Road Test: Ford Performance Vehicles GT MkII

By Feann Torr - 1/July/2005

When the BA Falcon launched in 2002 the Blue Oval decided it had a product strong enough to take on Holden at every turn, including its HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) go-fast outfit. FPV, or Ford Performance Vehicles was born, and a few years ago we tested the range and were blown away with how quick and agile these hulking muscle cars were.

For 2005 FPV has made a few revisions to its successful hero car template and, though mostly minor, they help elevate the legendary GT to new levels.

The Mk II car on test was optioned with the $5950 Brembo brakes and $595 bonnet and body decals, but apart from that the new bits and bobs include oil temp and pressure gauges above the centre console, plus a very useful electronic rev-limit beeper that tends to go stir crazy when the rear hoops are lit up.

There's also a new 6-speed manual gearbox on offer, which is a no-cost option, and with fairly short ratios it makes good use of the engines vast reserves of power. Without further ado, it's time to look at a day - or at least a morning - in the life of a brand-spanking FPV GT as flies down the one of Australia's most famous coastal roads, V8 engine roaring through the hills...

The FPV GT MkII being fuelled early on a cold winter's morn in downtown Melbroune

The GT stripes cost $595, which may sound like a lot, but they really bring out the car's true colours

6:24am It's a bitterly cold winter morning, and there's a thick fog shrouding the city as we set off for a day of testing, bleary eyed, in Ford Performance Vehicle's new 2005 FPV GT.

The seats are comfy, the heater works well, and we have more room than we need - not bad going for two blokes measuring 6'1" and 6'3".

As I catch glimpses of the car in shop window reflections in Melbourne, I contemplate the heavyset Aussie muscle car's 290kW of power, contained within its relatively small, but rippling V8 engine. For old-schoolers, that's about 389 horsepower.

Sitting on sporty 18-inch wheels, in the ruddy darkness it looks for all the world like a true-blue track tool; the solid white paintjob with blue horizontal GT stripes attracting glances from weary drivers all around, evoking images of the 2-door Falcon Cobra of yore.

6:47am The sun's rising behind Australia's second largest city, Melbourne, as we drive across the West Gate bridge that spans the Yarra river. There's a scattering of cloud as we head west out of Melbourne, but it's a good day overall: the windsock perched on the top of the huge eight-lane bridge shows very little wind, just the way we like it.

7:10am Driving down the Geelong Freeway, cruise control set to 98km/h to avoid the eight or so 'safety' cameras, we momentarily duel with an old HQ Monaro, in pristine condition, stoked to be cruising with a Ford GT. He hammers away, I decide against following suit.

7:51am It's almost eight o'clock and as we approach Geelong, having driven along one of the most boring stretches of freeway around Melbourne, almost dead straight for 100 kilometres.

My camera man companion (and Holden man, I might add), Andrew, points out that we've been sitting on just under 2000rpm at around 100km/h in sixth gear, having slurped roughly 10 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres travelled at that engine speed. "Holden's aren't this thirsty," he quips. I ignore the comment and floor the throttle.

8:05am Both myself and my co-pilot had eaten some fruit and cereal at daybreak, but the Golden Arches beckon. We pull into the carpark and all eyes are on the be-striped Ford GT. I munch on an bland muffin, absorbing the jealous look around me.

8:13am The stretch of road between Geelong and Torquay is uneventful. We watch with amusement as a rusted-out Datsun 120Y streaks past, only to be seen several minutes later with the Plod having a word. The drought that's been a part of life for many Australians in the past decade doesn't seem to have touched this region of the continent too badly, with plenty of greenery to be seen as we cruise past yellow-green meadows.

We drive past Bells Beach, home of the RipCurl Bells Pro, and the surf looks epic. There's very little wind, a good amount of swell, and I forgot to bring my board with me. Cursing under my breath, I realise it could be worse - I could be driving a 4-cylinder with no heater and a faulty speedometer.

Winding out second gear - both Andrew and I feel the increase of g-forces as the revs rise - a repeating electronic beep lets me know the redline is a couple of hundred rpm away and I pounce on third gear, the new Tremec 6-speed manual gearbox holding up well.

8:24am Heading west past Torquay on our way to Anglesea, I start to give the GT a bit more of a workout, the cold morning air delivering sharp throttle response as we wind our our way through the gum tree forests just inland of the seemingly endless coastline. Even with traction control on, the big and beefy Ford Performance Vehicle chirps its rear hoops as the revs nudge 4000rpm, edging closer to the fat wad of torque that peaks at 4500rpm.

