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23/06/2011
REVIEW By DEREK OGDEN
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It seems the days of the Falcon are numbered, however, if the new GT E is anything to go by, the Ford Aussie favourite will not be going out with a whimper but with a bloody big roar.
After more than half a century, the iconic Ford is about to drop off the company’s Aussie team sheet because of sagging sales of large cars here and well-publicised parental problems with Ford MoCo in the United States.
Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) has chimed in before it’s too late and launched the first supercharged V8-powered GT in its 43-year history. With 335 kW of peak power and 570 Nm of top torque, the 5.0-litre Boss V8 is fitted to three models – the GT, GT-P and GT E.
There is no mistaking the GT and GT-P because of their distinctive out-there body graphics. The GT E, on the other hand, in line with its luxury character retains, according to FPV, ‘its low-profile demeanour’.
That doesn’t mean it loses anything in the performance department. Far from it, the car I was lucky enough to spend time with this, straight out of central casting, ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’.
Apart from a power bulge in the bonnet, quad tailpipes, unique wheels, decals and rear lip spoiler there’s nothing to advertise its high performance pedigree.
The present GT series has the perfect champion in Allan Moffat who has a long history with Ford. Along with four Bathurst victories, he won the Sandown endurance race six times, was Australian Touring Car Champion four times, and won both the Australian Sports Sedan and Sports Car Championship titles.
Moffat has been extensively used in advertising the GT s, especially on TV where much is made of the unique note engineered into the engine. Designed to have the bass bellow appeal to ardent V8 fans, Moffat signs off with the most apt words: “Do you want to hear that again?” Not half!
As mentioned above, the GT E outwardly is the epitome of restrained design. At close to five metres long, it’s a big vehicle but being from the tried-and-tested Falcon GT line everything is in the right proportion.
However, I have never been a fan of the bonnet power bulge which rudely interrupts the flowing lines of the front end.
Exterior mirrors are colour coded, as are the bumpers, while upper radiator and lower bumper grille mesh are black chrome.
The car rolls on unique 10-spoke alloy wheels finished in Alpine Silver which lifts the GT E above its raw looking siblings.
At 47 kg lighter than the all-aluminium 5.4-litre Boss 315 kW engine it replaces, the new motor is the result of a $40 million program put together by locally-based company Prodrive.
Based on the Coyote V8 first introduced in the American Ford Mustang early last year, the base of the new FPV engine is imported from the US in component form and hand assembled locally by FPV, using extensive Australian-made componentry. For example, the heart of the Australian engine is a Harrop Engineering-developed supercharger utilising Eaton TVS technology.
Not only is high energy delivered to the road, out the back via a quad pipe bi-modal exhaust system comes an all important engine note to match.
High performance is nothing without safety and security of a vehicle’s occupants and the GT E has this in spades. Passive safety is in the hands of driver and front passenger airbags, plus front seat side thorax and curtain airbags. There’s a full complement of active safety features including anti-skid brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake force assist, dynamic stability control and traction control.
A boon with such a big car is reversing sensors and camera which projects onto a dashboard mounted full colour screen.
Inside, it’s luxury all round with dash and front door panels in dark walnut, Soho leather covered seats with GT E embossing, or a no-coast option of Regency Red leather with the GT E stamp. Leather extends to Sports steering wheel with built-in cruise control and audio switches and a centre console lid with dark silver stitching.
Other unique GT features include a starter button, FPV badge on the steering wheel and key fob, and a build number with model identification.
As well as standard gauges there is a supercharger boost pressure dial and the trip computer comes up with fuel figures, average speed, distance to destination and speed alert with audible overspeed warning.
Centre of the premium audio system is a 7-inch colour display backed up by a six-disc in-dash CD changer, aux audio plug-in with MP3 capability and full iPod and Bluetooth phone integration. Satellite navigation with traffic control channel is an option.
The compact V8 engine gives the car what is intended, amazing balance for a big car, sharp turn-in and improved ride through a finely tuned suspension front and back.
Power to burn can be a trap for the unwary with the embarrassing ability to spin the wheels if the accelerator pedal is not treated with some restraint.
The FPV GT E is priced at $82,540, not including dealer or government charges. |
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