2006 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP Spy Shots

[BigAls87Z28]

300hp 5.3 V8.

http://forums.gminsidenews.com/showthread.php?t=8166

[Untamed]

Maybe it's me, however it looks like a cross between the Grand Am and the Sunfire.

Performance stats sound sweet.

[foff667]

F***ING GM P****'S ...they are willing to put in the 5.3 but wont do a 5.7 or 6.0 motor wtf thats so sad...there are so many cars they could throw that motor into now...all of their trucks, corvette, gto, grandprix, the mini truck ssf whatevertheheckitis, the colorado, trailblazer all of these vehicles could handle it...strap it to a decent tranny and it would get decent mileage and could have 400fwhp...and im sure with the quantity they could build they could build them cheaper...great the grand prix is getting the v8 but dont piss me off with the smaller one they offer.

[BigAls87Z28]

Ah...wow. Didnt expect to see that kinda reaction.

Id like to see the LS2 as well..but 400ftlbs would tear that 4spd trans in half.

[BigAls87Z28]

Originally Posted by Untamed

Maybe it's me, however it looks like a cross between the Grand Am and the Sunfire.

Performance stats sound sweet.

Being that its a Pontiac...I dont see the problem?
And if you cant tell the differece between a GP, Grand Am, GTO, and Sunfire...you have a problem and I suggest glasses.

[foff667]

Originally Posted by BigAls87Z28

Ah...wow. Didnt expect to see that kinda reaction.

Id like to see the LS2 as well..but 400ftlbs would tear that 4spd trans in half.

probably...my main point is, why is it you can have a 5.3 v8 in the izuzu acender but not the trailblazer and why not offer the 5.7 or 6.0 version as it has the same outer dimensions. It seems pointless to offer a motor that puts maybe 250 to the wheels whereas generally gtp's offered 220 to the wheels woo 30hp thats not a thrill to me and the fact that they offered only the 5.3 in the min truck and only a 4 or 5 cyl motor in the colorado...give me a friggin v8 with some balls...put an ls2 in the colorado w/ awd and call it the syclone part II it would be at worst a low 13 second truck and would rape pretty much everything out there...what am i thinking gm knows it couldve put a v8 in the s-10 for 2 years but didnt so whats to say they'll start now.

[ar0ck]

I like it. But it still should have been RWD, imagine the wheel hop! The dash boards going to break off on your legs.

[skorpion317]

two words for the new GP:

Torque steer.

they should make it RWD, and slap a 6-spd in it. make it less powerful than the CTS-V and GTO so as not to lure away buyers from those cars. It would be a nice sports sedan that could outperform the Germans and Japanese at a lower price.

[BigAls87Z28]

Bill, look at SEMA this year. There will be a Colorado SS shown with a V8.

[foff667]

Originally Posted by BigAls87Z28

Bill, look at SEMA this year. There will be a Colorado SS shown with a V8.

if it comes to fruition as a production truck thats fine...sema means little if it doesnt come to a head.

[TheWraith]

there would be no reason on earth for an LS2 fwd car, even if it was possible. It would be undriveable with the lack of traction and ridiculous torque steer. I think fwd is gonna become an economy car only thing in the near future, since it's retarded all around.

everything worth driving will be rwd or awd in the next 5-10 years.

[foff667]

Originally Posted by TalkingGoat

everything worth driving will be rwd or awd in the next 5-10 years.

i think your very much wrong in that aspect...rwd is very hard to master especially in the northeast during winter, ask anyone...4wd is great for trucks...awd is great but its a lesser fwd in reality...for the old ladies of the world i think fwd is great and made even easier with traction control...my wwd gtp is ok...runs high 14's, has traction control but should be decent in the winter...dont get me wrong ive driven every last one of my rwd vehicles in winter but ive also ran over some curbs in the meantime trying to steer them when weather is really bad. AWD would be great but at this time the only company to really step up with it is suburu and for a while i believe they will be the only one to put that in all of their cars...far more then 10 years.

[TheWraith]

Originally Posted by foff667

i think your very much wrong in that aspect...rwd is very hard to master especially in the northeast during winter, ask anyone...4wd is great for trucks...

rwd with traction control and decent tires is fine in the winter. I've driven a bunch of winters with both rwd and fwd, and i managed just fine. The only advantage fwd has is the weight over the drive tires, and this is a broad generalization, but most fwd cars have less performance oriented tires than a rwd car which is a bonus for them.