As we trundle through the picturesque township of Angelsea, having passed the official (and historically important) Great Ocean Road marker, we pull over to grab a couple of tall take-away coffees.

Once settled back in the generous FPV bucket seats it becomes obvious that unless one wants scalding coffee all over oneself, the cup holders just won't work - they're too close to the gear stick (mental note - ask for the auto next time).

I realise just how much louder the GT is from the outside, as we are confronted with daring, accusational glances from bleary-eyed locals none too happy about such disturbances of the peace.

8:41am The sheer sandstone cliffs that line the coast past Angelsea come into view. Massive and majestic, I contemplate the enormous power of the ocean and how it has carved its way into the land, before snapping back to reality as the road finally starts to get interesting, also contemplating the rampaging power of Ford's 5.4-litre quad camshaft Boss V8. I give it a footfull and find it hard not to smile as the V8 crescendo reverberates off the cliff walls.

8:49am The road is now cutting back on itself, rising and falling, the corners sharp, the straights few and far between, and thankfully there's still bugger all traffic. The GT proves its worth, the $61,350 behemoth carving round corners with much more grace than you'd expect of a car this size, dealing with the punishment dished out remarkably well, as a slight squealing of the tyres warns me to back off somewhat.

Cruising past the Aireys Inlet General Store - the Split Point Lighthouse off to the left, another reminder of this regions treacherous coasts - it becomes obvious that the GT is no slouch. Firing out of exits, the rear wheels squirming, it's an exceptionally agile car for something that weights roughly 1.8 tonnes. It feels great through the corners, the big 18-inch alloys shod with 245/40 aspect ratio tyres, affording plenty of grip. I am happy with the car's initial turn-in, but unlike some sports car it feels much more confident through tighter corners when you're on the gas, rather than just idling through on the overrun.

The stretch of road between Fairhaven and Lorne (about 18 kilometres) gave me a good reminder of just how much fun - and how exhausting - it is to drive one of these Aussie beasts. Though the GT does a great job of absorbing many of the roads' scabs, one thing I noticed was that at higher speeds the car was much more susceptible to losing its line through a corner when the road isn't uniformly flat, shimmying across the road slightly when it passes over small bumps in the bitumen. A weight thing? Whatever it is, it's heart-stopping stuff.

9:37am We arrive at the small resort town of Lorne after nine o'clock and a sporty-looking BMW 5 Series that was trying to keep up eventually tracks us down at the BP petrol pump. The driver saunters over, quizzing "Is that stock suspension?" Sure is. Soon after fuelling up, we hit the road again.

9:44am After warming up the tyres and brakes to optimal temperatures again, leaving Lorne behind in a puff of tyre smoke, I revel in the immense stopping power of the optional Brembo brakes that Ford has kindly installed on the test GT. For something that weighs around 1800kg, it washes off speed incredibly quickly. Those Italians sure know how to make a good set of brakes (but boy, do they cost).

The rear brake rotors measure 330mm in diametre

The interior of the GT MkII is comfy yet appropriately sporty

Who took this photo? It's overexposed... Still, you can see the GT loading up its left side suspension

Up front are 355mm by 32mm cross-drilled front rotors, fitted with 4-piston callipers, which are finished in what the company calls 'Brembo red'. I would have called it Italian red, but there you go. At the rear the cross-drilled discs are 330mm by 28mm also clamped by 4-piston calipers.

In addition to the bigger discs and meaty callipers, the Brembo brake system also features stainless steel braided hoses, which increase the braking system's longevity and also provide for a more sensitive pedal feel.

10:14am We pass Separation Creek, followed by Wye River, cutting deeper into the Otway Ranges, hills rolling beyond the beaches, and the big sports seats in the GT still prove surprisingly comfy after close to four hours in the saddle. We are coming across more and more straight sections of road than we have encountered earlier today as we head towards the beautiful Apollo Bay, and it gives us a chance to really work through the 6-speed gearbox.

The clutch has a meaty feel to it, and though changing gear can be a little bit energy sapping at times, the shift feel is spot on. It's a little notchy, but with time it becomes a very effective gearbox, able to swap in and out of ratios quite rapidly for something that's inherently very heavy duty.

But most of all, there's just something undeniably addictive about this engine and gearbox combination; it just begs to be wound up time and again, the rising acoustics combining with the increasing g-forces to great effect.

