Muscle Cars

Toyota FT-HS the hybrid sports car of the future.

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Toyota are streaming ahead with hybrid technology allready several cars are on the market around the world and in Japan most of the range is available in Hybrid. Toyota think the hybrid is the centeral technology needed to make the ultimate eco-car and over the next few years this techology will improve and be a real alternative to full time petrol or diesel. So to showcase this techology Toyota have the FT HS hybrid sports car on their stand at the Melbourne Motorshow alongside their hybrid Prius and locally made Camry and Aurion sedans.  The FT-HS is hot of the stand of the Detroit Motorshow and is one of the most exciting cars at Melbourne. The 400 horsepower hybrid car may see the return of the classic Celica or Supra time will tell.  Toyota are stating this vehicle will do 0-60 in about 4 seconds and it would sell in the price bracket of mid $30,000. It has a 3.5 litre V6 engine Sounds too good to believe we will have to wait and see.

New GT Falcon on show at Melbourne Motor Show

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Ford Performance Vehicle’s brand new muscle car the FG GT Falcon is being showed for the first time at the Melbourne Motor Show. Due to go on sale in May 2008 the V8 GT Falcon comes in a complete new body and interior and a range of bright colours. Price and performance figures are  yet to be announced but it is expected to be the most powerful Falcon ever overtaking the current 302 KW engine. For the first time in Falcon GT history the Ford badge is replaced by the Ford Performance Vehicle stylised Falcon badging. There will be 3 models of the GT they will be the GT and GT-P which have been available in earlier models and for the first time a stylish new luxury GT-E sedan. The vehicle is also sold in a utility vehicle and called the Pursuit. Other Ford Performance Vehicle Falcons on offer include the Turbo 6 Cylinder F6 range.

Borland Racing Daytona Sportscar

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The Borland Racing Daytona Sportscar is a replica of Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe built in 1964. The Borland version features a body that sits space frame with mechanicals from the Holden SS Commodore, but at 1100 kg the 6.0 litre LS1 Gen III V8 certainly packs a punch. The car has been in limitated production since 2001 with only a handful of them built, one of them going to Aussie legend racing driver Peter Brock, he crashed his into a tree killing himself during the Targa West on September 8 2006. The video above is of the last lap recorded before that fateful day, as you can see it takes great skill to keep the thing on the road and unlike Bathurst where you can bounce off the concrete barriers you can easily wrap yourself around a tree. Interestingly the body of the original Shelby Daytona was designed by a guy named Pete Brock, no relation to the Peter Brock of Oz. 

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Audi R8 Diesel Supercar

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In a motoring first Audi has shown its R8 V12 supercar in turbo diesel form. The engine pumps out a whopping 500hp with 1000 nm of torque. Using an engine closely releated to the Audi R10 Le Mans winning vehicles the car is a true super car. Top speed is well over 300 kph and it can do 0-100 in 4.2 seconds. The engine was built at the Gyor plant in Hungary nd it looks that the TDI V12 will go into production for this amazing vehicle. The engine already fulfills all the Euro 6 emission standards which wont be in effect until 2014. One intresting styling feature on the vehicle is red illuminated LED’s in the engine bay so the engine can be seen through the window all lit up at night. How cool is that!

For more Information:

Audi official press release for the R8 V12 TDI

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Ford FPV GT Cobra

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Ford Performance Vehicles in Australia has just released the 30th Anniversary GT Cobra Falcon. Only 400 sedans and 100 utes of this special model have been produced and were sold out on first day of sale. The vehicle brings back memories of the 1977 Falcon Cobra muscle car which has become one of Ford Australia’s most iconic vehicles. Priced to sell at only AU$65110 this all new Cobra is based on the BF Falcon and is built for performance and comfort featuring a huge Boss 5.4 litre 32 valve, quad cam V8 engine which produced 302 kW of power. The car features either a 6 speed ZF automatic with sequential sports shift or 6 speed close ratio manual transmission with high torque clutch. There are 19″ five spoke wheels and the legendary white body with blue stripes and of course the cobra logo. Inside the vehicle is fitted with leather sports seats, sports instrumentation, and all the trimmings you would expect and quite a few little surprises.

for more information visit:  www.fpv.com.au or www.ford.com.au