after driving the GTO for a month now I don't consider it a muscle car or a sports car really. Don't get me wrong I love this car and don't regret buying it, quite the contrary it suits my preference perfectly. The way the auto shifts is so smooth, it is really a pleasure to lean back and just cruise around town with the thing, one hand on the wheel the other on the big old center arm rest. Truth be told...I really don't liken this car to the whole "muscle car" badge (regardless of HP or the nameplate...which I think we can all agree is BS) as I do a luxury power coupe/tourer. I liken my GTO to the following cars: Lincoln Mark VIII, Ford Thunderbird SC and V8 (I know they come in 5 spds too), Grand Prix coupe GTP, BMW 650, Caddy ETC, Caddy XLR...and some older auto "muscle cars" if you will such as Monte Carlo SS Grand National etc etc etc...correct if I'm wrong but I really don't think I am. Just like a Trans Am or a Z28 is more like a Mustang GT...but in reality our car really really isn't...it just happens to have a massive engine. IMO it's too heavy and too comfy to be a sports car. It's too luxorious and refined to be a muscle car. Go ahead and flame me...bring it on, but if you're going to try and argue that our car isn't more like the one's I described above than an ACTUAL muscle car you're nuts in my eye. And IMO you'd be truly crazy to even think to put our car in the category of other SPORTS car w/ similar HP such as: porsche 911, corvette, M3, etc.
You're all gonna get mad at me but...
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I think it may have felt sportier if you would have gotten a six speed, but nonetheless it's still more of a grand tourer than a sports car. Actually, check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_tourer It describes the GTO perfectly.
I think your term "cruise" sums it up. The car is a great "cruiser". Torquey like a Harley Davidson vs. a Crotch Rocket.
Originally the muscle cars were stripped down, bare bones cars with big engines. However, you could also option out these cars and get a pretty nice car. The GTO just already has all the options (except HomeLink, I'm still pretty pissed about that) already there, along with a build quality never seen on any of the old muscle cars.
Be happy.
Originally the muscle cars were stripped down, bare bones cars with big engines. However, you could also option out these cars and get a pretty nice car. The GTO just already has all the options (except HomeLink, I'm still pretty pissed about that) already there, along with a build quality never seen on any of the old muscle cars.
Be happy.
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IMO the Caddy XLR doesn't belong on the list, but the Mercedes CLK is missing. Other than that :agree
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BostonF4$ said:
Yep, I have to agree with you. The GTO automatic is like the Lincoln Mark VIII, Ford Thunderbird SC and V8, Grand Prix coupe GTP, BMW 650, Caddy ETC, Caddy XLR. The GTO M6 is like the porsche 911, corvette, M3, etc.
i agree too. the M6 is far from the M3 and the 911 and even the corvette like the one member stated. now......if you did springs, shocks, sway-bars, stiffeners, wider and softer tires and more aggresive caster and camber settings, then it would be a sportscar. honestly though, all that stuff i mentioned would only cost a $2,500-3,500 bucks. ride quality would suffer though.
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The GTO's a grand touring car, not a muscle car. If the boneheads at Pontiac marketing sold is as a grand touring car -- they would have had no problem selling their quota at close to sticker. But they sold it like a Trans Am -- and compared it to Mustangs. Oh, well. At least that enabled me to get mine for $25999 and 0% financing for 3 years.
enjracing said:
Good luck trying to do all of that work, especially getting wider tires. These cars don't accept those too well. The suspension gets in the way.
While staying on the main topic, I love this car. Call it what you may, but it is a really fast car. Plus the feeling of the M6 makes it very fun to drive while being comfortable at the same time. I couldn't imagine taking a Mustang, Camaro, or a Firebird on a roadtrip any longer than a couple of hours.
I can understand where you are coming from, Boston. And I think most of us would agree that the GTO is not a sports car. The only time I will accept the sports car category for it is when it is something like Consumer's Guide where their categories very broad: ie, CG uses Compact, Midsize, Large, and Sporty/Performance. Using those categories, the GTO is going to have to fit the last one since Midsize is for midsize non-performance vehicles.
I'm not real great with car classifications, but it seems the GTO fits into both muscle car and GT car. I think it leans toward "modern muscle", but then again maybe tranny really does have a bit to do with it.
I'm not real great with car classifications, but it seems the GTO fits into both muscle car and GT car. I think it leans toward "modern muscle", but then again maybe tranny really does have a bit to do with it.
I feel you good 2 go. My friends and I made a trip from chino hills in an 01 ss camaro all the way out to your neck of the woods to the sbc center for a metallica concert, and the drive wasn't too bad for the driver but the passengers weren't to well off. If I had the GTO at the time I am positive it would have been a much comfortable ride.
Yeah one thing that really made me rethink the way I'd describe the Goat is I had recently driven an S2000 (an '06), and let me tell you something THAT is a sports car. Even though it may not be as "fast" as our cars...right off the factory floor you can tell the thing inspires crazy confidence in the driver, you can toss the thing around at ridiculous speed. But then again, there is ZERO room in the thing, the ride quality blows, and you gotta rev the piss outta it to get power. I hadn't driven a true sports car in a while (the last one I got the pleasure to drive was a 911), but the difference is clear. That being said, I personally prefer the GTO and I'm still glad I have it...best of both worlds kinda thing,
none of those mods i spoke of yesterday are hard to get done, except the wider tires. but, they just requires a skillful body guy to roll the fenders. really no that hard to do all those things. the suspension is a day of work at home or pay some speed shop to do it. it's all just nuts and bolts ****.
Alot of the people on this forum (actually the majority of car forums) are really more "car guys/gearheads" than myself. Personally, I don't want to "mod" anything I depend on for transportation or that originally cost about half of what I earn in a year. When it comes to tinkering and messing around...I'm more of a bike guy. Heck, I more or less took my CBR apart and sat there scratching my head looking at the pieces like, "Hmm, ok what the hell do I do now?" ahah. I'm nervous that adding suspension parts may void my factory and/or extended warranties. IF I were to modify anything on the GTO it would certainly be the suspension...but like I said I'm a bit worried it may bite me in the end...especially considering that chatter in the rear end...
the dead steering, extremely long and poor throws of the shifter, and sheer size take it out of the sports car category. Now the way my 944 and miata came from the factory......
the driveability take it out of the muscle car category. unlike any carbueretor equipped car with anything close to this HP, plus the IRS.
the car is a grand touring car like the Jag coupe, aston coupe, bmw coupe, etc. just not as nice as those, but nicer than just about anything available for 30k
the driveability take it out of the muscle car category. unlike any carbueretor equipped car with anything close to this HP, plus the IRS.
the car is a grand touring car like the Jag coupe, aston coupe, bmw coupe, etc. just not as nice as those, but nicer than just about anything available for 30k
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