FPV Pursuit Reviews

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?This is Ford Performance Vehicle's real hotrod six-pot -- arguably a quicker device than the lauded FPV GT V8. Popular as a Highway Patrol pursuit vehicle, the F6 gets going quicker than most cars on the road, (auto or manual) looks pretty wild and has dynamics to match. Holden has nothing remotely similar in the HSV range.How much?The price is $64,890 but there are options available such as satnav (which should be standard).What are competitors?Anything from FPV and HSV are in the F6's sights. It will waste most if not all of them especially from relatively low to mid-range speeds.What's under the bonnet?Power comes from a turbo-charged, 4.0-litre six cylinder, basically the Falcon taxi engine with (considerable) enhancements. Maximum output is 310kW with 565Nm becoming available from 1950rpm.How does it go?Like a rocket. Off the line, mid-range and top end — doesn't matter, the F6 has what it takes to push you back hard into your sports seat. We reckon it would be into the low 5.0 second bracket for a 0-100kmh sprint, possibly quicker — the 4.0s seem achievable.Is it economical?Surprisingly yes if you drive steadily. On the freeway we saw under 10.0 litres/100km but the overall figure for the 600km mixed test drive was about 12.8 litres/100km — of 98 octane petrol.Is it green?Not really, generates a lot of carbon dioxide — understandable given the power output and performance.Is it safe?All Falcons and Falcon-based cars score five stars for crash safety. This one gets a reverse camera for 2012.Is it comfortable?Very. We expected it to be rock hard — an unyielding sports sedan but no, the F6 has a firm but comfy ride, makes little noise and offers quite a luxury drive experience with premium audio, leather, multi function controller and wheel among a host of goodies. Hate the button start — after you turn the key — dumb.What's it like to drive?Exciting is the best way to describe the F6 drive experience. The engine is incredible and the dynamics are pretty good even if the steering feels a little nervous. Multi drive modes like European performance cars would be an improvement. Needs wider tyres for more traction, corner grip. The four piston Brembo brakes struggle on a winding road. Optional six pot Brembos should be standard for the dosh.Is it value for money?Against expensive European cars yes. Compared to the FPV GT and HSV GTS — yes. In purely pragmatic terms, we don't understand why you'd buy the V8 except for the sound.Would we buy one?Maybe. But it's dead set cop bait. Trying to keep the F6 on the speed limit is a challenge that distracts you from the safe driving job at hand.FPV F6 FG MkIIPrice: $64,890Warranty: Three years/100,000kmCrash rating:  5-star ANCAPEngine: 4.0-litre 6-cyl, 310kW/565NmTransmission: 6-speed manual, RWDDimensions: 4956mm (L), 1868mm (W), 1466mm (H)Weight: 1771kgThirst: 12.3L/100km 290g/km CO2

Road runner would have been road kill if Wile E Coyote could have got his paws on Ford Performance Vehicles' supercharged V8.The engine is known locally as Miami but is a modified version of the 5.0-litre Coyote powerplant fitted to Ford Mustangs in the US. At first glance the range-topping GT-E looks too tame - even with that deep honeycomb grille on the front bumper - to be a tyre-shredding pursuit vehicle.That impression changes as soon you prod the right foot at a straight and unleash 335kW/570Nm. The only cars keeping up will be those with fairly exotic badges and prices north of $100,000. Not bad for a souped-up Falcon - and definitely capable of running-down the cartoon character.COSTThe biggest problem with the $82,990 GT-E is it still feels like a $47,000 Falcon G6E. The FPV team fits this executive express with leather upholstery, reversing camera, wood veneer highlights and a decent sound system, but the plastic panels, buttons and dials can all be found in taxis around the country.None of matters a damn when you're behind the wheel indulging in the sound and speed no Falcon can match. Budget-conscious buyers should look to the $76,940 F6E - it's the same car fitted with the 310kW/565Nm turbo six-cylinder engine. It is marginally slower off the line but the lighter engine helps the front wheels change direction faster in the turns.TECHNOLOGYForced induction is the road all carmakers are following.  