Road test: Ford Performance Vehicles GT & GT-P

By Feann Torr

Ford is back with a vengeance. It doesn't matter where your loyalties lie - the facts speak for themselves.

Just a few years ago, Ford Australia wasn't exactly wowing Joe Public with its volume selling family car, the AU Falcon, and it's V8 Supercar entrants were being punished by an impeccable Mark Skaife and the well-drilled Holden Racing Team.

2003, however, has ushered in a new era for the Ford operation in Australia.

Sales of Ford's new BA Falcon are up, it's new AWD wagon is almost ready, the Blue Oval has just launched it's flagship sportscar brand [FPV] in direct answer to HSV's dominance of the performance car market, and Ford is now consistently winning races in Australia's premier racing category, the V8 Supercars.

This is an intriguing situation and begs the question: What was the catalyst for such a turnaround? In my humble opinion, the new BA Falcon. Plain and simple. It's an Australian car with a level of refinement and technology that belies it's humble origins and the benefits of the new car can be seen just as clearly on the racetrack as on the road.

Perhaps the superceded and much-maligned AU Falcon's styling was too radical and that was its downfall a few years back, or maybe the VX Commodore was just a better vehicle?

Whatever the case, the Falcon is back, and herein we'll take a look at the big chiefs - the flagship Falcons in the new 2003 BA range if you will - the GT-P and GT.

Make: Ford Performance Vehicles
Model: GT/GT-P
Price: $59,850/$69,850 (as tested)
Transmission: 4-speed auto, w/sports shift & 5-speed manual
Engine: 5.4-litre, Vee Eight-cylinder, 32-valves, quad camshafts, variable valve timing
Fuel Consumption: City cycle - N/A, Highway cycle - N/A
Seats: 5
Safety: Driver and front passenger SRS airbag, two side front (thorax) airbags, ABS, Traction control, EBD

Drive

2003 FPV GT-P

Ford Performance Vehicles, or FPV, has unleashed what is a seriously focussed sportscar of historic proportions.

One of the things I had trouble with accepting after getting to grips with the way the car drives, was just how good FPV's premium muscle car is.

I'll be honest - I was expecting a fast car, but not with the levels of refinement found within.

HSV has been tuning humble Commodores for nigh-on 30 years, then in comes this upstart FPV group, and in its first year has unleashed a fire-breathing, giant-killing, take-no-prisoners, wob-wobbing V8 that pulls 0-100km/h sprints in under 6.0 seconds -- yet still has four cup holders, enough room for the entire family and wads of bootspace. E-gads!

And while price doesn't often come into play when we're on test, you'd be hard pressed to get this sort of quad-cam V8 performance for such a bargain price.

$70,000 may sound like a lot for the GT-P, and $60,000 for the GT ain't piecemeal either, but when the 300kW HSV GTS coupe and sedan fetch almost six figures, it's hard not to be impressed by the value on offer.

In fact, there are no other quad-cam V8s in the world offered at this price (at the time of writing). Jaguar's got quad camshafts in a number of its sporty models, but it's also got that ultra-premium 'image' thing going on, which means you'll be paying more than double the cost of one of these local lads, and getting perhaps two-thirds of the 5.4-litre capacity.

From the get go, it's evident that FPV has done it's homework. Despite a killer kerb weight of roughly 1.8 tonnes, the suspension setup is perfect - these cars can really be thrown around.

While the GT-P is a well sorted performance car that turns heads quicker than Danni Minogue wearing a pair of freshly dry-cleaned hot-pants, it's also a practical vehicle, one that loses few of the basic Falcon's sensible features.

But let's face it - most drivers will be handing over between 60 and 70,000 bones for one thing: the Boss 290 engine. And rightly so, because after hammering the GT-P all over the shop, it's evident that Ford is on to something here: It's a little scary to think what's going to be on offer from the FPV laboratory in the next few years if this is their first effort...

From the moment you press the glowing ignition button [a la V8 Supercars], you'll be instantly aware that this isn't your average Falcon. Cruise down the driveway - carefully mind, so as not to scrape the front spoiler - turn onto the road and ever-so-gently flex your right foot.