I also had a gtp for the last 4 winters, so I can tell you don't be surprised to find that it's really no better than a rwd car, just different. In fact it's probably easier to go into a sideways slide from a dead stop with fwd, it's kind of like an amplified torque steering effect. And it's very easy to underturn, since the same tires steer and turn. But my gtp had a ground clearance advantage over any of my camaros, which helped in winter, and it had narrower tires than my iroc, which helps in winter.

Originally Posted by foff667

awd is great but its a lesser fwd in reality

I don't know where that idea is coming from. A grand prix GTP new costs high 20's and has ~250hp give or take. So do the mitsu lancer evo, vw gti r32, and subaru legacy gt. Go drive them and tell me what is lesser than fwd about either vehicle (i'm talking drivetrain, I know they aren't the same size, class, blah blah blah) because I'm not seeing it. Also in the same price and horsepower class and on the market within weeks if not already will be the mid range V6 chrysler 300 and dodge magnum with an AWD option.

Originally Posted by foff667

for the old ladies of the world i think fwd is great and made even easier with traction control...

I agree with this 100%, and maybe I should clarify my earlier remark about anything worth driving will be rwd/awd. Any bottom to mid-range car, that's not about fun at all, but it's about practicality is fine FWD. For an enthusiast's car though, it's really not particularly useful anymore. The winter driving had a much bigger argument going for it before the days of traction control and awd in tons of different vehicles. If the winter consideration is really going to cater your choice of car, why not do it right and go awd? or if you want a daily driver that's fun, yet semi-capable in the winter on occasion as needed, you can make due just as well with a rwd car with traction control as you can with a fwd car. Worst case, throw snow tires on the rwd car, and put some weight over the rear wheels.

Originally Posted by foff667

my wwd gtp is ok...runs high 14's, has traction control but should be decent in the winter...dont get me wrong ive driven every last one of my rwd vehicles in winter but ive also ran over some curbs in the meantime trying to steer them when weather is really bad. AWD would be great but at this time the only company to really step up with it is suburu and for a while i believe they will be the only one to put that in all of their cars...far more then 10 years.

subaru is definitely leading the way on awd, but as also mentioned there are offerings from most every company.

There will still be FWD cars no doubt, but I think almost everything will have an AWD option in the top end vehicle. I can already name a ton of models where this is already happening. FWD will be restricted to bottom end cars. Basically, the need for a fwd car with a lot of horsepower just isn't there anymore.

[foff667]

Originally Posted by TalkingGoat

rwd with traction control and decent tires is fine in the winter. I've driven a bunch of winters with both rwd and fwd, and i managed just fine. The only advantage fwd has is the weight over the drive tires, and this is a broad generalization, but most fwd cars have less performance oriented tires than a rwd car which is a bonus for them.

I also had a gtp for the last 4 winters, so I can tell you don't be surprised to find that it's really no better than a rwd car, just different. In fact it's probably easier to go into a sideways slide from a dead stop with fwd, it's kind of like an amplified torque steering effect. And it's very easy to underturn, since the same tires steer and turn. But my gtp had a ground clearance advantage over any of my camaros, which helped in winter, and it had narrower tires than my iroc, which helps in winter.

I don't know where that idea is coming from. A grand prix GTP new costs high 20's and has ~250hp give or take. So do the mitsu lancer evo, vw gti r32, and subaru legacy gt. Go drive them and tell me what is lesser than fwd about either vehicle (i'm talking drivetrain, I know they aren't the same size, class, blah blah blah) because I'm not seeing it. Also in the same price and horsepower class and on the market within weeks if not already will be the mid range V6 chrysler 300 and dodge magnum with an AWD option.

I agree with this 100%, and maybe I should clarify my earlier remark about anything worth driving will be rwd/awd. Any bottom to mid-range car, that's not about fun at all, but it's about practicality is fine FWD. For an enthusiast's car though, it's really not particularly useful anymore. The winter driving had a much bigger argument going for it before the days of traction control and awd in tons of different vehicles. If the winter consideration is really going to cater your choice of car, why not do it right and go awd? or if you want a daily driver that's fun, yet semi-capable in the winter on occasion as needed, you can make due just as well with a rwd car with traction control as you can with a fwd car. Worst case, throw snow tires on the rwd car, and put some weight over the rear wheels.

subaru is definitely leading the way on awd, but as also mentioned there are offerings from most every company.