FPV has a foot in both camps with the supercharged V8 using mechanical power from the engine to compress air while the turbocharger on the F6E is driven off the exhaust gases. A new eight-inch touchscreen has standard satnav with Suna real-time traffic updates and - bizarrely - a "green routing" mode that calculates the most economical path. Like FPV owners care - the fumes from the quad exhausts after a decent run would probably power a light car.STYLINGYep, it's a Falcon, inside and out. That's not bad, given the The GT-E and F6E are the more restrained styling duo I the FPV stable and are the pick of the fleet for it. It's hard not to notice the six-piston Brembos lurking behind the 19-inch wheels but the rest of the body kit is - by muscle car standards - subdued. The leather seats look and feel good and the grip helps cover the fact the seat isn't bolstered enough to cope with the lateral forces this car can generate.SAFETYFPV has only improved on Ford's five-star work with the Falcon. The brakes are truly impressive despite a slightly wooden pedal feel and the car feels much more planted than a regular Falcon. The usual safety software comes in to play if things do get a bit sideways and there are six airbags if all else fails.DRIVINGForty years ago the only people who didn't want a performance Ford were those who barracked for Holden. Since then the Europeans have produces a succession of lighter, faster cars that use less fuel and home grown became hackneyed. The GT-E proves that doesn't have to be the case. The Harrop-developed supercharger serves up a tidal wave of grunt so that in pure speed, it is not far off the likes of a Mercedes C63 AMG. And the FPV costs half as much. The weight over the front end means it is more at home in sweeping turns than hairpins and the suspension is a reasonable compromise between soaking up the bumps and keeping the car flat. Wider tyres would improve the grip but that's the only complaint.VERDICTThe pick of the FPV litter can hold its own against some much more expensive opposition. Buying local puts a car with stunning performance and room for five in the garage. It's the best-of-both-worlds scenario for car enthusiasts who still have to lug friends or family around.FPV GT-EPrice: $82,990Warranty: Three years/100,000kmResale: 76 per centService Intervals:  12 months/15,000kmSafety: ABS with BA and EBD, ESC, TC, six airbagsCrash Rating:  Five starsEngine: 335kW/570Nm 5.0-litre supercharged V8Transmission: Six-speed automatic, rear-wheel driveBody: Four-door sedanDimensions:  4956mm (L), 1868mm (W), 1466mm (H), 2836mm (WB), 1586/1616mm tracks front/rearWeight: 1870kgThirst: 13.7L/100km (95RON), g/km CO2

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?This is the ultimate Ford Performance Vehicle currently available in Australia, soon to be supplanted by the HO version allegedly with 375kW (500hp).How much?Gulp! $81,540 plus on roads.What are the competitors?HSV GTS and Chrysler 300C SRT8, the latter soon to get more cubes and power.What's under the bonnet?A supercharged, 5.0-litre, DOHC, V8 petrol engine cranking out a claimed 335kW/570Nm through a choice (no additional cost) of six-speed manual or six- speed auto to the rear wheels.How does it go?Whooshdah - quick and fast though the hugely overgeared top cogs in the manual drive car were useless for anything other than lazy cruising.Is it economical?Not really, driven carefully you might see 12s, driven with verve you'll see 30s.Is it green?Not really, especially consuming that much juice. There's gonna be plenty of gas coming out the quad exhaust pipes.Is it safe?Gets a five star crash rating in line with garden variety Falcon - a distant relative.Is it comfortable?Surprisingly so, infact, possibly too comfortable at the expense of sporty dynamics. The softish suspension lets the big, weighty GT-P porpoise about on undulating roads when driven moderately quickly. Needs two modes - comfort and sport. Adjustable seats are great and there's oodles of kit inside to make you