Marked Territory

The Ford Territory AWD is one of Australia ’s most unlikely performance cars. With a NA six-pot lugging 2100kg and driving through an auto trannie, it’s hardly sporting. More like trucking...

But get past these preconceptions. Simon Gishus of Nizpro is here to smash all the records and send the tardy Territory into warp speed. Weight doesn’t matter when you’re talkin’ 450kW!

Simon’s move to a Territory was initially quite reluctant.

“My old man wrote off my gold XR6 Turbo and I needed something else for the family and business,” says Simon.

“I saw that the Territory was selling well so I thought I’d be good to do something new. But a car like the Territory isn’t usually for me.”

To transform the Territory into Simon’s kinda car, the engine was removed and a XR6T engine was dropped in. The engine had already been rebuilt with billet steel rods, aftermarket pistons (providing an 8.7:1 static compression ratio), chrome-moly rings and heavy-duty valve springs. The lubrication system had also been enhanced for a high power application.

Essentially, everything that Simon had learned tweaking the XR6T engine to 1200hp (895kW) was applied to the Territory.

Simon was never going to be happy with a mild power gain so he whacked on a heavily tweaked Garrett GT ball-bearing turbocharger. This bolts to an original XR6 Turbo exhaust manifold (which flows extremely well). From the turbo, exhaust gasses flow into a twin 2½ inch stainless exhaust with a high-flow cat and custom mufflers. Oh, and check out how the big exhaust is concealed behind a factory XR6T tip. Very neat.

On the inlet side, you’ll find the same fibreglass airbox and K&N air filter assembly used in Nizpro’s kits for XR6 Turbos. Simon says he was able to fit a larger intercooler than found in the enhanced XR6T. The Territory’s core is around 25 percent larger and should have no problem getting rid of charge-air heat while towing a heavy load up a hill. No blow-off valve is fitted.

Another piece carried over from Nizpro’s XR6 Turbo kits is the replacement cast alloy inlet plenum. The Nizpro plenum bolts to the original inlet runners and relocates the throttle toward the front of the engine.

The engine management is reprogrammed using Flash Tuner(which gives control over fuel and ignition timing). Simon has also added a high-flow fuel pump in conjunction with upgrade injectors. The ignition remains standard.

And what about the driveline? Well, this is where the Territory holds a major advantage over the XR6T.

Compared to the rear-drive Falcon XR6T, the Territory’s AWD provides substantially more traction and, being auto-only, the stall converter can be used to much greater effect. Simon says a rear-drive XR6T starts spinning its wheels when stalled-up whereas the all-paw Territory keeps building revs without letting go. Simon has installed a heavy-duty 2200 rpm stall converter and had the transmission beefed up. A transmission cooler has been added along with an upgrade radiator (which is bigger than a standard XR6T unit).

Running 16 psi of boost, Simon’s Territory stomps out a huge 450kW at 5800 rpm and around 750Nm at 4250 rpm. In this configuration, the vehicle has run an 11.7 second quarter mile with a 116 mph terminal velocity. This was achieved with absolutely no funny biz – full street trim with pump fuel, full exhaust and road tyres. The AWD system delivered a 1.72 second 60-foot time – pretty stunning for a 2100kg truckster!

Braking this runaway rig are 365mm slotted discs and 6-pot CSC calipers at the front and standard anchors at the rear. Ferodo 2500 pads are used at both ends. Accommodating these monster brakes are equally monstrous wheels. The bling meter goes off the scale thanks to 20 inch chrome alloys encrusted in 275/40 Michelins.

The Territory AWD’s unique front suspension and Control Blade IRS is brought down 30mm using off-the-shelf King springs which are around ten percent firmer than standard. Dampers remain stock for now. This set-up provides a comfortable ride together with much improved on-road handling.

The body of Simon’s Territory also flaunts eye-catching GT-T stripes and Turbo badging. This is in addition to the optional Ford running boards and body kit. The interior was already optioned up to the max so all that was required was switching to an FPV instrument cluster.

Now Available as a Kit! Due to massive demand, Nizpro now offers a range of kits to give your Territory a bit of spice. Unlike Simon’s Territory, the kits are all built using the factory naturally aspirated engine as the base. The entry level GT-T S1 kit is essentially a XR6T Stage 2 Cobra kit, which means you get upgrade injectors, a Flash Tuner reprogram, a replacement intake manifold, intercooler (with associated plumbing and relocated Odyssey battery), fibreglass airbox and K&N filter together with a 3 inch exhaust an upgraded auto transmission. The Garret ball-bearing turbo is similar to the stock XR6T unit – this gives the Territory 285kW. The next step up is the GT-T S2 kit. The S2 goes further with low compression cast alloy pistons, heavy-duty billet rods and an upgrade radiator (that’s double the original size). Power? A stomping 330kW. The GT-T S3 kit is a very serious bit of gear that ups the ante to 415kW. This involves blue-printing and balancing the engine, forged pistons, a revised turbo, 4 inch dump pipe, high-flow cat converter, twin exhaust and a transmission cooler. And for the ultimate you’re looking at the GT-T S4 upgrade – which is pretty well what you’ll find in Simon’s Territory. There’s no arguing with this beast’s 450kW... Nizpro offers each Territory GT-T kit together with tailored brake, suspension, interior and body upgrades. Each package is different but, as a guide, a basic turbo engine and trans upgrade costs around AUD$17,000 and a whole-hog vehicle upgrade (double-stitched leather, brakes, suspension, wheels and the full 450kW engine package) costs around AUD$47,000. Take your choice.

The latest developments involving the Nizpro Territory GT-T are particularly interesting.

Simon says the engine has received full emissions compliance and he's presently looking at obtaining low volume compliance approval. If this goes ahead, Simon says the Territory GT-T S4 will be the second fastest ADR’d car ever built in Australia.

And that’s second only to the awesome Nizpro’s 200SX-R...

Contact:

Nizpro
+61 3 9761 1522

www.nizpro.com.au