351kW confirmed for FPV GT F

Developed to pay homage to the 351 cubic-inch (5.8-litre) V8 Falcon GTs of the early 1970s, the limited-edition 351kW FPV GT F ('F' for Final) sedan will also be the most powerful Falcon GT ever produced by Ford's Broadmeadows plant.

For the GT F, the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 has had its engine and transmission electronic control systems recalibrated to produce a benchmark-setting 351kW of power at 6,000 rpm - the most powerful FPV ever and 16 kW more than even the limited-edition GT RSPEC from 2012.

To achieve the engine's landmark output, Ford's engineering team developed an updated version of its Powertrain Control Module (PCM) software which, combined with a unique calibration strategy and torque management techniques, has provided a number of improvements in engine and vehicle performance while ensuring the vehicle meets Ford's durability requirements.

Specifically, the new software has delivered improved functionality of the boost control system, enabling finer tuning of the supercharger for further optimisation of the power and torque output of the engine.

This electronic management has also ensured that while power is improved, no extra load has been placed on the driveline or the engine components themselves, ensuring continued durability.

As a result of this fine tuning, maximum torque remains at 570 Nm from 2,500 - 5,500 rpm. However, peak torque is produced for as long as possible throughout the full engine rev range, making the new GT F sedan even more responsive on the road or for track days.

"I am delighted to confirm that we are going to deliver what our fans have being asking for - a vehicle that pays homage to the iconic Falcon 351 GT," Ford Australia President and CEO, Bob Graziano, said.

"Ford's 5.0-litre supercharged V8 is an absolute state-of-the-art V8 performance engine, and in the up-coming GT F sedan will deliver more power and torque than even its larger capacity forebear. And we've been able to do all of this by simply unlocking the latent performance that's already there."

The GT F sedan will sport iconic GT F 351 badging with inset orange colouring on the 'GT' script of the badge, harking back to Ford's race-bred GTs.

The chief program engineer for Falcon and FPV, Peter de Leur, said the V8's electronic refinements had resulted not only in improved performance times but importantly, an increased vehicle performance feel reflecting the strong results observed from the initial dyno work done on the engine.

"Ultimately too, apart from outright performance, our FPV customers expect their vehicles to have high levels of refinement and all-round driveability," de Leur said.

"For all of those reasons we believe that the GT F 351 will be one of the most collectable FPVs ever."

The GT F 351 will also carry the GT RSPEC's recalibrated suspension package, to deliver racetrack-inspired handling, and better traction. Other RPSEC features rolled over for the GT F include the wider 9-inch rear wheels with 275/35 R19 Dunlop Sports Maxx tyres, and the automatically enabled launch control feature to tailor torque delivery to optimise launch performance.

Brembo 6-piston front and 4 piston rear brakes, optional on the current FPV GT, will be standard on the GT F 351.

Visually, the design cues of the GT F 351 can be traced back to Ford GTs of the past, with the team developing a 'stealth' stripe design package that is evocative of the blacked-out highlights from Ford muscle cars of the 1970s, complimented by distinctive GT F badging.

Five colour variants from the Ford palette will be available from launch: Winter White, Kinetic (blue), Silhouette (black), Octane (orange) and Smoke (dark grey).

Matte black stripes will be standard across all colours, but there is a performance white option on Kinetic only, with metallic gold available on Silhouette. Silver stripe options will be available on Smoke and Silhouette.

"The GT F is a celebration of the GT and of Ford's history in Australia and our dedicated team have made sure this vehicle can stand proudly beside any GT products of the past - and any Ford performance vehicles in future," Ford Australia President and CEO, Bob Graziano, said.

"Importantly, too these passionate staff will continue to design Ford vehicles into the future as part of Ford's 1100 strong design and engineering base in Australia."

The GT F sedan has a Manufacturer's List Pricing of $77,990*. An FPV V8 Pursuit Ute will be released at the same time as the GT F, carrying most of the F's appearance features, but not the engine, suspension or braking components. The final FPV Pursuit ute carries a price of $52,990.*

*prices are manufacturer's list price only and do not include dealer delivery or any on-road costs.