Ford FPV DRIF6 Concept (Australia)

[mikeyb]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]FPV Gets The Drift[/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]Ford Performance Vehicles will whip up another storm with its groundbreaking F6 Typhoon following the unveiling of an unofficial concept car at yesterdays ninth annual FPV Family Open Day. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]There is a tradition at each FPV Family Open Day for a group of volunteers from FPV and Prodrive to create a project car to showcase their abilities and generate some excitement among the visitors, said David Flint, Managing Director of Ford Performance Vehicles. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]This year, they have surpassed all previous projects. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]The team has created a specially-modified one-off version of the FPV F6 Typhoon sedan designed to tackle similar turbo-charged performance cars in the spectacular new form of motor racing; Drifting. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]DRIF6 features a lightweight chassis, racing cockpit and uprated version of its critically-acclaimed intercooled and turbo charged 4.0-litre in-line six cylinder producing more than 380kW of power and 700Nm of torque. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]We wanted to conjure up something unique and exciting for our new turbo fans, FPV Communications Manager, Andrew MacLean, says. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]Drifting is one of the fastest growing forms of motor racing in Australia and certainly one of the most spectacularso we let our imaginations drift in that direction. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]Unlike previous Family Open Day projects, DRIF6 is a fully-operational concept vehicle and Ford Performance Racings rising star, Mark Winterbottom, was involved in early development of the vehicle. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]DRIF6 was built by a team of dedicated engineers and technicians at FPVs Campbellfield facility with the assistance and support of a number of key suppliers, including Prodrive, Autotek, Castrol, HIS Hoses, Robinson Racing Developments, Revolution Racegear and Dunlop. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]At the heart of the DRIF6 project is an upgraded 4.0-litre turbo-charged in line six cylinder engine with modifications made to increase the efficiency of the turbo system and to boost power and torque. These include a significantly larger intercooler with a revised induction system that features a ram air box taking air from where the fog light is normally located on the production car, a hand made plenum manifold replacing the individual inlet runners, a unique engine management system calibration and three-inch straight through exhaust system with side outlet. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]The transmission has an upgraded Tremec T-56 close-ratio six-speed gearbox and AP racing twin-plate clutch driving the rear wheels through a locked differential. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]The braking system includes the optional Brembo brakes available on the F6 Typhoon with 355mm front and 330mm rear cross-drilled and pillar ventilated rotors and six-piston monoblock front calliper and four-piston rear calliper. It has been modified especially for Drifting with high quality braided hoses, a brake proportioning valve and a WRC-style hydraulic handbrake. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]The cockpit of DRIF6 has been stripped and replaced with world-class MOMO racing seats and racing harnesses, MOMO steering wheel, MOMO gearknob and a variety of ancillary gauges by VDO and Autron. These include a monster VDO tacho on the dash located in line with the twin-pod sport gauges that display oil temperature and turbo boost pressure, A-pillar mounted gauges to display volts and cabin temperature and Autrons latest high-tech tyre-press monitoring system located at the base of the Interior Command Centre. The cockpit also has a racing-style roll cage. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]The DRIF6 is a concept car designed to showcase the enthusiasm and expertise of FPVs engineering operations. There are no plans, at this stage, to participate in competitive events. [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]The FPV Family Open Day featured more than 300 of the best-loved performance Ford vehicles on display from car clubs across Australia and attracted approximately 10,000 visitors [/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]DRIF6 Specifications[/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif][/font]

[font=Arial, sans-serif]Body:Lightweight F6 Typhoon, Four-door sedan
Engine:Turbo-charged and intercooled 4.0-litre DOHC in-line six cylinder
Turbo charger:Garrett GT 35/40
Induction system:Hand-made twin-plenum manifold with custom three-inch pipes from
turbo charger and intercooler. Ram air intake from lower front bumper into K & N pod filter
Engine Management System:Customised calibration
Exhaust:Stainless Steel three-inch straight-through with side outlet
Intercooler:Front mounted 600mm x 300mm x 75mm
Power: Aprox 380kW
Torque:Aprox 700Nm
Clutch:AP Racing twin-plate
Differential:Locked rear differential, 3.73:1 final drive
Brakes:Cross-drilled and pillar ventilated 355mm x 32mm front and 330mm x 28mm rear rotors with Brembo six-piston monoblock front and four-piston rear callipers. HIS braided hoses. Pull-operated hydraulic handbrake with Tilton brake proportioning valve.
Seats:MOMO
Steering wheel: MOMO
Harnesses:Four-point MOMO race harnesses
Battery:Optima; mounted in rear of cockpit with central-mounted kill switch
Gauges:VDO monster tacho, Autron tyre pressure monitoring system
Wheels:19x8 inch five-spoke alloy in Dark Argent
Tyres:245/35 ZR19 Dunlop SP Sport Maxx
Lubricant:Castrol Edge 0W-40 [/font]

source:http://www.worldcarfans.com/news.cf...try/acf/ford/ford-fpv-drif6-concept-australia

 

[genericuser]

Interesting hood design there.. I still wish we got the FPV vehicles over here in the states though.. that FPV falcon is nasty.

 

[dbzeag]

Yet again, another international Ford that blows everything US Ford has out of the water. Since when did the American company Ford decide America sucked?

 

[mikeyb]

Feeling the force of this Australian Ford Typhoon

The standard FPV Typhoon F6 is one of Australia's finest muscle cars with 362 hp from its twin-cam turbocharged 4.0-liter inline-6.