As we draw closer to Apollo Bay, the traffic is getting a little denser (nothing 290kW can't handle), and most of the fog has been burned off by the sun's rays. The car is chewing through an awful lot of petrol, but that's to be expected with something that's powered by a 5.4-litre V8.

Travelling through the mesmerising Otway Ranges, we find ourselves climbing up much steeper hills at full throttle - the V8 bark sounding out across the forested hills - then coming down through hairpin descents that would be perfect for a World Rally Championship stoush. The GT feels ponderous through such tight corners, particularly when you're heading downhill - it's bulk more obvious here than at any time in our journey today.

The front outside wheel wants to push wide through corners whose radius tightens, yet even when it does you can gently dial in more steering lock and the inside wheel seems to cope with the updated trajectory and increased strain quite well. The big 245/40 ZR18's prove to be an integral part of the GT's chassis - anything less and this bad boy would be a lot more skittish on the road.

Indeed, the GT can be quite a handful - even with the traction control switched on - often breaking traction at the rear when driving out of tighter corners, but it's if nothing else it's an engaging and highly rewarding drive, the stunning Australian coastal scenery all around us only adding the experience.

We pass through luscious eucalyptus forests, dotted with the odd tree fern indicating the approach of rainforests, Rosellas squawking angrily at the blue and white GT as we fire past. Regarding the coastal road from up high is a truly breathtaking experience as we worm our way up another hill, the blue-on-white FPV cranking along at brisk pace. But all this natural beauty is quickly put in stark contrast as all eyes focus on the road ahead.

We approach a very narrow, very scary stretch of road about 200 metres above sea level, with nothing but a rocky cliff face between the road and the roiling ocean below, both of us secretly hoping that no buses or trucks are coming the other way. The FPV barely fits within the white lines.

Thankfully we made it through the narrow pass perched on a cliff top not far from Skenes Creek in the Otway Ranges, taking things very carefully - descending now - and after a few more bends we're skirting the beach again, with Apollo Bay in the just around the corner.

10:46am The sun is still shining on this frigid winters day in the south eastern corner of Australia as we cruise quietly through Apollo bay, paragliders circling for thermals above the quaint township, the morning market abuzz with activity on the foreshore.

We are hoping to reach Warnambool by noon, so we don't stop in the coastal town, instead we check the map for the kind of corners we face ahead. Fast ones, by the looks of it.

As soon as we leave Apollo Bay, the Great Ocean Road starts to head inland as we steer the GT towards the Otway National Park's tranquil rainforests, but before we tunnel into the undergrowth we get a few kilometres of flatlands: there's farms everywhere, paddocks filled with healthy sheep, cows and pigs, and one wonders about the office 9 to 5 when this sort of lifestyle is up for grabs...

FPV's GT looks superb in the white-blue livery

Leaving the agricultural environs behind, we plough into the Otway National Park, stopping soon after for a quick stretch and a leak deep within the forest canopy. Away from the coast, the road is much more forgiving with more sweeping corners, fewer switchbacks, hairpins and tight bends, giving us a chance to really see how fast this Aussie muscle car can go.

Becoming more confident I push deeper into corners, again the Brembo brakes making me grin like a court jester whose just told a joke no one laughs at except the fat man on the throne. The lateral g-forces are getting pretty intense as the GT charges through long open corners, as Andrew remarks: "It seems more at home here than on the coast."

I readily agree, about to respond with my two cents on the car's heavy weight yet surprisingly rapid acceleration when the rev beeper intercedes, beeping insistently, pleading that I change gear or risk bouncing off the rev limiter. Who am I to argue?

11:11am With nothing by dark green colours around us - giant ferns, colossal gum trees - the GT is absolutely flying. The steering feel is almost perfect, perhaps a tad light, but with adequate levels of communication through the tiller. The engine, too, continues to impress, its tractability leaving jaws slack. Though the engine will happily rev to 6000 ar-pee-ems, you hardly need to rev it that high as at 4500rpm (where peak torque hits) it's already cranking out 520Nm of torque, the same amount as BMW's slightly more expensive $226,000 BMW M5.

We momentarily touch the coast again near Johanna, noting that the further away from Melbourne we drive, the bigger the surf and the darker the water gets. And it's no wonder there's surfers from one end of the long coastline to the other - the surf is so clean and crisp, the waves pitching up and breaking almost perfectly today.

