One of the most iconic names in Downunder motoring returns later this year with the special-edition Falcon GT, the last car from Ford’s go-fast arm before the carmaker shuts down its production plant in Australia in 2016.
It will be called the GT-F – the F denoting Final – and Ford Performance Vehicles has limited production to 550 units, of which 50 are destined for sale in New Zealand.
In a special salute to the Falcon GTs of the early 1970s, FPV is expected to tune the car’s supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine to deliver 351kW, a reference to the capacity in cubic inches of those race-winning Ford motors.
Ford Australia president Bob Graziano says the final cars were “a project of passion” for staff. “The GT-F is a celebration of the GT and of Ford’s history in Australia and our dedicated team have made sure this vehicle can stand proudly beside any GT products of the past – and any Ford performance vehicles in future,” he says.
The car will come with wider wheels and handling upgrades that first appeared on the 2012 FPV GT-R-Spec (pictured at top). It will also run Brembo brakes front and rear.
Styling upgrades will include new racing stripes that pay tribute to the brand’s performance and racing heritage. On the inside, limited-edition badges and special effects will separate it from standard cars.
Ford Australia design chief Nick Eterovic’s brief was to deliver a bold and expressive GT-F that can trace some of its visual cues to past Australian Ford GTs.
“There is a true sense of history and celebration with this car but we wanted to make sure that we retained the most exciting elements of the current FPV range, while modernising the design and adding fresh elements to the GT-F.”
The GT-F will be available in five colour: Winter White, Kinetic (blue), Silhouette (black), Octane (orange) and Smoke (dark grey).