FTO Good vs Bad

jc denton

Track Warrior
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I've got my eyes on an FTO to replace my overheating celica, its a 2 litre v6, tiptronic gearbox, bodywork is near perfect.

Anybody who's had/has one how about writing a quick review??!!

I can get it really cheap (£300-400) because it needs a little work & there's no tax or test on it.
 
They are not very tunable, most of the power has already been eeked out of them by Mitsubishi. Most serious tuners drop in the EVO engine. They are quite nippy and nice to drive and have timeless styling.

The tiptronic also works reasonably well although modern versions do show it up a little but it's still a world away from the classic auto box.
 
Most Tiptronic 'boxes are based upon standard torque converter type transmissions. The Steptronic in my car has 6 gears but it's still a standard epicyclic automatic gearbox behind the scenes.

Anyone recall Nissan's clever Torotrak (Torotraq/Torotrac) ?
 
Most Tiptronic 'boxes are based upon standard torque converter type transmissions. The Steptronic in my car has 6 gears but it's still a standard epicyclic automatic gearbox behind the scenes.

Anyone recall Nissan's clever Torotrak (Torotraq/Torotrac) ?

No, can't say that I do! Was this a superior system then HDi?
 
I think so. It's a continuously variable transmission which uses plates and rollers to achieve changes of drive ratio. I've never driven one of these, incidentally, but it allegedly gets rid of the usual small car CVT problem which make the cars sound like they're being driven with a severely slipping clutch.

Read here:- http://www.rexresearch.com/torotrak/torotrak.htm

I didn't realise it was a British invention and I have seen reviews about ten years ago of a Japan only Nissan model thus equipped. This might have been a development model - I cannot find any record of sales.
 
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great looking cars!! but sadly very underpowered!!! my mate had a rare manual (he said it was rare cause most are autos i dont know??) and it was slow compared to my slightly tuned astra gsi
 
But it will probably still be working twenty years after the Vauxhall has been buried.
i agree about the body. cause i broke my 1991 astra cause of tin worm:( but the 20 year old engine and box is still pulling strong even now;)
 
i agree about the body. cause i broke my 1991 astra cause of tin worm:( but the 20 year old engine and box is still pulling strong even now;)

Vauxhall made some good cars in the 80s and 90s. It just seems that it hasn't moved on. Perhaps it's gone backwards.

My father's Astra has a 1.6 8v engine still based on the Vauxhall Family One CIH motor from about 1981. It chews petrol at an alarming rate for its modest performance.
 
Peugeot are still using there TU engines which were used in the 80's in there modern small cars like the 207. There XU range has since been replaced by the EW/DW (diesel and petrol) in the late 90's early 00's

My mates 1.6 8v astra does alright one fuel, I think he gets 35 mpg and he only does town driving, he doesn't drive it like he stole it either where as my old pug diesel I can toe the crap out of and still return 38 mpg :)
 
FTOs look faster than they are.

Fun handling, but not as hardcore and track focused as a Honda Type R (which may be a good thing if you don't do a lot of track days and use it as a daily driver).

Backseat is for midgets.

4 speed tiptronic box sounds good in theory but slow in practice.

Love to rev to 8,000rpm, which means you have to flog them to really get them going.
 
Peugeot are still using there TU engines which were used in the 80's in there modern small cars like the 207. There XU range has since been replaced by the EW/DW (diesel and petrol) in the late 90's early 00's

My mates 1.6 8v astra does alright one fuel, I think he gets 35 mpg and he only does town driving, he doesn't drive it like he stole it either where as my old pug diesel I can toe the crap out of and still return 38 mpg :)

That's my point though - I can get mpg of that order from my 528i and it's a good deal more rapid than an Astra.
 

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