There will still be FWD cars no doubt, but I think almost everything will have an AWD option in the top end vehicle. I can already name a ton of models where this is already happening. FWD will be restricted to bottom end cars. Basically, the need for a fwd car with a lot of horsepower just isn't there anymore.

i shouldve been a little clearer when it came to me saying awd is a lesser fwd...awd understeers nearly as bad as fwd under extreme conditions and is much harder to get the backend to come out when you want it...its all about driving technique...and personally im used to rwd and would prefer it.

As far as anything to do with traction control I've never driven a rwd car with traction control but from what i hear its more annoying then anything to most...in my buick where i cant turn it off the car will hit 25mph on ice and stop accelerating lol not sure if its the same with a rwd car i know with my fwd cars ive gone through blizzards to go to ups because i knew it would be fine...i would never try that with any rwd vehicle. I didnt buy my gtp new nor have i bought a new car since 98' so for starting prices i wouldnt compare cuz i sure as hell wouldnt pay nearly 30k for a new gtp...and i did look at getting an evo...but still too kiddy wasnt really diggin it and the price was a lot more than i really wanted to spend...if the neon srt was awd and the same price it would be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Bottom line...i dont like fwd because i think its grandma's car but serves its purpose, awd is great for all weather but most of whats out there hasnt shown itself to be as durable as id like it to be(ie 1st & 2nd gen eclipse/talon), rwd is great for summer but when winter hits id rather have a fwd beater.

[Fasterthanyou]

It's fwd with a v8? Aren't Caddies finally getting back to rwd? Why would Pontiac be putting a v8 with fwd? Where's the market for that.

I can't say that rwd is better than fwd in the winter but here's a little something to think about. My mom has had everything from a 1st gen camaro, a 1st gen mustang, an old ford marquis (front wheel drive 4 door looked like a k car), a 91 Merc Grand Marquis (rwd 4.6L), a chevy venture, a volvo S80 currently (inline 6 fwd), and a 02 Toyota Sienna. She thinks the best car all around was the Grand Marquis, especially in the snow. She can't stand the lack of traction from a dead stop that fwd provides.
I completely agree with here. I drove the Merc for a whole Ohio winter and it was great. It would even accelerate on ice from a dead stop. It's ALL about the tires and believe it or not, in the snow rwd still has an advantage where it can accelerate faster because more weight is on the tires during acceleration. I can't see any reason for fwd v8 vehicles, it just makes no sence to me. The fwd helps keep people from getting stuck but again, I never had any problems with the Merc getting stuck... I had all season tires, the cheapest sears sold .

My camaro is AWEFUL in the snow but that's what you get for having wide tread and low weight. Corvettes are even worse. Both can be VERY able in the snow with small ass tires and a couple sand bags.
If you want to find a company that doesn't believe in fwd look no further than BMW. I (and many others) believe BMW has some of the best cars in the world.

[EVIL90SS]

wow....more ****in GM junk !

[BigAls87Z28]

Caddy's going RWD is because they spend a lot of money for development of the Sigma chassis, which is one of the best RWD/AWD chassis out there.

AWD is getting more and more complicated.

Pontiac is eventualy going to get more RWD cars with upcoming chassis like Zeta and Kappa. The Grand Prix, G6, and Vibe will be the 3 FWD cars while the GTO, G8, and Solstice will make up the RWD and possibly AWD models.

[foff667]

Originally Posted by Fasterthanyou

:She thinks the best car all around was the Grand Marquis, especially in the snow. She can't stand the lack of traction from a dead stop that fwd provides.
I completely agree with here. I drove the Merc for a whole Ohio winter and it was great. It would even accelerate on ice from a dead stop.

i would just go wot in my fwd cars...that usually got it moving just fine *shrug*

[Tru2Chevy]

Originally Posted by Fasterthanyou

believe it or not, in the snow rwd still has an advantage where it can accelerate faster because more weight is on the tires during acceleration.

I'll agree there.....my first car was an '85 Camaro (2.8/auto) and I had 205/60/14 summer performance tires, and no sandbags. I had better control of that in the winter than my '91 Lumina with 215/60/16 all season tires.

As long as you know how to properly handle a rwd car, driving in the snow isn't a problem.

- Justin