THREE-TON THRILLER
 


 

"it feels mighty strong, mighty pumped and totally together"

Motor Magazine
 

THREE-TON THRILLER FAST FACTS
Off the basement, the Phase III feels like any other lightly tuned XR turbo, pulling progressively up to 3000rpm, with only a hint of audible menace through the cold air induction system. At about this rev point, substantial gobs of boost build and you need to tighten the hands around the tiller.

Nothing hits as hard as the APS Phase III. The integrated boost control system unleashes torque that belts the rear tyres, twists up the driveline and gives you a reverse bungee effect into the scenery.

The tacho rips so fast it’s as if the clutch is slipping, but you know instinctively that it’s the physics of tyre versus ground being overcome.

It just keeps building grunt.. There is no weak point, flat spot or chance to catch your breath.

But it’s the searing top-end delivery that impresses the most. Rather than having a typical production turbo mid-range torque hump that falls away slowing progress at high revs, the Phase III just keeps building grunt, seeming to accelerate harder with each gear change. There is no weak point, flat spot or chance to catch your breath. Even with the taller gearing (3.23:1 versus 3.45:1) of an XR8 on board, the acceleration is mind-numbing.

Official figures for the Phase III from Calder Park, on radial tyres, stand at 11.68 seconds and 195km/h for the quarter-mile sprint, which puts it up there with the fastest-accelerating Supercars. And that’s with a big Aussie framework and a bulging waistline.

“We haven’t found the top-speed limit of the XR6 Turbo package yet,” says Luxon the next day.

“There’s plenty more power to be had and lots of work to done on the car’s aerodynamics and gearing. We did some basic sums overnight and reckon that, with some more development, we should be able to top 350km/h without too much trouble.”

Not for the car, perhaps, but more than maths will be involved in driving it.

 APS Falcon Phase III XR6T

Body
Four-door sedan

Drive
Rear-wheel

Engine
Front-mounted 4.0 litre DOHC 24 valve turbo six

Power
400kW at 5700rpm (estimated) 700Nm a 3000-4000rpm (estimated)

Compression Ratio
8.7:1

Bore X Stroke
92.3mm x 99.3mm

Weight
1685kg

Weight/Power
4.21kg/kW

Specific Power
100kW/litre

Transmission
Five-speed manual

Suspension
Double wishbone, coil springs, anti-roll bar (f); Control blade IRS, coil springs, anti-roll bar (r)

Length/Width/Height
4944/1864/1444mm

Wheelbase
2829mm

Track
1553mm (f), 1571mm (r)

Brakes
330mm disc, four-piston fixed AP caliper (f);
303mm solid grooved discs, single-piston calipers (r)

Wheels
18 x 8in

Tyres
245/45 VR 18

Fuel
68 litres, PULP

Performance (0-400m)
11.68 at 195kmh

Top Speed
307km/h

Price
$54,535 (including kit)