Mitsubishi FTO GPX
Discussion
My mum had one of these in white when I was 18, 2.0 V6 auto and I was insured to drive it.
Felt cool as f*** pulling up at college in it next to all the Fiesta's and Corsa's!
The auto was crap though, supposedly 200bhp, felt nothing like that and as it was a jap import it was limited to 112 (I never tested that though, honest).
Felt cool as f*** pulling up at college in it next to all the Fiesta's and Corsa's!
The auto was crap though, supposedly 200bhp, felt nothing like that and as it was a jap import it was limited to 112 (I never tested that though, honest).
i have such a soft spot for the much maligned FTO. ive had 2 over the years:
GPX tiptronic in silver
GPVR manual in black.
the Version R was a great bit of kit!
i sincerely hope you checked the chassis before you bought it OP - it needs waxioling every year. they were never undersealed when they left the factory as they were destined only for the JDM.
they corrode like you wouldnt believe if they arent treated yearly - My Vr was in great shape bodily but failed an MOT on corrosion - took it to the scrap merchants and it pretty much broke in half when they lifted it up.
probably the only car i know a lot about - if you have any questions feel free o ask.
GPX tiptronic in silver
GPVR manual in black.
the Version R was a great bit of kit!
i sincerely hope you checked the chassis before you bought it OP - it needs waxioling every year. they were never undersealed when they left the factory as they were destined only for the JDM.
they corrode like you wouldnt believe if they arent treated yearly - My Vr was in great shape bodily but failed an MOT on corrosion - took it to the scrap merchants and it pretty much broke in half when they lifted it up.
probably the only car i know a lot about - if you have any questions feel free o ask.
that brings back some memories...my mother also had a black FTO GPX Mivec, 2.0 V6 all throughout my teen years. It replaced a ford Escort, and the FTO then got replaced by a 3.0 a4 cabrio.
all I remember about the FTO was how lovely it looked next to all the run of the mill motors around these welsh valleys, it stood out massively. that, and how freaking loud it was! it had a proper loud exhaust.. i'll have to dig the pics out tonight!
all I remember about the FTO was how lovely it looked next to all the run of the mill motors around these welsh valleys, it stood out massively. that, and how freaking loud it was! it had a proper loud exhaust.. i'll have to dig the pics out tonight!
Always been a fan of the FTO.
Seeing them in the flesh in the mid-late 90's when people first started hearing about them and importing them (always in Steel Silver and GPX spec) then seeing them on Gran Turismo sold them in my eyes.
They're wonderful looking things, god knows where Mitsubishi came up with it but they could've done with the stylist doing the rest of their cars too (though the Eclipse of the same years was also nice).
Seeing them in the flesh in the mid-late 90's when people first started hearing about them and importing them (always in Steel Silver and GPX spec) then seeing them on Gran Turismo sold them in my eyes.
They're wonderful looking things, god knows where Mitsubishi came up with it but they could've done with the stylist doing the rest of their cars too (though the Eclipse of the same years was also nice).
this brings back memories, I imported 2 of them from Japan back to back in 1997. firstly yes the tiptronic was pretty crap although in its day 1995 model cars, it wasn't that bad. But almost all the Jap cars are autos.
Both of mine were Mivec GPV in Grey. I remember that you could get over the 112mph speed limit by holding the gear in 3rd gear! But that only got you another 10mph. They aren't fast by modern standards but back then bmw 328i coupes were about the same performance.
one thing I remember, the first car I had was on winter tyres... that wasn't bad as I had it in the winter!
the other thing I recall was melting the brakes after going out a run on the back roads with only 3 hard braking events from 100mph... that was rather disconcerting to say the least as my other car at the time, a mazda mx5, had no such problems.
the OP has found a rare spec'd one if it has cream leather.
Both of mine were Mivec GPV in Grey. I remember that you could get over the 112mph speed limit by holding the gear in 3rd gear! But that only got you another 10mph. They aren't fast by modern standards but back then bmw 328i coupes were about the same performance.
one thing I remember, the first car I had was on winter tyres... that wasn't bad as I had it in the winter!
the other thing I recall was melting the brakes after going out a run on the back roads with only 3 hard braking events from 100mph... that was rather disconcerting to say the least as my other car at the time, a mazda mx5, had no such problems.
the OP has found a rare spec'd one if it has cream leather.
I still love FTOs and regret selling my last one (almost a year ago now) as I do miss the noise and the interesting/rare looks quite a lot.
Always suprised that they're held in such low regard but I think the dodgy auto box and low spec (1.8 etc) models probably account for most of this.
Yours looks nice in purple, please don't ruin it like so many others have with terrible bodykits and wheels that don't suit the car.
I had a manual facelift GPX for almost 5 years and thought it was brilliant. Did everything I needed it to including some very hairy farm tracks and worse due to my job taking me to some really unsuitable places. Fitted a lot of stuff in it with the seats taken out too:
Had two together for a while, older pe-facelift manual GR and newer GPX:
The GPX looked a lot nicer than the GR (didn't like the facelift front at first but would never buy one without it now) and was in far better condition. And it had a sunroof!
Kept up comfortably with a friend's 3.0 GTV too and mine sounded better (until he got a cat-back ragazzon exhaust fitted then I couldn't even hear mine over his!)
Always suprised that they're held in such low regard but I think the dodgy auto box and low spec (1.8 etc) models probably account for most of this.
Yours looks nice in purple, please don't ruin it like so many others have with terrible bodykits and wheels that don't suit the car.
I had a manual facelift GPX for almost 5 years and thought it was brilliant. Did everything I needed it to including some very hairy farm tracks and worse due to my job taking me to some really unsuitable places. Fitted a lot of stuff in it with the seats taken out too:
Had two together for a while, older pe-facelift manual GR and newer GPX:
The GPX looked a lot nicer than the GR (didn't like the facelift front at first but would never buy one without it now) and was in far better condition. And it had a sunroof!
Kept up comfortably with a friend's 3.0 GTV too and mine sounded better (until he got a cat-back ragazzon exhaust fitted then I couldn't even hear mine over his!)
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