It's not just in America that GM and Ford are arch rivals. The competition between the two is just as heated down in Australia where Ford today announced that its new FPV range of FG Falcon sedans will get a performance boost to match the output of its Corvette-powered HSV performance rival. FPV offers its customers two different engine options, either a turbocharged straight six or a naturally aspirated Boss V8.

Both develop in excess of 400hp and are the most powerful engines ever offered by Ford Australia. The six-cylinder turbo, dubbed F6, displaces 4.0L and produces 415hp (310kW) at 5,500 and 565Nm of torque between 1,950 and 5,200rpm.

To achieve the 54hp (40kW) increase on the outgoing engine, FPV engineers strengthened the piston design and cranked up the boost. The larger intercooler is mounted in front of the radiator, with substantially reduced pressure drop across the intercooler which provides better airflow with no loss of boost capability.

The new 5.4L Boss V8 engine, meanwhile, also receives a substantial performance upgrade, producing 422hp (315kW) of power at 6,500rpm and 551Nm of torque at 4,750rpm - an increase of 17hp (13kW) from the previous Boss 302 engine.

Holden may have the bragging rights when it comes to power - the Aussie-spec LS3 developing 425hp (317kW) - but both FPV models develop more torque than their HSV-counterpart, which only develops a peak torque of 550Nm at 4,600rpm.

The 415hp (310kW) turbocharged six will power both the F6 and F6 Ute, while the 422hp 315kW Boss V8 will feature in the GT E, GT-P and GT sedans and Super Pursuit and Pursuit utes.

The new cars will eventually go on sale in June.

FPV Falcon GT Sedan and Ute

2008 Ford Falcon FG launch