On Sydney, Australia's only drift track, the view through the Ford Typhoon's windscreen is at low-threat green level; the fluids are still warming, its 509 horsepower at least two laps away. First corner out of the pits, through what is normally a 50-mph corner, circumspection enforces a lazy throttle and a safe 25 mph. This is the first time the DRIF6 has been driven by a non-factory driver and Ford boffins are keen to see it's not the last.

The front tires point to the apex, but...no, No, NO! The rear end starts sliding like a forklift cranked on full lock. What is going on? At this pedestrian speed, it's an easy catch, but it's the first lesson of the day: This is a drift car, and drift cars go sideways. Easily.

This is, in fact, Australia's only factory-built, supported and endorsed drift car. Based on a Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) Typhoon F6, itself based on a Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo, the one-off FPV DRIF6 is a Frankensteined backroom project built after hours by a few keen enthusiasts within Ford's white-collared hallways.

"We wanted to conjure up something unique and exciting for our new turbo fans," explains FPV Communications Manager and DRIF6 Project Leader Andrew MacLean. The DRIF6 uses a 4.0-liter six that twists out massive 509 hp and 516 pound-feet of torque. At least after some tuning.

Starting point
FPV started with what is arguably Australia's finest performance car, the Typhoon F6. FPV turns Ford Falcons into Typhoons the same way as AMG fettles Mercedes-Benzes or M massages BMWs. Except with fewer zeros on the bill.

In stock trim, the Typhoon F6 uses an Australian-designed inline-6 with twin-overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, variable-length intake manifold and cam timing, and a Garrett turbocharger with intercooler running an unstressed 9 psi. FPV claims 362 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque for the F6, but rumors from within Ford during initial testing suggested there was a lot more than just 360 hp hiding in the turbo six. With a mild boost increase, larger intercooler, ECU tuning, and mild intake and exhaust systems changes, the power and torque figures both jumped beyond 500.

Plus, the 4.0 liters endows the F6 with torquey drivability lacking in a Mitsubishi Evolution or Subaru STI. F6 power is delivered with a turbinelike rush, building with minimal lag from 2000 rpm, and with a meaty power band from 2500 to 6000 rpm. But it's the 500-plus lb-ft of torque that gives the F6's Dunlops nightmares. Strong engine: check.

DRIF6 donor car wanted
All FPV needed was a body to put its hotted-up engine into. So when this red Typhoon finished its press-car duties, it was spared from the crusher and released to MacLean and his FPV crew with one main rule: Don't spend any money on it!

So MacLean started wheeling and dealing to secure everything from the six-point roll cage, to MOMO racing seats, steering wheel and vented black hood. The interior and trunk were gutted to help shave 400 pounds from its 4,000-pound starting weight, and FPV partner Dunlop started a supply line of 245/35 19-inch tires.

Brembo brakes with six-piston monoblock calipers up front are standard fare on a Typhoon, not so the hydraulic handbrake fitted within easy reach of the shifter to help throw the car sideways into turns. Like it needed help.

Starter up
Thumb the high-mounted starter button and the unmuffled six barks to life, its flat turbo drone amplified by the side exhaust under the open driver window. Far from melodic, it's like a long, low and loud digestion issue.

As the shoulder harnesses are cinched down, MacLean suggests monitoring the water temp gauge, as there have been some cooling problems in testing. One problem: It's hidden behind the custom shift light — that's not yet working.

So with a slight judder from its twin-plate clutch, and a heavy hand to shove its six-speed manual gearbox, the Typhoon hits the track, negotiates that first corner, and warms itself up for a few hard laps looking out the side window.

The first surprise is the engine: It's so linear with a torque spread so wide that 2nd-gear corners become 3rd-gear corners, even with the transmission's widely spaced ratios. The engine sounds ferocious in a harsh way, like the static channel on full volume. It's rarely on the limiter — it just doesn't need to be with such masses of power across its rev range.

And then it arrives at its party trick, a corner. Many drifters can wax on about the different methods for getting a car sideways, but today we were concentrating on the two easiest: the handbrake and the pendulum flick.

Engage Plan B, uh-oh, Plan C
New problem: The handbrake doesn't work. Well, it does work, but the 500-pound gorilla who is needed to pull on it hard enough to lock the rear tires is on holiday. Seems the donor parts "found" around the workshop aren't the right size and render the handbrake useless. Work in progress.

So with seemingly insane amounts of speed, the DRIF6 barrels into a corner with a heave of right-left-right on the steering, but instead of unsettling and throwing itself sideways, the locked rear differential induces the kind of understeer that only the nose-heaviest front-drivers from the Eastern Bloc country could get close to matching.

"The handbrake would counter that," offers MacLean. Thanks....

So, today at least, the DRIF6 will need to rely on its bulk reserves of power to invoke power oversteer. Which is like asking Paris Hilton to act easy. On the throttle early, the rear tires ignite and throw the F6 sideways into long, lurid slides of screeching rubber and wailing engine, and send the steering corrections into full opposite lock.

Finger-painting with Dunlops
Even through an impossibly slow corner in 3rd gear, it musters up a lungful of torque and blows the tires down with a long arc of black lines exiting the corner, into a series of swerving black parallel lines for more than 100 feet. From 30 mph to 110 mph, 3rd gear is the go gear.

In competition
Having modified the handbrake and fixed the cooling issues shortly after our drive, FPV took the DRIF6 from concept to competition by drafting in experienced drifter Adam Newton to run in the Drift Australia national championship. Newton and FPV are hoping to boost both the profile of the car and the sport in what is a traditionally Japanese-car-dominated sport.

source:http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=116590#2
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[Antoine]

A ford I would actually consider owning

 

[SpeedBeaver]

I just love that car! Too bad ford isn't selling it in North America.

 

[Rainman]

That car is so damn sexy!

R