04 August 2009 - 11:00
Ford takes on the VXR8
On Sunday's Top Gear, Richard Hammond concluded - upon driving the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst - that if you want a proper, non-boring exec saloon, there's only one place to head: Australia.
Further proof arrives today in the shape of the FPV F6 E. FPV stands for Ford Performance Vehicles - the Blue Oval's equivalent of HSV - and the F6 E is a lairy, posh, rear-wheel-drive muscle car aiming to woo sharp-suited businessmen from their BMW M5s and Audi S4s.
Like the Audi, the F6 E is powered by a forced induction six-cylinder engine - in this case, a 4.0-litre turbocharged straight-six putting out 415bhp and 417lb ft of torque.
Impressive figures - and right up there with the VXR8, if not its supercharged Bathurst cousin - but we can't help thinking any proper Aussie muscle car needs a proper V8 under the bonnet.
Ford hasn't released performance figures for the F6 E yet, but expect it to reach 60mph in under five seconds while billowing out great plumes of tyre smoke.
Even so, it's a much more subtle affair than the VXR8 Bathurst in the visual department. Ford describes the F6 E's styling as ‘subdued', but that's nothing a few bolt-on body panels and pearly white paint won't fix, right?
Now all we need is a ute version...
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FPV does utes too :-) P211: the main touring car series in Australia is Ford & Holden (Vauxhall) V8s, both with various forms of spin-off road-car tuning arms over the years - but Holden has long had the upper hand with the road cars, and also has the larger export program, which I guess is how the VXR8 ended up in the UK long before Ford's competitor. And just for fun, there's a V8 ute race series too (again, Ford & Holden...), which usually turns on some entertaining racing.
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Ford & Holden have been building large performance sedans in Australia since the 60's, Ford & FPV also do more powerful V8 versions in sedan & ute.
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Don't you Poms worry... the F6 is just as good as any V8 that Ford make down here in Australia. If not better. The GT (FPV's V8 model) has only 7 BHP more, and 11lb ft of torque less. And there is a F6 Ute.
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Looks rubbish. VXR8 looks so much better and the bathurst looks even better. Also the sound of the Bathurst was bloody brilliant
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AML-DBR9 - this is the equivilent of the restrained G6E in australia there and way more out there F6 tyfoon sedan and F6 tornado utes plus GT versions with styling thats got massive bonnet bulges and decals. http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2008/def/2008-Ford-Australia-FPV-GT-P-and-GT-GTP-Front-And-Driver-Side-Tilt-Speed-1024x768.jpg
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correction- in aus thats a fpv force 6 not the g6e its basicaly a luxury softened F6
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Re: P211 they just copied vauxhall...? if they copied from anyone, it'd be Holden not Vauxhall... lol but no, Holden and Ford has been at it for nearly half a century building sports large saloon, as well as a couple of decades building "fast" utes~
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its a saab 95
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Only Australia makes interesting saloons, eh? I give you the Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-400.
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The Aussies do 4-Door muscle cars way better than the US. I bet the FPVs and HSVs are more fun than a hot Caddy and probably kick the crap out of the Dodge Charger (They've at least won in the looks department), and where's the Charger Ute? Nowhere to be found. I'm assuming this car isn't making it across the world to the UK? It doesn't really fit in with Ford Europe's range, unless they're going to give it a "Kinetic Design" face, which wouldn't really work. Shame. I'm sure importers will happily oblige, mind. Utes sound like fun.
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Mikeado u cant compare a FPV or HSV to an evo ...seriously they completely different sizes. also i recon they chose the fg chassie FPV to start exporting to europe because it DOES follow the kinetic theme with its big trapazoidal intake and sloped headlights and tails. (if u can find an image of the front you will see what i mean) ford AU is currently following ford Euro.
