'Bitsa cars' - bitsa this and bitsa that - rarely come together as well as the sum of its parts; more often than not, the original vehicle's focus is lost and the final product is not very well sorted as a package. Well, here's a notable exception. Mitsubishi Australia's latest raid of the parts bin has created a car with a very specific niche and the whole package gels beautifully; you'd be amazed how well the everyday Magna chassis can be adapted to the role of a luxury sporting sedan.
So what's so new about the Verada GTV, you ask? Well, not a lot really. The vehicle is based on a Verada Ei but it drives a whole lot sharper thanks to the fitment of the Magna Sports/VR-X engine and uprated suspension package. On paper, there's not a lot of difference in power between the normal Verada and the GTV - 155kW versus 163kW - but the newcomer is a much quicker point to point vehicle and is far more rewarding to drive.
We've pedalled the 163kW Sports/VR-X engine in a few previous road tests and, with absolutely no mechanical changes, all of the comments we've made hold true for the Verada GTV. The Mitsi V6 is a wonderfully smooth and vibration-free motor that - with the fitment of its factory high-flow exhaust - is quite happy to push toward the 6200 rpm redline. A stab on the throttle reveals that the engine has terrific response and significant torque to back it up.
The only negative characteristic of the engine is a slight roughness at idle - something that popped up when the displacement was increased from 3.0 to 3.5-litres. Oh, and we can't help feel that Mitsubishi is now starting to slip behind in engine development - where's the electronic throttle control, DOHC heads or variable cam timing that's available on even the base model Ford Falcon?
What you
do get, however, is the proven 6G74 3.5-litre V6 with belt driven SOHCs, 4-valves per cylinder and a fairly mild 9.0:1 compression ratio. Power and torque is rated at 163kW at 5250 and 317Nm at 4500 rpm. And don't jump to the conclusion that - looking at the peak torque rpm - the 163kW-spec V6 is a temperamental, highly strung engine; the 180kW Ralliart Magna proves that there's still quite a lot of headroom before becoming a lumpy, grumpy motor. It also gets by on regular 91RON unleaded.
With just over 1500 kilograms to shift, the 3.5-litre V6 is reasonably economical when driven sedately - expect around 11.0-litres per 100km in typical urban conditions. During our test, however, a few spirited squirts saw the average climb to 14.5-litres per 100. Oh, and that all-important WOT sprint to 100 km/h is achieved in around 8.0 - 8.5-seconds.
Like all current Veradas, the GTV is equipped with a 5-speed sports-mode automatic transmission - a manual 'box is not an option. It's fair to say that the 163kW 3.5-litre and sports-mode 5-speed auto combination is one of the sweetest driveline packages around; the shifts are unobtrusive and the engine is generally - but not always - ready to respond to decisive throttle inputs. There are times when it tries to hold a high gear and torque it's way ahead.
From a handling perspective the GTV falls in an interesting spot between the Magna Sports/VR-X and the AWD Verada.
Without question, the AWD Verada has a higher limit of handling - it is more balanced and enables hard and fast corner exits. It is, however, compromised slightly by its relatively soft suspension and middle-of-the-road tyres. The Verada GTV, meanwhile - despite being only front-wheel-drive and prone to understeer in tight corners - rides on more taught suspension (shared with the Magna Sports/VR-X), incorporates TRC traction/race control and is more responsive to driver inputs. There is less body roll than the AWD Verada and the steering feels more direct thanks to the more aggressive wheels and tyres - the GTV gets 17 x 7.0-inch alloys wearing 225/50 Bridgestone Grid II tyres.
Up until now, the only Mitsubishi wheel package of this size has been fitted to the Ralliart Magna and the updated VR-X. The GTV's braking performance is perfectly adequate, but it'd be nice to have the bigger anchors as fitted to the Ralliart and AWD models. As it is, though, the pedal is responsive and - on the street - fade-free. ABS and EBD control systems come as standard.
