FPV Pursuit Reviews

It sure takes the leg work out of changing gears, especially in city traffic.Continually punching in a big, heavy clutch pedal in the manual can be a real pain, even for the purist.The F6 Tornado is the utility equivalent of the turbocharged Typhoon sedan.Think gale-force winds and you won't get either of the force-fed models confused with others in the range.This is the first time FPV has offered an auto with its cars and it's certainly been worth the wait.The lightweight, compact ZF six-speed automatic transmission is the same basic unit as that used in the standard Falcon.But a performance version has been developed specifically for the FPV range with upgraded clutches featuring extra plates in each clutch pack to achieve a torque capacity of 600Nm.That's a good thing because with 270kW of power and a massive 550Nm of torque on tap the turbocharged 4.0-litre straight six produces even more torque than the V8 – and lower down the rev range too.The auto heads a list of changes in the BF series all of which add up to a more refined, much more liveable day-to-day vehicle.If there is a performance hit with the auto and there is bound to be a small one, then it's a price we're happy to pay – given the convenience.Of course it should be borne in mind that the auto is in fact a sequential transmission which means you can change gears manually anyway.The tranny adapts to different styles of driving and is designed to hold gear in corners, with a transient rpm limit that allows the engine to momentarily exceed the rev limit during upshifting.The achieves an engine speed that is closer to the rev limit than would otherwise be possible.The hard, sports suspension can be harsh at times, but I guess that's the price you pay for flat, precision handling.We're partcularly pleased to see the addition of traction control for the first time in the ute which tends to become a handful in the wet.Even with it fitted we still managed to send the car fish-tailing across two lanes of the freeway as the rain came down.We'd been taking it nice and easy until that point, but the big mistake was deciding to accelerate at the same time as we went to change lanes.Fortunately, the electronics caught the car before things got too of hand and the car went into a spin.Other than some eye candy, the other noteworthy change with this model is the addition of upgraded brakes.Four-piston Brembo front calipers are now standard on all models except GT-P and Super Pursuit which feature Premium six-piston Brembo front calipers.The sophisticated traction control system along with four-channel ABS has been specifically tuned for sports-oriented drivers and exploits the benefits offered by the electronic fly-by-wire throttle system.Commendably, FPV continues to offer a complimentary full day professional driver training course with every new vehicle purchase.Fuel economy in our test vehicle averaged 13.8L/100km.At a recommended retail price of $52,780, the F6 Tornado is the cheapest but by no means the least vehicle in the FPV range.The six-speed auto adds $1250 to the price.

And speaking of dust, for those who want to create billowing clouds of the muck in between building sites, look no further than the Tornado ute.After a delayed start to life, the Tornado has gathered pace, being launched in May at the relaunch of its sedan brother, the F6 Typhoon.The clutch was stuffed on the Typhoon because of an errant 50c washer which rendered the spin-cycle-assisted straight six a lame duck before it got warm.But the problem has been solved at considerable expense and manpower; some 7300 hours of exhaustive testing and engineering has seen to that.At 270kW the Tornado is a dream drive and feels every bit as rapid and sinewy as a 290kW Boss V8.There is no shortage of thrust once the turbo comes on song and the 550Nm of torque gives this powerplant elasticity.It is responsive on demand in any of the six gears in the Tremec T56 manual. There is no automatic option so the manual has to be liveable and it is.Don't bother about trying to find the traction button. This is blanked out but the Tornado offers reasonable grip.That is in the dry but in the wet it can become a handful with rear wheels spinning and the tail wagging.On the road where there are lumps and bumps, the rear can become unsettled, skipping over surface imperfections.It is not as tied down in the rear, running a live axle and sitting on ancient leaf springs compared with the control blade IRS suspension of the Typhoon.This test car was fitted with the superior Brembo brake package which is an expensive option at almost $6000.But they really do feel as strong and responsive as competition brakes.Fuel mileage depends on how it is treated. Crank up the turbo, keep the revs high and drive it like you stole it and it will drink pretty quickly. On the first 200km of this test the Tornado was consuming about 13.5litres/100km and that was without any really serious driving.It finished the week at a touch under 13 with a lot of highway work and sixth gear helping the figures towards the end.The Tornado is a bit of a magnet for attracting attention. And sometimes it has a rather dubious effect on people like the youngsters in their work utes who turn feral at the sight of the Tornado.As with the Typhoon, the one thing which is underwhelming is the turbo whine and wastegate chatter.Great for Jap import freaks but it still lacks the buzz you get from a deep, deep, ruffled and raucous V8 soundtrack.Still, kilogram-for-kilogram the Tornado rips the heart out of any performance coupe from Europe.And that is the bottom line isn't it?The Tornado will be "utetopia" to many in the ute-mad crowd out there.

