FG GT 5.4 v 5.0 Comparison
So after living with the 335 for two months it is time to do a more in depth comparison between the FG GT 5.4 and the FG GT 5.0 from an owner’s perspective. For a bit of background I brought the 5.4 in early 2009 as a 08 plate ‘demo’ with only 40Ks on it – Ironically my factory ordered 335 had 42ks on it on delivery. It was Ego with the ZF and leather interior. I traded it in in December 2011 for the fully optioned manual 335 however I still drove it until the 335 was delivered in April this year. It only had 21k Km’s on it when I handed it in and I was sad to see it go. That sadness however was soon forgotten as I pulled out of the dealers in the 335!
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Styling
From the outset I have been forced to explain my decision to update from the FG 5.4 to FG 5.0 by friends, co-workers etc mainly on the basis that my old and new car ‘don’t look any different.’ Obviously for me it wasn’t about the looks however I like the Hockey Stick stripe and new dark wheels. This combined with the fact that I had no issues with the look of the 5.4; the subtle styling revision freshens up the exterior. The new Mk II headlights also help in this regard although I am not sure the projectors add anything to the overall lighting. I have also been asked many times why I bothered to throw every option at a GT rather than buy a GT-P and this has everything to do with Styling. I am a fan of dark colours hence I liked the dark grills and wheels of the GT more than the silver accents of the GTP.
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Technology
This is more a FG1 v FG2 comparison however the new touchscreen is great and I am very glad I ticked the box for the Sat Nav option because it is one of the best I have used and I have used a lot! My only disappointment is that Ford of Australia hasn’t moved to the Ford Sync system that the US has. That said, FG2 is definitely more smart phone friendly than FG1 in terms of BT audio streaming etc.
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Power
So much has been said about the power difference between the 5.4 and 5.0 that I don’t think I need to delve too far into it, suffice to say stock-for-stock; the power of the 5.0 is much more useable due to the hugely increased low end torque. The linearity of the power delivery is remarkable and very enjoyable. That being said the top end surge from 4k onwards of the 5.4 was also very fun however the 5.0 pulls harder up top and all the way there as well.
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Sound
Engine note is a highly subjective thing. Comparing stock v stock the 5.0 is streets ahead of the 5.4. The burble at idle is more pronounced, the cackling and popping on over run is awesome and the sound when flat out is V8 super car-esque. The Bimodal valve seems to work ok however I think I will be disabling it shortly. It seems like it is in the open position a lot of the time anyway so permanently opening it won’t be that big of a deal. Not having heard any modified 5.0 exhausts I cannot compare modified v modified but I have heard a few modified 5.4s which were unreal!
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Handling
With new 5.0 being of all aluminium construction its introduction promised up to 40-50kg weight savings in the front end. I am not sure how much lighter the Miami ended up being once it had the Supercharger and associated plumbing attached but I can comment on the effect the weight reduction has had on the handling.
The 5.4 GT was long derided for its nose heavy handling characteristics with all comparisons with its competition inevitably ending up with the GT being labelled somewhat of a lead tipped arrow. Driving the 5.4 day to day you got a sense of this nose heaviness when pushed but I wouldn’t have said it was outrageous - at any rate once you get used to the handling of a car you adapt and it becomes the norm.
It wasn’t until I drove my brother’s FG G6e that I realised the impact the heavy Iron 5.4 was having on the front end feel. I first drove the G6e around some roads used in Targa Wrest point which are very twisty – I couldn’t believe how ‘pointy’ the front end felt compared to the GT and that was with its ‘luxury’ suspension tune. This started me thinking - maybe people were right to criticise the GT.
The 5.0 has brought a big improvement to the front end feel of the GT. It turns in flatter and inspires much more confidence than the previous car. To me the difference between the two can be felt easily on the road and in particular on a certain highway off ramp which turns though 270°. Where the old car felt like it would push wide at 65 km/h, the new one feels good at 75 and would probably hang on much faster but that’s as far as I dare to push it.
Essentially the 5.0 changes direction very nearly on par with the I6 but make no mistake, at 1800 Kg+ the GT is a Grand Tourer in every sense so a Lotus Elise it isn’t. However I think it does handle surprisingly well and with the latest 5.0 incarnation, even more so.
All in all, the Supercharged 5.0 is a tremendous step forward for the GT in all departments and I am very privileged to be able to call one my Daily Drive. If there are any other areas of comparison that would be of interest let me know.
Cheers
James
