2006 BF Ford Performance Vehicles: First Look

Motoring Channel Staff - 14/10/2005

Together with its revised BF and SY Territory range, Ford Australia's sports car division, aptly named Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV), unleashed it's 2006 models at the Australian International Motor Show, giving the range a harder, more focussed visual edge.

Taking design cues from arch rival HSV and it's ties to motorsport, particularly the V8 Supercars, the new range from FPV is more provocative, with the company's head honcho, David Flint, explaining that there are now more styling differences between the 6- and 8-cylinder performance cars.

"With the new BF models, we have taken the opportunity to give our vehicles even greater road presence and, at the same time, create distinct visual differences between our Boss 290 V8 models and F6 variants."

FPV's updated range of performance sedans and utes output the same amounts of power as their predecessors - 290kW for the Boss V8 and 270kW for the turbo straight 6-cylinder - but the engine's have been altered to comply with the strict Euro III emission regulations months ahead of their formal introduction by the Federal Government.

The full FPV BF model line is as follows:

GT (8-cyl)
GT-P (8-cyl)
Pursuit (8-cyl)
Super Pursuit (8-cyl)

F6 Typhoon (6-cyl)
F6 Tornado (6-cyl)

The engine modifications were introduced to meet the new emission regulations, and combined with the addition of the impressive German-built ZF 6-speed automatic, has resulted in better fuel economy for both the Boss 290 V8 and F6 270 Turbo engines.

"High-performance cars are perceived to be the most harmful to the environment because of their inherent nature, but that is not necessarily the case," said David Flint. "The advances made in emission control over the last decade have been quite dramatic. Our engineering partners at Prodrive were handed the challenge of making sure our vehicles complied with the toughest emission regulation ever imposed on Australian-built cars.

"They have achieved the task and counteracted the tougher restrictions without any loss in the performance outputs of our engines. These modifications have also resulted in improved efficiency of our engines. It's a double win for our customers," stated Flint.

In conjunction with compliance with the Euro III emission regulations, another new design standard will be introduced from 2006: a reduction in drive-by noise (ADR 83/00) from 77dB to 75dB. To achieve this, the 5.4-litre quad cam Boss 290 V8 is now fitted with the dual-entry ram airbox that was first introduced on the F6 Typhoon and F6 Tornado and a bold new twin-exhaust system exclusively available on the GT and GT-P.

The dual-entry ram airbox provides more efficient airflow into the induction system. This offsets the increase in exhaust back pressure imposed by the emission regulations, and also provides a significant reduction in induction noise. The airbox volume has increased dramatically from five cubic litres to 13 cubic litres.

The new twin exhaust system on the GT and GT-P not only lifts the aesthetic presence of the iconic V8-powered models, but also generates a traditional muscle car-inspired exhaust note. The system has four-into-one extractors from each bank of cylinders joining into a twin 2¼-inch exhaust with an intermediate silencer box. The exhaust gases pass through new tri-flow silencers before exiting via the six-inch twin-outlets that feature a trapezoidal design reminiscent of iconic muscle cars of the 1970s.

The engine management system also required modifications to the calibration to meet the Euro III standards as well as the fitment of the dual-entry ram airbox and twin exhaust system.

Despite the restrictions imposed by the Euro III regulations, Prodrive's powertrain engineering team has maintained the power and torque outputs of the 5.4-litre quad cam Boss 290 V8. It produces maximum power of 290kW @ 5500rpm and 520Nm of torque @ 4500rpm.

The Boss 290 is now up to 2.6 per cent more fuel efficient, with the GT and GT-P manual sedans recording 14.9 litres/100km/h under official ADR requirements for combined city/urban driving cycle. The lower gearing of the six-speed automatic records 15.0 litres/100km in GT and GT-P and 15.1 in Pursuit.

The intercooled and turbocharged F6 270 Turbo 6-cylinder engine has also received a host of detail changes in line with the introduction of the Euro III emission standards. It also receives new camshaft profiles on the dual variable cam timing system with five degrees longer duration on the inlet and 10 degrees longer on exhaust to maintain consistent power output at high engine speeds.

The F6 Typhoon also has a new exhaust outlet, replicating the trapezoidal design on the GT and GT-P with the single pipe on the right-hand side.

Peak power and torque outputs have been maintained, with the DOHC 4.0-litre turbocharged 6-cylinder producing peak power of 270kW @ 5250rpm and maximum torque of 550Nm – the highest torque figure of any Australian-built production engine – produced from 2000-4250rpm.

The F6 270 Turbo is up to 3.6 per cent more fuel efficient compared to the BA MkII model with the six-speed manual versions of the F6 Typhoon and F6 Tornado recording official fuel economy figures of 13.5 litres/100km/h. With the six-speed automatic, both models have fuel economy figures of 13.0 litres/100km/h.

Just briefly, here is the list of new features for the 2006 FPV range:

Addition of optional 6-speed automatic transmission on all models, including F6 Typhoon and F6 Tornado for the first time.
New-look front and rear bumpers with unique lower intake styling between Boss 290 V8 and F6 270 models.
Twin-exhaust on GT and GT-P.
Revised engine specifications and introduction of on-board diagnostics to meet impending Euro III Emission regulations.
Upgraded brakes with four-piston Brembo front calipers standard on all models except GT-P and Super Pursuit which feature even more powerful 'Premium' six-piston Brembo front calipers.
New-design 19-inch alloy wheels on GT-P and Super Pursuit.
19-inch alloy wheels standard on GT and Pursuit.
New-design 19-inch alloy wheels with Dark Argent spokes and machined outer rim available as an option on F6 Typhoon and F6 Tornado.
Wider selection of new-look side stripes and hood decal package available as optional extra on all Boss 290 V8 models (no-cost option on premium GT-P and Super Pursuit models).
New reverse 'Power Bulge' design hard tonneau cover available on all Ute models.
Traction Control standard on all Ute models.
Revised interior trim on all models.
Three new colours.
Reverse-parking sensors standard on GT-P and optional on GT and F6 Typhoon.