Power delivery is nice and linear with really good control via the electronic throttle, but it starts off feeling somewhat limp in the automatic: Blame that on a combination of the torque converter and the car's heavy weight.

At about 2000rpm the small black V8 mill starts to hit its stride and emits a lovely warble, and turns downright angry by 3500rpm, providing serious push and a much crisper note.

Heaven on Earth? It could be... but one thing's for sure - if God were an Aussie bloke, he'd drive one.

By the time you hit peak torque @ 4500rpm, you'll be grinning from ear to ear as the engine is now sucking in copious amounts of air, though the induction noise that is always present is now drowned out by a rising crescendo of eight fat cylinders pumping in perfect harmony, as the engine speed approaches it's 5800rpm redline.

If you decide to frequent such lofty revolutions, you'll be pleasantly, but firmly pressed into the lavish leather bucket seats, and turning the stereo down to listen the engine's amazing resonance is a must.

Two-hundred and ninety kilowatts at the fly-wheel is the number, and in real-world terms it feels about right in the auto, and the manual feels like a real 300kW+ weapon. We drove the GT-P in automatic guise for a week and then hopped in the lower-spec GT (with the same 290 Boss engine) sporting a manual shift for another five days and, it has to be said, both are flippin' brilliant.

The bonnet bulge looks sensational

We'll look at the different gearboxes and the storming engine in more detail on page two in the engine section, but it's safe to say that whichever one you choose, you'll be stoked.

Both drivelines offer noticable differences, and will suit certain types of drivers better -- granted, picking the GT stripe colours or wondering whether you need personalised plates are both considerable decisions, but the toughest part will be deciding which category you fit into: Manual or Auto.

On the road, the two FPV sports sedans respond to driver input with gusto, perhaps too much at times. The traction control comes in very handy in both auto and manual models, allowing you push the performance vehicles without too much fear of retribution from Dr. Physics.

Both the GT-P and GT track remarkably well round corners, feeling much lighter than their almost-1800kg dry weight would otherwise suggest. Body roll is kept to a bare minimum thanks to a more than competant suspension setup and the 18-inch Dunlop SP Sport 9000 tyres are incredible, gifting the FPVs with a level of grip that belies their hulking size.

The steering feel is good, and communication between front wheels and the drivers hands is reassuring. The overall feel of the suspension rig is very good.

The springs are quite tight which is a necessity in such a sportscar, and you will feel larger bumps and lumps at times, but the rebound and compression damping levels are such that they help soak up many bitumen blemishes, and even with the massive 18-inch wheels and thier miserly 40mm of sidewall, the big cars do a good job in tight urban driving and swift country cruising alike.

Exterior

There are three instantly eye-catching aspects to the GT-P: The alloy wheels, the bonnet bulge and the high-rise rear wing. Together they form the crux of what most will see when you hammer past in the FPV motors, followed by a big Blue Oval badge, but other notable extras include the sculpted side skirts, low front and rear aprons (bumpers) and snazzy fog lights.

As a whole, the GT-P looks tough, and while the GT has a more revered nameplate, the wheels really killed it for me. The five-spoke alloys of the GT are a little lacking in lustre when compared to the seven spoke mags of the GT-P, which suit the vehicles tough demeanour a lot better.

Both cars are unique, however. They command attention wherever they go, particularly when you've got plates that read "FPV-GT". I've never seen so many people looking at a car, but it is an iconic Aussie muscle car after all, and this proves better than I could put into words that Ford has delivered a tough, but oh-so-sweet-to-look-at vehicle to rival HSV's tricked-up troupe of V8s.

Almost all exterior aspects of the FPV sedans have been touched up over the XR8 Falcon, with which they share the intimidating bonnet 'bulge'. One admirer we met in Apollo Bay along the Great Ocean Road mentioned that the lump was more pleasing to him than any scoop or mesh insert from an Evo or a WRX, parting with the words: "Respect the bulge".

The front end has a much larger (lower) air-dam, complete with a mesh covering with FPV insignia. Flanking this are two deeply recessed fog lights, with classy bezels not seen in other XR models.

