A lotta bang for the buck (Mitsubishi FTO GPX)

Member Name: DoctorDee

Product:	Mitsubishi FTO GPX
Date:	25/05/01 (7762 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fast, Sexy, Cheap

Disadvantages: Thirsty, Tinny

You don't get much of a car for under ten grand. Not unless you buy an imported Mitsubishi FTO that is. A 4 year old example, with under 30,000 miles on the clock should set you back around £10,000 and for that you get a visually dramatic motor capable of 0-60 in under 7 seconds, and a top speed of 147 miles an hour.

If you look under the hood of the FTO, you'll see a superb looking twin-cam V6 engine that develops almost 200 bhp. The power is put on the floor through a 4 or 5 speed (depending on if you get a pre or post 1998 model) tiptronic gearbox, with a fully automatic mode. The front wheels are driven, though when Autocar first drove this vehicle, they spent two days in it without realising that it was not 4-wheel drive. The torque steer, scrabble and understeer usually associated with front drive cars are nowhere to be found here.

The FTO is a real driver's car. Fast and un-phasable. You can throw it into almost any bend at speeds that other cars would never manage, and it comes out unflusterred. If you let off the power through the bend, you can provoke a little oversteer, but nothing unpredictable. Understeer is just not to be found unless you drive suicidally.

Most of these cars have a quality aftermarket sound system installed by the original Japanese owners, and air-con and electric windows and sunroof are common. But beware, anti-lock brakes are not standard! And even without them, the standard disks often warp because they are not up to the task. Ideally choose a model with ALB, and replace the disks with vented, drilled, grooved ones and get kevlar pads.

Build quality of the cars is not great, and noise suppression is virtually non existent. Fine if you like to hear the throaty roar of a fine V6 engine that red-lines at 8500 revs. But if you prefer to listen to the stereo, you might look at some aftermarket noise suppression material.

Interior design is fine, the front seats are adequate, but no
t super-sporty. Lateral support is OK but not excessive. Rear accomodation though is severely limited, best for small folks over short journeys. I rarely have more than a squash raquet on the rear seat, and even then it looks full if there's a ball in the head cover.

The central locking motors have a tendancy to fail, meaning that on cold mornings, I have to unlock, re-lock and unlock again before I can get into the car. And the boot lid just will not slam shut, instead you have to close it slowly and press below the spoiler to activate the latch. The boot itself is reasonably sized (for a sports coupe).

Insurance is expensive, but 10 quid to join the owners club entitles you to a special policy that saved me £200 this year!

Servicing is not cheap, and is best done by one of the few garages in the UK who know the car well.

Fuel economy is not great, but it's not bad for a car with this performance.

So all in all it's not an easy or cheap car to own. But the extra cost of ownership is made up for in the purchase price, and when you get behind the wheel none of this really matters. Possibly the best drive for the price.

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