Hot FPV Territory Turbo Back On The Agenda?

[JoeT]

FPV: Everything Is Back On The Table

Marton Pettendy
18 July 2006
www.goauto.com.au

New Ford Performance Vehicles boss Sak Ryopponen has confirmed that everything from Europe's storming Focus RS hot-hatch to a turbocharged Territory GT is back on the evaluation table for the Blue Oval's performance arm.

Speaking during his first day of interviews since taking over the FPV helm from former managing director David Flint on June 6, Mr Ryopponen said HSV's forthcoming VE Commodore-based range would put the brakes on FPV's record-breaking sales performance so far in 2006 - but that additional models and the donor Falcon's development cycle will drive future FPV sales growth.

"One of the luxuries you have when you come into a new role like this is you can actually explore every opportunity with a fresh view, so every project that might have been on or off the table in the past is back on the table again," he told GoAuto.

"Ford locally and globally has a broad enough range of product that would provide wonderful donor vehicles. It's a question of working through them and seeing whether there's a business case that fits somewhere.

"We'll have a fresh look at them and see what opportunities might be attractive and then work from a numbers perspective."

Asked if those opportunities included the rumoured Focus RS or an FPV-tuned Territory Turbo, which could be badged as an XR or even a GT, Mr Ryopponen said: "Of course you'd have to have a look at them but we're also having a fresh look at everything and if there are projects like that that make sense then we'll have a crack at them."

Mr Ryopponen confirmed that even if it eventuated in Europe, a turbocharged, all-wheel drive Focus based on Ford's RS-badged world rally car would still need to be modified by FPV. This cost would be magnified by the fact Focus is currently imported via a number of ports around Australia.

"That is an issue because you don't a have a central point of assembly, and that makes the numbers harder to work," he said.

Asked about the prospects of a long-wheelbase Fairlane/LTD-based FPV model, which could pick up where the Tickford-developed AU Fairlane-based TL50 left off in December 2002, Mr Ryopponen's said "never say never". And he was equally non-committal about an FPV-badged Territory.

"The turbo Territory has just been launched and it's a pretty good vehicle, so it'll be a challenge to do something that would be a significant step up from that. If we could find an opportunity to do so something with an FPV DNA then we'd do it, but there is no current plan to do that."

Mr Ryopponen (left) also remained guarded about changes to FPV's core short-wheelbase models, which will be improved via a BF Series II upgrade that was alluded to by Ford president Tom Gorman last month.

"We'll continue to get great product from them and whatever improvements there might be in the donor vehicle will obviously flow through to us. If Tom says there's a surprise I'm sure there will be.

"While we might have some time before the next (new Falcon) model arrives, I guess you'd have to bear in mind that, particularly at BF, we took some significant steps forwards. So really it's the other people who are playing catch-up at this stage and we await with baited breath to see what they've done with the new vehicle.

"But... you know ... activities and things aren't necessarily bound by major new model introductions."

Mr Ryopponen said FPV sales, which are 28 per cent up so far in 2006 compared with the first half of 2005, would be impacted by the release of HSV's VE-based range in August.

"There's no question the second half will be a little tougher for us with the activity from our competitors, so our second half sales will be lower than in the first half.

"Next year we'll still be... albeit in our minds with a relatively fresh product line-up ... competing with a brand-new product line and that will make it harder.

"We're in the process of pulling together the final plans for next year and we're sure that those numbers - whatever they are - will provide us with an acceptable return regardless of what the market share might be.

"It's not all about market share - we've got shareholders who want a return and customers to keep happy, and if we can achieve that and get some market share along the way then that's fine."

He said experience was the biggest asset he will bring to a post-Flint FPV.

"Given that there's a very enthusiastic but relatively young team in place - I guess I outrank every one of them by about 30 years - so I think experience is the main thing (I bring to FPV), especially in terms of brand management, not only from a national perspective but regionally too.

"A long term brand management strategy is already place and is all working fine, but there may be an opportunity to fine-tune it a little bit from it solid base.

"Sales show nothing is broken. That's the great thing about it: there's nothing that needs urgent attention because it's a very well run organisation with most of the strategies already in place, so I don't think there's any need for sweeping change.

Mr Ryopponen said the 3000 sales mark was "certainly within reach" and would be achieved by "product additions and the product cycle".


