FPV GT-F 2014 Review
Test Drive

FPV GT-F 2014 Review

Let's do something right from the start. There is no way this car can compete with the HSV GTS, in any case, Jose - just not with 570 Nm of torque against 740 Nm from the Holden.

But please don't misunderstand, because the GT F (that's the F for the final version) is still a force to be reckoned with and, perhaps more importantly, a pleasure to drive - with a capital M.

Value

The GT F 351 sedan starts at $77,990 and its companion FPV V V V Pursuit Ute is $8.

They only produce 500 cars and 120 Utes cars, with another 50 cars dedicated to Kiwis - all of which makes them very collectible.

Each of the cars has an individual number, but some numbers, such as 351 and, most likely, 500, have already been sold out by enthusiasts.

If you want one - and we thought they'd have trouble offloading the 500 - you'd better hurry because we've been told that almost all cars have names on them.

Designed to celebrate the Ford brand, the new FPV GT F is a tribute to the legendary Falcon GT of the late 60s and early 1970s when the car had a big 351 cubic inch (8 liters in new money) V5.8 engine.

But really, why make 500 of them. . . 351 would be better?

Design

Sorry, but, in our opinion, all this is a little underdeveloped - both visually and mechanically.

Our number one test car was painted navy blue with black stripes and has GT F 351 badges on the back and sides of the front. Inside, GT F badges also adorn the combined suede and leather sports seats.

This car should have the numbers 351 embroidered on the hood in racing-car-sized letters that scream "Look at me."

The exhaust sound should also be louder, much louder.

For God's sake, this is the last Falcon GT - let's not quietly walk away into the night!

Engine / transmission

The GT F features a return version of Coyote's 5.0-liter supercharged V8 that puts out a respectable 351kW of power and 570Nm of torque - 16kW more than the standard GT.

They say it's capable of producing 15 percent more power and torque for short periods of time when boosted - boosting the numbers momentarily to 404kW and 650Nm - but we couldn't find any written evidence of that.

Ford doesn't provide any official performance data, but 0-100 km/h takes about 4.7 seconds.

A large computer screen takes pride of place in the cabin, replacing the three physical gauges found in earlier models with graphs that our guide shows temperature, boost and supercharger voltage, and a G-Force indicator.

Call us old fashioned, but we'd rather be old.

The car is built on an R-Spec chassis with Brembo front and rear brakes and 19-inch 245/35 front and 275/30 rear wheels.

safety

Five stars, like any Falcon, with six airbags, traction and stability control and other electronic driver assistance. 

Driving

They didn't tell me until I picked up the car on Friday afternoon that I had to return it by Monday.

We usually have test cars for a whole week, which gives us enough time to get to know each other.

As the clock ticked, there was only one thing left to do: a peck on the cheek and “bye” a couple of hours later, which turned into double the figure and about three-quarters of a tank of gas as we raced north through the infamous putty. Road from Sydney. Conditions were perfect, cool and dry with little traffic.

The GT-F comes in both automatic and manual transmissions, but we had a six-speed manual version - a version that purists will love.

Both are equipped with launch control, but the rear wheels have a hard time sending power to the ground, especially off-trail where the traction light works overtime. Come to think of it, the light spent a lot of time that day—no matter what.

Roll under acceleration is impressive, and the screech of the supercharger is reminiscent of Max Rockatansky's Pursuit Special as it hurtles down the highway.

Despite the big rubber and stiff R-spec suspension, the rear end stays alive, and we've at times worried if it'll stay road-tethered, especially under hard braking.

To get the most out of the car, you need 98 RON and if you get carried away, this can result in fuel consumption on the order of 16.7 liters per 100 km.

When driving quietly, the car is no different from the standard GT.

We could praise the performance of the GT F, but at the end of the day, this is a car that is more than the sum of its parts.

It's about attitude, a place in time, and an automotive history that is fading fast and will soon disappear entirely, something the old guys only vaguely remember.

God bless, old friend.

What a tragedy that it has come to this. The last GT with the vague promise that it will be replaced by a Mustang – an iconic car in its own right, yes, but not an Australian one, and certainly not a rear-wheel-drive V8 four-door sedan.

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