Ford FPV GT-P 2011 Review

We turn the spotlight on the car world's newest and brightest stars as we ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering  would you buy one?

What is it?

This is the ultimate Ford Performance Vehicle currently available in Australia, soon to be supplanted by the HO version allegedly with 375kW (500hp).

How much?

Gulp! $81,540 plus on roads.

What are the competitors?

HSV GTS and Chrysler 300C SRT8, the latter soon to get more cubes and power.

What's under the bonnet?

A supercharged, 5.0-litre, DOHC, V8 petrol engine cranking out a claimed 335kW/570Nm through a choice (no additional cost) of six-speed manual or six- speed auto to the rear wheels.

How does it go?

Whooshdah - quick and fast though the hugely overgeared top cogs in the manual drive car were useless for anything other than lazy cruising.

Is it economical?

Not really, driven carefully you might see 12s, driven with verve you'll see 30s.

Is it green?

Not really, especially consuming that much juice. There's gonna be plenty of gas coming out the quad exhaust pipes.

Is it safe?

Gets a five star crash rating in line with garden variety Falcon - a distant relative.

Is it comfortable?

Surprisingly so, infact, possibly too comfortable at the expense of sporty dynamics. The softish suspension lets the big, weighty GT-P porpoise about on undulating roads when driven moderately quickly. Needs two modes - comfort and sport. Adjustable seats are great and there's oodles of kit inside to make you happy.

What's it like to drive?

Disappointing because of the soft suspension and weight. It's a big porker and the boundaries are clearly established as soon as you press a tad too hard. Though "bi-modal" the exhaust note isn't stirring like, say, a Benz C63AMG but the whirring supercharger is pretty cool. Brakes and steering are OK, needs wider tyres to cope with the weight and engine output. We'd go for the auto because the top two cogs wouldn't be as useless as they are on the manual.

Is it value for money?

Not really, none of this type of car is. FPV crams it full of luxury goodies to try and cover the price but it needs to be a sharper scalpel, not a big axe with a dumb ignition key AND push button starter.

Would we buy one?

We'd go for the FPV F6 turbo, something sporty from Europe or a turbo rice burner.

Ford FPV GT-P

Looks		Value
Performance		Safety
Practicality		Enviro
Comfort		Tech
Economy		Dynamics

OVERALL RATING