Ford Falcon 1991 News

The Ranger, which is still more than six months away from showrooms, is a reflection of Ford Australia's new role in the blue oval world. Designed and developed at Broadmeadows, and twinned with the Mazda BT-50, the Ranger is planned to finally give Ford a rival to the benchmark Toyota HiLux. But the international sweep of the Ford stand - imported from Europe for the local event - is also reflected in the Focus RS and the latest update of the mid-sized Mondeo. "Today is our most significant motor show ever," says Ford Australia's president, Marin Burela.  "Australia is playing a key role in the global Ford product story.  Today's show is the springboard to the future." The Ranger was unveiled at the show by Ford's Asia-Pacific president, Joe Hinrichs, who promises big things from the ute. "We want to transform the pickup experience," he says.

Ford Performance Vehicles boss Rod Barrett admits he has been surprised by the $170,000 price tag on the 7.0-litre HSV 427 but, despite suggestions that the car's 200-unit production run is fully subscribed, he doesn't see a similar pricing structure for a GTHO. “I think that's a lot of money,” Barrett says. “I don't think I could put a car up at that money. “I know we're talking a couple of years off at the moment, but that price would be double the most expensive car I've released (the FG-based GT-E) and I just don't know where I could get the content to justify charging that price. “Anyway, I want to make this car affordable — affordable to the bloke who's a genuine GT-P, Cobra or GT Anniversary driver or collector. If the GTHO was to be a $100,000 car, I would be OK with that.” Original Phase III GTHOs from the 1970s have become something of a phenomenon in recent years, with auction prices soaring. While predictions of a million-dollar sale have not been realised, the top auction price has hit $750,000. Barrett said that while any production GTHO would be a limited-edition vehicle, it would be “special and affordable”. “The whole thing in this vision is that it'll be a completely different car to the Cobra or the 40th Anniversary GT. I've promised not to badge-engineer this car and I won't. “It will be a purpose-built car that reflects the attributes of a 1971 GTHO in all its forms. “We're not going to spray a car in a colour, throw on a stripe and say, `There you go — that's a GTHO'. That's not my vision for it.” Barrett says he has a clear plan in his head as to what will underpin a modern GTHO — right down to the wheels and the colour. There's just one key piece of the puzzle missing: what V8 is going to sit under the bonnet. “The (current 315kW) 5.4 is probably at the max of its power, so we would have to be looking at the global Ford family to find something suitable,” Barrett says. “Whatever it is, it has to have the character, reliability and driveability that's at the core of all FPV cars.” At the opposite end of the FPV scale, Barrett is working on ideas for a small — possibly four-cylinder — FPV hero. “To be honest, I haven't yet delved too deeply into the Focus, but it's on the priority list, albeit down the order,” Barrett says. “When the Focus comes down the production line at the Broadmeadows factory (scheduled for 2010 or 2011) that's something we'd be looking at. “Again, no formal discussions have been entered into with Ford, but that's the most realistic opportunity for us to do a small car because we can use the same mother-car model. “At the moment we would struggle with making a business case out of an imported car.”  

Previous Bathurst 1000 Winners 1963 Harry Firth/Bob Jane Ford Cortina GT 1964 Bob Jane/George Reynolds Ford Cortina GT 1965 Bo Seton/Midge Bosworth Ford Cortina GT500 1966 Rauno Aaltonen/Bob Holden Morris Mini Cooper S 1967 Harry Firth/Fred Gibson Ford Falcon XRGT 1968 Bruce McPhee/Barry Mulholland Holden Monaro GTS