Luke Plaizier

In the latest edition of The Winding Road (Home Page :: Winding Road) they've done a write-up on a comparison between the outgoing GT and the newer Mustang GT500.

In essence the engines are the 5.4L twin-cam - similar to the Aussie engine as assembled by FPV. Both engines - in the GT and GT500 - have a supercharger sitting in the V as we all know. At first I though that the 550 bhp GT engine might be an option for Ford Oz - but there;s too many differences. Such as an Aluminium engine block and cabled throttle linkage. I know DJR have done an install of one of these engines, but the price is something else.

The GT500 however seems closer to the radar - with a Cast Iron block and throttle-by-wire - it looks like a simple ECU re-program might be all that's required to simply bolt one of these things in. Assuming, of course, that the bloody big air pump will fit under the bonnet bulge.

The time must just about be right for FPV to start getting serious about finally getting a GTHO off the ground. You'd have to think that if they're smart, they'll have been working on something like this to counter HSV's new range and Magnetic-Thingo suspension, and to celebrate the successful first half of 2006.....


Lukeyson

anakha

I have felt a postive displacement supercharger has seemed like a gimme for the 5.4L twin cam ever since I saw the power bulge and T56 gearbox. SVT has done the hard yards with development of the engine so you would think the cost to Ford OZ would not be overly high.

A blower neatly fills the deficiencies of the engine (ie off idle boost to help down low where the N/A engine is a bit flat and boost to take advantage of the excellent flowing heads which otherwise get wasted with the low rev limit.

Of course Ford needs the business case to work. Surely there is room for a $70-75k car to slot above the GT-P and compete against the top HSV models. They could even play down the official power numbers to mitigate backlash from the media.

Luke Plaizier

A media backlash would be somewhat dissipated by pointing out how many imported cars have much greater power outputs these days.

I think FPV's political correctness in the past has hurt it's sales. The moment the Typhoon came out the sales started to increase.Surely the bean counters haven't let that fact go unnoticed....


Lukeyson

anakha

Some yes but generally not under $100k. The German marques don't have anything to lose compared to Ford with their govt sales. Chrysler has thrown down with the 317kw SRT model though which Ford could point to.

The turbo/Typhoon cars were a masterstroke on Ford's/FPVs part. No doubt its given them many sales they would not have otherwise had.

The blower is definitely territory Ford need to explore (pardon the pun) as the current Boss incarnation is looking a bit tired next to the turbo 6 and Holden/HSVs new offerings.

I'm sure plenty of buyers coming off lease with their GTs will be looking hard at the Holden offerings given Ford is not offering them anything new. Orion is a ways off yet (and the Hurricane V8 too should we eventually see it here) so there really is no other option for Ford to explore if they want to keep that crowd. It would certaily be nice as a halo car too.

Luke Plaizier

One of the big rumours doing the rounds is, of course, the 7.0L Corvette Z06engine that would be a simple fit into a VE - aka a reborn 427.

I tell you, there must be some pretty special reasons for NOT doing a GTHO when you've got all these compelling reason FOR doing one.

Don't let us down FPV....


Lukeyson

Panadawn

I think the main fear is that after the EL GT being a complete lemon, they are a bit worried about ruining the GTHO heritage, I think they want to do the badge justice, and also I think theyd probably like to keep it naturally aspirated to keep with its nothing-but-steroids muscle car heritage. I think the main thing is they want to make sure they do it right.

You have to remember, the Phase III made 287kW - in 1971. That was bloody huge. To make something like that now theyd need it to make 450+kW, and keep it naturally aspirated to satisfy the die-hards who trek to Bathurst every year and can quote the VIN number of every falcon ever produced .

Heh, Even naming it could be a big concern for them, do they call it a GTHO, or a GTHO Phase V?

Interesting link:

GT HO Phase III road test - too hot to print in 1971 comes to light - The Green Room - Forums - www.atomicmpc.com.au

anakha

I would hardly call the EL GT a lemon. I think some people had some unrealistic expectations of what it might be. Admittedly it would have been nice had Ford squeezed a 351 windsor into it (and the EB GT for that matter as they nearly did).

The 70s GTHOs were what they were because of the racing requirements. That's not a concern these days. Do you feel the new Ford GT and Shelby GT500 are lesser cars than their predecessors because they pack blowers? I don't and the market appears to have accepted them very favourably. If a new GTHO was released with the same motor as the GT500 and it ran the right numbers I think it would be very successful.