Prodrive's Toyota deal not a problem, says FPV

FORD Performance Vehicles managing director Sak Ryopponen is adamant the recent appointment of Prodrive, which owns FPV jointly with Ford Australia, to assemble vehicles under the Toyota Racing Development banner will have no impact on the Blue Oval tuning department's future model plans.

"It (Prodrive's TRD involvement) is actually only an assembly operation," he said. "There is no engineering or product development work involved - it's purely an assembly contract.

"There'll be a factory, cars will come in, they'll take bumpers and bits and pieces off and put new ones on again and that's the extent of their technical involvement.

"Getting a contract like that is consistent with Prodrive's previously stated aim of growing within the region and this is just an extension of doing that.

"If it had been an engineering type contract we wouldn't have been concerned because in today's motor industry it's not unusual to have a supplier working with a number of manufacturers - it happens all over the world. Prodrive is a company with integrity that has a number of clients all over the world."

Mr Ryopponen said confidentiality agreements would prevent information exchange between FPV and TRD, which are both now Prodrive clients.

"There are process in place that are very strictly adhered to. Conversely, I can't find out from Prodrive what they might be doing with Toyota or anybody else. I was cheeky enough to ask some questions in that regard but they refused to answer them."



Hot Ford Territory Not Until Next Generation: FPV Boss

Mike Sinclair
25 October 2006
www.carpoint.com.au

FPV has confirmed it will not launch a Territory-based model until the new model arrives in 2008.

Ford Performance Vehicle’s boss Sak Ryopponen has confirmed the worst kept secret in Aussie performance motoring – Ford’s hotshoe brigade is seeking to build a high-performance variant of the Territory. But, and it’s a big but, he has poured cold water on any hopes of the Cayenne-chaser arriving until the next generation of Falcon/Territory arrives in 2008.

Talking at the launch of FPV’s revised and expanded BF MkII based range in Sydney yesterday (see CarPoint for details tomorrow), Ryopponen said the Prodrive-owned performance division had the top-selling Ford SUV “firmly in its sights.” He also intimated it had completed engineering trials.

Though a hotter Territory has been discussed in private before, this is the first time any on-the-record comment has been made about the potential addition to the FPV line-up.

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Red-blooded donor: FPV says Territory Turbo makes a great starting point

[Aych Es Vee]

Focus RS.... theres no new model though?

an FPV Territory shouldnt be called a GT unless it has a V8.....

otherwise it should be called an F6 Twister, or F6 Cyclone or something like that to go along with the other FPV 6 cylinder turbo models

[Ty_99]

Sounds interesting. HSV vs FPV is a unique rivalry to say the least.

[FordFan]

yea.. too bad gas prices are up in Aussie. (though we don't mind porting them here since it's dirt cheap here!!!!!!)

[asim]

Originally Posted by Ty_99

Sounds interesting. HSV vs FPV is a unique rivalry to say the least.

So its called FPV in Australia? Cool.

[big swede]

I think Ford might be more indecisive and changable than GM.

[Ty_99]

Originally Posted by asim

So its called FPV in Australia? Cool.

Yeah FPV (Ford Performance Vehicles) has had that moniker for along time.

[SCCA1995]

Originally Posted by Ty_99

Yeah FPV (Ford Performance Vehicles) has had that moniker for along time.

If you want to call 2002 "a long time". Before that was the tuning firm Tickford.

[JoeT]

Hot Ford Territory Not Until Next Generation: FPV Boss

Mike Sinclair
25 October 2006
www.carpoint.com.au

FPV has confirmed it will not launch a Territory-based model until the new model arrives in 2008.

Ford Performance Vehicle’s boss Sak Ryopponen has confirmed the worst kept secret in Aussie performance motoring – Ford’s hotshoe brigade is seeking to build a high-performance variant of the Territory. But, and it’s a big but, he has poured cold water on any hopes of the Cayenne-chaser arriving until the next generation of Falcon/Territory arrives in 2008.

Talking at the launch of FPV’s revised and expanded BF MkII based range in Sydney yesterday (see CarPoint for details tomorrow), Ryopponen said the Prodrive-owned performance division had the top-selling Ford SUV “firmly in its sights.” He also intimated it had completed engineering trials.

Though a hotter Territory has been discussed in private before, this is the first time any on-the-record comment has been made about the potential addition to the FPV line-up.

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[AusCalais]

Just found an interesting thread over on the Dark Side....Seems the new FPVs to be released tomorrow at the Sydney Motor Show are to be called Force 6 and Force 8.

