04 GTO Love it or Hate it?

[titanium_z7]

i like the new GTO. i love the interior. i have'nt drove one yet but i plan to. yes it is a heavy car but with 350hp and 365ft-bl stock and 400hp and 395ft-bl for the 05 i think you can live it being a little bit heavy. all in all its a nice car. if you think about it ppl who dont know what a GTO is will be gasping when the thing blows right past them...

[FormulaLT1]

Alot of people under estimate the performance of the GTO based on its luxury sport sedan styling but I don't think anyone can say its not a true sports car after they seen the Corvette drivetrain push this luxury style coupe to tripple digits in no time at all. I happen to love the GTO, its a all around good car for a person seeking a practical car with balls.

[lisatw151]

I got my goat back in June and I love it more than any car I've owned. And at 39yrs old, I've owned a few. As always, it all comes down to opinion and everyone's entitled. Yes, the styling of the new GTO is rather generic... I for one like to refer to it as a Cavalier on steroids. But that is precisely why I bought it. I did a lot of research before buying my goat... mainly looking at the '05 Mustang, the RX8 and the Bonneville SSEi. The RX8 was just too flashy without same power, the Bonneville was a little too far outta my price range, and quite frankly, I just don't care for Mustangs. They are just far too common. I like the stealthiness of the GTO. I can fly under the radar when I want to, knowing the power is there when I NEED to. Granted, the Cobra and the SVT would have me beat hands down when it comes to a stoplight to stoplight race. That's fine. I don't even go there. But when it comes to head-turning appeal and "Hey... what's that?" reactions, my goat's got almost everything else beat. For being so 'plain', I sure do get a load of double-takes and people coming out of the woodwork to get a closer look at it. It's a sleeper, no doubt. Again though, being a 39yr old Mom to three... I didn't want a 'boy-racer'. Even with that being said, my 19yr old who considers himself a 'tuner' with a rice burning CRX, begs me to let him drive my car anytime he's at the house. Oh... and by the way... I can easily fit $170 worth of groceries, an umbrella stroller, my fishing rod and tackle box all in my smallish trunk at one time, without problem.

[hotrod_chevyz]

Jeez guys where to start on this one.First of all, if we stole a design of anybodys,then why does the gto look so familiar.Well the answer is they look like every other Pontiac ive seen for years.Did they make all the Pontiacs,for like the past 12 years or so?Beacause you can watch Pontiacs appearance evolve over a long period of time.Thats an American design.

Next that motor is based on a design i use.A 5665 cid gm 5.7 litre . mine was made in 1970,and not one metric bolt.So who has been up to stealing designs?Thats an american design.


And to ford and dodge enthusiasts i say*Were Baaaaack........

[hotrod_chevyz]

Dont forget Pontiac is Chevys excitement division,so get excited.

[lisatw151]

Oh...I'm excited. I've been excited since June.

[porscheguy9999]

I really like it. I think that the 05' model will pick up the less-than-spectacular sales of the 04' model. Because the hood scoops on the 05' will give it a more agressive apperence, and the very modest price of approx. $30,000, it should do fairly well. If the sales improve, would they add a cabrio like they did during the original GTO? If so, it might attract new buyers. I wouldn't buy one, i'm strictly a coupe guy (when available). But it might pick up the slow sales.

[hotrod_chevyz]

I think its going to be funny when a few of these trickle down the line,and get fully modded out.Quite a few non-believers will soon get a renewed faith in GM.Most people will never get the honor of racing one of them.And those who do have a real live chance of getting spanked.

[MrPbody]

Hotrodchevyz, as a matter of fact, there are stories of shops in SoCal getting the street legal cars to run in the 11s, without blowers. LS1 is a GREAT engine. I hate to burst your bubble, but it's nothing similar to the small block Chevy design. It was made with a clean sheet of paper. In fact, there are but two part numbers, common between them. The rod bearing and the lifter. Nothing else fits. Even the rods themselves, are completely different. Nice ones, too! The heads are an absolute work of art! The valve train is much more modern in nature. It has a front-mounted oil pump, driven off the crankshaft. No provision for a distributor anywhere (has a crank trigger built in). And to top it all off, it weighs just a little more than 1/2 the weight of a 350 (Chevy) from the '70s.
Nope, not a Chevy. A true "corporate" engine. And it sticks in the craw of those OHC crowds, with it's antique pushrods... Argh! Argh! Humor... Wait 'til you get allode of LS2 and LS6!!!!

[hotrod_chevyz]

i am aware of the compatability differences between the generations of the 5.7's.They have added a few horses,worked on the gas mileage,and improved flow characteristics over the years.Thats just a start.. no parts will directly interchange,but fact is,its an updated version of what former Chevrolet general manager and chief engineer Ed Cole's team came up with years ago.It was a work of art in mid fifties when it was originally put to pencil.They may have drilled a bunch of sensor holes in it,and turned it into some metric aluminum joke,but face the facts.Its wonderful that after almost 50 years,the SBC is still as popular as it is,and still capable of showing up a little competition.

[hotrod_chevyz]

they need to put the new gto's on a diet.they weigh like 3700 pounds or more,with the driver.Yikes

[MrPbody]

They weigh about the same as all the old Goats...
I'm interested in this design they dusted off from the '50s. Do you have specifics where I can read about it? Having built a few LS1s now, I see zero similarities (but perhaps the bellhousing flange) between Gen 1 and 2 small blocks and the LSx line.

[crx1989]

I personally like both. The 2003 cobra is an awsome car but I know a few ppl have had problems with them. The styling has changed on the 2005 GTO which makes it look more agressive and it has 400HP LS2. To those doging the GTO. Give it another year or two to come out with something that will really be impressive. Maybe they will come out with something worthy of the name "JUDGE". If they do watch out. There are some after market parts for the GTO already to make it stand out. Like I said give it a year and there will some more appeal to it. I like them both but I see tons of GT's and Cobra's all over the place and very few GTO's. That there is my appeal to the car alone. I'm getting the GTO and am going to personalize it to me liking. As far as the comparison for performance goes, I'm not a young lead foot anymore and I don't plan on taking it to the track but I sure both are a thrill to drive. If the GTO runs a 14 that would just fine with me. Of course there will be a few Mods planned in the near future.

[99onI95]

I would like to get an opinion from a real GTO owner. Obviously looks aren't the selling point. Does the car perform and feel like a sports car. Or is it a quick family car like some of the crown vics with the roller 4.6.

[Mr. Luos]

Originally Posted by 99onI95

Does the car perform and feel like a sports car. Or is it a quick family car like some of the crown vics with the roller 4.6.

It is neither. 'Gentleman's Express' comes to mind. Not insane fast, not family car. Luxury with power.