Ford's threat to Holden

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

This is the next-generation Ford Falcon V8 race car, the one New Zealand television viewers missed seeing make two introductory laps of the Bathurst 1000.

Long-time Ford Australia driver Dick Johnson picked his way around Mt Panorama but didn't give the car its head. That was done much earlier on the circuit by Ford testers, who clocked 302km/h down Conrod Straight.

The car Ford is banking on to beat the Holden Racing Team will make its debut in the first round of next year's V8 Supercar series in Australia in March, and will appear in the 12th round at Pukekohe about 12 months from now.

It is based on the facelifted BA Falcon, but is powered by the 5-litre Windsor V8, no longer available in the road-going car.

The race engine develops 480kW (650bhp) at 7500rpm and 623Nm of torque at 5500rpm, and drives the rear wheels through a six-speed Holinger sequential gearbox.

The car rides on independent double wishbone suspension in front and a four-link trailing arm setup in the rear.

Front brakes are 14in ventilated discs with six-piston calipers; the rear gets 13in discs with four-piston calipers. The vehicle weighs 1350kg.