FPV's Scorching F6 Turbo Ute

By Motoring Channel Staff - 4/05/2005

Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) has this week commenced production of its latest high-performance machine – the turbocharged F6 Tornado ute.

The F6 Tornado is powered by the awesome F6 270 Turbo engine with 270kW of power and 550Nm of torque – the highest torque output of any Australian production engine.

Furthermore, FPV will recommence production and deliveries of the F6 Typhoon sedan this month following an extensive engineering and validation program to revise the specifications of the exclusive AP Racing twin-plate clutch.

"The F6 Tornado is a natural extension to the F6 Typhoon and fits perfectly into the FPV range of high-tech performance vehicles," said David Flint, managing director of Ford Performance Vehicles.

"Like all our vehicles, it offers an unparalleled driving experience and bang for your buck. It is an exceptional vehicle that combines the exhilarating performance and comfort of a sports sedan with the flexibility to carry larger loads in the tray."

The F6 Tornado is easily identified as a sibling to the F6 Typhoon sedan as it carries the same exterior design cues, including exclusive gun metal highlights in the sports front bumper, a chrome grille mesh, F6 badge in the upper air intake, sports side skirts and aggressive 18-inch double five-spoke alloy wheels with shadow black rims.

While the spacious Supercab is only made for two, the driver and passenger do not miss out on any of the luxury items featured in the F6 Typhoon.

The F6 Tornado has sports seats with suede-like bolsters, exclusive Technik fabric trim, silver stitching and FPV logos embroidered in the head rests.

The dash features the exclusive FPV instrument panel, starter button and individually-numbered build plaque, while the audio system consists of a 100-Watt 6-disc CD player with six speakers.

Dual stage front airbags, air conditioning and power windows are also standard features.

Like the F6 Typhoon, the F6 Tornado has the new twin pod sports instrument gauges mounted on the top of the Interior Command Centre, displaying oil pressure and turbo boost pressure.

Under the bonnet, the F6 270 Turbo engine delivers 270kW @ 5250rpm and its peak torque of 550Nm is delivered @ just 2000rpm and remains constant through to 4250rpm.

The F6 270 Turbo is based on the award-winning turbocharged and intercooled 4.0-litre inline 6-cylinder engine from the Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo. The increase in power and torque is a result of a number of exclusive modifications, including a larger 12-core front-mounted silver intercooler, dual-entry ram airbox, oil cooler and unique engine management calibration.

The sum of these modifications has not only increased power and torque but lifted the peak turbo boost pressure by 50 percent to 0.64bar (9.3 psi).

Linking the F6 Turbo 270 to the rear wheels is the new FPV-developed version of the Tremec T56 close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission with a 240mm twin-plate clutch from AP Racing in the United Kingdom.

The clutch has been extensively re-engineered due to the necessity to fit a number of revised parts to maximise long-term durability and reliability. The gearbox features exclusive ratios, tailored to the specific characteristics of the engine and with overdrive ratios that are usable within Australian highway speed limits.

To ensure the gearbox was comfortable to use in everyday driving conditions without compromising the performance nature of the F6 Tornado, FPV has included a host of features to enhance the quality of the shift mechanism, including double synchromesh on all forward gears, linear bearings on the shift rail and a direct linkage shifter.

The gearbox has a single synchromesh on reverse gear as well as an electronic lock out to prevent reverse from being selected at above 5km/h. FPV engineers have also incorporated an audible shift alert function to optimise acceleration by alerting the driver that the engine is approaching the electronic rev limiter.

The F6 Tornado has a limited slip rear differential with a 3.73:1 final drive ratio, while the handling is taken care of by an FPV-tuned double-wishbone front suspension, sports rear end and 245/40 ZR 18 Dunlop SP9000 tyres.

The F6 Tornado comes equipped with a high-performance braking package that consists of twin-grooved 325mm ventilated front discs and 303mm solid rear discs with twin-pot front calipers and single-pot rear calipers. The outstanding Brembo package, which includes cross-drilled and ventilated 355mm front rotors and 330mm rear rotors with 4-pot calipers on all corners, is available as an option for a recommended retail price of $5950. Both packages also have a three-channel anti-skid braking system.

The F6 Tornado has a soft tonneau cover with the FPV logo as standard equipment, while an alloy sports bar or lockable hard tonneau cover are available as options.

All F6 customers receive a range of exclusive FPV owner benefits, including a leather-bound compendium with a certificate of authenticity, a range of gifts, subscription to FPV's Blueprint magazine and a full-day performance driver training course. FPV is the only manufacturer to offer a tailor-made driver education programme with every new vehicle purchased.

Ford hopes the F6 Tornado ute will open the door to a new wave of performance-seeking customers as the entry ticket into the FPV range, available exclusively with the new close-ratio Tremec T56 6-speed manual transmission, with a recommended retail price of $51,950.

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