Last of the V8's

[AmericanThunder]

Ford Announces Final Falcon GT Muscle Sedan

This is really sad news. An acquaintance of mine reckons that actually production will cease earlier than that too.

Which just leaves the question - what would a modern day Max Rockatansky drive? Certainly not a supercharged Falcon I'm guessing.
With a 4th in the Mad Max films underway, I guess we won't have to wait too long to find out. My guess is either a Nissan Leaf or a Toyota Prius!!! :loco:

But in all seriousness - If Ford Australia will no longer have v8's, how long until Ford US don't? and once they don't will GM follow suit? Will the move to Turbo charged v6 ung: in F1 dictate the road car of the future. If so I guess the c8 Corvette will be a six too.
Whilst the dependence on foreign oil does hold us to ransom, the death of the v8 will be very sad. :death:

Enjoy those V8's whilst you can! :usa2:

 

[an88fiero]

I must buy me a v8 then

 

[TransAmDan]

The death of the V8 will be sad. The last V8 Pontiac made(well didn't make em) was in 2002. Pontiac used V6's from then up till the day the went. I guess they were trying to fill markets to keep about water.
If you can only buy V6's in future,. then custom cars may be two V6's strapped together.

 

[AmericanThunder]

The last true Pontiac engine was the W72 400ci used in 1979 Trans-Am's with a manual gearbox, although same claim the 301 Turbo (80-81 T/A's) as a true Pontiac too. After that it was corporate GM engines.
To be honest, I don't think Ford Australia ceasing production of their v8's marks the end of v8's in general. But I suspect that what we will see is more efficient but less powerful interpretations that feature overhead camshafts and several of them, with forced induction to bring the power back up. I think it does mark the end of the traditional overhead valve, pushrod engine though. This type of engine does not easily adapt to cylinder shutdown configurations for fuel saving in the same way that overhead cam does.
The trouble with the overhead cam engines is that hot-rodders will find that modifying them for power will be supercharger pulley swaps, or perhaps the superchargers themselves, injectors and PCM tuning. Gone will be the days of cam swaps and hearing a v8 with a lumpy idle!!

If you've got one - do a great big smoky number eleven for posterity! :burnout:

 

[TransAmDan]

If you've got one - do a great big smoky number eleven for posterity! :burnout:

I done one the other weak leaving work, snakey 11 up the road. Its pretty loud in the road with only 4 building echoing the sound back to the car. The smoke trail was good, didn't take long before I couldn't see the colleagues I left behind.
I will do a little one today in aid of supporting the V8's , any excuse.

 

[an88fiero]

He he - I wish I could do a number 11

 

[TransAmDan]

He he - I wish I could do a number 11

Does it do 1's or does it have great grip so you can whiz off really quick?

 

[AmericanThunder]

It has great grip - mid engine - just point and squirt!!
Mind you a lack of horsepower doesn't help!

 

[TransAmDan]

Point and Squirt sounds good.

 

[an88fiero]

It does sound good but sometimes it would be nice to break traction

 

[Saturn Simon]

The death of the V8 will be sad. The last V8 Pontiac made(well didn't make em) was in 2002. Pontiac used V6's from then up till the day the went. I guess they were trying to fill markets to keep about water.

You're forgetting the Australian-built Pontiac GTO and G8. The G8 GT and GXP lasted until 2010 - the end of the Pontiac brand, and basically used the Corvette's engines of 6.0 and 6.2 litres. Also there were the front-wheel drive Bonneville GXP and Grand Prix GXP. The Bonneville GXP used Cadillac's 4.6-litre Northstar V8, and the Grand Prix GXP used a 5.3 litre LS4 V8. The Bonneville GXP was sold 2004-2005, and the Grand Prix GXP 2005-2008.

I think V8s will be around for a while yet, although in future they may be restricted to high-end cars. At least the new 2015 Mustang will still be available with a V8.

 

[TransAmDan]

your right, I forgot about the GTO, doh!. Early ones had the LS1, then later ones with the LS2 6.0l.

 

[sarah]

I must buy me a v8 then

Me too! This doesn't sound too great....