Heading up to Lavers Hill, again inland, the big Ford Performance Vehicle has been punted harder than at any stage today, and as the tyres are getting nice and toasty, grip is reaching a level often associated with the legendary GT namesake - this thing is a hoot to drive, and damned quick too.

With a few more straights as we power towards Yuulong, nearing the end of our journey, the GT feels incredibly planted at high speeds; it's settled and comfortable, the big rear wing ensuring the almost-300 kilowatts of power is transferred strongly to the road as the speedo needle moves around the attractive FPV dials. The engine just keeps forcing the car forward, though the occasional dip in the road does tend to shake things up a bit, particularly when it bottoms out. Given a race track and a crash helmet, this puppy would easily reach 250km/h.

As we trundle through Princetown, the Great Ocean Road once again tracks back towards the ocean, and before long - the GT's front end now thoroughly coated with bugs guts - we see the almighty 12 Apostles looming in the distance, arguably the most photographed vista in the State of Victoria.

The GT arrives at Port Campbell, getting a much-deserved rest after hundreds of kilometres on the road

By now I'm feeling pretty knackered. Driving the GT at full-tilt for more than five hours is hard work, but exceedingly rewarding. It' proved a reliable and lightning quick car, even in conditions not suited to its large size and heavy weight, such as the menagerie of hairpins and tight switchbacks that dot the early sections of the Great Ocean Road.

11:56am We reach Port Campbell at just before noon and we give up on heading all the way to Warnambool, instead settling in for some fish and chips at the historical port township along with some much needed fluid, both Andrew and I tired from the early start.

The surf is still pumping as a left hand break subsides into the pier, and we get some photography done as some of the locals stroll over for a chat, stoked when we let them sit in the drivers seat (two blokes sweating for five hours - it stunk, but they didn't seem to mind, gushing over the glowing red starter button).

In hindsight, there was very little to complain about in the new and updated FPV GT MkII. The steering was quite good, very responsive: the vehicle changes direction when you ask it to, and rapidly too, but at times feedback felt a bit light-on.

Inside, the leather bucket seats are great - they're big and welcoming and even after five hours in saddle there, and another five back, there was only minor ache in the lower back when we arrived back in Melbourne at about 6:00pm. The dashboard instruments are easy to read, the cruise control one of the best systems fitted to an Aussie car and apart from the cup holder, its a very ergonomic interior.

The GT has a full sized 18-inch spare wheel, which is always nice. When we first tested the GT-P MkI we managed to buckle one of the 18-inch cast alloy rims, stoked to find a full sized spare at the time. It also doesn't take up too much space as its mounted low - plus the boot is massive, so that helps too.

Fuel efficiency is a two-word phrase that the GT doesn't seem to understand, the big 5.4-litre V8 caring little for carbon emissions, and though this hurts the car's overall score, it can be driven lightly if you're very careful, and again the cruise control is a godsend in this respect: slap it in 6th and whack it on cruise.

I should also touch on the car's image. One word: stunning. The huge Brembo brakes hiding beneath the 5-spoke 18-inch wheels look sensational, almost filling out the big alloys, as do the car's $600 decals (body stickers), which as you can see from the photos really bring out the racing car heritage in the GT.

Overall: 4/5

The GT we tested with the premium Italian brakes and sports decals wouldn't leave you much change from $70k, but this is still good value for what you get - a super-quick large sports sedan with a tightly honed chassis to match.

The amount of heads we turned in the car was as well quite pleasing, but at the end of the day the car will ultimately be judged on how it goes, turns and stops, and it does all three with an astonishing amount of finesse for something so big and heavy.

It mightn't carry as much corner speed as lighter sports cars, but it makes up for this with devastating straight-line speed, and where most other cars would begin to top out at highly illegal speeds, the GTs brilliantly engineered V8 just keeps thumping even harder. It really is intoxicating to have so much power at your beck and call.

The GT is a good compromise for drivers who desire big fun on the weekends, but still need a decent family-sized car for everyday duties. The suspension tune is remarkably supple when driven in normal conditions, and though the front spoiler is quite low and will scrape if you're not careful, I found very little wrong with FPV's GT in everyday situations.

The MkII FPV GT may not be terribly different to its MkI precursor, but this shouldn't be seen as a negative thing. It's a bit quicker with the new gearbox and redline beeper, it looks a bit quicker, too, with the fancy decals, plus it's a home-grown sports sedan. If you can get past the thirsty V8 engine, you'll find a lot to like here.