2005 FPV Pursuit Reviews

Ford says factories will make it to October 2016 end date as it unveils last ever Falcon GT.

Ford has revived the famous "351" badge from the 1970s for the last ever Falcon GT, as the company confirms that all 500 examples have sold out before the first one has been built.The 351 badge is a reference to the supercharged V8's power in kilowatts, but also a nod to size of the V8 in the iconic 1970s model. It will be the most powerful Falcon to ever be built at Broadmeadows when the GT-F (for "final" edition) goes into production next month."I am delighted to confirm that we are going to deliver what our fans have being asking for: a vehicle that pays homage to the iconic Falcon 351 GT," said Ford Australia President and CEO, Bob Graziano, in a statement to media."Ford's 5.0-litre supercharged V8 is an absolute state-of-the-art V8 performance engine, and in the up-coming GT-F sedan will deliver more power and torque than even its larger capacity forebear. And we've been able to do all of this by simply unlocking the latent performance that's already there."All 500 Falcon GT-F sedans destined for Australia (and 50 for New Zealand) have been sold to dealers and most cars already have customer names against them.Dealers are now bargaining among themselves to try to get more cars because Ford has said it will not build more than 500. "Ford has massively under-called this," said one dealer, who asked not to be named in case it would affect his allocation of cars. "This is a massive missed opportunity."When Ford unveiled a special batch of "Cobra" edition Falcon GTs at the 2007 Bathurst 1000 -- to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Allan Moffat and Colin Bond 1-2 finish -- all 400 cars were sold to dealers within 48 hours.Dealers insist that all Falcon GT-Fs are being sold at the recommended retail price, of $77,990 plus on-road costs. "We're not allowed to charge over-the-odds for them, but they are all going out at full price," said one Ford dealer. "There is not a dollar coming off these cars because someone else will snap it up."There will be five colours available, including two that will be exclusive to the GT-F -- a bright blue and a gun-metal grey. And all cars will come with a unique sticker pack.Ford has also confirmed the GT-F will be based on the limited edition R-Spec version of the Falcon GT released 18 months ago, just before Ford Performance Vehicles closed its doors and Ford Australia took over the skeleton of the operation, namely the engine building team.The GT-F is expected to be the fastest Falcon GT ever built. Thanks to its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 and wider rear tyres to help it blast off the line with a race-car style "launch" control, it should be able to do the 0 to 100km/h dash in 4.5 seconds.Once the 351kW Falcon GT-F goes, the 335kW Ford XR8 will be introduced with the updated Falcon range from September 2014, until Australia's oldest automotive nameplate reaches the end of the line no later than October 2016.Carsguide has been told there were secret plans to make the power output for the last-ever Falcon GT significantly higher than the 351kW high note it will finish on.Confidential sources claim the now defunct Ford Performance Vehicles had extracted 430kW of power from the supercharged V8 while it was in development, but those plans were vetoed by Ford because of concerns about reliability -- and the ability of the Falcon's chassis, gearbox, driveshaft and differential to handle so much grunt."We were at 430kW long before anyone knew HSV was going to have 430kW on the new GTS," said an insider. "But in the end, Ford put the brakes on it. We could get the power easy enough, but they reckoned it didn't make financial sense to make all the changes to the rest of the car to handle it."As it stands today the Falcon GT briefly gets up to 375kW in an "overboost" mode which lasts up to 20 seconds, but Ford is not allowed to claim this figure because it doesn't comply with international testing guidelines.Meanwhile, the last of the Ford Performance Vehicles F6 sedans are due to be sold, with no more planned for production. "Once the dealer stocks sell out, that's it," said Ford Australia spokesman Neil McDonald. The fastest-ever six-cylinder turbo car made in Australia, the Falcon F6 won icon status among enthusiasts, and police.In NSW, the elite highway patrol squad has maintained a fleet of unmarked F6 Falcons to target hoon drivers and high-speed criminals over the past four years. They are expected to switch to HSV Clubsport sedans when the F6 comes to an end.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

