Super TestCar reviews - FPV - GT - sedanFPV modelsOur OpinionWe like New six-speed manual, extra standard equipment, overall balance, handling, refinement, performance, driveability, engine note comfort, ride quality, steering Room for improvement Drivetrain snatch, weight, fuel consumption, fuel range 8 Nov 2004 By TIM BRITTEN AS we already knew, the FPV GT was a nicely balanced road car, well capable of handling the 290kW produced by the 5.4-litre V8, yet smooth riding and responsive to steering inputs. We can only say the MkII version is also smooth, responsive and comfortable in terms of ride quality. The differences with the previous set-up are difficult to determine without doing a direct back-to-back comparison. The V8 is muted enough not to be irritating when you’re more in the mood for a bit of relaxation, but it’s unmistakably there for your delectation when pushed. The power comes on progressively, without any feeling that the engine is stretched - or that maximum torque (520Nm) isn’t actually developed until a quite high 4500rpm. And the six-speed manual. There’s no time when it feels like a direct, heavy, racing set-up. Shifts are actually quite light and the clutch lacks the feeling of sudden bite that you might expect with a twin-plate racing configuration. The only noticeable lack of refinement is a slight bit of slack in the differential that brings the odd, muted clunk when the clutch is released. Otherwise, the FPV GT is pretty much what it has always been – a smooth, refined performance sedan that is actually faster than the more animalistic GTHOs of the early 1970s. But with an average claimed fuel consumption of 15.3L/100km, it could do with something better than a 68-litre fuel tank. All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen |
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