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The birth of a second Australian only factory tuner
The 1991 started collaboration with automotive engineering company Tickford (Ford Tickford Experience (FTE), dealer network launched in 1999)) was made in order to create a counterpart to Holden's factory tuner HSV and came to an end in 2002 when the British engineering and motorsport company Prodrive purchased Tickford. In its early years FTE was participated in the introduction of the succesful XR6 and XR8 performance specifications of the Falcon fullsize sedans. The last car of this co-production was based on the AU-coded 6th generation of the Falcon was available in different versions like TL50, TS50 and TE50.
Ford Australia decided to keep the option of having an own factory tuner. So the former FTE-brand got replaced by the new introduced FPV-name. The abbreveation stands for Ford Performance Vehicles. The Falcon should stay the base for all cars that FPV produced over the following years.
The 2003 introduced BA-coded Falcon XR8 (a relaunch of the 6th generation AU) was the base of the first FPV-tuned Australian only Fords.
FPV (BA) GT (2003)
The GT marked the first base model of the new brand. The 5.4 liter Modular V8 from the stock Falcon XR8 was upgraded with DOHC 4-valve cylinder heads from the Mustang Cobra R engine. FPV called the new creation "Boss 290". The numbers display the power output of the engine in Kilowatts. It deliverd 290 KW (394 PS, 389 bhp) at 5500 rpm and 520Nm (384 ftlbs) of torque at 4500 rpm.
The GT received several upgrades concerning suspension and brakes aswell as a unique bodykit. It consists of deaper reaching bumpers and skirts allround. The 3-parted frontspoilerlip reaches now deaper to the ground, the center intake is like a larger version of the XR8 upside down and and the foglamps are surrounded by vents. The rearbumper has an integrated diffusor which repeats the 3-parted design of the frontspoiler and comes with a large dark plastic filled vent that should hint a large outlet. The sides show some bold sills with another indecated vent before the rearwheels covered by bodypainted blades. The large rearwing is an eyecatcher which will mostly be assumed with the FPV-version of the Falcon while it seems to be influenced by the 2nd generation Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution models. GT-badges under garnish moulding of the reardoors and on the right side of the trunk aswell as FPV-signs on the frontfendertrims and the left half of the boot and FPV half-oval logos on the center of new designed alloys explain the viewer which car he is looking at.
The interior comes with additional a leather-wrapped fatframe steeringwheel (for better grip), blue dials on grey checkered gauges with FPV-prints, an additional start-stop button (brushed aluminium, red glowing circle when activated andwithout lettering) on the left next to the speedometer-gauge and bucketseats (optional with leather) upvalue the interior.
The 2003 FPV GT was available for at least AU$69,850.