We put the F6 Typhoon turbo sedan up against the latest from Holden Special Vehicles, the Dealer Team Spec Clubsport, and it won.Not by much, but it was our choice for our work in our world.Now we have driven the F6 Tornado ute and it, too, is a winner.It's the sort of ute that will be great for play-after-work use, or for people who have discovered that two-door traymobiles are actually the sports cars of the 21st century.The Tornado is very quick, surprisingly composed, and better in some ways than the Falcon GT at the top of the FPV tree.How? It has only two seats and the rear suspension is old-fashioned, but its combination of easy cruising with full-on fun is easier to live with than the GT V8's hard-edged charge.In many ways, the latest developments from FPV mirror the XR situation at Ford.That should be obvious, because Prodrive Engineering does the hot car work at both levels and the compare-and-contrast gear in the F6 and GT line-ups works in much the same way as the turbo XR6 against the V8-powered XR8s.With the F6 Tornado, we began our week-long trial with memories of clutch trouble that parked the F6 cars for three months.A silly little washer caused a series of clutch failures and led to significant re-engineering work that delayed development, sales and deliveries of the cars.FPV says that is all done and gone now, and that it has sold 160 Typhoon sedans and delivered 19 Tornado utes in the first two weeks since the newcomer moved into showrooms.The ute is an all-points performance vehicle, with 270kW engine, limited-slip differential, performance brakes, 18-inch alloy wheels, sports-tuned suspension and even seat trim that matches the egg-crate look in the grille.The most popular option on the $51,950 Tornado is the Brembo brake package, which really grabs but adds $5950 to the price.The heart of the Tornado is the F6 — it's for Forced Six — engine, which steps well up from a regulation XR6 inline turbo.Boost pressure is lifted 50 per cent and the result is the 270kW and 550 Nm in a flat line from 2000-4250 revs.FPV says the torque output is the best for any locally made motor.The gearbox is the latest six-speed Tremec T56 manual. The pack also includes a 100-watt CD sound system, electric windows, twin airbags and airconditioning.There is a body kit, a plaque with FPV build number, sports seats with suede-style trim and FPV inserts in the instruments.It's a good deal for the dollars, though the basic Tornado gets only a soft tonneau cover.ON THE ROADIT IS easy to get going with the F6 Tornado. And the going is easy, right up to when you want to really get going.That's the best thing about the FPV ute. It's not full-on all the time. It can be surprisingly relaxed if you are easing down the highway or hauling a dirt bike in the tray.The seats are great, especially the fabric, and the sound system has six speakers.It is the most car-like ute we have driven, even with leaf springs in the rear. FPV has done a great job tuning the set-up. It's not just a hunker-down job with no refinement.It is nicely compliant and gives good grip, with a slight front-end push in most corners, though sometimes the car gets a bouncy hop happening over broken surfaces or if you push hard through a bump.The styling of the Tornado is predictable and successful. The best thing is the huge silver intercooler in the nose. It is just the sort of brag you need to go up against a Subaru STI or a Lancer Evo. The look has been snitched from the Japanese hooters.The front spoiler, though, is a bit vulnerable and the F6 really needs a hard cover to finish off the back end.FPV says the carrying capacity is the same as the XR ute at 543kg, a load limited by the grippy low-profile Dunlops.The turbocharged six always feels strong. There is real push from as little as 2000 revs and it surges from 4000 before turning manic about 6000.It comes from the combination of big-six capacity and a classy turbo.But it can be a handful in the wet. There is no traction control and you have to take it easy to prevent the back end starting to wave. A bit of a slide can be fun when you're on a fun run, but not on the way to work.We hate the standard Falcon steering wheel in the F6. It deserves better. The extra dials look silly, particularly with no calibration on the turbo boost gauge, and the starter button is hard to use and a piece of frippery.But the headlamps are excellent, the ute is easy to park, and it will carry a load without getting upset or fussed.THE BOTTOM LINEA seriously quick car, but you can also lope along in it without stress, a combination reflected in our fuel consumption of 12.3litres/100km. There are some small glitches, and we hate the standard Falcon steering wheel, but it's a sports-car drive with working-class roots.

