2010 FPV GS gets new engine and permanent residence in FPV lineup

By Brett Davis | October 05th, 2010

FPV has just announced the release of the latest FPV GS sedan and ute, which will, FPV has confirmed, continue on the market as permanent models in the current showroom range. The new version also gets an all-new supercharged engine.

Sales of the original 2009 FPV GS were higher than FPV expected as the car was launched simply to test if an entry level FPV had market demand. Well, it did. Rod Barrett, FPV General Manager, said in a recent release,

“Last year’s limited-edition GS simply reinforced what we suspected, that there is absolutely a market for an entry-level FPV model. The GS provides our customers with a more affordable entry into the range. It broadens the market for potential FPV purchasers, and at the same time delivers tremendous value.”

The new aluminium 32-valve V8 is the first supercharged engine FPV has ever offered, it outputs more power – 315kW over 302kW – but, surprisingly, provides less torque – 545Nm over the previous 551Nm.

Outright torque is not everything though. Something that is much more important is precisely when in the rev range that torque is available. The new supercharged GS engine should be a lot more tractable compared to the existing model with the inclusion of a supercharger, especially lower down in the rev range.

As a by-product, the new FPV should produce less emissions and provide better fuel economy figures as well. FPV’s Rod Barrett also said,

“Perhaps the most exciting thing about our new GS is that while it matches the output of our previous Boss 5.4 litre V8, it actually smoothly out performs it in every way.

“It’s faster and it’s more fuel efficient, but perhaps most importantly, the supercharged configuration provides a tremendous ‘drive’ … this is a fun car, and we think it’s going to be enormously successful for us.”

The new car can be had in the option of eleven different colours (ten for the ute) and it is available with an automatic transmission as a no-cost option.

Prices start at $56,990 for the sedan and $51,990 for the ute, excluding on-road costs.

John Walker

What a crying shame, the bogans at ford won the day, with bloody engine power sapping, fuel thirsty superchargers, why oh why didn’t they go with turbo charging, merc and BMW have seen the light, this car will get slammed by the press as a fuel guzzling irrelevant car, with twin turbos, it would have dipped into the 8-9 litres per 100 k’s fuel consumption on the highway, and they could have given the car 400kw to play with to boot,very disappointed.

My Cars Called T-Rex

Bmw,Merc or any Euro maker usally overestimate there figures weather it be Power,fuel consumtion or strip times,so big euro sedans are fuel guzzelers aswell.

The Realist

Er, no, our Aussie tax payer funded 100% American owned car makers actually overestimate better than BMW or MB.
Dave S

Test figures are a lot different to claimed figures. The Euros seem to talk up their fuel consumption.

Quick web search.
HSV W427 (13.4L / 100k) AMG CLS63 (14.3L/ 100k).

I am sure the new Ford V8 will do well.

Adam

Audi uses a supercharger in its new 3.0 litre V6 which has been hailed as one of its best engines yet.

fattyandgeorge

John this is a new style supercharger that can, put simply be switched on and off in much the same way as the mad max interceptor. It has a hydralic clutch style coupling so out on the open road fuel economy will be brilliant.

john walker

Ok, I accept that part, and glad I’m wrong about the open road economy, but the fact remains that a supercharger is mechanically driven, and as such is not as efficient as turbos when it’s working.

jj

but people want power NOW not in 4 seconds time waiting for boost.

a supercharger will outlast a turbocharger, and intake temperatures on a supercharged car are far lower than a turbo.

turbos are good for long highway stretches, superchargers are good off the line AND on the highway as well.

who cares if you loose 5hp from being engine drivem, if you gain 50

john walker

Today’s turbo’s can be tuned to deliver instant hp, sounds like your turbo experience was from 20 years ago? Also,
oil just spiked to 82 bucks a barrel overnight, now lets wait and see what the road tests return as far as fuel consumption goes, I’ll bet around town figures will be around 18-20 litres per 11 k’s. Aftermarket twin turbo kits for XR8′s, have shown 400kw+, NO LAG, and brilliant fuel consumption figures. Wonder how many of the posters here work for Ford…….And I prefer Fords to Holdens…..

