A lot of people on the Internet are obsessed with the Barra six-cylinder, and with good reason. But they’re looking past one of the best V8 combos offered in an Aussie car, ever. Our Broadmeadows-based homies delivered us an epic package in October 2010 with the Miami V8, a factory-supercharged variant of the vaunted 5.0-litre DOHC Coyote V8.
While the GT models had 450hp (335kW) the more-subtle GS still packed a heady 315kW (422hp) to sledgehammer-like torque almost off-idle. Combined with the understated GS kit and trim that harked back to the storied 302ci and 351ci Fairmont GS luxo-muscle models of the 60s and 70s, and the FPV GS utes and sedans are sure to be considered a sleeper classic in coming years.
The diesel dual-cabs and large American V8 pick-ups we have today are great, but there is a crucial mid-point of passenger car-sized V8 utes missing from the market today that many people miss. The great thing about the FPV GS from The Motor Gallery shown here is it’s a performance car wrapped in a commercial body (that’ll handle a pallet in the tray or tow a boat easily), while also offering passenger car comforts in the cabin.
On top of the FG-series FPV aesthetics which favoured simplicity over shouty stripes, there are 19-inch alloy wheels, chrome roll bar, hardlid, leather-trim sports seats, carbon-fibre trim, and a boost gauge. The FPV GS models also scored individual numbering plaques, and this example is listed as the 420th FPV GS built.
Like the Barra-powered FPV Tornados, the FPV GS utes are sadly rare on the market today, and that makes this Winter White example stand out even more. Showing under 80,000km on the odometer and sold for $52,990, this it stands as great value compared to a new diesel Hilux.
For people wanting more from their blown bent-eight the Miami offers similar easy horsepower to a Barra, though it’s a little more involved than just winding the boost up in a tune. The FPV Miamis, which were all hand-assembled at Ford’s Cambellfield facility, use a Harrop-developed variant of the Eaton TVS 1.9-litre supercharger similar to what is found on GM’s LSA V8s in F-gen HSVs, 5th-gen Camaro ZL1s, and some Cadillac CTS-Vs.
A key difference to the GM set-up is the lack of an intercooler on the Blue Oval cars. Pushing only 5psi in GS-trim (6psi for GT-spec engines), this is chronically under-driven given the robust underpinnings of the Miami V8. Once an intercooler is fitted between the blower and engine boost can then be wound up and there are plenty of Miamis making well over 600hp with a tune, boost upgrade, and intercooler, while Harrop sells an upgrade kit to their larger HTV2300 2.3-litre blower.
Even without that work the blown V8 FPVs are a rapid package. A factory-rated 335kW FPV GT weighs nearly 1900kg and still runs the quarter-mile under 13-seconds, which means this GS ute is a few bolt-on parts away from cracking 12s or 11s, despite the leaf-sprung rear-end.
At the time these blown V8 FPVs hit the market journos reckoned it was the best performance option you had in the go-fast Falcon range, even ahead of the bargain-basement XR6 Turbo ute (that was selling for a wild $39,000 back in 2010). Today FPV GS utes in excellent condition are an anomaly against a wash of dual-cab diesels, but are a severely under-appreciated muscle model.
ADDRESS
The Motor Gallery
13-15 Kilpa Rd, Moorabbin VIC 3189
CONTACT
TRADING HOURS
Mon – Fri: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Sat: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Sun: 10:00am – 2:00pm
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