TriShield

Yes, a 430hp supercharged V8 may be tame. But that doesn't mean Ford Australia isn't going to let the Aussies have hotter versions in the future.













This car is rumored to be testing a 500hp version of the supercharged 5.0.

Gaunt

iTrader: (11)

Somewhere a poor, sad GTO is sitting without his wheels.

Spoolin

iTrader: (8)

justin455

It's not that I doubt they have a 500hp mill in the works, but normally with spied shots you see one picture of something confirming the rumor (Paper on dash when LSA Camaro shots came about). Looks likes any shot of the "regular" GT.

NW-99SS

iTrader: (6)

Holy Cobalt rear wing Batman!

I G Joe

too bad they dont allow those over here in the US.

deft

iTrader: (7)

Looks like a combination of a several GM vehicles and a subaru. I'd think about it if they bring it over here.

Blakbird24

iTrader: (24)

Yeah I was also wondering what in those pictures makes them believe this is anything more than the 430hp GT? Hell it may not even pack that much...maybe it's a special edition of a lesser model?

twelver12

iTrader: (3)

Australia gets all kinds of cool cars that america doesn't

TriShield

Restyled front fascia cover with a larger intercooler apparently. Whomever was driving it let the photographer snap whats under the tarp.

1CAMWNDR

iTrader: (21)

If Ford would bring those cars (All versions) it would turn GM on it's ear.
If GM would bring those cars (All versions of the Commodore/Caprice etc.) It would turn Ford on it's ear.

Who will be first. . . . . . .

camAro242

iTrader: (4)

neither...none of them will do it

Blakbird24

iTrader: (24)

And that, sadly, is the most accurate fact i've seen posted in this section in a LONG time.

camAro242

iTrader: (4)

its the sad truth, i cant fathom the reason why they wouldnt, isnt the challenger/ mustang gt/ camaro sales enough proof that there IS a market for performance cars

TriShield

FPV prototype caught testing in Sweden raises hopes of Falcon GTHO revival.


Ford's FPV Falcon GT now has more power than its HSV rival, but is it enough to take out the latest battle of the V8s?

Stephen Ottley
January 27, 2011
drive.com.au

This is the best evidence yet that Ford Performance Vehicles is preparing to resurrect the legendry Falcon GTHO. This development mule sports a pair of intercoolers behind the front bumper, prompting speculation this new Falcon king could be pumping out as much as 375kW (or 500hp in the old money).

According to the report and images posted on US motoring website Motor Authority, this FPV prototype was caught undergoing cold weather testing in Sweden. The site claims the car will be launched at July's Melbourne motor show.

The prospect of a higher-performance version of the current FPV supercharged V8 makes sense, as the company left plenty of room for a higher-boost version when it released the GT and GT-P last year. The supercharged V8 produced 315kW in the GS and 335kW in the GT and GT-P, both modest power increases over the naturally-aspirated version of the engine, which itself pumps out 307kW.

FPV's plans to revive the iconic Falcon GTHO nameplate have been the source of constant speculation. FPV general manager Rodd Barrett has repeatedly admitted he would like to oversee the revival of the GTHO.

However, when the new supercharged V8 range was launched last year there were conflicting views from Barrett and Bryan Mears, managing director of Prodrive Asia Pacific, which owns 51 per cent of FPV.

"If we're gonna do it [the GTHO], we're gonna do it right," Barrett said at the time, reiterating that it would not be called a GTHO but would adopt a new name. "We probably have got the tools but the decision now is whether we want to do it."

Mears, meanwhile, was less optimistic.

"There will never be another GTHO," Mears said. "There's been no decision to go down that path.

"We have the wherewithal to do it. But whatever we did produce, the GTHO — with its mythology, with what the story is about it, what was produced many years ago ... there will never be another GTHO."

Mears comments add weight to the Motor Authority report which claims the car will wear a GT-H badge.

But whatever it's called if the reports of 375kW are accurate then it will be FPV's most powerful model to date; and one of the fastest cars ever built in Australia. That much power would put it on par with cross-town rival HSV's most powerful model ever, the limited edition W427.

Having invested more than $40m into developing the supercharger for the 'Coyote' 5.0-litre V8, Mears has revealed he has had discussions about exporting the engine to the United States.

Ford's most powerful V8 Mustang is the 328kW 302 Mustang, which uses a high-performance version of the Coyote V8. The prospect of fitting a 375kW supercharged version under the bonnet of the Mustang would be a logical progression for Ford America.

A spokeswoman for FPV was unable to provide any comment on the car photographed testing when contacted by Drive.

The original XY Falcon GTHO produced between 1970 and 1972 has become the most highly sought after Australian muscle car. In 2007 a 1971 Phase III model sold for $750,000, making it possibly the most expensive Australian-made car ever sold.

The Falcon GTHO's iconic status was cemented by the car's dominance in early Australian Touring Car racing; including back-to-back Bathurst 500 wins in 1970 and '71.