Joker

John, there will always be some degree of lag in a turbo due to the fact that they need to “spool”. Turbo performance is never instant but it can be masked to some extent by the engines natural power curve.
John Walker

Joker, ever heard of, and drive a sequentially turbo’ed car?
Believe me, it feels instant, the smaller turbo kicks in so fast. For those with longer memories then the doof doof crowd, in 1962 ford had a 302 cubic inch mechanically driven quad cam 600+ hp engine for the brickyard, yet we, the poor bloody man on the street, got stuck with bloody pushrods, and two valves a cylinder afterwards for a very long time,, although I do recall a 429 cubic inch with chain driven single OHC (the chain was so long it caused massive problems re guide wear and tear etc, now here we go again in 2010, supercharging when we could have gone turbo….. When will Ford learn to emulate the europeans and then surpass them, the bloody Ford/Holden bathurst thing is as boring as batsh!t, if the cars were competitive against the euros, I say bring it on, and let the best car win. Only way to shut up the ford/holden/euro/jap debate.
fattyandgeorge

I bet you have been driven sequentialy, I bet you felt that instant as well
John Walker

What a shame morons like “FattieandGeorge” are allowed to have a computer…. Bloody oxygen thiefs.
fattyandgeorge

John I dont own a computer Im on the Centrelink one pretending to look for a job.
John Walker

Sorry, should have said “access to a computer”, oxygen thief.
John Walker

Joker,Got a friend with a twin turbo LS8, to say it has any discernable lag is laughable, and it has an easy 480kw+, and gets under 10 litres per 100k’s, there is no way a supercharged LS8 can get near that.
Btw Serge, gee that was an insightful technical comment, did you strain those two brain cells of yours when they connected long enough for you to type?
Joker

John, I get your point…Lag still exists though (albeit small).
My XR5 has a smaller turbo that spools at high pressure from 1600RPM so it’s almost instantaneous but there is still the time between spooling (1600RPM) and Boost (2100RPM).
As others have said, Audi have a 3.0L Supercharged Six that’s winning awards..that should be enough to tell you that Ford are heading in the right direction.
Ford did test a twin-turbo V8 GT solution and have obviously decided the Harrop S/C is the better option. The forced induction is mechanical driven, not exhaust therefore boost is instantaneous every time from virtually anywhere on the rev range.

ox

Shame they havnt updated the look a bit, havnt those wheels been around since the BF?

My Password

they did..the exhaust pipes!!!lol
crouchy

They still look better than the new xr8 wheels though… those things are terrible….
Jimmy

On that, have we not passed the tacky decal era yet? Surely there’s a better alternative to convey the car’s sportiness.

Matt

Like a tacky HSV bodykit? lol

Alex

According to Drive, the new GT does 0-100km in 4.9sec

This GS does it in 5.2sec

Nice!

XR6T

Still slower than my XR6T.

jj

wont be when series 2 gets boost and a cooler. ( its already perfected ready to go! )

AND i bet ur xr6t isnt standard!

http://www.caradvice.com.au Karl Peskett

People, keep your comments on topic.

Personal insults will not be tolerated.
Tony M

Looking forward to the comparison with the HSV product. I would suggest the body changes will be part of the next FG upgrade. Body does look somewhat conservative for now.
nickdl

Don’t forget the added benefit of a better weight distribution and therefore, better handling.

Also, why is it surprising that a supercharged engine outputs more power than a normally aspirated engine.

http://caradvice.com.au Brett Davis

Hey mate, I meant to say it is surprising to see less torque with the supercharger. Fixed it anyway.
Cheers,
Brett

nickdl

Oh right fair enough, though torque usually goes hand in hand with displacement.

Bob

Considering the engine has decreased displacement from 5.4 to 5.0 litres, yet held onto almost all of the torque, it’s pretty impressive.

Also consider that as opposed to torque constantly increasing to a peak on the old 5.4, the new 5.0 S/C has peak torque holding from 2,000 rpm to 5,500 RPM (ref: http://www.caradvice.com.au/82046/fpv-launches-new-supercharged-v8-for-gt-and-gs/). So it is massively more tractable on paper and looks seriously impressive.

Finally – if it uses less fuel and weighs more, the car will outperform, outhandle and outaccelerate, along with outbrake when compared to the older 5.4.

I call that superior in every way.

Bob

that should read weighs less… my bad.

rentakeyboard

That looks soooooo much better thah the whole raccoon eye look theyve been using.

Me

They have never used the “racoon eye look” on the GS.

The GT still has them.

Baddass

I still prefer the clean, subtle styling of the FPV to HSVs, but a little more visual differentiation from the XR8 would be very welcome.