FORD has sold all 500 examples of the last ever Falcon GT before the first one has even been built -- and dealers and enthusiast buyers are pleading for more.All 500 Falcon GT-F (for "final" edition) sedans destined for Australia have been wholesaled to dealers and most cars already have customer names against them.Even though Ford built an extra 50 GT-Fs for New Zealand -- and 120 special edition "Pursuit" utes -- dealers say Ford has not built enough GT sedans and have asked for the number to be doubled.But Ford says there will be no more because it is restricted by how many supercharged V8s it can assemble by hand at a temporary assembly area alongside the six-cylinder engine line in Geelong."Ford has massively under-called this," said one dealer, who asked not to be named in case it would affect his allocation of cars. "This is a massive missed opportunity. I really don't think Ford understands the enthusiast market."When Ford unveiled a special batch of "Cobra" edition Falcon GTs at the 2007 Bathurst 1000 -- to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Allan Moffat and Colin Bond 1-2 finish -- all 400 cars were wholesaled to dealers within 48 hours."Did they learn nothing from that experience," said another Ford dealer, who also asked to remain anonymous. "The Cobras sold out in a flash and they weren't the last ones ever. This Falcon GT is the last one ever, the least they could have done was given more people the opportunity to buy a car."Dealers insist that all Falcon GT-Fs are being sold at the recommended retail price, of $77,990 plus on-road costs. "We're not allowed to charge over-the-odds for them, but they are all going out at full price," said one Ford dealer. "There is not a dollar coming off these cars because someone else will snap it up." Dealers are also concerned because, they say, Ford got the mix of manual versus automatic transmissions wrong.The GT-F build is reportedly 62 per cent automatic and 38 per cent manual, but Ford dealers say this figure should have been reversed because enthusiast buyers favour manual transmissions.For its part, Ford says that over the life of the modern Falcon GT, manual transmissions have accounted for only 26 per cent of sales. "All the manuals are gone," said one Ford dealer. "If you want one now, you've got to take an automatic and not be picky with colour."However, contrary to dealer feedback, Ford Australia has told Carsguide that there is time to increase the mix of manual variants before production starts within the next two months.There will be five colours available, including two that will be exclusive to the GT-F -- a bright blue and a gun-metal grey. And all cars will come with a unique sticker pack.Ford is yet to release photos or details of the Falcon GT-F; it is due to be unveiled in June. The GT-F is expected to carry the 351 badge, a reference to its power output in kilowatts but also a nod to size of the V8 in the iconic 1970s Falcon GT-HO.Ford says the GT-F will be based on the limited edition R-Spec version of the Falcon GT released 18 months ago, just before Ford Performance Vehicles closed its doors and Ford Australia took over the skeleton of the operation, namely the engine building team.The GT-F is expected to be the fastest Falcon GT ever built. Thanks to its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 and wider rear tyres to help it blast off the line with a race-car style "launch" control, it should be able to do the 0 to 100km/h dash in 4.5 seconds.Once the 351kW Falcon GT-F goes, the 335kW Ford XR8 will be introduced with the updated Falcon range from September 2014, until Australia's oldest automotive nameplate reaches the end of the line no later than October 2016.As reported earlier, Carsguide has been told there were secret plans to make the power output for the last-ever Falcon GT significantly higher than the 351kW high note it will finish on.Confidential sources claim the now defunct Ford Performance Vehicles had extracted 430kW of power from the supercharged V8 while it was in development, but those plans were vetoed by Ford because of concerns about reliability -- and the ability of the Falcon's chassis, gearbox, driveshaft and differential to handle so much grunt."We were at 430kW long before anyone knew HSV was going to have 430kW on the new GTS," said an insider. "But in the end, Ford put the brakes on it. We could get the power easy enough, but they reckoned it didn't make financial sense to make all the changes to the rest of the car to handle it."As it stands today the Falcon GT briefly gets up to 375kW in an "overboost" mode which lasts up to 20 seconds, but Ford is not allowed to claim this figure because it doesn't comply with international testing guidelines.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