The side skirts give the car a more ground-hugging profile and help give the wheels a more integrated look, and come complete with faux brake coolers, while the GT/GT-P badging on the sides and the rear is appreciably big and bold.

The bodywork is big, bold, but not overly flashy

The rear wing is large, but not as impractical as you might think.

The wing itself is actually quite thin - yet sturdy - so your rearward vision doesn't suffer too much. There's also grey inserts in the both the front spoiler (lower bumper) and the rear bumper, which helps break up the prime colours and adds a modern touch.

As a whole, both cars look sensational and during a drive from Melbourne to Warrnambool, every time we stopped for a break or for some fuel, people would ask how it goes. "It goes off like a frog in a sock," I'd tell them.

But even when motionless, the cars look determined and aggressive and damn - they're big and imposing too.

The big, flat, low front end is race-car cool, and the rear wing isn't just for drying clothes, and while there is plenty of eye candy on offer, neither car has been overdone to the point of gaudiness.

Interior

Stepping into the red GT-P, I was instantly confronted with what those three letters mean. The 'GT' stands for Grand Tourer - she sure is roomy and comfy - and it is also a throwback to another Ford hey-day when the iconic GT name first entered the Australian domain in 1967 with the XR Falcon GT.

And the 'P' stands for posh. Or premium, as stepping into the cockpit is an experience unto itself. The leather bucket seats have lovely side bolsters to keep you secure during high-gee cornering and the headrests are much bigger (and better) than those found in the GT.

Then there's the satellite navigation, dual zone climate control, auto headlights, classy multi-function display, six-stacker CD stereo with seven speakers, a 150W amplifier and tasty rear-mount subwoofer just for good measure. While many of these, such as the sat-nav and sub-woofer are cost options, they make driving the GT-P that much more of joy - a complete package if you will - and so come highly recommended.

Is this GT-P worth an extra 10,000 clams over the GT model though? It all really depends on what means most to you as a driver. Both offer almost identical drives, but if you don't mind spending the extra cash, the premium options are more than worth it.

There's leather everywhere in both models, with a smattering of suede on seats and in the door inserts, faux carbon fibre (it's the thought that counts), electric everything including fuel filler opener, and who could forget that very special starter button.

Some hate it, but for mine, it's the dogs bollocks. It reminded me - every time I started the car - that yes, this is something special. It adds a twinge of excitement before you drive off and is far more pleasing than just turning a key.

Above: GT interior with premium audio pack Below: GT-P gets different seats, more controls

The GT gets slightly different seats to the GT-P: Not quite as plush, but I found them better suited to enthusiastic driving.

It also misses out on the 100W stereo, sat-nav, fancy information display centre and climate control, but this by no means relegates its to cheap and nasty -- it is still a very nice place to spend your driving hours.

Interior space, like all other Falcons, is commendable, and the idea of having such a highly-strung sportscar with enough room to cart around the entire family and lug a great big trailer is a bloody good one.

While the car's are primarily designed to hard and fast, created to eat up corners like a hungry goldfish slurping down pond scum, they offer remarkably good slow speed control, and your passengers in the back will be more than happy with the plush rear bench.

In the rear, there's also a fold-down armrest, which houses two cupholders.

The steering wheels in both FPV sedans are identical, and have been crafted with solid ergonometrics. They're quite curvy and contoured but are lovely to use, with lots of leather, which is also covering the handbrake lever and auto shifter. The manual stick is a good-looking polished steel Momo job.

The dials are tastefully finished with FPV decals, light up blue at night and have a 270km/h limit. Like the dials in the XR6 Turbo, you can quickly glance at them and be fully informed as to what the car and the engine are doing.

Like the XR6 Turbo, again, there's no redline marker on the bold tachometer and the manual models don't have a gearing guide, which is a little odd.

All things considered, and the GT has a very comfortable cabin with great front bucket seats and easy to use controls. The GT-P takes things to another level, with more creature comforts than you can shake a stick at, and is a fitting vehicle to sit atop Ford's reinvigorated locally made line-up.

>> Page 2: Comfort & Handling, Engine, Extras, Overall