RE: Latest Hot Ford Falcon Gets Prodrive-Developed V8

RE: Latest Hot Ford Falcon Gets Prodrive-Developed V8

Tuesday 11th January 2011

Latest Hot Ford Falcon Gets Prodrive-Developed V8

Aussie muscle car gets supercharged help from Prodrive



Ford's Australian FPV (Ford Performance Vehicles) division has revealed a new top-end version of its Falcon super-saloon, featuring a supercharged V8 developed by Brit engineering and motorsport specialists Prodrive.

Presumably to fend off accusations of 'going a bit girly' with its Mini WRC programme (and that car's 1.6-litre engine), Prodrive's Aussie arm has been flexing its muscle car, er, muscles, developing a new motor for the new range-topping Ford Falcon 'Boss 335'.

The so-called 'Miami' engine uses the new twin-cam V8 from the latest Ford Mustang as its base, while the added supercharger helps it to develop its 449bhp (335kw, hence the hot Falcon's name-number) and 420lb ft without the aid of an intercooler. Which leaves the intriguing potential for future upgrades using higher boost levels with an intercooler fitted...


Even so, the latest FPV Falcon can still nail the standing quarter-mile time of less than 13 seconds and manage 0-62mph in under five seconds.

"The old 5.4-litre 'Boss' unit used by Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) was a tough act to follow, but it had reached the limit of its emissions development and mechanical strength," explains Bryan Mears, MD of Prodrive's Asia Pacific division. "It took three years and AUS$36million but the result is a new benchmark for a high-performance V8."




Author
Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
No sure if I like the looks of this monster.... confused

DaveH23

3,230 posts

169 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
Looks like a Monaro to me.

rutthenut

202 posts

262 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
Ah, how about getting Ford UK to flog these big-engined Aussie cars?
In the same way that Vauxhall do the Monaro/VXR8 models.

robmlufc

5,227 posts

185 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
Rather that than a Focus RS

Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
Sam43Harris said:
No sure if I like the looks of this monster.... confused
I know what you mean. I've been trying (and failing, so far) to find pics of it where it doesn't look rather tacky... but I think it's mostly to with the bright car on white background...

KenBlocksPants

5,912 posts

183 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
DaveH23 said:
Looks like a Monaro to me.
A VXR8 you mean?


Such a shame we dont get these here

tomv1to

144 posts

166 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
I reckon it looks a bit like a mondeo after a heavy workout and steroid regime. I quite like it (though not sure about that colour scheme.) I wish more of these muscle cars would be available to us in the UK.

LuS1fer

41,069 posts

244 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
It looks awful, like some panda.

The article is a bit thin on detail. The new twin-cam 5.0 in the Mustang produces 412hp and 390lb ft of torque in a fairly low state of tune and the new 5.4 alloy GT500 unit develops 540hp so why has this only got mid 400's and why is this a new peak in Aussie V8s when a supercharger on a Mustang 5.0will make far more?

Edited by LuS1fer on Monday 10th January 13:09

stropley

357 posts

163 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
I rather think they're applied the Starsky and Hutch decals upside down

mattmoxon

5,026 posts

217 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
It looks awful, like some panda.

The article is a bit thin on detail. The new twin-cam 5.0 in the Mustang produces 412hp and 390lb ft of torque in a fairly low state of tune and the new 5.4 alloy GT500 unit develops 540hp so why has this only got mid 400's and why is this a new peak in Aussie V8s when a supercharger on a Mustang 5.0will make far more?

Edited by LuS1fer on Monday 10th January 13:09
That's what I was thinking, even a charger on a low boost tune would kick out more than that?! the older 4.6 unit with a supercharger usually puts out at least ~420bhp if not a whole lot more.

Oddball RS

1,757 posts

217 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
Seems a little thin on figures compared to an LS unit?

Guvernator

13,101 posts

164 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
This may sound wrong but I actually think that car looks rather nice. A bit overdone in it's current form but get rid of the decals and have it in black and I think you'll have one of the most menacing saloons on the road today. Much better than most of the dross Ford put out in this country anyway.

Power figures seem a bit low for that engine but being Prodrive, you know the engineering will be top class.

Big Ashy

492 posts

252 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
Poor show compared to a fettled LS IMHO? confused

Must try harder Prodrive!! idea

dwilkie

2,222 posts

185 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
It is nearly as much torque as the old GT500 though, perhaps they tuned it more for torque and drivability than top end bhp?

Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
dwilkie said:
It is nearly as much torque as the old GT500 though, perhaps they tuned it more for torque and drivability than top end bhp?
'570Nm all the way from 2200 to 5500rpm' says Prodrive, so I think you've nailed it there.

dwilkie

2,222 posts

185 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
Woohoo, I sort of understood something tongue out

SleeperCell

5,591 posts

241 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
tech specs here
http://bryanbyrt.com.au/Boss-V8-Register.aspx

Videos for those who want to hear it in action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n_lno5RvLU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y24IeQeowuc

I suspect the low power output might have something to do with the ZF auto (which will be the popular choice by far) which is only rated to a maximum 600Nm torque although the spec sheet suggests it's been upgraded, the 335kw GT-P is pushing 570Nm and there is supposed to be an even more powerful versions to come, not to mention a lot of people are already modifying these for a lot more power as it's so easy. That and they obviously want to leave room for further cheap and easy power upgrades further down the model line.

golemgrey

44 posts

210 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
I imagine our 40 degree summers will also limit what you can do without the cooler.

Give me the 4.0 turbo six I'm afraid, in a deep maroon metallic. >smile

Dr G

15,146 posts

241 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
golemgrey said:
I imagine our 40 degree summers will also limit what you can do without the cooler.

Give me the 4.0 turbo six I'm afraid, in a deep maroon metallic. >smile
Seems strange to spend all that money and push the marketing so hard then not bother with any sort of charge cooling. Surely there's the space for a water/air effort in there somewhere?

MidnightXR6

813 posts

168 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
the figures are quote only. The ones that have actually been rr'd push out near 500hp although id still expect more from it. Ill have one to go with the ute.