happy.What's it like to drive?Disappointing because of the soft suspension and weight. It's a big porker and the boundaries are clearly established as soon as you press a tad too hard. Though "bi-modal" the exhaust note isn't stirring like, say, a Benz C63AMG but the whirring supercharger is pretty cool. Brakes and steering are OK, needs wider tyres to cope with the weight and engine output. We'd go for the auto because the top two cogs wouldn't be as useless as they are on the manual.Is it value for money?Not really, none of this type of car is. FPV crams it full of luxury goodies to try and cover the price but it needs to be a sharper scalpel, not a big axe with a dumb ignition key AND push button starter.Would we buy one?We'd go for the FPV F6 turbo, something sporty from Europe or a turbo rice burner.Ford FPV GT-POVERALL RATING

Married with a daughter (who is also a Ford fan), Mr Watson currently has an FPV GT 335 sedan, the latest in a long line of Ford products."We have had around 20 Fords - various models, not just Falcons - after some Holdens. We have had many Fords, one has followed the other ever since and we have no plans to change camps," he says.Mr Watson looks at the red versus blue rivalry as something that is now generational. "When it started it was Moffat versus Brock and has grown since then to have people either red or blue, now we're talking second and third generation fans as children follow their parents," he says.The family has had an FPV GT since April - the supercharged 335kW version - and now wouldn't have anything else. "I absolutely love it, the supercharged V8 has plenty of power - we use it for normal road work, not track days, we don't push it that hard, but it has plenty of poke for overtaking," he says."We're also restoring an old XB Falcon - a full bare-metal restoration - with 393 stroker V8, that will sit proudly next to the new GT," he says.A big shed and a tolerant wife are two key ingredients to Daryl Leaker's impressive stable of Holden product. The 1998 HSV Senator Signature 220i shares garage space with a number of Holden, HSV and HDT machines."I've got a very big shed for them all, I've always liked Holdens because my father was a Holden salesman so it is in the blood I guess," he says.Mr Leaker hasn't always just owned Holdens - a Mitsubishi Pajero replaced a Ford Territory recently, but there balance of power has always been to the General, harking back to his formative years with a Holden salesman for a father."It was great when Dad was selling Holdens, I got to drive GTR XU-1s and 327 Monaros when they were brand new," he says. "When I turned 21 I bought myself an HQ GTS coupe and got some discount through my father, I wish I still had that car as well."The HSV shares shed space with a VN SS Group A and an HSV Statesman, as well as a HDT VK Brock Commodore SS in silver and an HJ Monaro four-door."I'll always be a Holden fan - I think I'd die of shock if the missus came home in an FPV GT," he says.

Sermon on the MountCometh October and verily did the pilgrims converge upon the sacred Mount where on was preached the sermon of the bent eights. Congregate did the disciples of the Blue Oval and Red Lion sects at this holy place; there to cast empty drink vessels at the unbelievers and to light pyres of sacrificial chariots. And at day's end, when one tribe's champion had smote mightily the other, the believers and philistines all did trail away in a long mournful procession across the western plain ...SO MIGHT read some scrap of scroll unearthed by a future archaeologist recounting the annual secular rite that is the Bathurst 1000. This weekend's edition might be one of the last to feature only the the clans of Ford and Holden, as the end of the two-make contest is nigh. The need for new blood is widely recognised - not least by incoming V8 Supercars commissioner Mark Skaife, even in the form of marques from distant lands that your flat-earth Aussie V8 believer can scarcely envisage.That though, like the day of reckoning, is a prospect best not dwelt upon. Today's our day for making a pilgrimage to the Mount in two of the best V8s from the Holden and Ford stables. In sales terms, the fight between the