Or if you need rear seats and/or a little more upscale styling , the infiniti G35 coupe is second to none...same chassis as 350Z, 05 gets 295 hp, six speed, 19" wheels......about the same price as 350Z or GTO. Weighs 200 pounds more (3400lbs) There are two twin turbo setups (0-60 in 4.6 as per motor trend) and three superchargers available for these two cars, most put down 350-370 at the rear wheels....if you can afford them!! later Tim
Quite the contrary, it's Hoden's big sports car :http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/modeloverview?modelid=12002 I can't find it but you used to get the HSV (Holden Special Vehicles) 427 which had a 427 V8 and a lot of suspension tweaks, it's designed to compete against Ferraris and Lamborghinis and other exotics like that. It's somewhere on the HSV website, just can't find it anymore. Also sold for about $100,000 AU. Look what they're getting for the regular Monaros, about $60,000 AU which with the exchange rate is considerably more than what the GTO's are going for here.
you guys must be sheilas or something, drooling over the nissan 350z and g35.. they're for the sheilas(girls) mate.. ou: a pair of twin turbos putting 350-400 to the wheels pfffft laugh at that! gto is a man's car with proper v8 crackling pipes :grin:
Whoa, I wonder if it gets picked on over there? of course the 427 would make ita wolf in sheep's clothing. I'd like to know more abou the 427..Google here we come..
You're entitiled to your opnion but the 350z and the G35 are both incredible cars...have you driven one?? I thought not....besides, I've already got two big block machines in the garage.... later Tim
I lay down 350 at the wheels with a stock-motored LS1 with bolt-ons, through an auto trans:laugh: I am not a big fan of the GTO's styling, but drive one and you'll see what the buzz is about. The auto cars need a bigger stall TC and other supporting mods. The manual trans cars, wheelhop on the 1-2 shift is pretty bad. The car needs more rear swaybar, a little more rear spring and some sticky tires. I have also noticed quite a few people whining about the corporate LS1 V8, saying "it's a chevy blah blah blah". The only thing the LS1 shares with an old chevy v-8 is the bore spacing. Everything else is completely different. If you don't think it's a good powerplant, race me with your stock internals motor and see we'll see who wins. I'll also get 28 MPG on the highway en route to the track.....
I don't think anyone was saying it was not a good engine. People are saying the car looks like garbage.
the 2005 mustang will sell like hotcakes ! u should have heard the kudos for it at the detroit autoshow when it was unveiled . the previous stangs outsold the camaros & firebirds because the mustang was priced considerably less $$ . more bang for the buck and lots of aftermarket performance parts . that is why u see all these young guys buying them . timr, correct me if i am wrong , but i have heard that the gto as it stands today , cannot meet cdn bumper standards .
I love the '05 mustang! It resembles an older mustang. I wish the new GTO looked more like it did in the 60's or '70s.
Yes, I agree. And is that 28 mpg Australian? I think with the exchange rate that would be about 23mpg. My dad's C5 gets 28mpg (instant) when driving 50mph.:laugh:
Well that was 2004 but I had heard through my freindly GM guy that they were trying hard to get the 2005 certified for Canada...400hp NET (some 460hp in the 1971 and previous gross ratings) in a slightly plain 30 mpg car is just perfect....if I want to get stared at I can always take the stage 1 out.... Hopefully it gets up here.... later Tim
I read up on that awhile ago (so forgive me aussie people if I'm wrong). It was only sold as a race-only kind of car, not available to the public unless you had some really good connections.