Delayed for almost four months after clutch problems were found in the sibling F6 Typhoon sedan, the Tornado's performance is well beyond a sports ute - and many sports cars.Typhoon sales were stopped in December while Tornado production was put on hold for almost four months.It was five months that FPV would like to forget.With the F6 program back on track FPV's managing director David Flint is again upbeat about the cars that run the highest torque output of any Australian production engine."It offers an unparalleled driving experience and bang for your buck," he said at the Tornado launch.FPV is coy about acceleration figures but the 0-100kmh dash whips by in under six turbo- loaded seconds.Given the well documented problems with the Typhoon clutch, FPV decided to re-launch the F6 Typhoon at the same time as the new Tornado, both now with an upgraded clutch and modified engine management system.While the sedan's suspension is simply sublime the ute is still a ute, albeit about as good as it gets in a vehicle that is shunted around by a prodigious 550 Nm of torque.The F6 Tornado becomes the entry level vehicle to FPV high performance vehicles.Like Typhoon the Tornado features the new close ratio Tremec T56 six speed manual trans- mission and will set you back $51,590 before delivery and statutory charges.FPV believes the F6 Tornado, like the Typhoon, will appeal to those already familiar with turbo charged cars _ young people with a techno leaning, as distinct to the traditional V8 buyers.Tornado is easily identified as a sibling to Typhoon.It has the same exterior design cues. Inside the cabin the F6 Tornado has sports seats with suede like bolsters, Technic fabric trim, silver stitching and FPV logos embroidered in the head rests.The F6 270 engine delivers 270kW of power at 5250 rpm and its peak torque is delivered at just 2000 rpm.The good news is that torque remains constant through to 4250 rpm. This means the car is suburban friendly in third or fourth gear where it can be driven almost like an auto.The F6 270 Turbo is based on the turbo intercooled 4.0 litre six engine from the Falcon XR 6 Turbo.Modifications to the engine have resulted in a 50 per cent boost in peak turbo pressure.Tornado has a limited slip differential, FPV tuned double wishbone front suspension, sports rear end and 245/40 ZR 18 Dunlop SP9000 tyres.It was in some ways unfortunate that FPV chose to relaunch Typhoon with Tornado.The Typhoon's suspension is simply so good that it would embarrass many quality cars, let alone a ute member from its own stable.Surprisingly Tornado is heavier than Ty- phoon as it is built on Ford's ute platform. It also has a longer wheelbase than the sedan.These changes add up to a vehicle with quite a different feel to the sedan, the ride is bumpier to start with, but the handling is extraordinarily good. Tornado has a high performance braking package.In addition a Brembo brake package is available at a premium of $5950.