ABMPSV

Nothing wrong with this car power, price, size but why more power? This means more fuel too! In Europe engines getting smaller. Mercedes went from 6.2 to 4.5 with turbo and have more power and less fuel. What I would like to see is smaller engines like a good 3 liter V6 with turbo. HSV in the last 20 years going up with engine size from 4.2, 5, 5.4…..7 liter what next? Anybody can have more power with bigger engine! Try to do it with smaller one!

Chilliman

Fuel consumption is 13.6L/100km – down from 14.1L/100km on the 5.4Litre BOSS V8. Less fuel with more power and much better performance!!

ABMPSV

That is good but this is avergae fuel economy in the city is over 20 liter per 100km.

Rocklord

Hmmmm… AMG 6.3? I think your missing the point pal. Better stick to your entry level euros & leave these sort of cars to people who actually drive because they enjoy the power & sound of a proper performance sedan that’s made for the average joe. Thank you Ford Australia & GMH.
Andrew M

But whats also interesting is that smaller cars engines are being made bigger and bigger.

Big engines can be efficient. Look what happened to Holden when they went from 3.8L to 3.5L. Economy actually went backwards

Its about striking a balance.
This engine is smaller then the out going version by .4L, and is said to be far more fuel efficient.

More power or engine capacity doesnt always mean more fuel, that only applies to the bad examples

Rocklord

“More power or engine capacity doesnt always mean more fuel, that only applies to the bad examples”

I understand what your trying to say, but four door muscle cars, uber expensive German v8′s included, like a drink. The other thing is that the high-tech German engines cost far, far to much for what they deliver, & that’s provided you don’t mind the running costs of a German performance car in the first place. But once again this is a mute point, local muscle has no equal when it comes to large comfortable bang for your buck transport. The only thing that’s changed over the years, is the local muscle now performs just as well as their elite German cousins.

The Realist

Not really – show me one Aussie car that can outperform an RS6, M5 or E63 AMG. Holden W200 certainly couldn’t. The next generation M5 will blow away any Aussie ‘muscle’ car.

Plus many people don’t like decals, bright paintwork, and checkered flags on their cars.

jj

SAAB

for how much??

SO IT SHOULD. ill take the easily fixed aussie any day and keep the extra 160 grand in the bank for OTHER toys.

euros are not as reliable as people make out, they all seem to have some niggling electrical problems with age, that are a NIGHTMARE to fix.

and bmw’s i drive, is reason enough to make me avoid one!
Hung Low

“show me one Aussie car that can outperform an RS6, M5 or E63 AMG.”

The Joss Supercar!

We will leave that bright paint work and decals to Porsche!

Pablo

“4.2, 5, 5.4…..7 liter what next?”
I think you’ll find HSV’s donks over the past 20 years have gone 5.0, 5.7, 6.0, 6.2 with the odd 3.8 & 7.0 thrown in for good measure. And as for a 3 litre V6 turbo, how’s a 4 litre straight 6 turbo go…

Rocklord

If HSV drop the V8 engine in favour of a six/turbo etc, they will alienate their customers. The V8 engine has a very special significance in the world of sports cars, hence it’s use in many exotics. Ford lost plenty of people to GMH because their Boss V8 was not able to do the numbers. Even though fords turbo six is awesome it’s a different beast to the V8, I respect it myself, but it just doesn’t get my juices flowing. The Coyote engine program proves this point beyond a doubt. As for engine capacity’s check my other comments.

Acfsambo

“Anybody can have more power with a bigger engine! Try to do it with smaller one!”

Thats what Ford have done with this engine, going from a 5.4L down to a 5L.

Also, Merc went from a 6.2L to a 5.5L engine.

Dave S

Lets not forget, when they both down sized. They both needed forced induction – more complexity.

Falcodore

Looking forward to the GT launch at Bathurst, (hopefully it’ll be televised) Want to hear that engine roar around the track!

http://www.caradvice.com.au Jim Goose

Roar around the track? I don’t think so.More like a drone. The ADR police cracked down on V8 exaust volume years ago. It isn’t the 70′s anymore.

