Most of the car "mags" have not been as fair as they should be. I suspect because they were dead set against the "looks" of the GTO's when they first came back from the dead in 04' .
IMO, ..Some of the car mags are making the GTO out to be NOT quite as good as it REALLY is, ..while at the same time making certain "others" better than what they really are.
Of course as readers we are not permitted to question the why's, or maybe's...but in the begining it does seem to merit your thoughts about it.
Sometimes the car mag authors simply just chalk it up to bad weather conditions, or whatever, ..but after awhile one has to wonder why MOST of the GTO test drives seldom produce what performance numbers WE KNOW are ATTAINABLE?
BUT....I have noticed a SLOW change in their views on the GTO; & one of them is the fact that they are "FINALLY" being a bit more honest about its straight line performance.
When I had read last spring, or thereabouts that "Road & Track" had "observed" a certain 05' pony car that I will leave un-named ...running a 4.9 sec. 0-60, ..& at the same time could only observe a 5.0 sec. 0-60 for the 05' GTO's, ..I could not help but to actually laugh out loud.
I do not believe that one can find 1..out of 20 of those 4.9 sec. car's, & IF anybody disputes this, ..I can only tell you when up against them in a 05' GTO, they are not that competetive, & I have HAD my share of them stock per stock!! (if you are so fortunate to find one willing because even THEY know)
By the way, ...yes the SRT-8 6.1 Hemi is real muscle & the real deal, & if it was in a car about 300-400 pounds LESS, ..it would be MORE formidable than what it is lugging around in that 4200 pound car.
Yes, ....the LS2 GTO's CAN take them. They will give any 05'/06'GTO a real good run for the money though. The 5.7 Hemi's got NO chance whatsoever, ..as decent as they are however!