The F6 is one of the most significant newcomers of the year and we had planned to give you the verdict today on the start of the turbo era at FPV, but that was before clutch troubles hit the fast Falcon division.All 80 Typhoons delivered to owners are about to get a new clutch and, to make sure there are no further mishaps after a pair of clutch failures during testing by Motor magazine, all company cars have been parked.That's why our test this week is a Mark II Falcon GT.It's a nice enough car, and has the six-speed manual gearbox the GT always deserved, but it's not a Typhoon. And we're also waiting for our first run in the F6 Tornado ute, also hit by the clutch drama.The GT has been a strong performer for FPV since it was born again for the noughties and it has been one of our favourites since John Bowe first showed us what it could do in 2003.Since then it has been our first choice among the Aussie muscle V8s, ahead of anything from Holden Special Vehicles and also up and away from a bunch of other performance cars, including a range of Alfas and even some of the Audi-BMW-Volvo hopefuls.It is good value in the $60,000 bracket and has hit the sweet spot with a bunch of customers who dreamed about a GT in the 1970s but were too young or too poor.Slipping into the GT MkII instantly reminds you of the strengths of the car: fine engine, well-balanced chassis, cushy seats. It is a top drive.But we were also struck by the lacklustre steering wheel and two cheap-looking gauges on top of the centre console, copying the cabin work in the latest HSV cars.The work on the MkII is a curious combination of engineering refinement and tweaking.The main mechanical upgrade is on the close-ratio, six-speed manual transmission. It's more than just a standard Tremec T56, and has been reworked by Prodrive engineers and given a direct-linkage shifter, linear bearings on the shift rail and unique ratios for the GT.The objective was six usable gears, without the "moon shot" top so common in six-speeders, and a smooth shift that doesn't require Popeye biceps.The suspension has come in for work, too, partly thanks to advice from Bowe.He thought the original GT front suspension was too soft, so the car is now 14 per cent stiffer in the front springs and 10 per cent in the rear. And the GTP model gets 19-inch alloy wheels.Inside, the MkII pack includes dual-zone automatic airconditioning, a large colour screen in the centre of the dash for sound and climate readouts and oil temperature and pressure gauges. A sound upgrade is courtesy of a 100-watt amplifier, subwoofer and six-disc in-dash CD player.Outside, the car is a bit more obvious in traffic, thanks to a Boss 290 Hood Decal and the new GT body stripes, which have a thinner strip over the fat base. It's a change from the double-banger stripes on the original GT, which were a big hit with owners.ON THE ROADTHE MkII is a sweeter GT to drive, thanks partly to the gearbox and partly to the suspension.Its ride is still impressively smooth and jar-free, and it stands up better in corners. It doesn't turn as instantly and enjoyably as the SV6 Commodore, our benchmark for locally made response, but it has a sharper feel than anything from the HSV family.The gearbox is really good, with well-chosen ratios and a slick shift. The clutch is still heavy, but the gear lever is light and easy to use.The six speeds mean it is easier to keep the quad-cam V8 running hard, which is part of the reason for buying a GT.It doesn't have the big holes between gears of some of its rivals and the cruising gait is nice and relaxed. It usually takes only a single downshift to turn more than 3000 revs for instant overtaking and access to the real power beyond 4000.The engine is a highlight, despite the recent introduction of a 6.0-litre Holden grunter in the HSV Senator, Grange and GTO Coupe.The Ford motor is keen to spin and that's why it has a rev limiter and a warning buzzer to stop the action at 6000 revs, a mark we're not keen to explore with the rival Holden motors.Our test car was fitted with the costly optional Brembo disc brakes, which add close to $6000 to the bottom line. They should be standard on any car with this pace, not just the GTP version.We also enjoyed the fuel economy, which was pretty good at 13.7 litres/100km. The result is better than FPV's tests at 15.3 litres, but we did a fair bit of highway running when the engine was barely working and consumption was better than 10 litres/100km.But we could never get really comfy in the seats, the extra dials on top of the dash look like a lash-up from Super Cheap and the steering wheel is a disgrace in a GT.It should look different and make you feel special, but instead it's a reminder that the GT is really just another Falcon.It's not just another Falcon when you turn the key and sample the lovely lumpy idle and gruff exhaust note, but the car deserves more.Still, there are people who want a Falcon GT and only a Falcon GT. What they will find in the MkII is a car that is even better and still a benchmark for local performance cars.THE BOTTOM LINETHE GT is even nicer to drive but we think the cabin looks cheap and the steering wheel has to go.

