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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.

Ford’s Mustang – the endlessly hip American dream machine

28 May, 2026

Fifty or so years ago, the only place in New Zealand to see a Ford Mustang was on the racetrack. In a local market severely constrained by a lack of new motor vehicles, the new North American Ford was a dreamy icon boosted by considerable motorsport success.
Import licences for cars were limited, and if Kiwis travelled abroad, the amount of currency they could take with them was restricted. What’s more, those funds could not be used to buy a car for importation back home. Yet it was OK to spend the money on heavy drinking at a London pub, Gucci shoes, sable fur coats, and excessive stays at the Hôtel Martinez at Cannes in France.
However, any rare Mustang that landed on our shores would not be destined to pose around Auckland’s then trendy Queen Street on a Friday night but would more likely be found in the care of well-known racing drivers on the starting grid at local motor racing tracks.

Chrysler’s classy cruiser

22 May, 2026

I first saw our feature car, a 1970 V8-powered Regal 770 hardtop, towing a trailer carrying the tidy Ford Anglia classic racing saloon in Broadspeed racing colours that has featured in these pages. The coupe is comparatively rare here, which means anyone contemplating purchasing one of these big two-doors is sure to see prices continue to climb. The latter Charger has claimed much of the Aussie Chrysler limelight, but the simpler and classier lines of this car, which appeared dated soon after its introduction, now have a more timeless appeal.
Former owner, Balclutha motor engineer, Mike Verdoner, remembers the car well. He believes it came from Dunedin originally.
“I’m not sure about the car’s history, but I bought it off its owner at Kaitangata. Unusually, it was advertised in the local newspaper, the Clutha Leader, which was a surprise as these usually go for a lot more money on the internet. I had it for quite a few years. It needed a little bit of work to tidy it up, so I had to decide whether to spend the money on it to do it up, which could have been twenty grand. Its value at the time was not like it is now, so I sold it to Ewan. It’s probably now worth three or four times what I sold it for.”