Love the engine, don't like the car.

 

^^^Booo....only goes to 6500!!^^^

- Irish

 

I really like the matching gauges on the GTO, but I would imagine that yellow would get to be hard on the eyes after a while. I'll stick to looking for my black GTO w/ red gauges as a second car when I'm done with college and have a decent job squared away

 

:p it's actually an Australian muscle car dressed up in north american clothing.

They are a dime a dozen over here, but they sound awsome. And because cars here (excepting 4WD's) tend to be a bit smaller than what you find in NA streets, it looks very brutish and hulking.

There is also a sportier verson on sale here. http://www.hsv.com.au/cars/vz/main.a...=main/gto.html

 

I too considered the GTO before getting my 8 (actually the final four were RX8, 05 Mustang GT, GTO, and G35)

I sat in a GTO at the Orlando Auto Show and it was VERY comfortable. Also, it's the only 2 door sports car that has more room in the back seats than the RX8. I sat back there and my jaw hit the floor...it's VERY comfortable in the rear!!!

My issues, like so many have said, is the dang car comes in at 3700lbs...WOW!!!

I told myself, "I can always mod it and make it handle better but the dang weight was my biggest problem. Sure the looks are just OK (A fat Cavalier it looked like) but that GREAT Chevy V8 has no equal in the V8 or V6 world.

This is what I suggest Chevy does...save some money with the 07 and put the LS1 back in there at 350HP....BUT, cut it's weight down to 3400 pounds PLEASE, and make it's looks match it's engine. Finally...lower the price to compete with the Mustang and I'll bet you that the owner of the GTO would be having pony for dinner.

If at 3700+ lbs the car is getting 17/29....loseing 300+ lbs would probably push those numbers to 20/32 or something (per the rule that for ever 100 pounds lost you gain 1mpg)

So, a 350HP V8 2+2 @ $25,000 making 18/28mpg and looks as good as it sounds...

...build it...AND MANY WILL COME!!!

Note: Oh yeah, make it handle better than the Mustang...make it handle RX8ish...

 

Would be a great return for the Camaro/Firebird

 

Thanks for all the input - glad to see I'm in good company on the likes/dislikes. The 8 IMO is a much better looking vehicle, but I'd certainly look the other way if one pulled up next to me at a light. It's amazing to me the car gets that type of mileage given the weight and the power generated. With gas prices in the US projected to go well upwards of $2/gallon this summer, my 230 mile range on my 8 (combo city/highway) might make me begin entertaining other options.

 

Yeah...I understand that, it's going to be painful paying much higher than the $2.05 I'm paying now....OUCH!

My range in the city for my 8 is 250...so I can't complain too much, while I wish it was more like 300.

 

Yea i heard here in Texas from some inside sources that the gas is about to go to 2.30 very soon....

 

I used to be obsessed with the 8 and planned on buying one, and then I drove a GTO. The car is spectacular, people compare it to the M5 in terms of acceleration and refinement. And as far as the styling, I just don't understand it. I'll admit that I wasn't completely overwhelmed when I saw it in pictures, but then I saw it in person and totally changed my mind. I think it is a nice understated, clean car in '04 form, while still looking mildly aggressive. In '05, the hood scoops and split dual exhaust look awesome, I plan on buying one in midnight blue metallic, you guys should all try and check one out in this color in person or just an '05 in general.

My dad also bought a cosmos purple '04 GTO about 2 months ago, I thought purple would look awful too, but it looks SOOOOOOO nice. It's a real dark color that is just classy looking, there's also less than 200 purple 6-speed GTO's ever made so it's gonna be quite the collectors item down the road (or he's hoping at least). The car rides great, handles better than you would think, and goes like stink. I think the biggest fun factor for me is the sound, it sounds better than LS1 corvettes... I promise. (driven them)

The interior is also pretty amazing, as in the red picture above, the purple car has dark purple seats, purple suede, and purple gauges. These color-interiors are just plain impressive.

So just my thoughts on the car, I've also driven 2 rx8's and still love that car, the Goat just happens to fit for me better, that's all.

 

As a side note, I don't get why people worry so much about gas prices. I need to get around in my car to make a living and live a normal life, so I don't worry ONE BIT about where gas prices are. You can call me out of touch with what's going on, but in my eyes, it doesn't matter. I can't tell you the last time I even looked at or remembered what gas prices were at. It's nothing to worry over, there's enough things in life that you actually have control over that matter more.

