16 Apr 04
Six airbags are fitted as standard, and other active safety measures include vehicle dynamic control (VDC) with anti-slip regulation (ASR). Although VDC cannot be switched off, it does not take away any driver involvement. If it senses the car starting to slide, it will counteract the action by braking the appropriate wheel to bring the car back to its intended cornering line. ASR limits wheel spin and can be turned off when driving in snowy conditions to avoid very slow progress.
The GT's suspension is based on that of the 156, which brings double wishbones up front and MacPherson strut at the rear. Stiffer anti-roll bars, softer springs and revised damper settings over the 156 make for a very good package, giving the GT very little understeer except when powering hard through corners where some speed is scrubbed off from the front tyres.
Although the GT is a coupe, it has a full hatchback rear enabling the whole rear screen to be opened. This opens onto a cavernous boot capable of holding 320 litres of baggage. A ski hatch is fitted in the middle rear seat for longer loads. The seats are even more flexible as the rear row will fold forward flat much like in a hatchback, giving a load area of 905 litres.
