How would you change the FTO?

[Mustang]

It's 1993/94 and you are on the FTO design team (with the benefit of a liitle hinds sight) what would you change about the car design -any aspect?

[Dave]

turbo??More power, rwd, awd!!

[Mustang]

Dave wrote

turbo??More power

Dave currently head of the redesign team
Couple of small things.
I'd brighten up the interior especially the dash -too much black plastic.
I'd put an extra setting on the windscreen wipers -the one that springs back when you take your hand off.
Sort the tappets.
Put an extra cog on the original 4 speed tip box (they did see the light on that one though!)

[Dave]

Limited slip dif!

[CJ]

Limited slip dif!

They looked after that on the GPvR

The interior as standard can be very dull and cheap, that was indicative of the time and the fact its a Jap car mind you. That aside, it would have been useful if they hung around for the OBD-II standard to be ratified.

CJ

[Myfeckin FTO]

Limited slip dif!

Think the LSD was an option on the GPvR.

Its easy to say stick on a turbo and have the car RWD with a limited slip diff etc but Mitsubishi did a very good job with what was brought out as a "production" sports coupe - A limited slip diff on a FWD car would not bring much if any of an advantage on the road - you would really need a track to eke out any advantage from it. I'm happy that my car does not have the modern day stuff that you get on small coupes these days such as ABS or EBD or traction control because this adds far too much weight and the car feels far more artificial to drive - most trackday cars do without these for this reason.

I suppose you could make an arguement for 4 pot calipers at the front - additional bracing on the suspension and an LSD would be a nice to have.
On the cosmetic front I'd have to say to loose the stupid patterned upholstery on the seats and fit just Version R type seats and maybe brighten up the dash area. Externally I wouldn't change much - maybe Version R spoiler as standard throughout the range but the 15 and 16 inch standard alloys would have to go - maybe a nice set of Rays or Enkei 17's. All the above though would probably have added significantly to the cost of the car.

[Dave]

i see i've gotten shot down for the LSD, but we're talking about 93/94..... so before the GPvR was brought out!

cosmetically i would agree, larger wheels, braking, maybe some brembo's, they're standard on the itr dc5!

interior, there should have definitely been more options!

[Mustang]

MfFTO wrote

but the 15 and 16 inch standard alloys would have to go

Agreed, in particular the car should never have been sold with steel rims and plastic wheel trims. I saw one recntly in the flesh for the first time and it looks ridiculous!

[Dave]

Agreed, in particular the car should never have been sold with steel rims and plastic wheel trims. I saw one recntly in the flesh for the first time and it looks ridiculous!

there's a 98 manual GS for sale beside us in red cow autos with steel rims and plastic trims! ruins it!!

[JJ]

Brakings got to be a major dissapointment on the FTO, especially the GR. Definately should have been better.
And as someone else said, the interior is pretty boring / typical Japanese black plastic.

[Keith]

as much weight reduction as possible....my gpx is one heavy mother

[Dean]

Remove the reversing beep.

[Myfeckin FTO]

as much weight reduction as possible....my gpx is one heavy mother

1190Kgs is actually light compared to most modern sports coupes and even small family cars. Modern luxuries such as Air Bags, ABS , Traction Control, Electronic Braking Systems,increased soundproofing, increased crash protection, higher and heavier quality trim, taller cars (& higher centre of gravity) all help to ensure that it will be quite a while before a manufacturer brings out a 168BHP per ton sports coupe in the FTO class.

A 180bhp Audi TT is 1520Kgs (118BHP per ton) - a 225bhp Audi TT is 1637Kgs (137BHP per ton).

Granted there are exceptions such as the latest model Celica at 1105Kgs but this car has only 140BHP (127BHP per ton). Even the rare 190T sport model doesn't have the FTO power to wieght ratio.
Cars like the Nissan 350Z at 1474kgs and Mazda RX8 at 1375kgs aren't considered heavyweigths by any means.

Even a new 1.4 VW Polo weights as much as an FTO GPX which shows how heavy all the modern day cars are becoming.

[Myfeckin FTO]

Remove the reversing beep.

I'd forgotten about that - I think its just the Tips that have the "Bread Van" reversing beep - my present manual certainly doesn't.

[kevinod]

One other thing come to mind, a convertible version prob wouldn't have been that hard to produce, could have had one in the lineup.

[Myfeckin FTO]

One other thing come to mind, a convertible version prob wouldn't have been that hard to produce, could have had one in the lineup.

Good man Kev - theres an idea for your next mod - I'll bring the angle grinder and sure we'll have a bash at it. I'm afraid I won't be able to guarantee the handling of the car will be up to much however - I'd say you'd loose a fair bit of chassis rigidity - you probably also need to loose the rear seats and add a few braces and have room for the hood to store away.

Still - if Nissan can do it with the new 350Z - then why not! I'd imagine it would look a little awkward though.

[kevinod]

One other thing come to mind, a convertible version prob wouldn't have been that hard to produce, could have had one in the lineup.

Good man Kev - theres an idea for your next mod - I'll bring the angle grinder and sure we'll have a bash at it. I'm afraid I won't be able to guarantee the handling of the car will be up to much however - I'd say you'd loose a fair bit of chassis rigidity - you probably also need to loose the rear seats and add a few braces and have room for the hood to store away.

Still - if Nissan can do it with the new 350Z - then why not! I'd imagine it would look a little awkward though.

Well of course you'd have to sort all that out, but as the original question was about what you'd suggest for the design of the FTO when Mitsi were designing it...

Someone did a photoshop of a convertible FTO, IMO looked as well as any of other convertibles - alfa spider, etc. so could well have been a runner at the time.

[Daz]

Things i would change..........

Well i would have kept with the origional design for a start... aka convertable option.
More power, thou not turbo would have went the supercharger route or at the very least made it a 3lt v6...so it might of done 1/4 mile in 10 seconds.
Bigger brakes....there crap. need i say more on that subject. also abs as standard.
slightly more aggresive styling for the front bumper.(facelift a big improvement)
front Light's .. there crap they would have to go.(ok sorted on GPvR) but all should have gotten them.
lowered and uprated suspension (ok again sorted on the GPvR )but again all should have gotten it.
17's " as standard. 16's " looks too smal for the car.
lsd (ok yet again sorted on the GPvR) ect.
Tiptronic function moved to paddles or buttons on steering wheel
Interiour... less black plastic and possibly GPvR seat covers as standard in all models.
Fitted with HUD.
Weight reduction.... scrap aircon for as start...ect..carbon fiber bonnet ect.
AWD...or at the very least a RWD version
Exhaust changed to outlet either side...posibily twin-twin.
shorten it slightly and make it an out and out 2 seater and not the halfway design that it is.
6 speed box.
Made available in europe not just japan.

Thats all i can think of for starters...

Daz...

[Diddler]

Daz,

I was checking out some info on e-bay, and i spieda fella who was converting the tiptronic to the steering wheel for around £130. Not bad considering, although you'd have to supply your own steering wheel and take the car across to england to have it done.

Nice if your into that sort of thing