No matter which way you cut it, the Typhoon is a quicker drive and more engaging as well.But it doesn't have the legendary status nor the booming V8 exhaust note of the GT.Is that worth an extra three grand – to many, probably yes.At $61,350, the 290kW GT II is near the top of Ford Australia's food chain surpassed only by the GT-P which is about $70 grand.The GT commands respect wherever it goes. Other drivers move over, don't cut in and generally treat the car with deference. It's a good feeling for a change.The same isn't really evident when you're in an HSV model.It would make an interesting study in psychology.This is the second generation Falcon BA GT and ushers in a new six speed manual, suspension revisions (stiffer springs), interior enhancements and other minor changes. The 5.4-litre engine remains the same.It's nothing substantial but enough to tweak the GT from good to better.The six speed manual, a Tremec T56, is tailor-made to suit Ford specifications with close ratios and a short change mechanism.In practical terms, the previous five speeder had longer runs through each gear and allowed the engine's torque to run free.With the six speeder, top is really only any use on the freeway and the lower ratios have a shorter run. But fuel economy is better averaging about 14.3-litres/ 100km with mixed driving. That's impressive for a high performance V8 sports sedan.The GT rolls on high performance Dunlop rubber mounted on 18in alloys. The spare is full size.Handling is impressive for a vehicle weighing more than 1.8 tonnes. It feels like a big car but steers with precision and holds a line through bends beautifully. Bumps don't faze the GT.Massive Brembo brakes make light work of repetitive high speed stops.It's good for low five second 0-100kmh sprints and throttle response from about 4000rpm up to the over- rev beeper at close to six grand is inspiring.The interior has Fairmont Ghia plus specification and includes twin instrument pods on the dash.Driving the GT is easy with light controls and a smooth delivery but the front seats are too high, even in the lowest setting and the metal gear knob and starter button become stove hot in summer sun. From a personal point of view, I would like to see Cobra style twin stripes over the middle of the car from front to back. That way it would have more "wow" factor. And after all, what is the primary reason for buying one of these cars?

Ford's performance arm copped a bit of flak when it announced plans for the Typhoon, with claims that it was "bastardising" the hallowed Aussie performance car genre.Much of the criticism funnily enough seemed to emanate from the Holden camp which does not have a turbocharged power plant of its own.But really, what's all the fuss about?After all, HSV happily produced and marketed the supercharged XU-6 VT Commodore in 1996, didn't it?The future is all about smaller, more powerful engines and five minutes behind the wheel of the Typhoon is enough to convince the most vocal critic that this car deserves to wear the FPV badge.Heck! On paper and on the road, the Typhoon in our estimation has got the wood on V8 stablemate the Falcon GT.The only bit that they haven't managed to engineer into the turbo is that wonderful V8 exhaust note.Available in manual form only, the Typhoon is priced from $58,950, in line with the company's policy of producing uncompromising performance at an affordable price.That's $2400 less than the manual GT – and apart from the GT badge you're not missing out on much.The Typhoon's exterior styling with smallish badges and lack of striping is somewhat understated and we believe could be more overt.The kind of people that drive these cars are not what you'd call shrinking violets.Inside, there's also room for something fancier, particularly with the ordinary dash treatment.Metal starter and gear shift knobs look the goods but get extremely hot if left sitting in the summer sun.And, while on the subject of sun, tall drivers will find the lowered sun visor obstructs vision, even with the driver's seat set to its lowest point.On the road the Typhoon feels lighter and more agile than the V8, although in reality there is only about 50kg difference.The force-fed 4.0-litre DOHC straight six cylinder engine cranks out an impressive 270kW of power and whopping 550Nm of torque from a low 2000rpm, compared to the V8's 290kW and 520Nm from 4500rpm.That's more torque and from much lower in the rev range, which as we all know is the stuff that performance is made of.The Typhoon with a shorter first gear has incredible get up and go, punching through the gears to what surely must be a mid-five second time for the 0-100km/h dash.Think WR-X and then some...In fact, if you do the sums, the power to weight ratio of the Typhoon is 6.6kg per kW, compared to say the top of the line STi Rex which comes in at a 7.5kg.In theory at least, it makes the Typhoon a quicker car, but of course other factors come into play.Apart from the lift in power, most of FPV's tweaking is reflected in the superior handling of the car.It's this rather than straight line performance that