Having a ute for work or pleasure is something a number of good Aussie folk would never do without. Extending the range of activities and possibilities for its owner, the classic ute does this better than any other type of car on the market. Because of the massive room at the back end of the vehicle, the ute is a friend of the adventure seeker, tradesman and farmer. FPV just happens to make their utes a whole lot quicker than most others. HSV, naturally, is FPV’s main competitor.

So what’s available at the start of 2013 for those on the lookout for a super quick, super practical FPV ute? Two models put their hand up, and these are both practical and sensationally fun utes to drive. The FPV GS Ute and the FPV F6 Ute offer a level of performance that one usually associates with the race track. But before we explore the performance, let’s see if the FPV Ute manages the important bits like ride, comfort, load capacity and efficiency.

An FPV Ute has been designed to be tough. There’s nothing more embarrassing than having to spend a lot of your time down at the garage to get the mechanic to fix up your vehicle. Ride quality is firm for two reasons: Both the FPV GS Ute and the FPV F6 Ute have a chassis set up to manage the incredible levels of torque and performance from the Boss 5.0 litre engine. Secondly, both FPV Utes boast a leaf sprung suspension at the rear – for carrying heavy loads.

As far as comfort goes, the inside of both the GS and F6 FPV Utes are superb places to be. The cloth sports seats and the refined nature of the cabin create an environment that is special. There are plenty of gadgets that help to make the drive informed and communicative. Both the GS and F6 Utes have an Interior Command Centre (ICC) with an advanced 8-inch colour touch screen and Bluetooth, USB and iPod connectivity. A grunty sound system, electric windows, and the option of some sharp looking leather seats are available.

As with any ute, the FPV Ute boasts a tremendous volume of cargo space in the rear tray. It’s easy to run up a couple of dirt bikes up onto the deck or secure a jet ski in place for taking to your favourite bit of water. The leaf springs and massive engine torque set you up well for towing heavy loads. Both the GS and F6 Utes push well over 500 Nm at just 2000 rpm! If you don’t have to trudge off-road much, then the sporty low ground clearance won’t prohibit you at all. However, you’d best stick with something like a Toyota Hilux or Nissan Navara if you’re going to want to venture off the tarmac a bit.

I reckon if you’ve bought yourself a muscle vehicle like an FPV Ute, then fuel consumption isn’t going to be much of a concern to you. Neither the FPV GS and FPV F6 are particularly fuel conservative. Out on the open road, where you can ease back and lope along at high continuous speeds, both the Boss V8 and Turbo 6 will provide reasonable fuel consumption. Most people will not be able to restrain themselves, and will want to relish the high performance on offer. Fuel consumption and performance don’t marry well. After all, the supercharged DOHC 32 valve all aluminium V8 engine heralds 315kW at 5750 rpm and a maximum torque of 545 Nm between 2000-5500 rpm. Equally potent, but in six-cylinder Turbo form, the F6 310 kW, 4.0-litre turbo-charged DOHC 24 value in-line 6 pumps out a throbbing 565 Nm between 1950-5200 rpm.

Magnificent machines like the FPV GS Ute and the FPV F6 Ute are a real treat to drive. If you only require two seats and love the thought of a massive trunk out the back, then the colossal performance that these utes offer is addictive. However, you’ll need a radar detector!

The current FPV Utes include the:

• FPV GS Ute
• FPV F6 Ute

For any more information on the FPV Ute or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of FPV dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!
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