FORD is poised to revive the famous 351 nameplate for the final edition of the iconic GT Falcon -- a move that will finally end all hopes and secret plans for a modern-day version of the GT-HO.Rather than describing the cubic capacity of the V8 engine of the iconic 1970 model -- at the time the fastest sedan in the world -- the 351 numbers this time around refer to the upgraded power output of the Falcon GT’s supercharged V8.Ford is understood to have given the Falcon GT a tune-up from 335kW to 351kW as part of a limited edition model due to be unveiled mid-year. The batch of 500 cars -- in at least four colour combinations -- will be the last Falcon GTs ever made as Ford has confirmed it is retiring the badge before the facelifted sedan goes on sale by September.Once the 351kW Falcon GT goes, the 335kW Ford XR8 will continue from September 2014 until the rest of the Falcon range reaches the end of the line no later than October 2016. Ford is understood to have completely re-engineered the Falcon GT since the closure of Ford Performance Vehicles division at the end of 2012.Insiders say it has retuned the engine and the suspension to match the “staggered” wheel and tyre combination (as with the limited edition R-Spec released in 2012 and all HSVs since 2006, the rear tyres of the new GT will be wider than the front for better traction).Carsguide has also been told there were secret plans to make the power output for the last-ever Falcon GT significantly higher than the 351kW high note it will finish on.Confidential sources claim that the now defunct Ford Performance Vehicles had extracted 430kW of power from the supercharged V8 while it was in development, but those plans were vetoed by Ford because of concerns about reliability -- and the ability of the Falcon’s chassis, gearbox, driveshaft and differential to handle so much grunt.“We were at 430kW long before anyone knew HSV was going to have 430kW on the new GTS,” said an insider. “But in the end, Ford put the brakes on it. We could get the power easy enough, but they reckoned it didn’t make financial sense to make all the changes to the rest of the car to handle it.”As it stands today the Falcon GT briefly gets up to 375kW in an “overboost” mode which lasts up to 20 seconds, but Ford is not allowed to claim this figure, according to international testing guidelines.The new limited edition GT with a retuned 351kW supercharged V8 and wider rear tyres is understood to accelerate quicker than the old model, and is said to be smoother off the line. The original supercharged Falcon GT’s acceleration was blunted because it could not get enough grip from the rear tyres.A rather rudimentary traction control system -- which cuts engine power -- made the GT Falcon less than elegant off the line, spluttering as it struggled to find traction. “The new one is a revelation,” says an insider. “It’s definitely ending on a high note. It’s just a shame the GT didn’t get to this point earlier.”Price is yet to be determined and even the top echelon of Ford dealers are yet to receive the full details on the car, but insiders say it will be close to $90,000 on the road. Ford dealers have already begun taking orders.One dealer who wished to remain anonymous told Carsguide: “Ford has absolutely under-called this. They have not built enough cars. If the 500 Cobra GT limited edition Falcon sedans sold out in 48 hours a few years back, you can imagine how quickly the last ever GT is going to sell out.”This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling

The big Aussie V8 is an endangered species, with just a few examples left before their eventual extinction.

The 59-year-old, one of the last senior executives from the tumultuous Jacques Nasser era, started as Ford's vice president of design in 1997 after working with BMW, Audi and Volkswagen.

