Pontiac GTO R&T review
 

There is a pretty good review of the GTO and the Ford GT in the latest issues of R&T

Performance numbers:
GTO
0-60 5.3
1/4 13.8
slalom 63.4
lateral gs .81

Tests performed at 78 degrees F with 58 percent humidity and 150 ft elevation.

GT
0-60 3.8
1/4 12.2
slalom 69.5
lateral gs .99

68 F 970 ft 52percent.

I suggest you pick it up if you want to read the full reviews. Two points of my own: The GT performed great, but I see large gaps in the body panels already(maybe Im just seeing things, or over worrying, but I don't think this bodes well for fit and finnish reliability).
The GTO had ample rear room, especially with the bucket rear seats. Why the hell did they have to electronically limit it to 155 mph though? The car can do that in 5th gear, never actually going into 6th.

Electronically governed? On the GTO?

Does this electronic control indicate some limitation around the success of modifications?

If so they just doomed the GTO to pitiful sales.

Think of the Mustang or Camaro without an after market...

No, he means just the ECU limits it to 155, like most other cars, such as the Supra. This is easily over come by taking the governor limitor off.

We aren't limited... ;)

yea u can put a performance chip in with no limits pretty cheap :D

"yea u can put a performance chip in with no limits pretty cheap "

Yeah, but that voids the warrenty. Not to mention it will probably be 6 months before a chip exisists. Major pain in the butt I tell ya.

Oh well, other then that they seem to have gotten the vehicle right. Go here for some pictures from the review: http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....article_id=869

Car is available with 4 speed automatic or the t56 6 speed out of the corvette. The engine is setup basically identical to that of the ls1 in the corvette(slightly different then that of the camaro and firebird).


More tid bits:
base price $32500
articles major complaints- shifter a bit rubbery.
Major praises- Smooth power delivery, light clutch pedal, Color coded gauges.
350 hp 365 lb ft of torque.
Limit 18000 produced a year.

They also say to expect a hood scoop by 2005.

I'd post the article, but I don't have a scanner.

I'm not quite sure how long it will take the aftermarket to kick into gear for the GTO. Hell, if I can get parts for my Pontiac six-shooter, something with a V8 engine is bound to get parts thrown at it :)

From what I've heard, Pontiac's been working up some deals with some companies to get some suspension and engine mods ready to be released inside of the next year - whether it will be through GMPP, the new Pontiac performance group, or through third-party marketers like SLP and such, remains to be seen. Besides, there's already a LS-1/LS-6 marketplace all ready to go, so parts for the engine itself shouldn't be TOO hard to get.

Though I think I'm going to be waiting a few years before I throw into a new GTO. A group of us at a NASCAR race got to talk to Bob Kraut, GM/Pontiac's director of marketing, as part of a Pontiac G-Force sneak and peek. We did ask him, "So what's the skinny on the GTO? How hot will you guys make it?" His blunt, gruff answer to us was, "Wait a few years...then you'll see...."

"The Judge", anyone? :)

/rumormongering

don't see why it needs to be a few years when they can do it now.
there are alot of tuned up monaros now.

Well, I guess it's one of those marketing ploys that they seem to do a lot in this country. You issue the base model of the car, get all the suckers, er, customers that would buy the car for the name or current capability now. Then you wait a bit, then let out the bigger, better, nastier, meaner version to persuade those who needed the kick in the pants to go out and now buy the car....

Yes, it's stupid, but it seems that's the way it works, at least around here in the US....

13.8 is pathetic for that kind of power. Id rather have a used C5 or SS maro.

"13.8 is pathetic for that kind of power. Id rather have a used C5 or SS maro."
Your not going to seat 4 comfortably in either of those cars.

"Your not going to seat 4 comfortably in either of those cars."

Who said I was going for seating?

"Who said I was going for seating?"

Lol.

Well If it were performance I wanted at the expense of everything I'd build myself a kit car or get something used and mod it. I do believe the gto is supposed to compete with bmw not the mustang, camaro, vette. GM is going to bring the camaro back soon enough and the c6 is out next year so its hardly a replacement.

maybe it will be a temporary replacement?? I mean... none of it is really new. Its all Holden, so maybe they're just importing a few over for a couple years to satisfy the people who would've otherwise been buying maros/birds.

if its trying to compete with the BMW then it needs to stop, because it will never be as good as a BMW. The 3 series in non M form may not be fast, but it sure as hell is more refined. And it is competing with the Mustang, because it is scedulaed to only run for 3 years,. it should be here by end of December, or beggining of 2004, add 3 years to 2004, and thats 2007 and thats when the Firebird returns.