Perhaps the greatest significance of the GTV is that it brings Verada luxury to the Sports/VR-X chassis. You get all of the usual Verada Ei hoo-ha - electric windows and mirrors, cruise control, trip computer, digital climate control, luminescent instruments, an electric drivers seat, wood highlights, 10-speaker 4-disc CD sound system and dual airbags - but the GTV goes a step further with standard leather trim, a Nardi wood/leather wheel and selector knob and a Blaupunkt navigation system. The nav fits neatly at the head of the centre console (which is re-engineered from models without nav) but the screen can become affected by glare. The big Mitsi shows its age in this department - there's no dashboard allocation for a centre screen like there is in most new-release vehicles.
Knickknacks aside, the GTV offers a level of NVH that's about perfect for a luxury sporting sedan. There's a definite note from the high-flow exhaust system, but - unless the rear windows are down - the Verada's generous sound deadening does a good job keeping it a distant hum. As mentioned, the GTV's suspension is taught, but it is never harsh. And, speaking of harshness, we were interested to note that the front-drive GTV had noticeably less vibration at high load than the AWD Verada. As per usual with this model, there is plenty of interior and cargo space but rear headroom is comparatively limited.
Proving there's a first time for everything, we can now give Mitsubishi a big pat on the back for the GTV's appearance. While the normal Verada Ei has all the excitement of a lawn bowls tournament, the GTV attracts
genuine looks of interest - forget the 'ricey' Ralliart Magna, the Verada GTV looks tough yet sophisticated. It's standard rear spoiler, 17-inch rims and slightly lowered Sports/VR-X suspension give the car a whole lot more aggression. The black paint of our test car also added to its on-road presence; note that the GTV is available in only selected colours. Just a slight lowering of the front-end would finish it off beautifully - but, of course, this would sacrifice ground clearance and entry angles.
We reckon Mitsubishi has a great package with the Verada GTV - there's nothing ground-breaking in its design, but its combination of parts come together to create a true luxury sports sedan. Unfortunately, though, it is being produced only in limited batches and they're not hanging around long in showrooms. And that makes sense when you consider its value for money. Remarkably, at $45,550 plus ORCs, Mitsubishi is asking just $5000 over the price of the base Ei Verada; that 5k gets you a Magna Sports/VR-X spec engine and suspension, unique 17-inch wheels with 225 rubber, standard navigation, leather, Nardi bits and a rear spoiler! Just the wheels and tyres alone could, justifiably, be worth a couple of grand extra...
Of course, Mitsubishi aren't offering the car with so much extra for so little more - if you know what we mean. The competition is pretty fierce in this segment and the GTV finds itself up against cars such as the Alfa Romeo 166, Audi A6 3.0-litre, BMW 530i, Citroen V6 Exclusive, Ford BA Falcon XR6 or Fairmont 4.0-litre, Holden Calais supercharged V6, Peugeot 406 SV, Camry Sportivo V6 and Nissan Maxima ST-R.
The Mitsubishi's build quality is very good overall, but - as noted in previous Verada/Magna tests - the control for the centre driver's air vent feels like it's broken as soon as it comes out the factory. Otherwise, there's nothing else to criticise.
So which car would we recommend in luxury sports sedan segment? Well, aside from price, the choice would come down to your exact requirements - for example, whether or not you tow a boat, if you need greater rear headroom or want the best fuel consumption. Without question, though, the GTV is right up there in terms of value for money!
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Future Buying
We're predicting that used Mitsubishi Verada GTVs will be available for a song in a few years time. Due to its limited production numbers and non-existent fanfare, we imagine the GTV will be quickly forgotten and people will regard it as just another Verada. Will this be one of the one of the best value pre-loved performance cars of the future?
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Note - at the time of writing, Mitsubishi was about to replace the Verada GTV with the GTVi. This doesn't mean much except the GTVi will offer sat nav and a rear spoiler as an option; its base price, therefore, will be slightly cheaper at $45,550.
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Why You Would...
- Very quiet and comfortable, yet
- Capably quick and responsive when pushed
- Only $5000 more than a Verada Ei and you get Sports/VR-X engine and suspension, 17-inch alloys with 225 tyres, rear spoiler, leather, Nardi accessories and navigation - a bargain upgrade!
Why You Wouldn't...
- Doesn't have the chassis balance, stability and handling limit of Verada AWD
- Not as much rear headroom as Camry, Commodore or Falcon
- The centre vent dial still hasn't been fixed
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