Ford @ Brisbane International Motor Show

By Motoring Channel Staff - 2/02/2005

From the stunning lines of the Ford GT supercar to the powerful new member of the Ford tough truck family, the Blue Oval has got all bases covered at the Brisbane International Motor Show (BIMS), which runs between the 4th and 13th of February.

As Holden uses the Brisbane show to launch its new VZ Adventra range, replete with new V6 Alloytech engines, Ford is showing off its international heroes alongside the local upstarts, including the new MkII FPV F6 Typhoon.

Headlining the stand will be the awesome Ford GT – a vehicle designed to showcase the engineering expertise of the Ford Motor Company for its 2003 Centennial celebrations.

Billed as the "pace car for an entire company", the GT has performance to match or beat the best sports cars in the world.

Powered by an all-aluminium, 5.4-litre supercharged V8 engine, it produces 410kW and 678Nm of torque. The 5.4-litre powerplant is all-aluminium and is fed by an Eaton screw-type supercharger.

It features 4-valve cylinder heads and forged components, including the crankshaft, H-beam connecting rods and aluminium pistons. Power is put to the road through a Ricardo 6-speed manual transaxle featuring a helical limited-slip differential.

Just 45 days after the vehicle was unveiled in 2002 as a concept, Ford stunned the world again by officially announcing that a production version was in the works.

The 330km/h Ford GT required unique race-like engineering solutions, such as eliminating the aerodynamic 'lift' inherent in the original car's design, and includes race-inspired ground effects ducting under the rear fascia to assist.

Power boost for FPV

Brisbane Motor Show performance aficionados will relish the Ford Performance Vehicles stand and the arrival of the exciting new turbocharged F6 Typhoon and upgraded GT and GT-P models.

The MkII FPV range features a number of significant modifications, including the addition of a close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox in all models as well as numerous interior, exterior and specification upgrades.

"There is no doubt that Ford Performance Vehicles has made its mark on the Australian high-performance segment," managing director of FPV, David Flint, said.

FPV MkII Upgrades:

• Close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox (with Shift Alert)

• 4-speed Auto with sequential shift becomes a no-cost option on GT and Pursuit

• Revised suspension settings on sedans for improved handling

• Interior upgrades on all models, including new Sports Instrument Gauges

• New-look exterior FPV stripe package with Boss 290 bonnet decal and revised colour options

• New 19-inch alloy wheels on GT-P

All FPV vehicles will feature, as part of the transmission upgrade, an exclusive racing-inspired Shift Alert to optimise acceleration and performance.

The driver will hear an audible warning as the engine speed is approaching maximum revs, prompting the driver to change gears before the electronic rev limiter ruins all the fun.

The Interior Command Centre has also been upgraded on most FPV vehicles, with the sedans now featuring the range-topping large TFT colour screen with dual-zone air conditioning and Premium Sound system as standard equipment.

The Premium Sound consists of a 150 Watt system with amplifier, sub woofer, six speakers and a 6-disc in-dash CD player.

The popularity of the heritage-inspired stripes on the original FPV GT and GT-P has paved the way for a wider choice of colours with the new-look package on the MkII lineup, which now includes a bold Boss 290 hood decal.

The MkII package, which replaces the two solid stripes on the original models with a bold lower stripe, key line stripe and hood decal, will also be available on Pursuit for the first time as a factory-fitted option. The Boss 290 hood decal accentuates the racing-inspired bonnet bulge that is a signature design feature on all Boss-powered vehicles.

A full complement of the award-winning Ford Territory will also be on show at Brisbane, including the latest addition to the best-selling SUV line-up – the mid-range TS.

Territory has taken local showrooms by storm since its June 1, 2004 launch and has quickly assumed monthly sales leadership. For more info on the Territory, click here for the road test.

Special edition Focus rallies support

The continuing World Rally Championship success of the Ford Focus has been celebrated in Australia with the release of the rally-inspired, special edition Focus Zetec R.

The Zetec R will also help keep Focus interest levels up until the all-new model arrives in April/May.

Incorporating the rally-bred ride and handling characteristics inherent across the entire Focus range, Focus Zetec R is available as a five door hatch with a choice of either automatic or manual transmission. The extensive list of extras includes:

17-inch alloy wheels with 215/45 R17 Goodyear tyres
Bodykit: Front and rear aprons and side skirts
Unique large rear spoiler
Aluminium pedal pads (manual only)
Gear knob: Leather with aluminium insert (manual only)
Handbrake cover: Leather with brushed aluminium insert
Scuff plates (set of four)
Carpet mats with 'Zetec R' logo
'R' decals (three per vehicle) positioned under the Zetec badges at the front fenders, and under the engine displacement badge on the rear right hand-side of the vehicle

"Focus Zetec R SVP is an exciting addition to the Ford Focus model line-up in Australia," said Ford Australia Small Car Brand Manager, Anthony Ficarra.

"The 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear bumper skirts and the large rear spoiler really give the Zetec R an enhanced athletic appearance. Interior features such as the leather gear knob and handbrake complete the picture. Offering more than $4200 of extra value for no additional cost, it really is an unbeatable deal."

Focus Zetec R will be available in a choice of four colours – Machine Silver, Colorado Red, Ink Blue and Panther Black.

New addition for Ford truck family

Ford Australia's newest light truck hero – a V6 powered PH Courier – will be on show at Brisbane. The Courier V6 offers class-leading power and torque from its hefty 4.0-litre V6 engine, as well as two new transmissions, a unique suspension specification and a host of new interior features.

"The Courier range now boasts six-cylinder power for the first time in its long history," Courier marketing manager Damon Paull said.

"With class leading power and torque, the Courier V6 is set to become the new benchmark for customers wanting big six-cylinder performance in conjunction with Courier's renowned workhorse capabilities and light truck versatility."

On sale now, the new Courier V6 employs a 4.0-litre SOHC V6 engine producing a class-leading 154kW of power @ 5250rpm and an equally impressive 323Nm of torque @ 3000rpm. With an established pedigree from its service in Ford products around the world, the German-built engine offers a new level of power and performance to light truck customers.

Courier V6 is offered in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations, across Super Cab and Crew Cab body styles and in GL and XLT specification levels, providing customers with an even greater selection of Courier models to choose from.

The Courier line-up now extends to 31 variants in total – 23 variants in the Courier 4-cylinder range and eight variants in the Courier V6 range.

Courier V6 also offers a choice of two new transmissions, a heavy duty 5-speed manual and the option of a sophisticated 5-speed automatic on Crew Cab models.

The suspension on both 4x2 and 4x4 Courier V6 models is a unique ‘Hi Ride’ version of the four-cylinder Courier 4x4 set-up, which has been raised by 20mm to facilitate the installation of the V6 engine.

The unique suspension specification gives all Courier V6 models greater ground clearance and a more aggressive stance, while at the same time offering the driver a commanding view of the road.

In addition to the list of enhancements introduced with the recent pH upgrade for four-cylinder Courier models, all Courier V6 variants will also feature an 80-litre fuel tank, standard air conditioning and a large double-lid centre console storage compartment with integrated arm rest and ‘cooler box’.