I think

 

Right after I dynoed my car the other day, a new 05 GTO with the LS2 came on in and got a dyno.

Manual tranny.

It dynoed 320hp. Keeping in mdin that my 2002 Camaro SS with the LS1 dynoed 325 stock.

The shifter is tall, its huge. The gauges are so-so. The car is so-so styled. Know what? I used to proudly wear Chevy/Pontiac/GM hats. But hey... I think they've let me down and dropped the ball.

I proudly got in my 175hp Rx-8, and zoom-zoom'd off.

 

You know, I was just wondering why I don't see GTO's around me. They don't sell them in Canada WTF pontiac!!

That makes me a sad panda bear

 

I just saw the GTO at the kc car show last saturday. It has a nice interior and is obviously quite fast but the shifter was really sloppy and its just plain bland looking. Clutch was really stiff, it would wear me out in stop and go traffic. The mustang GT has about an equally nice interior and is about as fast and better looking for less money. Even the slapped on hood scoop can't save the GTO in the styling department. Its still a great idea and I hope they do a good job when they restyle it so it doesn't look like a cavalier.

 

I agree with that the GTO looks ALOT better in person that it does in pictures...heck, sometimes our RX8 looks better in person then pictures also (my base 6spd is what I mean).

Oh, and about fuel economy I agree...not to worry too much, but it's natural to dislike price hikes...especially when we drive a thirsty beauty...lol

About the 05 Mustang GT Vs GTO I have to say (from experiencing it first hand) the following:

Interior

GTO hands down...HANDS DOWN, it's much more comfortable, elegant, smooth, and the rear seats actually fit adults without causeing neck problems (05 GT & G35c have this issue) and the rear knee room is the best I've seen in any 2+2

Engine

GTO once again because while I like the Ford 4.6L the GTO's engine makes more power and is more fuel efficent at the same time while being 200lbs fatter.

Looks

I'd give the 05 Mustang GT the edge here because it too looks better in person, especially in black. The 04 GTO is just a fat Cavalier it seems...

Handling

Stang wins again...not by much, but wins either way.

Price & bang for the buck

Stang wins again, I think the GTO was a little over priced (as I've stated). Bring it down to $25,000

Again...sorry, I've stated this many times...my biggest problem with the GTO is it's weight and not so great handling. If they bring it down to the 3400 level and make it handle better...GM would have a HUGE seller on their hands because that V8 sound is just so sweeeeetttttt.

 

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that they don't meet part of the bumper standards in Canada...Although I'm sure the lack of capacity to build them was also taken into account, and that probably was another factor. I'd like to think when its redesigned for '07 they'll be selling up there as well.

 

The difference between the GTO and the new GT mustang are in modability. The mustangs built on a knife edge...any amount of significant power adding and BOOM...even one of the sema GT stang's spun a rod bearing in the parking lot...pretty sad.

The 04 GTO on the other hand can handle quite a bit of power adding. There are some fella's running 12's with superchargers on the forums without any major issues like the Z or GT guys see.

 

Yup...I said once...and I'll say it again, that Chevy LS V8 is the best dang V8 in the world, I think at least.

 

1995 Monte Carlo resembles the GTO to me...and it's the car my grandfather drove and then my dad did...that's probably what I can't get over. It's not so much the back or front...but the sides.

 

HottRx8Girl...have you seen one in person? It aint too bad...but that Monte Carlo comparison was insulting...lol

It's more of a FAT Cavalier or newer Grand Prix than a Monte Carlo...

 

Yeah looking back I see how it doesn't really look like it - I've seen it in person - I wanted one before I got my 8, and in person it looked worse to me than in the pictures I saw. I was just bored and tired, heh

 

So basically... it's ugly whatever way you want to go about it.

 

It's hardly ugly, its just average looking.

 

No no no... it's not a Cavalier or a Grand Prix or a Monte Carlo!
It's a Volvo C70 Coupe:

 

I ran into a GTO the other night and we just happened to be lined up at a light. I entertained him. A lot of people who don't know what the 8 is expect it to be a lot faster then it is. We took off and all I can see is you could hear the torque in that thing. It was fun I guess.