( Worldcarfans ) - Ford and Cobra go hand in hand ever since Caroll Shelby started building his Cobras in 1961, but that is in regards to the US and Europe (the Cobra being based on the AC Cars chassis, a British manufacturer). Australia has its own link between Ford and Cobra. 30 years ago Ford won in a now famous 1-2 victory formation with their Ford Falcon XC Hardtop at the 1977 Bathurst 1000 race, which was celebrated with a limited edition of the winning car in the following year.
This year at the 2007 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 Ford celebrates the 1977 victory with the Ford FPV ( Ford Performance Vehicles) Special Edition GT Cobra and Cobra Ute. "The new FPV GT Cobra combines the original XC Cobra's bold styling with the latest in FPV engineering and total performance," said FPV General Manager Rod Barret.
The Ford FPV GT Cobra and Ute are powered by the Boss 302 5.4 liter quad-cam 32 valve V8 engine, producing 302 kW (404 hp) of power and 540 Nm of torque. There is a choice of either a six-speed ZF automatic with Sequential Sports Shift or a close ratio six-speed manual transmission, both the GT and Ute come with a stainless steel exhaust manifold and high-flow dual exhaust system.
The exterior throws back to the classic Cobras with a white paintjob and blue stripes across the top of the car, from bonnet to rear. The new FPV GT Cobra sits on 19 inch wheels with white accents and machine face finish and is wrapped in Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 245/35ZR tires. Ford FPV will be building 400 units of the GT Cobra and only 100 Ute units with prices starting at AUD 61,200 for the Ute and AUD 65,110 for the GT.