Falcodore

Bi-modal exhaust systems get around that issue. Not sure if the new FPVs have them but more and more cars are appearing with them.
jj

Ive heard a new coyote powered falcon, right out the front of broadmeadows.

and all i can say, is BE PREPARED for the angry grumble they make..

sounded incredible!

john

nice cant wait

Rocklord

That rear end doesn’t look very cohesive (tacked-on exhaust pipes), maybe it looks better in real life? & those decals & wing should be ditched. Wonder if this will out-gun the HSV GXP/Clubsport…? Fuel consumption looks good for something with this sort of moxie, look foward to hearing it… hope it sounds better than the current XR8.

goferit

if you dont want the decals or rear wing there is a model called GT E.
and its simple, if you dont like it dont buy it, quit your moaning about it. ofcourse Ford cant make a car that the entire population will be happy about but then again who can?
If your buying a V8 to start with im guessing your not entirely worried about fuel economy, l know that lm not.

Shinjuku Power

And how much does the GT E cost genius?… And my comment about fuel economy was not one of concern in regards to fuel consumption btw.

JooberGTi

You can request to remove or not opt for any decals if you like btw…

Lee Enfield

With the release of the new motor, all the talk has been about FPV. Ford have been quiet and there is no XR8 or V8 mentioned on their website.
Is it certain the XR8 or a replacement are going to be offered by Ford.

nickdl

They’ve said it might be difficult to slot the NA Coyote engine into an XR8 because a Falcon weighs considerably more than a Mustang and the NA engine won’t have the low-down torque that the supercharged one has. So it might not be that quick, hence the GS being added.

Lee Enfield

The GS, whilst reasonably priced, is a $10,000 increase over the XR8. If Ford do drop the V8 and FPV are the only V8′s on offer, the swinging buyers, will head to Holden, unless great deals are done on the GS.

http://www.caradvice.com.au Jim Goose

An interesting story that relates to this one,I’ve just checked the VFACTS charts for September that show Mazda in Fords usual spot with Ford now at number4! Sales of the FG Falcon is utterly nothing special and most of their models are down on last year. And they want to stick with the same Falcon theme post 2015! God help them. Check the figures out yourselves.Its there in black and white.

jj

and ford isnt fazed

they still sell all the fgs’s they can make.

they made a profit last year….

its all good.

http://www.caradvice.com.au Jim Goose senior

I certainly hope so.If they fold up here it would break my heart.Ford Oz does the best Fords anywhere in the world.

Shak

The Uber-Germans still have no equal to our locals. On price spec and performance, our local still strike a very appealing balance, and this is just another step in our performance car landscape. Good Job FPV, your move HSV.

XR6T

I agree, but the reason the euro’s have nothing in this range is because of the import tax the government slugs us with to buy european cars.

That said I still love Aussie muscle
The Realist

Why wouldn’t one purchase a second hand 335i – performance is slightly down on a Ford, but in every other facet is superior.

jj

i would NEVER buy a second hand euro!

immagine what trouble youd be buying, if anything went wrong, youd wish you had brought a new one with warranty!
Hung Low

Why purchase a second hand 335i when you can purchase an even older Porsche 911 or M3?
Your point is mute, move on!

The Realist

Exactly my point – why would one buy a Big Mac mobile when you could have a 335i, M3 or 911?

http://www.caradvice.com.au It’s true

shak you must be delusionl . have you heard of BMW M3 4.0 V8 or audi RS4 4.2 V8 or amg c63 6.2 V8 all of which out pace any local cars. and out of all above m3 comes first with smallest engine.

Acfsambo

Though look at the cost of the M3 or the RS4 or the C63. An M3 starts at $150k, FPV and HSV start from a bit more than a third of that price (mid $50k for utes). Also servicing is a lot more expensive and delicate than for HSV or FPV.

Also, how well doe the suspension and all that stand up to Australian roads?

freakson

how come then a cousin of mine has BF GT-P 302 and he just did a full computer tune and it makes 388kW at 6600rpm and 621Nm at 5400rpm at the flywheel? and does 4.4s 0-100? this is with larger throttle body and full exhaust system, stock engine internals and air intake filters/pipes, but this includes 3.08:1 LSD diff on a stock 6 speed ZF.

by the way why doesn’t a new FG GT supercharged don’t have projector lights? or xenon lights?

Acfsambo

Freakson. Not a criticism just a question, would your cousins GT pass Australian emissions regulations?