Cruze and the Focus shapes as far more meaningful, but the muscle cars chosen for our excursion show this perpetual heavyweight title fight is far from decided.Ford Performance Vehicles is represented by its GT-P, essentially a life support system for the stunning new supercharged all-alloy Boss 5.0-litre V8. The fruit of an estimated $40 million investment, it obliges by returning 335kW at 5750rpm and a gut-punching 570Nm from 2200-5500rpm.That overwhelming (literally as it turns out) off-the-line performance is underwritten by superb Brembo brakes. Visually - despite its sober, deeply dark blue paint, silver accents and grey stripes - it's as subtle as a copping a half-full can of VB  on the scone, with a vast spoiler rising from the rear deck and a mountainous protruding bulge on the bonnet.The visual cues of Holden Special Vehicle's Clubsport R8 Black Edition emphasise that, although this is a close competitor, the respective cars are about as different as two similar things can be. Ours is luminous white with matt-black accents, even the HSV badges, suggesting nothing so much as a Star Wars stormtrooper helmet. (Lord of the Fully Sith, anyone?) On its V8, FPV has downsized and used forced induction while the Clubbie is all about capacity and natural aspiration in the form of that resonant 6.2-litre V8. For all its size, its output is less than the FPV's - 317kW at 6000rpm and 550Nm at a higher 4600rpm.The ClubSport's brakes are equally impressive for their progression through the pedal and the assertive bite. There's also an HSV-bespoke limited-slip differential to keep it in shape. With this and the wider rubber around the 19-inch alloys at the rear, the electronic safety measures are less frequently aroused.Escaping Sydney's ever-expanding sprawl, our 16-cylinder procession abandons the (not so) Great Western Highway, cutting across country via Hampton, Oberon and O'Connell to Bathurst, soaking up the spring rain, sleet, hail and single-digit temperature with which the NSW central west is apt to bushwhack the unwary.The FPV soon reveals its twitchy, manic manner. This is the one you'd reckon on winning any traffic light derby, or would be if acceleration off the line and out of corners didn't need a sensitive foot. Punch it too hard in any conditions, especially wet ones, and a superb engine - one you'd be happy to find in a top-end Jaguar - is too much for the chassis to handle and the stability program to rein in.Initial discomfort isn't helped by the most awkward driving position since the old Alfa Romeos. As ever in Falcons, you're perched as though on an orange crate and anyone taller than 185cm has the wheel in his or her lap.But ... Suck all this up, breathe out and what a weapon you wield. You might undercook your corner entry speed, yet if you pick your moment you'll power out with supreme authority accompanied by the charger's whine. For all the modernity of what's under the bonnet, the character of this package feels more like an older-school muscle car, one that requires your best to get its best.The Clubsport, by contrast, is more, well clubbable, as in a club to which you have to be elected. More linear than the FPV in almost all respects - acceleration, steering and handling - it fills the grand touring remit with luxuriant ease, barely touching 2000rpm at the legal limit in sixth gear.A manual gear shifter (which initially brings to mind a piece of gym equipment in its action) feels almost buttery after exposure to the tight-gate rigidity of the FPV's stick.The HSV's seats are not nearly so supportive as the Ford's big, ribbed sports pews but they are more comfortable over distance, while enhancing the impression that the Clubbie shrinks around the driver as you push through the curves. And it's an interior that at least approximates the spend - hardly lush, it is recognisably that of a luxury car with a standard features list that's as full as its rival's is spartan. And, at 80 big ones, the FPV's innards are too like that of a Falcon of half that price.The current HSV series is the one that most convincingly answer that age-old question, "Is it worth the extra spend over an SS?" with an emphatic "bloody oath". It also