FPV GT 2008 News

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.

The last time FPV brought out a limited edition model - this time last year- it looked back to the late seventies and revived the Cobra badge for a limited run of 500 striped sedans and utes.

Imported cars are hardest hit by the new LCT threshold but some of our homegrown brands also suffer.

A Ford GT confiscated by police is claimed by its owner to be worth at least $200,000 after he painstakingly restored it with a gleaming blue spray job and faultless interior.

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. 

Ford Performance Vehicles' V8 Cobras have turned into an instant classic. Buyers are paying $30,000 above the recommended retail price for the used versions of the cars, which had a recommended retail price of $65,110 for the GT sedan and $61,200 for the ute.One website has two Cobra sedans for sale, one with 10,000km on the clock listed for $80,000 and the other with just 500km for $95,000.Another buyer has a $109,000 asking price on a Cobra that has done just 29km. Another has $84,990 for an example that has travelled 1500km. Yet another buyer has his XC Cobra listed with his BF Mk II Cobra for “best offer over $200,000.” It is the same story with the Cobra Pursuit utes, with prices varying from $74,000 to $87,000.FPV general manager Rod Barrett says he could have built more Cobras if Ford had let him.“We were restricted. I would have liked to have built more. In 40 years, though, those 500 cars will still be classics,” he says.Last year FPV built 400 sedans and 100 utes with a Cobra badge.All 500 cars were snapped up by dealers, but a handful remain, with some FPV dealers holding back on stock to maintain interest.Cashed-up buyers are clearly keen to spend what it takes to secure a piece of Ford history, Barrett says.And he says FPV had to field some negativity for recreating a commemorative Cobra from the 1970s.“We copped a bit of criticism for recreating the Cobra, but it's an icon worth remembering.”The latest Cobra sedan and ute is powered by a Boss 302 engine developing 302kW/540Nm, and is equipped with FPV stainless-steel fabricated exhaust manifolds and a high-flow dual-exhaust system.For motoring buffs, 302 was the capacity in cubic inches of Ford's small-block V8 engine and is also exactly double the 151kW output of the 1978 Cobra's 4.9-litre V8 engine.The GT Cobra has a limited slip differential and is available as a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission with a high torque clutch or the ZF six-speed automatic transmission.The latest Cobra came about to mark last year's 30th anniversary of Ford's one-two win with drivers Allan Moffat and Colin Bond at the famed Bathurst endurance race.To commemorate that win, Ford Australia released 400 Falcon XC Cobra coupes in July 1978. Those cars are now highly collectable, with one 220,000km example recently priced at $71,500. 

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

Mitsubishi, Ford and Holden all showed off production or concept cars that are designed to move fast and get the blood pumping.But the big news came from Toyota, which launched its new TRD performance brand in Australia at the show.The launch of TRD represents first time Toyota has marketed under the TRD banner anywhere in the world. It is timed to celebrate the car manufacturer’s 50th anniversary of involvement in motorsport globally.Several models sporting new TRD livery were unveiled at the show, including an Aurion and a HiLux concept car. There are several more models on the way.Also previewed at the Toyota stand was the new Corolla hatch and a new Corolla rally car, which is based on the new production model to be launched soon.Mitsubishi opened the show with a Lancer concept “Sportback”.But Ford and Holden went all-out in the performance stakes. Ford revealed a new Fiesta XR4 which will be on sale in July this year. It will feature a variant with a two-litre diesel engine – the first diesel car to grace Ford Australia’s line-up.Also on show was a 40th Anniversary GT from FPV.Holden tried to top that with the unveiling of a Chevrolet Camaro concept car which attracted great interest from the assembled press. It was the first time this car had been seen in Australia.The company said although there are no plans to launch the Camaro here, it was on the stand in Melbourne to gauge customer reaction. The implication was that if interest is strong enough it may launch here.