Ford’s new 5.0L ‘Coyote’ V8 confirmed for 2010…

Source: Drive.com.au

Ford Australia has confirmed it is staying in the V8 business beyond the life of the current 5.4-litre Boss engine. And the favourite to take over from the ageing Boss is an aluminium double overhead cam 5.0-litre codenamed ‘Coyote’ that is currently under development in the USA with baseline outputs reported to be around 300kW and 540Nm.

While timing for the changeover remains a closely guarded secret, at or around the upgrade from the Euro III to Euro IV emissions standard from July 1 2010 shapes as a logical point.

Ford Australia product development director Russell Christophers confirmed to drive that Coyote fits in the Falcon’s engine bay and he likes the figures being quoted for it. However, he has yet to sample it.

“I have seen the performance curves and it is a pretty good engine,” he said.

The decision to continue with V8s is good news not only for Ford performance car fans but also Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV), which continues to sell more V8s than turbo six-cylinders despite the latter offering superior performance and fuel economy.

“We are going to have to take a punt,” said Christophers. “It is amazing how that segment has really stood up. If people just want performance they would buy the turbo, but plenty of people are still buying the V8.

“The window of opportunity is small because there will not continue to be a demand and a need for V8s. The thing you are punting on is there going to be enough demand to get a payback on this program. The demand is going to be in decline.”

Christophers admitted that the financial uncertainty surrounding the future of General Motors was a motivator for Ford continuing to offer a V8.

“If something happened to Holden, and HSV (Holden’s equivalent to FPV) folded, we would be mad not to continue in that (V8) business,” he said. “But I don’t know that is going to happen.”