speaks to the man of means who wants to celebrate his success, not with the obvious German device, but a bulging bicep of Australiana that he (or, yes, possibly she) can drive comfortably every day.None of this is to write off the GT-P. It's an engine in search of a more deservingly contemporary and capable car, yet it provides a rousing contrast, something perhaps for the driver who retains more fire in his expanding belly. What you prefer not to imagine is some ambitious and ability-shy youth getting hold of a well-worn example a decade from now.And as we end our sermon from freezing, darkening Skyline at Mount Panorama days before the great race, both cars prove that Blue Oval/Red Lion rivalry is as alive on the road as on the track.HSV R8 CLUBSPORT BLACK EDITION4.5/5 starsPrice: $71,990Warranty: 3 years/100,000kmResale: 58 per centSafety: 5 starsEngine: 6.2-litre V8, 317kW/550NmBody: 4-door sedanWeight: 1812kgTransmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel driveThirst: 13.5L/100km (98 RON)"A grand tourer par excellence; the everyday muscle car"FPV GT-P4/5 starsPrice: $81,540Warranty: 3 years/100,00kmResale: 76 per centSafety: five starEngine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8, 335kW/575NmBody: 4-door sedanWeight: 1800kg (est)Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel driveThirst: 13.7L/100km (PULP)"Fast and just a bit infuriating"

Even at a time when fuel economy is top-of-mind with a growing number of Australian drivers there is plenty of space on the roads for Commodores and Falcons with old-fashioned V8 muscle under the bonnet. They burble menacingly at idle. They are the backbone of V8 Supercar racing.Yet V8s in the 21st century are not what they were in the days when they first conquered Mount Panorama and a GTHO Falcon or a Monaro - or even a Valiant V8 - was a dream machine for a generation of Aussie youngsters.Since 1970 the crude oil price has exploded from $20 a barrel to double that amount during the Iran revolution, over $70 during the first Gulf War, broke through the $100 barrier ahead of the Global Financial Crisis and has now settled at just below $100.In Australia, petrol prices have correspondingly risen from about 8c a litre in 1970 to about 50c in 1984 and almost $1.50 today.Despite all this, and despite one attempt at a death sentence by Ford in the 1980s, the V8 has not been wiped from Australian showrooms. Holden and Ford have continued to produce large cars with a V8 alternative and continue to slog it out at Bathurst.But Australian cars, even the ones that now have American V8s imported for local use, are not the only bent-eight blasters on the road.Germans are prolific builders of V8s and produce some of the most powerful engines in the world thanks to AMG-Mercedes, BMW and Audi. English V8s are built by Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar, while the Americans provide V8s in the Chrysler 300C sold here. Even the Japanese luxury brand Lexus has a V8 in its IS F hero and its luxury saloon LS460, as well as the LandCruiser-cloned LX470.Most V8s are powerful enough breathing ordinary air, but there are many forced-induction models with either turbo or supercharging to liberate even more power. Walkinshaw Performance does the job in Australia for Holden, BMW is going down the turbo V8 road for its latest M cars and Benz had a time with a supercharged AMG V8.But V8s are not just about unrestricted power. The push for greater fuel economy has also reached V8 land and so Chrysler and Holden have V8s with multiple displacement technology which shuts down half the cylinders when the car is just cruising to improve fuel economy. Formula One racing engines now do the same thing when they are idling on a grand prix starting grid.Holden's Active Fuel Management (AFM) was introduced on the V8 Commodore and Caprice in 2008 and the red lion brand is committed to the engine - with future technology updates - despite near-record fuel prices."It is incumbent on us to keep it relevant and continue introducing new technology that delivers on our customers' needs," says Holden's Shayna Welsh.Holden has the biggest stake in V8s with more models than any other company