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering -- would you buy one?WHAT IS IT?The ultimate Falcon GT and the last to come out of Ford Performance Vehicles which was recently brought back into the fold. From now on, they come off the same assembly line as other Falcons at Broadmeadows.HOW MUCH?Wait for it . . . $76,990. That's a lot of dosh for a car that doesn't even get power seats, let alone a driver's window with auto up. The question is . . . does the performance alone justify the price?WHAT ARE COMPETITORS?HSV's GTS and to a lesser extent Chrysler's SRT8 300. After that you can add in virtually anything that's fast and attractive.WHAT'S UNDER THE BONNET?5.0-litre supercharged V8, with 335kW of power and 570Nm of torque. RSPEC features recalibrated suspension, new wider 9-inch rears with 275/35 R19 Dunlop Sports Maxx tyres and, in an FPV first Launch Control.HOW DOES IT GO?A sleeping beast waiting to be stirred. Punch the accelerator and thing unwinds like a big cat, with a roar and plenty of sound effects from the Harrop supercharger.IS IT ECONOMICAL?Hardly. Most of our time was spent travelling up and down the motorway, with an all too brief session stretching its legs on some twisty back roads. Rated at 13.7 litres/100km we were getting 14.8 at the end of 500km it takes premium too.IS IT GREEN?Gets 3 out of 5 stars from the Govt's Green Vehicle Guide (Prius gets 5).IS IT SAFE?No probs. Just like the Falcon it gets a maximum five stars, with all the same safety gear including electronic traction and stability control.IS IT COMFORTABLE?It's a Falcon and that means yes. But little has been done to isolate the driver from the noise, vibration and harshness that comes with car like this it wears you down after a while.WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?In black with red highlights including red wheels it looks simply amazing and attracts plenty of attention. Other drivers also pay the car plenty of respect too, moving out of the way without waiting to be asked. The handling in this model is superb, with plenty of grip in corners that inspires confidence.IS IT VALUE FOR MONEY?Not really. This kind of money puts you behind the wheel of plenty of other cars, but arguably none with the same kind of appeal.WOULD WE BUY ONE?They'll be talking about cars like this in reverent terms in years to come. The environment just can't sustain them anymore, so if you want one you'd better get in quick. Something to tell your grand kids about.FPV GT RSPEC Limited EditionPrice: from $76,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmCrash rating:  5-star ANCAPEngine: 5.0-litre 8-cyl, 335kW/570NmTransmission: 6-speed auto; 6-speed manual RWDDimensions: 4970mm (L), 1868mm (W), 1453mm (H)Thirst: 13.7L/100km 324g/km CO2

They are the latest – and the greatest – of their current breed: the HSV GTS 25th anniversary edition and the supercharged FPV Falcon GT in its fittest form yet, the limited edition R-Spec.They represent the best from both brands before Holden’s updated Commodore arrives in showrooms in the middle of next year and Ford’s refreshed Falcon in 2014.Although the new-car sales race is more about the battle between Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai and others these days, many Australians still hold their childhood Holden-v-Ford rivalries close to their hearts – even if they’re driving an imported hatch or SUV that better suits their lifestyle.To help keep the dream alive we brought these two V8 kings of the road together for a final fling to the mecca of Australian motorsport: Bathurst.FPV GT R-SpecVALUEThe FPV GT R-Spec starts at $76,990, about $5000 more than the regular GT. For that, you get no extra power – but you do get reworked suspension and, crucially, wider rear tyres that provide much needed gripWhich is why the R-Spec is quicker than the standard GT to 100km/h – the fatter rubber at the rear means it launches better. Ford doesn’t make an official 0 to 100km/h claim but the GT now dips comfortably below the 5-second mark (internal testing showed a time of 4.5 seconds in ideal conditions), making it the fastest Australian-made car of all time.The black bodywork with orange highlights – and a “C”-shaped stripe along the flanks – are designed to pay homage to the iconic 1969 Boss Mustang. This is the most popular colour combination, with 175 made. The remaining 175 R-Spec models were red, white or blue with black stripes.Compared to a regular GT, the R-Spec price is steep – and FPV still charges $5995 for six-piston front brakes on the fastest Falcon ever made. It’s a moot point, however. Ford fans have snapped up all 350.TECHNOLOGYThe GT R-Spec saw the debut of launch control for FPV – on both