well we have 2 here in nanaimo BC with BC plates. the pontiac dealer has a yellow one in the showroom. looks like the GTO is here folks. and i REALLY like it (flame suit on)
So they ARE available in Canada, then?? I had heard they passed the 5km/hr bumper test but no the 10km/hr bumper test or some stupid law like that.... Unless your dealer is pulling some kind of special deal... They look much better in person than in pictures, eh?? later Tim
I don't have the time to read all the posts but scanned through them and would like to chime in. I have had two `04 GTO's. A silver automatic and a Impulse Blue six speed. I jumped the gun and bought the first one, wasn't happy with the performance and then traded toward the blue one. Let's just say that I payed more than I should have the way I went about all this, and I will say that I regret it - for reasons that are not even mentioned here. First I will say that I'm not a Pontiac guy, never was fond of the look, I preferred the cleaner look of the Buicks and Chevy's. Because I have seen this debate about the looks for the last six months I have gathered some info (I'm not an expert on it though). But Pontiac has always styled their cars the same. A `66 GTO has the same looking front as a `66 Grand Prix. The `74 GTO looks like a `74 Grand Am etc. The GTO is in NO way similar to a Cavalier or any of the other front wheel drive platform GM cars. The general styling looks similar but the platform is totally different. These cars are built like a tank They weigh 4000 lbs with me in it (I weigh under 200)!!! The people who are bent about the looks and make such a big deal about it, have not been in one or ridden in one. Of course I would like hood scoops. The car is more of a European "muscle car" as opposed to an American Muscle car. Here are some Pros and Cons from a users stand point: Pros: - Clean styling (maybe bland but not with all the tacky crap like the Aztec, Grand Am, etc.) - Great interior - Good Performance - Great Handling - Great Brakes - Good Sound - No matter how blah people think it looks - everyone seems to know what it is. I've only had two people confuse it with another car and they weren't car people. I've had many more people call my `66 GS a Chevelle. - Average gas mileage at 80 MPH is 23 mpg with three people and loaded with luggage. - Cruise control is the best I have ever seen. Set it at 80 mph in sixth gear and it will climb a mountain without missing a beat or go down a steep grade smooth as glass, don't feel it using the brakes, etc. - This is a great road car for 1-2 people Cons: - Too heavy - doesn't perform the way a car with that much power and $$$$$$$ should. It's really no more power than the late model F-body, just more accurately advertised power. - The gas tank is in the trunk, so the trunk sucks - Everything that NJVette Guy said about the rear suspension is true - which renders this car useless as a daily driver that I can shoot to the track on my way home for some fun car, which my 2000 Z-28 was great for. - Automatic cars are de-tuned to protect the transmission, 50 hp less to the rear wheels. I don't see how they will be able to put more power to it for `05. - The car already has a problem handling the power it has for `04 the way we Americans like to use it i.e. drag racing. If they up the torque and HP they will have to upgrade the drivehsaft, rear suspension and rear axles at the least. - AND the biggest Con about the GTO is the dealerships, I work with two here in Phoenix and can only say that they !@#$%^& suck. The worst. From little things to big things they are !@#$ ups. They change the oil, but they put 5 quarts instead of 7 and lie to me about it. They dent the hood because they don't know how to close a hood. They dent the fender because they don't care. They black list me because I say it doesn't (the automatic car) perform like it is supposed to. They harass me for a defective axle that the bolts fell out of (and left me stranded, happy 4th of July). In closing - I wish I bought a Dodge Magnum Wagon!!!!!!!!!!!! Dave
Well that is the sad part, the GM dealerhips have alwasy been the biggest con to buying a GM vehicle. Certainly can't argue with a guy who has had two GTO's, but I find it hard to believe the auto cars are downgraded to protect the trannies, the dyno graphs I have seen certianly don't reflect this (motor trend auto car was .1 slower than six speed as well). Perhaps there was a problem with your auto car? The car is heavy for sure, aftermarket is coming with upgraded rear diff parts and bushings (you guys should be there, the new rear diff cover looks to be aluminum piece from aussieland, a TA made upgraded cover would be cool although a lot of work with the suspension integrated etc). The axle bolts is a known problem and being addressed, as was some early cars with the 6 speed clutch cover backing off. I would just like a chance to drive one myself and make up my own mind. I really regret selling my 97 WS6 Formula, even with the lowly LT1, and am looking to replace it. Later Tim
yea the styling is much nicer in person. i love the sleek and low look. and your right it may not represent the old GTO but who cares? i mean really, its just a car. and it does follw the same recipe for success that the old GTO had. intermediate frame and a large powerful engine. right now that is the only american car of its type for sale so i think the GTO moniker is deserved.
