2008 FPV F6

In these times of escalating fuel prices, it can be argued that the era of true muscle cars is rapidly drawing to a close. Maybe so, but these FPV vehicles are testimony to the base product that they evolved - the new FG Falcon. Everything about these cars is better than their BA based predecessor. FPV have tweaked, massaged and committed more than 29,000 engineering hours into making these cars something special. While the new Boss 315 V8 boasts a host of upgrades, the latest- and final - evolution of the F6 has realised the latent potential of this long serving engine. The F6 is the familiar 4.0-litre turbo charged DOHC 224 valve in-line 6 which has been a staple Ford power plant since its introduction in the BA range in 2002. The engine has been used for years in various capacities, but turbocharging and the use of sophisticated components have given it new found status. Unfortunately it will not comply with new emission controls and Ford have announced that it will be retired in 2010 in favour of an imported V6.

Notwithstanding, FPV have kept the best to last. The turbocharged F6 enjoys a power increase of 40kW to 310kW at 5500rpm and has a massive peak torque of 565Nm at 1950-5200rpm (up 15Nm from the previous F6). It is available in the F6 sedan and ute. The FPV tweaked F6 engine features a new strengthened piston and conrod assembly and a complete re-calibration. The inlet and exhaust systems have been redesigned and the camshaft timing revised. A higher efficiency Garrett turbo charger puts out a bigger boost, while a bigger intercooler reduces losses in the intake and allows for a higher air intake pressure. The compression ratio has been reduced from 8.7:1 to 8.47:1. According to FPV's head of powertain engineering, Bernie Quinn, "with 100 percent of the peak torque available all the way from 1950rpm to 5200rpm, the new F6 310 engine transforms the performance feel of our F6 range, delivering seamless power and fantastic responsiveness across all driving conditions."

According to FPV the F6 has fuel consumption figures of 12.3L/ 100km in manual transmission and 12.1L/100km in automatic guise - a substantial improvement over the previous model. In a first for FPV powers, they have the option of the performance TR6060 six-speed manual transmission or the ZF six-speed high torque auto transmission with sequential spots shift at no extra cost. Matching the increased power is a premium FPV performance brake package, featuring 335x32mm front rotors with Brembo four piston calipers and 328x26mm rear rotors with single red piston caliper. FPV have also developed a cylinder cut feature which shortens shift calibrations on the auto transmission during acceleration. The result being to deliver more torque, enhancing engine response and performance. The F6 carrys over the suspension geometry from the FG Falcon XR6, with revised sprint rates and damper calibration for a more complete performance setup. The F6 has distinguished dark headlight accents and a titanium mesh grille. The lower air intake grille has been removed, exposing the larger intercooler. A large FPV badge is placed in the centre of the grille.