ford V8 for Falcon originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford shows Aussies who's Boss with special FPV Falcon

Noah Joseph — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 11:05:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Ford, Australia

FPV Boss 335 GT - Click above for image gallery

There's no shortage of similarities to be found between Australia and the United States. Both are former British colonies flying red, white and blue flags; both are big masses of land divided into states; both have Top Gear spinoffs and share a common affinity for Crocodile Dundee. We could go on, but the key commonality here is love for muscle cars. More than anything, that's what ties these two countries together from opposite ends of the Earth.

General Motors has capitalized on that shared trait by bringing powerful Holdens over to America under Pontiac badges. Arch-rival Ford, meanwhile, has gone the other way, taking a popular American performance badge and slapping it on one of its Australian products.

The result is the Ford Boss 335 GT. Based on the Falcon sedan, Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) has given the Boss 335 GT a touch more power than the 2012 Boss 302 Mustang: the 335's supercharged 5.0-liter DOHC 32-valve V8 pumps out 450 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque (compared to the 440hp and 380 lb-ft on the all-motor Boss Mustang). The power's driven to the 19" rear wheels through a six-speed manual and kept in check by oversized, cross-drilled and ventilated Brembo brakes.

FPV's also made sure the special Falcon got all the requisite striping you'd expect from a Boss, and equipped the interior with everything they bad to throw at it. With the American and Australian dollars close to par, though, the $70,000 sticker price may seem a little steep. UNfortunately, this is an exclusively Aussie product, so if you (i.e. our U.S. readers) want to show 'em who's Boss, you'll have to stick to the Mustang. Dang.

Gallery: Ford Boss 335 GT

[Source: FPV via Top Speed]

Ford shows Aussies who's Boss with special FPV Falcon originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Melbourne 2009: FPV F6 E Concept tests the waters

Alex Nunez — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Performance, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows, Australia, FPV

Click above for a gallery of the FPV F6 E concept

The Blue Oval's FPV F6 is relentlessly awesome. Loud colors. Alice Cooper eye makeup. Blistering, turbocharged inline-six power. It drops the full musclecar ethos onto a completely modern Australian performance sedan. We love it, but it may not necessarily be for everybody. Ford Performance Vehicles knows this, and the F6's V8-powered evil twin, the FPV GT, gets an additional, more subdued "E" trim level. Darker colors. No decals. No "eye black.". It's a more conservative Aussie muscle machine.

When the Melbourne Motor Show opens its doors in a few days, the FPV stand will be home to a very production-ready-looking F6 E "concept." Don't let its rather sedate appearance fool you. Underhood, you'll still find the 415-horsepower, 416 lb-ft , 4.0-liter turbo-six. Ford's performance mavens say they're using the F6 E concept car to determine whether there's demand for a production version. We think that decision's obviously been made already. After all, why else would the PR mention things like the color selection and theoretical starting price? Face it, you lucky SOBs Down Under are getting yet another tasty entree added to your street missile buffet. Official press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2009 FPV F6 E Concept

[Source: FPV]

Continue reading Melbourne 2009: FPV F6 E Concept tests the waters

Melbourne 2009: FPV F6 E Concept tests the waters originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog talks hot wheels with Ford's Performance Vehicle leaders

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Truck, Hatchback, Ford

Fans of Ford's American SVT and European ST and RS models will have plenty to look forward to in the next few years. As part of the company's One Ford program to consolidate its platforms and designs, SVT and TeamRS have been brought together under a single organization led by Jost Capito. Earlier this week, we sat down for lunch with Jamal Hameedi and Hermann Salenbauch to discuss what is going on and what we can expect to see in the next few years. Hameedi is the Chief Nameplate Engineer at SVT and Salenbauch is the director of Advanced Product Creation and Performance Vehicles. We've already seen some of their handiwork in the form of the 2010 Shelby GT500 and F-150 SVT Raptor, but we'll come back to those in a bit.

We already know we'll be getting a new Focus in laet 2010 or early 2011 that's common with the Euro model we've been craving for years. Naturally, the question of the new Focus RS came up. While no one would commit to anything, there were plenty of smiles to go around and Hameedi and Salenbauch were more than willing to talk enthusiastically about the new sports hatch that is launching right now in Europe. Continue reading after the jump.

Continue reading Autoblog talks hot wheels with Ford's Performance Vehicle leaders

Autoblog talks hot wheels with Ford's Performance Vehicle leaders originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FPV GT 5th Anniversary edition unveiled in Sydney

John Neff — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows, Australia, FPV, Specialty

Click above for high-res gallery of the FPV 5th Anniversary model

Ford Performance Vehicles, otherwise known as FPV, is celebrating its fifth birthday as being the sharp end of Ford Australia's performance stick. FPV presented itself with a gift at this week's Australian International Motor Show in the form of a special edition FPV 5th Anniversary model. Only 200 units will be produced of the rear-wheel-drive Falcon-based birthday present, ensuring instant collector car status for the discerning Aussie buyer. The car features Alpine Silver 19-inch multi-spoke wheels, 6-piston Brembo brakes, sports seats upholstered in Nudo leather and special "5th Anniversary" decals on the trunk, ahead of the rear wheels, embossed on the front headrests and on the floormats. The FPV 5th Anniversary model will be available in Lightning Strike or Silhouette, both with striping, and starts at $71,890 in Australian dollars, which FPV says equates to $9,600 worth of extra goodies for only $5,300 more than the FPV GT sedan. So happy birthday to FPV, and we hope that Ford invites us to your rear-wheel-drive performance sedan party some time soon.

Gallery: FPV 5th Anniversary Special Edition

[Source: FPV]

Continue reading FPV GT 5th Anniversary edition unveiled in Sydney

FPV GT 5th Anniversary edition unveiled in Sydney originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Performance Vehicles deliver "Performance Inc." Down Under

Dane Muldoon — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Ford

Down here in Australia, Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) are pushing their new range with a catchy advertising campaign including billboard style posters at airports like the one I snapped above on my camera phone. The new FPV range is billed as being "Performance, Inc." and features from left to right, the F6 Typhoon, GT, Force and the Super Pursuit Ute. If you're a Ford fan stuck in North America and you'd like to feel a bit closer to all this muscle, check out the FPV's cool videos.

Related posts:

[Source: Ford Performance Vehicles]

Continue reading Ford Performance Vehicles deliver "Performance Inc." Down Under

Ford Performance Vehicles deliver "Performance Inc." Down Under originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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