GTHO set to return

FORD Performance Vehicles (FPV) could soon revive arguably the most iconic Australian automotive badge of all time – the GTHO.

New FPV boss Rod Barrett this week told GoAuto of his desire to build the ultimate Falcon while he is at the helm.

Mr Barrett said it will live up to the legend started by the Falcon GTHO Phase 1 in 1969, culminating with the legendary Phase 3 in 1971 and reaching mythical status with the still-born Phase 4 in 1972.

Original Phase 3 GTHOs are now in great demand and command huge prices. A mint example set a new Australian auction record in March, selling for $683,000.

FPV’s born-again GTHO will even be painted the famous ‘vermillion fire’ red colour of the originals, made famous by Allan Moffat in his Bathurst 500 victories in the early 1970s.

“I was 12 years old in 1971 when Moffat won (Bathurst) in the Phase Three and it’s a car I’ve grown up with,” Mr Barrett told GoAuto.

“Down the line I’d like to produce a vermillion fire GTHO. That’s a vision of mine.

“It’s not in the planning stage at the moment, (but) I’d hate to leave FPV in five to ten years without having done the HO because I’m passionate about it. I understand what the car is, I understand its value in Australian motoring and motor sport history and I’d love to be the man who had his stamp on it.

“The GTHO is this iconic car. To bring a GTHO back, it needs to be the very best car that we’ve ever made. I’d be very careful with what I did with an HO and I wouldn’t do it unless it was absolutely right. That car has to be the top of the range that we would ever do.”

Maybe an Orion series project, then? “Maybe,” he smiled.

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The Barrett era