selling in Australia. It has a total of 12 models with V8 engines across four nameplates and four body styles, including Commodore SS, SS V, Calais V, Caprice V and the recently introduced Redline range. V8s account for about one quarter of Commodore sedan sales and almost half of Ute sales."We see it as being more than just the V8 engine - it's about the entire car. It's the whole performance package that appeals to people and we want to continue making cars that people are proud to own," Welsh says."The combination of features and technology, great handling and braking and outstanding value is consistent across our V8 model range."Ford fans are also committed to V8s, according to company spokesperson Sinead McAlary, who says a recent Facebook survey was overwhelmingly positive."We asked whether they worry about petrol prices and they say 'No, it's the sound of the V8 we love and we are prepared to pay the price'," she says.Both Ford and Holden also have performance divisions where the V8 was, and still is, king. Ford's is Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and Holden's is Holden Special Vehicles (HSV).HSV marketing manager Tim Jackson says their sales are "on par" with last year."That's despite the fact that last year we had the limited edition GX-P which is an entry level product for us," he says. "We don't have that model in our range at all this year and you would expect numbers to come off, but we've been able to maintain sales volume."All of HSV's range are powered by a naturally aspirated V8 engine (6200cc 317kW-325kW), while the opposition at FPV has gained the kilowatt advantage with forced induction (supercharged 5000cc 315kW-335kW).Jackson says their LS3 V8 has been "validated" by customers."We're not getting guys screaming at us to go turbocharging. The LS3 is an extraordinary unit. It's a light engine with a good power-to-weight figure. There is not a turbo engine that would do it for us at the right development cost. But I wouldn't rule it (turbo) out or rule it in."Jackson says there have been no repercussions from the rise in petrol prices."Our customers don't have other choices in their repertoire," he says. "A small car doesn't suit them and they're not into an SUV. They're of a certain level where the whole cost of running the car is easy for them to absorb."The top-selling HSV is the ClubSport R8, followed by the Maloo R8, then GTS.However, the greatest HSV in history is debatable, Jackson says.HSV engineering boss Joel Stoddart prefers the all-wheel-drive Coupe4 and sales boss Darren Bowler the SV5000."The Coupe4 is special because of its engineering but I like the W427 because it's the fastest," Jackson says.FPV boss Rod Barrett says they are also experiencing strong sales growth. He says they sold about 500 cars in the first quarter, which is up 32 per cent on the previous year. He also says sales of the F6 have slowed since the launch of the supercharged V8 engine variants late last year, as customers "opt for power". Ford no longer offers a V8 with the demise of the XR8 sedan and ute last year."Our middle name is performance so we have all the V8s," Barrett says. "When we were launching this new supercharged car all the V8s came across here."Barrett says their supercharged engine has changed people's minds about "dinosaur V8s"."The turbocharged F6 was a cult hero car in its day and people thought a V8 was a low-tech dinosaur," he says. "But when we produced a high-tech all-alloy five-litre supercharged V8 built in Australia people started to think that V8s aren't all that bad after all. I'm not seeing the demise of the V8 just yet, but for us, the future is hi-tech."The supercharged 5.0Litre V8 335kW FPV GT continues to be FPV's top-selling vehicle followed closely by the supercharged V8 5.0 litre 315kW GS sedan and GS ute.Barrett believes the current GT is the best FPV car yet with its segment-leading power, light weight and improved fuel economy."However, I think our most iconic car was the 2007 BF Mk II 302kW Cobra in white with blue stripes. That car brought back the passion of '78 with the original Cobra. If you have a look at the second-hand prices, they are still holding up very well" he says.