makes it so much more desirable than a standard XR6 Turbo.The car sits low and flat with big sticky tyres that hang on for dear life.Traction control is provided and can be switched off if desired but we found it much less intrusive than the standard system and assume this has been the subject of some refinement too.Twin centre mounted, driver orientated dash top gauges show turbo boost and oil pressure.The close ratio six-speed Tremec manual transmission has been specially engineered for the car and is light and easy to use, with an electronic lockout for reverse.The twin plate AP Racing clutch also has a light action, but a couple of the motor magazines have managed to fry a clutch (we're not surprised).Blue caliper performance 325/303mm brakes are standard while red caliper 355/330mm Brembos are optional.Standard equipment includes FPV badged sports with a "suede feel" bolsters, dual climate airconditioning and a 150 watt six stack CD sound system.

But the Boss may not have the ultimate power any more.The other member of what Ford calls Performance Inc., the F6 Typhoon, is on the loose and is creating quite a few waves.They say there is no replacement for displacement, but the six-cylinder Typhoon might just water down that claim &#!50; for some anyway.The Typhoon is the Ford Performance Vehicle's version of the stunningly successful XR6 turbo. It runs a beefed-up version of its four-litre in-line six with .64 bar boost being developed from the Garrett turbo. The premium for arming yourself with the Typhoon over the garden variety Ford blown six is $12,600 which makes the FPV a $58,950 spend.So what do you get over and above the stock standard turbo and is it worth it?Try enhanced suspension with stiffer rear springs, bigger and better tyres, bigger and better brakes, specially developed six-speed Tremec gearbox, AP Racing twin plate clutch, more power and the most torque produced for any Australian production car.The difference is a lot of coin, but the extra spend seems to be worth it.For starters you know you're on to something when you are, well, almost quicker than The Boss. At least from standstill to 100km/h the Typhoon creates a storm by nailing the dash in 6.3sec. The GT armed with the Boss 290kW V8 engine covers the same exercise in roughly the same time, but the tests were done on a back road and not in the controlled environment of a racetack so they are only a guide.The 270kW and 550Nm of the Typhoon is a whirlwind of excitement and aggression complete with the audible waste-gate flutter that gives the hyper six a consuming character like the deep rumble of the GT.What is so impressive about the Typhoon is that all this extra power and torque is useable because the work done underneath on the suspension took a similar direction as the GT, but with the aforementioned stiffer rear springs. Also the brakes, 325x32mm twin-grooved and ventilated up front and 303x16mm twin-grooved solid rear rotors with twin-pot calipers appear to be up to matching the Typhoon's fury.For almost $6000 more, you can order the optional Brembos but there is probably no need unless you are going to be driving like you stole it every time you press the dash-mounted starter button borrowed from the GT. The ride is surprisingly compliant considering the stiffening needed to cope with the extra power and torque.It fires into corners with confidence, turning in quicker than the GT because there is less weight hanging about underneath the bonnet. There seems to be a reasonable grip threshold before the traction control, which you can deactivate, kicks in. The high performance 18-inch Dunlop SP9000s take a while to howl and squeal in protest, offering ample sticking quality in both wet and dry conditions. There is a blissfully horizontal torque curve with the 550Nm accessed from as low as 2000rpm through to 4250rpm. Linked to the four-litre straight six is the Tremec six-speed which Holden uses in its V8s. The Tremec in the Typhoon has been reworked with short travel changes and the six gears are easy to navigate and engage.There is virtually no lag and the boost comes in big meaty dollops, rather than the delay-before-neck-snapping jolt of some smaller imported turbos.In short, the Typhoon goes, steers and stops like it is $12,600 more than the standard turbo.But don't expect too much pampering in the cabin. There is no leather, with unique cloth sports seats supporting the occupants.Dual gauges are mounted on the dash that display oil pressure and turbo boost, dual-zone air-con and large command centre display screen.The sound system packs a 150-watt amp, subwoofer and in-dash six-stack CD.Fuel consumption is probably not much of a consideration for most buyers of these force-fed guzzlers but it is worth pointing out that the Typhoon was getting just under 400km a tank on this predominantly open highway test.Harder running and driving in stop/start bursts around busy roads will reduce that figure even further.* FPV engineers have addressed a problem with the twin-plate clutch which could not cope with the load after some drivers persisted with flat-changing.

