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FPV GT F Revealed

18 June, 2014

 


Ford have marked the end of FPV in style with the recent release of the GT F — F standing for final.

As we reported a few months back, the cars would feature design cues inspired by high-performance Falcons of days gone by. Besides that though, information available prior to the vehicle’s launch was minimal.
We can now report that they run a 351kW version of the supercharged five-litre Coyote motor, the capacity a nod to the 351 Windsor V8s of old. The extra power over the 335kW engines found in other FPVs comes care of a retuned ECU.

While Ford haven’t provided any 0–100 times, with the vehicle’s built-in launch control system and wide rear tyres, we’d expect it to hit the magic number in the high four-second zone. While that may be slower than its main rival, the 430kW HSV GTS, it still makes for a seriously rapid performer, and the quickest sedan Ford have ever offered.


The vehicles feature a ‘unique to FPV’ driver-optimizable suspension setup, which according to FPV Chief Program Engineer, Peter de Leur, “allows for a performance upgrade without impacting the all-round drivability of the car”. He goes on to say, “We were also able to add things like rear camber bolt adjustment on the rear suspension so it can be adjusted for track days, if a customer wishes.

“Our goal was to create the best vehicle we could; a vehicle that pays respect to Ford GTs of old yet celebrates all that is good about Ford’s performance credentials.”

In terms of exterior, the cars feature gloss black ‘racoon eyes’ as per some earlier version FPV products along with matching black door handles, wing mirrors, and rear diffuser. The black bonnet and roof stripe is reminiscent of that found on the bonnet of XW GT Falcons of 1970. This is a theme carried over to the interior, where orange stitching has  been used, again a feature used in the XW GTs. Besides the custom embroidered seats and interior badging, the built-in colour display screen features a series of digital gauges including a G-force meter.

Just 500 of the cars will be produced, 50 of which will head to New Zealand and are apparently all sold. There’s also a limited run of 120 Pursuit Utes being made, which run a 315kW version of the same naturally aspirated engine available in previous FPV utes.

Bronze treasure unearthed

20 August, 2026

The car was put away in favour of something more practical, and when his father was unable to drive any more, Matt’s friend asked him to come and take a look at his dad’s old Holden. It turned out this was one of those phone calls that leads to that feeling of pure joy in the classic car world — the ‘barn find’ that turns out to be even better than expected. The HT Monaro had been put to bed some years before and had not seen the light of day since. Layers of dust and boxes of junk littered her undercarriage and bodywork and access points all around.

NZ Classic Car magazine, September/October 2026 issue 407, on sale now

16 August, 2026

We love bugs!
A bit of TLC that became a major restoration
The 1302S, or ‘Super Beetle’ as it became known, was built for two years before it, too, was replaced by a further-enhanced Beetle, the 1303, continuing an amazing 65-year lineage for one of the World’s best-known shapes.
The world’s best-selling single-model vehicle, the VW Beetle, possibly established another record for the amount of controversy it has created since the inception of the Type 1.
In a meeting with Hitler in June 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was contracted to build a ‘People’s Car’ that could accommodate two adults and three children, was air-cooled and simple to maintain, and could cruise economically at moderate speed along Germany’s proposed new Autobahns.
Our feature car, a 1972 1302S ‘Super Beetle’, was found by Dave and Michelle Dickie in Mosgiel a few years back. It was a runner, but like most VWs of this age, it needed a little TLC. They were looking for a daily driver for Michelle when they first came upon the VW being sold locally on behalf of its owner.
“The owner offered it to his grandchildren, and they didn’t want it, so he got the guy out at Mosgiel in the Mobil petrol station to sell it for him, and he put it on Trade Me for them. We never met the owner, and we were always dealing with the guy at the petrol station. We put a bid on it, and we were the only people that bid on it.”
Their bid was eventually successful, eight years ago. Not knowing much of the history, in situations like that, it’s always a risk buying a car, but they were in for a bit of a surprise.