manual and automatic versions (HSV only has launch control on manual cars). We drove the GT R-Spec manual a few months ago, but on this occasion had the automatic on hand.This may come as a shock to diehards but the automatic is the pick. The six-speed manual loses too much acceleration between gear-changes, and thumps and groans in the process. Muscle car fans may like the manual’s brutish feel but, by comparison, the six-speed automatic GT feels like you’re strapped to a rocket.ACCOMODATIONThe Falcon is roomy and comfortable, it’s just a pity there isn’t more visual differentiation between the GT and the standard models inside (a logo on the instrument cluster and a red starter button).Despite the price the GT misses out on other touches such as auto-up power windows and fully electric adjustment on the front seats (both standard on the HSV GTS).The seats are the same as those used in XR Falcons, but with unique stitching. There’s modest under thigh and lateral support but the lumbar adjustment is good.SAFETYStability control, six airbags and five-star safety mean the fastest Falcon is also the safest ever made. The wider rear rubber improves road holding.But six-piston front brakes should be standard, instead it gets the regular four-piston brakes. Apart from a rear camera, there are no other safety gadgets.DRIVINGThis is the Falcon GT that should have bowed in 2010 when the supercharged V8 was installed – but the extra chassis development and wider rear wheels were delayed by the Global Financial Crisis of 2008.Thankfully, FPV engineers forged ahead to give their mighty supercharged V8 the traction it sorely needed. The suspension is a lot firmer than before – and slightly more so than the HSV – but the net result is a car that has a significantly higher threshold of grip.(The wheels are still 19-inch in diameter as the Falcon can’t house 20-inch rims and still meet Ford’s clearance requirements. HSV has had 20-inch, “staggered” wheels since 2006).The shifts in the six-speed auto are smooth, enabling you to extract the most from the engine, although sometimes it doesn’t kick-down to a low-enough gear.The characteristic supercharger whine sounds superb, as does the V8 Supercar-like exhaust system, which does a good job of drowning out the intrusive tyre noise on coarse-chip surfaces.Overall, though, this is the first Falcon GT I’m genuinely excited about – and the first time I’d consider Ford’s supercharged V8 over its awesome turbocharged six-cylinder sibling.HSV GTS 25VALUEAt $84,990, the 25th anniversary edition of the GTS is $2000 more than the standard GTS and, as with the Ford, gets no extra power. But HSV has added $7500 worth of equipment including six-piston front brakes, blind-zone warning and new, lightweight wheels.The “Darth Vader”-style bonnet scoops and fender vents are borrowed from the anniversary edition HSV Maloo of two years ago. It also gets black highlights and exhaust tips, and 25th anniversary stitching in the seats and badging on the boot and door sills.Only 125 have been made (in yellow, black, red and white). All are sold, and no more GTS models will be built until the updated Commodore arrives in June.TECHNOLOGYIn addition to the aforementioned blind-zone warning (the first on an Australian-made car, it detects nearby vehicles in the adjacent lanes) the GTS has a raft of gadgets that not even Nissan’s hi-tech GT-R and Porsche’s 911 have.The GTS has an onboard computer than enables you to track the vehicle’s engine and suspension performance, G-force, fuel economy and track-trace lap times on every race circuit in Australia – with room to add more.Unlike the two-mode exhaust on the Ford, the HSV’s exhaust system can be switched to loud or quiet via the same interface. Launch control is only available on the manual GTS, but its stability control has two settings: standard, and a track mode that loosens the leash a little.The magnetically-controlled suspension (also used on Corvettes, Audis and Ferraris) has two settings: performance and track mode. A little known feature: the HSV’s cruise control will automatically apply the brakes to control speed downhill (other systems control only the throttle, not the brakes, and the speed can creep).LED daytime running lights and the LED tail-lights were firsts on Australian-made cars when introduced.ACCOMODATIONThe Commodore is roomy, with ample adjustment in the steering and seating to find the perfect driving position. The bulging steering wheel, unique instrument cluster and gauges provide important differentiation from the standard car.The lower seat cushions have good under thigh and lateral support but not as much lumbar adjustment as the Ford. The optional sunroof fitted to the test