Vicious. Not feral, but furious, potent and unrelenting.It might have been called a Coyote when it first arrived, but the supercharged V8 now rumbling beneath the bulging hood of the FPV GT-P is more panther or lion - sorry, Holden and Peugeot.It is, says Ford, the most powerful GT in the history of the company's most famous Australian-made model and it sounds like it.VALUEThe GT-P is second to the GT-E for price by $1000, starting from $81,540 - some say it's a lot of money for a Falcon, others look at the performance and think its a decent features list.It includes dual zone climate control, full iPod integration for the 6CD subwoofer-equipped sound system, Bluetooth phone link, parking sensors, rear camera, power-adjustable driver's seat, carpet floor mats, alloy-covered pedals, power windows, power mirrors and anti-dazzle mirrors - but satellite navigation is on the options list - a bit rich on an $80,000 car.TECHNOLOGYThe already-potent V8 makes the trip from the US but once here gets plenty of extra treatment - it's worth every cent of the $40-million spend on the development program.The Coyote Ford V8 - first seen in the new Mustang - is an all-aluminium double overhead cams 32-valve unit, which meets Euro IV emissions regulations and is 47kg lighter than the outgoing 5.4 litre V8.The Eaton supercharger bumps the outputs up to 335kW and 570Nm - increases of 20kW and 19Nm over the outgoing GT-P powerplant - braying through an active quad-pipe exhaust.The test car had the muscular but clean-shifting six-speed manual, but there's a six-speed automatic on offer as a no-cost option.DESIGNNew stickers boasting the upgraded power output are the main styling change (although I think it would have looked better if they joined up with the bonnet stripes) for the updated FPV - reminiscent of Ford Boss Mustang musclecars of yesteryear.The power bulge - perhaps more required now than ever with the supercharger - and the overt sports bodykit remain unchanged, leaving other road users in no doubt about the GT-P's intentions and potential.The interior is dark and brooding, with sports leather seats with GT-P embroidery and suede-covered bolsters, a sports leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift.SAFETYThe Falcon donor is a five-star ANCAP car and the GT-P gets the full compliment of safety bits - airbags (dual front, side and full-length curtain), stability and traction control and anti-lock brakes - as well as rear parking sensors and a rear camera.DRIVINGFollowing our first spin in the supercharged FPV, a drive on local roads was much anticipated and the GT-P has not disappointed.The big muscly sedan is planted on the road as if the low-profile Dunlops are woven into the road, but the ride is pretty good given the 35-profile of the tyres and the bias towards handling.Burble through an underground carpark and the bass from the V8 is quiet; wind it up towards 6000rpm and the V8 bellow and supercharger whine becomes more obvious but never intrusive.The six-speed manual needs to be shifted with purpose - on more than a couple of occasions the first-second shifts were crunched as the action wasn't completed with conviction.Day to day dawdling is a short-shifting affair - first gear is largely redundant unless you're pointed up hill, fourth and fifth can be selected quite early and just above idle is all that's required to maintain forward momentum.A blast along a favoured piece of tarmac soon shows a glimpse of what the GT-P is capable of doing - dispatching with straights at a rapid rate, wiping off speed in short order using the solid Brembo stoppers and turning confidently into corners.Sometimes the GT-P chooses to remind you it's a two-tonne machine, pushing the nose a little wide if you've really overdone it, but it's coming out of a bend where some judicious use of the right foot is required.The feel from behind the wheel suggests the claimed 0-100km/h time under five seconds is achievable.The launch would need to be perfect, as the considerable outputs will turn the rear tyres into scrap without delay, but the GT-P leaps forward with menace.Leaving the stability control on is the better option for public roads, as a break in traction that would be considered "hoon" behaviour is very easy to achieve; however, a track day could easily chew out a set of rear tyres.VERDICTThe dollars laid out of supercharging the engine is money well-spent and FPV has the firepower to take HSV on head-to-head, even if the (more-expensive) GTS has more gizmos and gadgets. The appeal of the supercharged V8 offsets some of the cabin quirks and if you're looking for an extroverted V8 muscle car then this absolutely should be on your shopping list ... near the top.SCORE: 84/100WE LIKE Supercharged V8 outputs and soundtrack, ride/handling balance, Brembo brakes.WE DON'T LIKE Low-set wheel & high-set seat, no satnav, fiddly trip computer switches, small fuel tank, supercharger boost gauge.FPV GT-P sedanPrice: from $81,540.Engine: five-litre 32-valve supercharged all-alloy V8.Transmission: six-speed manual, limited slip diff, rear-wheel drive.Power: 335kW @ 5750rpm.Torque: 570Nm between 2200 & 5500rpm.Performance: 0-100km/h 4.9 seconds.Fuel consumption: 13.6litres/100km, on test XX.X, tank 68litres.Emissions: 324g/km.Suspension: double wishbones (front); Control blade (rear).Brakes: four-wheel ventilated and cross-drilled discs, six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers.Dimensions: length 4970mm, width 1868mm, height 1453mm, wheelbase 2838mm, track fr/rr 1583/1598mmCargo Volume: 535litresWeight: 1855kg.Wheels: 19in alloys, 245/35 Dunlop tyresIn its class:HSV GTS, from $84,900.