Now add a durable six-speed close-ratio gearbox, a stronger clutch to take the torque strain, and get a veteran V8 Supercar driving legend to tweak the suspension. Now you're talking!On a rainy day in Melbourne last week as SES crews cleaned up after an unseasonal typhoon-like storm, Ford's performance arm, FPV, launched the turbo-charged performance Typhoon to the motoring media.The turbo Typhoon joins the MkII GT and GT-P and Pursuit ute in the Ford Performance Vehicles stable, with a manual only ute version, called Tornado, blowing into a town near you in January.The big story, though, is the Typhoon's (and Tornado's) flat torque curve. From just 1000rpm, there is 400Nm, enough to make any grown man weak at the knees. But that's just the start of it.From there, it climbs to a whopping 550Nm another 1000 revs up the dial. And there it stays until 4250rpm, where it rolls off gently back to 400Nm as the audible limit alert sounds at 5700rpm and before the limiter cuts in at 6000rpm.It launches in a long first gear and slips second, then hits 100km/h. And there are still four gears left in the stick shift.The Typhoon and Tornado give FPV a new weapon to attack the performance market and attract buyers they hadn't appealed to before -- turbo fiends.Product planning manager Mark Behr said turbo and V8 owners were different.He said a snapshot of their V8 customers showed they were self-made people, usually tradespeople, who were interested in V8 Supercars racing and wanted people to notice them. They were typically aged 35-55 and 85 per cent were family men.By comparison, he said, turbo customers were more interested in technological aspects. They expected Typhoon and Tornado customers to be slightly younger, white collar workers, former Euro car buyers and more interested in following F1 than Supercars. He even expected to attract WRX owners who now had a family.FPV sales and marketing manager, Roger Gray, agreed that the two turbo models would attract new buyers."We don't see ourselves as restricted to V8 buyers," he said. "F6 appeals to a new type of buyer."He said they had sold 2565 vehicles in the past two years since taking over from Tickford and moving to separate headquarters around the corner from the Ford HQ in Broadmeadows.GT accounted for 1154 sales with 52 per cent manual and 58 per cent choosing stripes. The GT-P sold 1020, 38 per cent manual and 50 per cent stripes, while the Pursuit ute has sold 391, 56 per cent manual. Stripes are not available. But Gray says the new range opens up the choice of new colours and stripe combinations as part of its bid to broaden its appeal to new buyers.He said there was no competitor in the market for F6 on value and performance."It has the most torque produced in a locally developed production engine."That extra torque placed extra demands on other parts of the vehicle and former Lotus engineer Alastair Bacon was brought in as program manager to ensure the vehicle met those requirements."The engine's increased torque required a transmission with increased torque capacity and durability," Bacon said.It also had to be made from available transmissions to keep costs down, with selectable gear ratios and had to fit in Falcon's floorplan.Their choice was a six-speed close-ratio Tremec T56 transmission, the same as used in the new Holden."But this is not an off-the-shelf gearbox," Bacon said.It has been engineered on FPV's new 3600sq m site which also houses the Ford Performance Racing team, a machine shop where they can design and mill their own parts, a panel fabrication area, two dynos and a dustproof engine building area.He said the transmission had shift precision without any increase in effort, good gear spacing without jumps or loss of revs, linear bearings on the shift rail to make shifts smooth and crisp, direct linkage shifter for better feel, reverse gear synchro and double synchro in all forward gears for fast shifting.A test through the typhoon-drenched Yarra Valley last week proved most of his claims.With a tall first gear, it launches strongly and hits the magic 100km/h mark well within second gear yet has a usable overdrive ratio within legal road speeds.

