FPV GT-P News

Joni Mitchell was right; you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.It's been a big year for Australian-made cars selling for big dollars - a pair of HSV GTSR W1 Maloos have sold for a combined $2.2 million - but that's only the tip of the iceberg.

New challenge aheadCarrera Cup racers in Australia are looking for other challenges, including the latest GT championship, after the collapse of the Porsche one-make series. This year's championship was canned after only eight entries were received for the planned season opener on the streets of Adelaide for the Clipsal 500 meeting.A grip on the gridSebastian Bourdais has filled one of the few open seats on this year's Formula One starting grid, being renewed for a second year at Toro Rosso. Bourdais is a former multiple Champ Car series winner.Johnson in EnduroSteven Johnson will tune up for the V8 Supercar season by racing a Falcon at Bathurst. He is a late addition to the field for the 12-hour Showroom Enduro at Mount Panorama on February 22, sharing an FG-model Falcon GT-P with Nathan Tinkler and Nathan Callaghan.Life ban for drag racerChampion drag racer Brett Stevens has been banned for life and all his records and championships suspended after being charged with drug offences.Ambrose Daytona debutMarcos Ambrose will become the first Australian to start in the Daytona 500 this weekend in Florida, as he begins his first full season in Nascar's Sprint Cup with a Toyota Camry. 

Holden's performance arm is upgrading its engines this month, weeks before rival Ford Performance Vehicles releases its new range. HSV is updating the current 307kW LS2 to the LS3 V8, which pumps out 317kW.The upgrade should see HSV maintain its power advantage because FPV is reportedly set to offer a 315kW V8. HSV says the timing simply coincides with its supply of the LS2 running out.“Our customers want the latest and greatest technology in their cars,” HSV managing director Scott Grant says. “The General Motors LS3 engine continues the HSV tradition of scouring the world for technological advancements to enhance the driving experience.”At the unveiling of the new FPV range in February, company boss Rod Barrett said the Blue Oval performance brand would not engage in a power war with its Holden rival.FPV will rely on an upgraded version of the 5.4-litre Boss V8 for the short term, but promises more upgrades, including a reborn GT-HO.The new HSV engine comes at a price. The ClubSport R8 now starts at $64,550, up $1660, the Maloo R8 goes from $59,990 to $61,550, the GTS is up $1000 to $76,990 and the Senator Signature cops a $1200 increase to take it to $79,190.The Grange has been bumped up $1700 to start at $84,690. The LS3 unit is 6.2-litres and produces 550Nm of torque at 4600rpm, the same as the LS2. It is built in North America by General Motors Powertrains.Despite the size increase, HSV is reporting a slight drop in fuel economy for the new models.As well as the local line-up, the engine will feature in HSV's export models, the Vauxhall VXR8 sold in Britain and the Middle East-bound CSV R8. The same engine is fitted to the Chevrolet Corvette in the US.HSV says that automatic gearboxes will also get an oil cooler as standard. As an option for ClubSport, Senator and Grange buyers, new 20-inch alloy wheels will be available at $2500. 

FPV will not enter a power war with arch-rival HSV with its new FG series Falcon.

THERE could be a future movie star waiting to be discovered in your garage. A sports management company has branched out to find cars for movies, television shows and ads.Vantage Management opened its Star Cars arm last month and wants to expand its books. It's now looking for some new talent, director Shan Railton says.He says someone could have the next "General Lee" or "Mad Max Interceptor" parked in their driveway."If you think about all the ads on telly or the movies or even basic photos for magazines, they all have to come from somewhere," Railton says."The criteria is any car or thing you couldn't find in a standard car lot or rent from Avis. It might be a classic or something rare, or something outrageous. It could be a new FPV or Monaro, a WRX or an old Dodge pick-up."The cars don't even have to be in good condition. We needed a car for someone who was supposed to be down and out, and the car had to match. All we can say is we probably don't need any white Commodores, unless it's a 1978 white Commodore in perfect condition."Railton says Star Cars works much the same way as a fashion model agency. Vantage gets a call from a film or magazine production company and checks its books for a car to match. Once a match is found, Vantage works out a deal.Its cut is 17.5 per cent as an agent fee. The owner's only commitment is to turn up with the car at the agreed time and place."If you have a car that fits our very wide criteria, there is no reason why you wouldn't register it," Railton says. "It costs owners nothing except their car's time."If someone wanted to use your car I'd get a brief of where, when and who is going to drive it. We email that info to the owner and it's up to them to say yes or no within a certain time."Some production companies want their own people to drive the car, but that, of course, has to be part of the contract. And someone on our books who doesn't want to accept a job, doesn't have to."Railton says the system works for everyone. Production companies save time and money and clients can make money. How much usually depends on the value of the car."It's a sliding scale based on the insurance value of the car and the job," Railton says."We had a job involving street machines on the Gold Coast, but there had to be 80s cars and they had to be American. That job was $400 a day for each car, and they were just parked on the street. That's about the cheapest job because it's not worth it to us or our clients to do it for less than that."At the other end of the spectrum, we had a car used for three months. The production company spent $30,000 fully restoring it, then paid the owner $15,000 for the job."Feature film work (Vantage found cars for House of Wax, which starred Paris Hilton) makes up about a third of all Star Car jobs.The balance is split between TV shows, ads and magazine photo shoots.So you think your car is up to it? Check www.vantagemanagement.com.au