Bryan Mears, Managing Director of Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) says the latest GT RSPEC sedan and Pursuit ute are the culmination of where the company has always wanted to be. Muscle for sure with the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine, but this time with more technology and a much improved racetrack-developed suspension package.
Priced from $76,990, the GT RSPEC sedan and Pursuit ute arrive in FPV dealerships later this month and many eager customers have already slapped-down deposits even before the final specifications were confirmed.
FPV will build 350 GT RSPEC sedans – 175 in the ‘hero’ black-with-red-accents colour scheme, and the rest a mixture of white, red and blue with black accents. For the Pursuit ute, you need to move fast as only 75 are slated for production – the smallest FPV ute production run ever – and all have been wholesaled to FPV dealers even before the build program kicked-off.
Externally, FPV’s latest sedans are distinguished by the iconic ‘C-Strip- decals made famous by the 1969 Boss Mustang. The logos are different though – the Mustang’s ‘Boss 302’ replaced by ‘Boss 335’.
Of course that logo refers to the powerplant – FPV’s superb all-aluminum supercharged 5.0-litre V8 with 335kW/575Nm which drives through either a six-speed manual or the no-cost option ZF six-speed automatic with sequential manual changes. FPV says more than 70 per cent of its buyers opt for the automatic transmission.
Why no paddle shifters? Two reasons – firstly the steering column is already full of so much electronics that something (such as cruise control) would have to be ditched and secondly the FPV steering wheel and Ford steering column do not have room for them and the indicator/wiper stalks (any they cannot be moved).
Other visual changes include black painted exhaust tips, a massive bottled spoiler, new fog light bezels and new grille surrounds.
The FPV Pursuit ute is powered by the detuned version of the supercharged V8 with 315kW/545Nm.
But the big news is the suspension development for the FPV RSPEC. The result of 18 months of development, the latest FPV boasts impressive changes and has been benchmarked against Ford’s latest Boss Mustang as well as high-performance sedans from BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Heading the technology is standard Launch Control for both manual and automatic versions. Running the latest Bosch software sees engine revs automatically held at the pre-set level (3,000rpm in the manual) before rapid, wheelspin-free acceleration (FPV says the auto is quickest if you just hit the accelerator with no holding on the brakes).
Rear suspension has re-tuned dampers, stiffer spring rates, a larger (19mm) anti-roll bar, revised toe and stiffer lower control arms. FPV has also specified a wider 275 Dunlop tyre for the rear 19-inch alloy wheels.
At the front are stiffer bushes and mounts and revised dampers although overall, FPV engineering boss Bernie Quinn says the pointy end is comparatively softer than the rear.
Substantial changes for the steering too – a firmer feel and more directness.
Overall FPV set-out to make the GT RSPEC a race-tuned vehicle and racing champion Allan Moffat was part of the development team. The goal was more rear-bias in steering response, crisper turn-in, improved mid-corner balance and traction.
Inside, the FPV RSPEC and Pursuit ute feature Shadow leather sports seats, and piano black trim highlights.
Other FPV GT options remain – satellite navigation with SUNA traffic updates, Brembo brakes (sedan) and towbar (ute).
Car Showroom will test the FPV RSPEC shortly.