It surges forward as though a gale has erupted under the bonnet: You've unleashed a whirlwind, a storm on four wheels.Ford – or to be more precise, its Ford Performance Vehicles offshoot – has turned a six-cylinder Falcon into a turbocharged supercar, claimed to have the most torque, or pulling power, ever produced by an Australian production car.Drive the FPV F6 Typhoon and you believe it. It has been developed from the Falcon XR6 Turbo, itself a potent sports sedan, but given a dose of steroids – higher turbo boost, better breathing, more cooling, stronger engine parts, bigger brakes, bigger wheels, more aggressive-looking shape – to create the Typhoon, all $58,950 of it.The first cars have just left the factory (they go down the Ford production line, then are fitted with the special bits by FPV) and are on their way to dealerships. Eager buyers have placed orders already, and FPV expects to build about 60 a month.The "F6" part of the name refers to its forced-induction (meaning turbocharged) six-cylinder engine. The Typhoon part becomes self-explanatory when you put your foot down."Any gear, any time, any day, you can stick your boot in and get the full load," Typhoon program manager Alastair Bacon said.However FPV, wary of appearing too aggressive, will not reveal the Typhoon's acceleration figures.But since the XR6 Turbo is capable of the 0-100km/h sprint under 6sec and the Typhoon has considerably more power, torque and a new gearbox full of ratios designed to suit, it should produce times which will make Ford enthusiasts smile.Happily, the "hoon" word which lurks ominously in the second half of the Typhoon name doesn't apply here.It is mighty quick, sure, but not anti-social.Nor, in spite of its mega performance, is the Typhoon any hardship to drive. It stays reasonably quiet, even during full acceleration, and the ride is surprisingly comfortably and supple.Yet there is a sporty tautness about it, gripping the road with sureness, answering every movement of the wheel instantly, precisely.A key part of the package is a new six-speed gearbox which FPV also uses in the V8-powered Falcon GT. (No Typhoon with automatic transmission at this stage because Ford doesn't have one able to handle the turbo engine's output).The gearshift requires a firm push, but everything engages easily, happily and the clutch is not heavy enough to be a chore. Stop-start driving, surprisingly for a car with such muscle, turns out to be no worry.On a long run in the country, as the Typhoon romped on a preview drive, it trotted along with lazy ease, far from stressed. It felt, well, normal, which is a compliment for a car capable of such extreme performance.Yet after driving the Typhoon, even the awesome Falcon GT seems almost restrained because it takes a few moments to build up power, compared with the lighter six-cylinder car's right-here, right-now style of delivery. It responds with the eagerness of a light switch.Let rip in a full-bore takeoff – strictly for research purposes, you understand – and the Typhoon catapults forward, first gear seeming to last for just an instant before a beeper warns you've reached 5700rpm and it is time to grab second.Feels like it has enough force to tear furrows in the bitumen and that's what torque is all about. The more the merrier: this is the stuff which brings response when you touch the accelerator, which delivers acceleration, punch for overtaking and effortless hill-climbing ability.This is the stuff which the Typhoon has in such abundance that it is in exclusive territory. A scan of the performance-car lists shows that the next car which out-muscles it, with 553Nm to the Typhoon's 550Nm, is the Jaguar S-Type R at $162,500.However, FPV expects most buyers will be moving up from machines like Subaru's iconic WRX, drivers who love turbocharged engines but want a bigger car. The theory is that few GT owners will migrate to the Typhoon, because they're hooked on V8-style noise and character.To show that its performance isn't to be taken lightly, every buyer gets a one-day advanced driving course. Excellent idea.