Dig those crazy retro chrome mirrors.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=70943

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...Picture006.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...Picture005.jpg

btw...what an unfortunate name....one more than a Force 7 and one less, which would you pick? Some of us have long memories:
http://www.webtrade.com.au/p76/magaz...lsaug74001.htm

[DanCBJMS1988]

Ford, Gillette's still probably waiting for you to call a car an M3Power.

[mikmak]

Hopefully they can sort out fitting issues with the body kits. Ford Forums had one member complaining about the quality. I have seen a few with body kits around but they ruin the proportions of what is a fairly competent looking SUV. (yes, I know I don't like SUVs)

[JoeT]

FPV Territory Still A No-Show

Jez Spinks
6 March 2007
www.drive.com.au

Ford unveiled another Falcon-based FPV at the Melbourne motor show, but there's still no sign of performance company's product-expansion plans.

Ford Performance Vehicles is still yet to reveal its first non-Falcon-based model after the company launched only a limited-edition GT at March's Melbourne motor show.

The bosses of FPV's joint owners were both present at the show, but neither Ford Australia president Tom Gorman nor Prodrive managing director Bryan Mears confirmed an FPV-badged Territory was definitely in the pipeline – three years after the wagon-cum-4WD went on sale.

A Prodrive- and FPV-branded Territory-based concept vehicle called the P-SUV was shown in late February at Ford's traditional annual 'Open day', but there was no sign of it at the show.

Tom Gorman said he didn't want the P-SUV to distract show-goers from other products on the Ford and FPV stands.

"Everything in its time," said Gorman, when asked why the P-SUV wasn't on display at the Melbourne show. "We had a lot to show on the stand. We had Mondeo, and that needs to have its own space for everyone to appreciate what we're doing, and on top of that we had a great 40th-anniversary GT. Not a huge volume play, but [that GT] is about excitement and heritage and that's got to have its space.

"When we're ready, we'll tell you [about the next FPV vehicle]."

The indications, however, are that the Territory is more likely to be the first FPV not to be based on a Falcon.

"An FPV version of Focus is a great idea, but to be honest it's further down the list of priorities." says Gorman. "There's probably a little bit more to do domestically before we look at doing things on the import side. It would be a natural extension for the FPV brand to do something with the Territory.

"We still think there's a lot to do with FPV. The company is on the right trajectory and now it's about accelerating the pace of growth."

FPV's main rival HSV last year expanded into the four-cylinder market with the VXR, a high-performance version of the Astra small car.

[mikmak]

I'm starting to think the current gen is too conservative for a FPV Territory. Waiting till later is a smart move as the new face may lend itself better, to more aggressive tweaks. It will, after all, be punching at the upper class 4WD expresses like X5 and Cayenne (although quality level isn't quite there).

[JoeT]

FPV Territory Back On The Agenda?

Joe Kenwright
5 July 2007
www.carpoint.com.au

Australia's first-ever uber-SUV is just around the corner. Finally!

Despite Ford's attempt to hose down expectations (more here), Blue Oval dealers are now talking openly about the long-awaited FPV-fettled Territory. Indeed, the Carsales Network has been told dealers are gearing up for a Sydney Motor Show unveiling and the hi-po all-paw's general release later this year.

FPV operator Prodrive is believed to have accelerated the 'Territory Plus' program in case sales of its F6 and V8 models slide prior to the Orion's arrival in March-April 2008.

Since Ford's top Territory Turbo Ghia currently retails at $65,490, the new FPV model is expected to be priced higher than $80,000 by the time on road costs are added. This is consistent with the premium that the FPV F6 Typhoon commands over Ford's XR6 Turbo with a similar lift in specification. Likely to exceed the LTD's current $75,525 list price, it is expected to be the most expensive locally-built passenger vehicle Ford has sold Down Under.

The rationale is that it will represent an almost $40,000 saving over the BMW X5 4.8i which it will closely shadow in performance.

The new X5 4.8i delivers 261kW and 475Nm from its V8 engine. FPV's F6 turbo 4.0-litre six-cylinder generates 270kW and 550Nm (currently!) so expect FPV to deliver an on-paper specification that presents a compelling case for the new top end Territory.

Released in July 2006, the Territory Turbo's conservative looks and specification have left plenty of room for an FPV version.

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