car robbed our 187cm-tall (6ft, 2in) test-drive companion of headroom. As much as he enjoyed the GTS, it became too uncomfortable and did the majority of his time in the Ford.SAFETYStability control, six airbags, five-star safety and ample grip – and the biggest brakes fitted to a locally-made car – have all the bases covered.Side blind-zone alert is a handy feature (especially given that the Commodore’s mirrors are so small) and the rear camera helps squeeze into tight parking spots. But the thick windscreen pillars still block your view in some bends – and pedestrian crossings.DRIVINGThe HSV GTS is not as quick as the FPV GT R-Spec – especially when the Holden is a manual – but it’s still fun to drive, and capable of a low 5-second dash to the speed limit.The lightest 20-inch rims ever made by HSV trim 22kg from the overall weight and subtly improve steering feel. My favourite part, though, is the crackle and burble of the bi-modal exhaust on over-run and between gearchanges.The brake pedal feel is superb, too. I prefer the HSV’s slightly better damped suspension, and the car is quieter at cruising speeds.VERDICTIn many ways the outcome of this exercise is academic because buyers from both camps rarely switch sides. The good news is that true believers in Ford and Holden have world-class cars to choose from – which wouldn’t exist without the fleet versions of the Falcon and Commodore on which they’re based.Nevertheless, this result may make for difficult reading for Holden fans. HSV has had the upper hand in performance and handling over its Ford rival for some time, but the latest FPV GT R-Spec finally turns the tables.HSV still leads with technology, equipment, all-round refinement and overall capability – but if power and control are the primary criteria, the FPV GT R-Spec wins this contest. Being several thousand dollars cheaper than the HSV simply seals the deal.FPV GT R-SpecPrice: from $78,990Warranty: Three years/100,000kmService interval: 15,000km/12 monthsSafety rating: 5 starsEngine: Supercharged 5.0-litre V8, 335kW, 570NmTransmission: Six-speed automaticThirst: 13.7L/100km, 324g/kmDimensions (L/W/H): 4970/1864/1444mmWeight: 1857kgSpare wheel: Full size alloy (front)HSV GTS 25th anniversaryPrice: from $84,990Warranty: Three years/100,000kmService interval: 15,000km/9 monthsSafety rating: 5 starsEngine: 6.2-litre V8, 325kW, 550NmTransmission: Six-speed manualThirst: 13.5L/100km, 320g/kmDimensions (L/W/H): 4998/1899/1466mmWeight: 1845kgSpare wheel: Inflator kit. Spare wheel $199

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) is no longer a standalone operation, it’s now in the process of being incorporated into the mainstream part of Ford Australia’s business as part of the cost trimming necessary to keep Ford in operation locally. Our test GT Falcon came from FPV directly as we picked it up just before the announcement of the changes to the company’s structure.VALUEWhen first launched last year, the new hot Falcon was the first supercharged V8-powered GT in its 43-year history. With 335 kW of peak power and 570 Nm of top torque, the 5.0-litre Boss V8 is fitted to four models – the GS, GT, GT-P and GT E – ranging in price from just under sixty-grand to $83k. The GT test car comes in at a tad over $71,000 – a stunning bargain when compared with similar cars from the like of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.With minor changes on the outside, the main game inside has been upgraded with the latest in smart automotive technology, including a new command centre, the focus of which is an 8-inch full colour touch screen. Centrally placed on the dashboard, the screen lays out an array of important vehicle information from air-con, audio, phone to satellite navigation systems. Unfortunately the angle of the screen makes it particularly prone to reflection in bright sunlight making it difficult to read too often.The luxury Falcon GT E, GT-P and F6 E models also feature a new integrated satellite navigation system with Traffic Message Channel as standard equipment. This includes 2D or 3D map modes; ‘junction view’ graphical representation of the road; ‘green routing’, which works out the most economical route, as well as the fastest and shortest routes available; advanced lane guidance and signpost information indicating which lane to use; street house numbers left and right; ‘Where Am I’ feature to show nearby points of interest and over-speed and speed camera warnings.Already standard on the big Ford GT E and F6 E, a reversing camera is now part of the package on the GT, adding to the convenience of the reverse audio sensing system which now displays a graphic on the command centre screen to supplement audible warnings.TECHNOLOGYAt 