Some great news came from the Detroit Auto Show, for lovers of the blue oval. In conjunction with ‘greater’ Ford’s announcement of the new ‘Coyote’ V8 that will feature in the upcoming Mustang, Ford Australia has confirmed that the same engine will find a home in the engine bay of domestic, performance oriented Fords.

So, lets get down to brass tacks. What will this mean for that never ending of two-horse race that dominates the hearts and minds of so many Australians. Following in the trend of this certain race of recent years, Ford will be overshadowed by Holden in the overall capacity department. Unfortunately, this is as far as some fools look when sizing up their next Aussie super sedan.

Shame really, as this new Ford donk shows up very well on paper. It’s a direct-injection, 32 valve 5.0 litre that develops 307 kW in naturally aspirated form.

Speculation is rife, and the facts are few and far between. Euro IV emission controls rule out the 5.4 litre Boss completely. The 5.0 litre Coyote will feature in the XR8 at least, and possibly in the FPV products. It may be supercharged to pip the HSV’s 325 kW, 6.0 litre offering. There is also a 5.8 litre option, as well as Ford’s new ‘Ecoboost’ turbocharging technology.

Being smaller, the engine is also marginally lighter (195kg). Henceforth, future Coyote-powered Falcons will benefit from better weight distribution.

So, Ford loses capacity, emissions and weight, but gains on power and torque. Perhaps an Aussie muscle saloon for the future? At least it is stepping in the right direction.

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