Classic racer Batten to campaign F6 in Targa High Country

Hard-charging Volvo punter will swap to a turbocharged FPV for tarmac rally round

Paul Batten's name may not be familiar to many, but his bright red Volvo PV544 is a regular fixture in the Classic Handicap section of Australia's best-known tarmac rally, the Targa Tasmania.

Batten (pictured) is putting aside the ancient Volvo for a drive in a factory-supported FPV F6, contesting the Targa High Country. Sitting alongside Batten in the turbocharged six-cylinder sedan reading pace notes will be his father Mike, a former NSW rally champion.

Paul Batten is a rally champ in his own right and has won his class twice in Tasmania. For the Targa High Country event he's being nurtured by his employer, Prodrive, the company that owns FPV in partnership with Ford. Batten Junior is a chassis engineer testing cars at Ford's proving ground near Geelong for a day job.

Keeping the F6 on the road over the course of the Targa High Country will be a team of personnel gathered from Robinson Racing Developments, FPV and Ford. In his class, Batten will be up against Brendan Reevs in a Mazda3 MPS.

"Mazda has made a commitment to the Targa events, and now we have Paul with the Ford," said Mark Perry, event organiser.

"Mazda and Ford are both big names, and Reeves and Batten are both big talents.  I think it is a glimpse into the future of this competition."

Batten is naturally looking forward to the event and sees a lot of potential in the F6 over the route's faster roads.

"We are really looking forward to stretching the F6's legs in Targa High Country," Batten said.

"This is a great chance to mix our two passions, motorsport and the Ford product, and make a small contribution to the motorsport history of the Blue Oval.

"It will be great fun winding it out on the Targa roads the way it was designed to be driven. We haven't had a chance to test the car and we aren't sure how we will stack up in the results, but the FPV has real driving character and we will be enjoying every minute of it."

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