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Good thing is if its succsessful overseas the FG wont be the last rear wheel drive ford saloon. its rumored that ford are thinking of droping rear wheel drive for the falcon. a stupid idea of corse seeing as a front wheel drive ute is more pointless then a booster seat for clarkson. i recon the UK will see ford Utes if they see the Maloo doing well. and like as not you will never see a V8 FPV in the UK. not so long as the F6 is faster.
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Im sorry but if you want a muscle car then who would buy it?? oh no i don't want a white and black bathhurst, il get a nice boring blue sensible Ford.
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Yh... this car has been around for ages, there is a v8 verison (its not as good IMO), and there is a Ute. My friend in Aus has an XR6 and its so sweet. Some serious beans to that 4.0 V6. With the Turbo it halls! Almost same power as the v8 (bar 3bhp or so), and quicker 0-60. I like that Ford went to the 6 Turbo route, makes the road cars diff to the Holdens. Obviosuly they keep the V8 due to the history and the V8 supercars racers. Would be nice to see ford slap the Mustang GT500 Engine in a Falcon.. or the Ford GT engine :p
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mc merc ...trust me ...an F6 is anything but a "boring sensible ford" its just as sidways and mental as the vxr8. its the focus RS of saloons. admittedly the f6e is a little toned down (same power but softer suspention and a classier interiour). ford must think you wouldnt be interested in the full fat drift machine.
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The funny thing is the V8 FPV is actually slower than this F6. Bizarre but true. Ford have been using basically the exact same V8 for years now (5.4 litres) and its boring. But the FPV is slightly more 'refined' and easier to drive than the HSV monster :-P the F6 is absolutely superb and represents much better value for money than the GT though the in the sound department HSV kicks arse!! I would love to see this new gen with TheElMan's idea slapping a Ford GT supercharged V8 in to the FPV saloon and ute. Brilliant :)
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Looks like the current Honda Accord to me. Too subtle by half.
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@ Cardinal_Fang Subtle? Are you joking me? See it from a different angle. http://www.fpv.com.au/pdf/5yr-Flyer_R_FINAL 230908.pdf
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BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Fords are rubbish, i hate them, this Ford is like any other Ford, boring! I love Vauxhalls, hate Fords.
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i never have liked vauxhaulls my first experience was in a vauxhall nova and it broke down in the middle of co donegal and i had a 10 mile walk to the nearest house in the rain. i have never thought of vauxhall as a proper car company as they just copy opels. and then there was the astra that was around in 2002 it had quite possibly the most boring and unequipped interiors i have ever experienced. so i have always preferred ford and this should be a good car though its not very flamboyantly designed. but its ok
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The F6 is a weapon!This car was voted best sports car under $100k in the world by top gear oz. long live the blue oval
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lol the article makes out the fpv to be new... and to all the people who think it is too subtle and copying vauxhall, well ur wrong. [url=http://www.fpv.com.au/index.aspx]FPV website[/url]
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Top Gear, this car is certainly not posh. Think common as the Ford Focus is in the UK, criminally cheap when one year old, owned by every second family in Australia and basically no class and your there. This is just an everyday family car. No M5 beater. The FPV range is a pretty good one and they are certainly better than the HSV range (and I have no Holden Ford bias, I'm not Australian, I just live there right now). They handle much better, sound better, but they don't look better and they don't feel like they should somehow. They try too hard to be M5 beaters - and they fail spectacularly - when they should stick to what they know best - dubious quality and fastness - just how they should be.
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the car is fairly nice i like :)
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I happen to have a 1990 HOLDEN Calais that i have just brought to the UK. All Vauxhall's in England are just rebadged Holdens!!!
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the new fords just like every other ford look and drive like rubbish thats why holden will allways dominate over ford Found On Rubbish Dump
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I think it looks like an unhappy mix between a BMW 5-Series and a Jag XFR with Ford badges. Lazy car design is the bane of the industry...
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P211 commented on this article
04 August 2009
cant help thinking they just copied vauxhall....
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