Moe

ADR blows, Australian emissions regulations blows, EPA blows. Euro IV blows all this emission bullcrap we have to follow

freakson

by the way , has anyone of you driven an old fashioned BA XR8?
but not a stock one , the one with an ECU tune?

and i mean a typical stock XR8 BA 4 speed auto with an engine ECU tune?

i drove one 5 years ago it was 2003 model, it made some 286kW tuned 545Nm of torque according to the owner, it felt 20% quicker, stronger and more responsive with the “RELEASE” it received with that tune.

torque converter locked from 2nd gear to 4th, it was coupling the engine with gearbox the way it should have, not when it came from the factory where it was heavily detuned and restricted in every way

0-100 was 5.5s with a tune, stock single spinner 3.23:1 diff, auto , and it felt hard, stiff, stronger and a lot more responsive beating a stock GT 290 by 4 car lengths.

i drove it, tested it had fun with it, drove other stock models and they were too muted and restricted.

it is amazing what a tune can do …. our Aussie cars need just that, just a tune …and that is it, we are on the ball with euro cars which tend to be too expensive, smaller engines, generally less reliable, slower versus dollar you pay

so a stock BF XR8 2005-2008 with a tune 6 speed ZF is an ideal car for $20,000.

Moe

Im with you on that one, Btw XR8 come standard with LSD not single kickers im in the process of buying a XR8 ute with ZF if price is right. Australia are going too deep in Euros A$$ hence why we get all these restrictions US dont have to follow them

Karl Krankschaft

Sure your cousins GT makes slot of power but it wouldn’t pass emissions regulations and buyers might complain if it gets 30 l/100km. 92 kw is a lot to pick up from just a tune.
Must be running on distilled unicorn farts

Moe

its possible but thats engine power not power on the wheels 2 different things, remember powertrain loss

Save It for the track

About the only good thing that BA xr8′s had going for them was the exhaust note, they DID sound good, certainly better than a VE. lately though I have personally heard some variances in some VE exhausts, but still not a match for the BA xr8 note. I still maintain that a BF xr6t is better than a xr8, let alone a VE Commodore. (not in exhaust tone though, for sure)
.
The fact that the supercharged coyote produces less torque than the old cobbled together truck motor 5.4L suggest to me that it is inherently ‘peaky’, much like the v6 engines that are muted to replace the 4.0L six in Falcon, if it lasts in the next decade or so.
Those banging on about ‘turbo lag’ really need to drive a xr6t (either a BF or FG), back to back with an xr8 or SS commodore, then tell me which one feels more ‘sluggish’ for the power to kick in. Is that ‘naturally aspirated’ lag in those v8′s? Look at the available torue in an FG xr6t, with 80% available from very low revs, and even maximum torque from lower than the mentioned v8′s right through to higher in the rev range.
I know which car is easier to throw around as well, and again it’s not the v8′s, especially not the lead tipped arrow feel of the BA/BF xr8′s…

m2m

You’re spot on about the exhaust note on the Boss 5.4, it’s beautiful and distinctive. I don’t think i’l ever enjoy the roar of the 4.0 l6, all i think about is Taxi’s racing from light to light.
Hung Low

Spot on and well put. Obviously an accurate perspective from somebody who has driven these cars!

Ken

peoples if ford put ALL of the fancy stuff on their cars no one could afford them! the cars are powerfull enough as they are for most people, with scope to add power for the “tuners” out there! Also, ford already has a turbo I6 engine, if they thought this tech would acheive desired results on the v8 & fit in the engine bay I’m sure they would have done that.

John Walker

Ken, Ford tried a supercharged GT40, with disastrous results re it’s fuel consumption, see Jeremy Clarkson article on this.

ohreally

so will there be any chance of buying a ford v8 for under $50 000?

holden offer the v8 in the ss calais and maybe even the berlina( they used to even offer it in the exec)

Is it a smart move to make the ford v8 an FPV only product?
ChopstaR87

I still want to know… and which i really havent heard alot about…

Which is Faster over:
0-100km/h
0-402m
0-1000m

GS / GT / F6

considering the F6 will mostly be faster 80-120km/h

JooberGTi

With the new Coyote’s wouldn’t know.

But with the 5.4′s the F6 would have been on all 3.

ChopstaR87

with 5.4 yea the F6 was WAY quicker…

with the new Miami engine, its going to be interesting.

i think its going to be close as.. probably .1 in it

I have heard 4.9sec for the new GT where the F6 can do 4.9 – 5.0 seconds to the 100km/h mark and the F6 is capable of 12.7-13.0 seconds pass on the 0-402m.

I personally feel it will be too close to call and when come to purchasing it all comes back to how you like the power delivery S

ChopstaR87

** sorry the last line should have read:

I personally feel it will be too close to call and when come to purchasing it all comes back to how you like the power delivery via either a S/C V8 or Turbo charged 6.