The general manager of the performance car maker doesn't want to be remembered as the bloke who ruined the GT-HO legend.  Speaking during the company's launch of the new supercharged V8 Falcon-based range - to go on sale in late October after its Australian International Motor Show appearance in Sydney - Barrett clearly wants to do something like a GT-HO.But understandably he has concerns about ruining the legend of the car and its legendary status.  "I will stand by my declaration that I have always wanted to build one but I'm up against a considerable weight of opinion that says we shouldn't," he says.A special project car still seems likely - with ample scope for running more boost pressure on the V8 but minus the famed badge - and Barrett is hoping to do something that will be looked back upon in 30 years time with similar fondness."GT-HO is not just a car, it's a legend and I don't want to be the one who stuffs it up," he says.  More forays into the SUV and small car segments have also been put on ice with the arrival of the Focus RS and customers can expect FPV to concentrate for now on its primary niche - faster Falcons."I firmly believe we will return to being the GT car company.  "We've gone away from that - we've built the brand but I think in the next 6 to 12 months we'll get people back," he says.While current sales figures are down on 2009, Barrett is confident the engine upgrade will put the FPV brand back on track.  "We haven't built any V8s since the end of May, there was no production at all in July… it's been geared around this launch."Next year we'll get back over 2000 units and close the gap on our main competitor - I'd like to see us surpass them toward the end of next year, in terms of Commodore versus Falcon sales," he says.Exports any further than the New Zealand market are unlikely but Prodrive Asia-Pacific managing director Bryan Mears believes the engine has a range of applications beyond FPV."In terms of development of the Coyote engine, and the way that we have developed it - I believe that is unique within the Ford and Prodrive world and I will certainly be looking to make that engine available globally to Ford."I'm not privy to what their plans are, so they may have other things in view," he says. The Australian business has produced a terrific Australian engine and we will be pushing every opportunity to maximise the production of that engine.”

The company's first supercharged V8 has put the GT range back at the top of the FPV food chain.

They cannot help starting a stoush when their deadliest rival has something important happening.So, in the same week Team Red rips the covers off the Series II version of its VE Commodore the members of Team Blue have news on the Coyote V8 for the latest Ford Performance Vehicles tweak. Except that it's now called Miami...It's classic stuff and a reminder of the importance of cars - and homegrown hero cars - to ordinary Australians.The FPV V8 numbers are impressive and so is news that the engine could actually be re-exported to the USA after the local tweaking that includes a supercharger package from the classy Harrop Engineering. Most people, including Carsguide, expected FPV to take most of the engine upgrade from America but the company has spent $40 million doing the job right on home ground.It's just a pity that the upcoming FPV GT will not have much in the way of visual changes to flag its benchmark performance.Over at Holden, it's a big week with VEII and news of a fresh export program to Brazil, complete with a sales campaign built around motorsport legend - double world champion and Indianapolis 500 winner- Emerson Fittipaldi.We've known for more than a year that Holden's big focus for VEII is what it calls flex-fuel engines, with the ability to run on E85 ethanol fuel. It's the same stuff which has been used by the V8 Supercar racer since the start of last year.Carsguide is not convinced the E85 ability will win too many private buyers to the car, particularly with only a handful of service stations currently pumping the stuff and range limitations for the fuel, but could be a powerful incentive for major fleet buyers.The real change is that a local carmaker is pushing ahead on ethanol, a fuel with serious potential in Australia because it can be made from sugar can off-cuts. Even better, Holden is tapped into a program led by an American company - Coskata - that is working on a process to extract ethanol from rubbish that currently goes into landfill.Holden's E85 push is also giving the oil companies a solid shove on a greener fuel and that's got to be a good thing, too.