Returning to the newly designed bodywork of the FPV range, and fans of the hotted-up Falcons will instantly see the differences, which are more modern than the BA MkII design: new-look front bumpers on all models feature an aggressive race-inspired lip surrounding the larger lower air intake, which is replicated in a similar fashion surrounding a new-look opening in the rear bumpers of all sedans. This is combined with stylish new-design auxiliary driving lights.

The new-look front bumpers enhance the traditional performance car styling of the Boss 290 V8-powered vehicles with a larger and more pronounced lower air intake featuring the race-inspired three-slot spoiler.

Introducing an element of classic styling alongside the aggressive design are new-look fog lamps. These lights feature a satin alloy surround on GT and Pursuit with black integrated flutes, while GT-P and Super Pursuit build on the premium theme of the range-topping models with satin alloy surrounds and flutes that complement the standard satin alloy grille mesh. Many FPV customers said the fog lamps were too big on previous models, and the new smaller sized globe housing integrate more appropriately into the sporty design.

Both the GT and GT-P now feature their respective model's badges in the upper air intake within the front bumper: a design cue reminiscent of the classic GTs of the 1960s and 1970s.

To complement the new styling, all Boss 290 V8-powered vehicles receive 19-inch alloy wheels as standard fitment, including a new design on the range-topping GT-P and Super Pursuit models, while the GT and GT-P are also fitted with a traditional muscle car-inspired twin exhaust system, as mentioned above. All Boss 290-powered models also feature a broader selection of new-design optional side stripe and hood decal packages.

The BF GT and Pursuit come with the five-spoke alloy wheel previously available exclusively on BA GT-P and Super Pursuit, while the flagship variants receive a new-design five-spoke alloy wheel with a raised spine in the centre of each spoke and a machined outer rim. Best of all, the wheels have been designed to accentuate the power and presence of the Brembo brakes, that are now standard on all FPV models.

The double five-spoke alloy wheel with gun metal shadow rims on the F6 Typhoon and F6 Tornado are carried through with the new BF model. However, a unique 19-inch alloy will be available as an option on F6 models with an exclusive gun metal shadow design and machined outer rim. This option has a RRP of $2400.

The F6 Typhoon and F6 Tornado also carry the aggressive new look, but with a unique lower air intake design that features reverse angle pillars to accentuate the silver intercooler behind the Technik grille mesh. Both the F6 Typhoon and F6 Tornado feature exclusive design auxiliary driving lights with colour coded inserts. These styling elements give a dramatically different look to the F6 models compared to GT, GT-P, Pursuit and Super Pursuit.

The pronounced intake surround continues through to the rear bumpers on all sedan variants with a signature three-slot extraction design. The grille mesh in each model also replicates the front bumper: black in GT, satin alloy in GT-P and silver in F6 Typhoon.

Sonar-activated reverse-parking sensors are now fitted as standard equipment in the flagship GT-P and available as an option for the first time on GT and F6 Typhoon with an RRP of $650 and all FPV sedans gain the new jewel-effect tail lights introduced across all Falcon models in the BF range.

FPV owners will be offered even more ways to customise their vehicle, with a new-design side stripe and hood decal package available as an option on GT, GT-P, Pursuit and Super Pursuit.

The new-look stripes feature a solid middle stripe with a smaller key-line stripe on either side that also wraps around on the rear bumper section, providing a more dynamic look. The design of the Boss 290 hood decal fitted to the sides of the bonnet bulge remain as it was introduced on the BA MkII models.

A wider selection of stripe colour and exterior colour choices have been introduced with the BF range, including new gold stripes. The stripe package is a no-cost option on GT-P and Super Pursuit and has a recommended retail price of $595 as an option on GT and Pursuit. The Boss 290 Hood Decal can be fitted without the stripe package and has an RRP of $195.

The new stripes coincide with the introduction of a number of exclusive performance hero colours: Bionic, Toxic and DeJaVu.

Bionic is a bold new non-metallic blue inspired by the iconic True Blue that was popular on XY GT Falcons while Toxic is a bright acidic green – similar to Citric Acid that was popular in the original BA series – and is close to the Lime Glaze colour that was available on XA GT Falcons. DeJaVu, which is due to begin production in December, is a new dark metallic green.

The feature-filled cabin in all FPV models has received a number of improvements with the introduction of the new BF range as well. Complementing the satin alloy interior features such as the Interior Command Centre and gear lever surrounds, the door trims now carry the same premium highlight on the grab handles with a soft-feel material. The performance seats in all models now feature Satin Alloy contrast stitching with the FPV logo embroidered in the headrests.

A luxury interior pack is available as an option on the F6 Tornado Ute for the first time, incorporating dual zone climate control with large TFT colour screen Interior Command Centre and Premium sound with a six-disc in-dash CD player. This option has a recommended retail price of $1500.

"The combination of these upgraded features has allowed FPV to create the ultimate family of Australian-built high-performance Ford vehicles," Flint added.

"We have also been able to provide our customers with even more options to personalise their vehicle. These cars are fabulous and continue delivering on our brand promise of providing great value high-performance vehicles," concluded David Flint.