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.