47 kg lighter than the all aluminium 5.4 litre Boss 315 kW engine it replaces, the new 335 kW engine is the result of a $40 million program put together by Aussie-based company Prodrive, a major operator of the FPV organisation at the time. Taking a lead from the Coyote V8 first introduced in the latest American Ford Mustang, the base of the new FPV engine is imported from the US in component form and hand assembled locally by FPV, using extensive Australian-made componentry.The heart of the Australian engine is a Harrop Engineering-developed supercharger utilising Eaton TVS technology. Fuel consumption figures held no surprises, the test GT using 8.6 litres per 100 kilometres during a cruise on the motorway, while in town gulping 18-plus litres over the same distance.DESIGNOn the outside the Falcon GT is fitted with new lighting complete with projector headlamps. Cabin comfort is good, with plenty of room all round, driver visibility to match and pretty good support during hard cornering.Interior upgrades include the addition of FPV floor mats, while added exclusivity of the GT comes with each car individually numbered – in the case of the test vehicle ‘0601’. Collectors please note. We loved the triumphant power bulge rising above the bonnet; the figures ‘335’ on the flanks spruiking the power plant’s potential in kilowatts (450 horsepower in real money); and Boss announcing the engine’s station in life.SAFETYSafety is in the hands of driver and front passenger airbags, plus front seat side thorax and curtain airbags, anti-skid brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake force assist, dynamic stability control and traction control.DRIVINGFitted with a six-speed automatic transmission with sequential sports shift, a no-cost option on the GT, the whole package produces handling which belies the car’s bulk – the balance of an Olympic gymnast and snappy turn-in of a 200m sprinter – four-piston Brembo brakes making light of pulling up.Driving flexibility is way above that shown previously in a big V8.The Falcon GT will happily tootle around in town traffic. But plant the foot on the highway and the beast is unleashed, putting instant power to the road, while out the back, via a quad pipe bi-modal exhaust system, comes a deep engine note to match.VERDICTWe loved every minute of our time in this great Aussie muscle car.Ford FG Falcon GT Mk IIPrice: from $71,290 (not including government or dealer delivery charges)Warranty: 3 years / 100,000 kmSafety: 5 star ANCAPEngine: 5.0-litre supercharged DOHC V8, 335kW/570NmTransmission: ZF 6-speed, RWDThirst: 13.7L/100km, 325g/km CO2

At the same time as it introduced the new Falcon GT R-Spec sedan in Melbourne, Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) also displayed the most limited of all limited-edition utes it has ever built.Only available in Silhouette (a very black black) with Vixen stripes and accents, the FPV Pursuit ute will be limited to just 75 units. The latest FPV Pursuit Ute has a GT colour-coded front bumper and eight-inch alloy wheels in the same design as the nine-inch units fitted to the GT R-Spec.The Pursuit has the standard features of the current GS ute, to which have been added a Pursuit badge across the tailgate and a GT colour-coded bumper that ties in nicely with the decal pack featuring FPV’s ‘C’ stripe. The rear end treatment finishes with black painted exhaust tips.This eye-catching colour scheme, together with the special decals, lifts the looks of the already good FPV body modifications. The result is a true Aussie designed and built ute that really stands out on the road or at the owner’s favourite hangout.Inside, the latest FPV ute has Shadow leather sports seats, a stylish piano black interior finish around the ICC unit, the tissue box and the door spears. The gear lever on the manual has a new badge design. Entertainment is provided by Ford’s Premium Sound system. Suna traffic control makes life easier.The limited edition Pursuit Ute is powered by the FPV modified all-aluminium 315 kW 5.0-litre Harrop-supercharged V8 engine producing 545 Nm of torque between 2000 and 5500 rpm. The engine is based on the Boss unit built for the Ford Mustang in the United States, but gets quite a few modifications after it hits the Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) workshop in Melbourne.As well as the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the FPV Pursuit Ute has the option of a six-speed automatic transmission with sequential sports shifts. The recommended manufacturer's list price for the limited edition FPV Pursuit ute is $57,990, on-road and governments charges have to be added. The Pursuit ute is sold only at participating FPV dealers.