mrgto
01-16-2003, 05:56 AM
PONTIAC
Seems Pontiac has been getting all the glory as of late. Most of the excitement has centered around the upcoming GTO, which recently debuted on the show circuit. The show car GTO’s are very hurried examples based on previous generation (2002) Monaro chassis, as evidenced by the Australian gauge cluster, single exhaust and by some accounts unmoved gas tank (I have not verified this). The production car will be based on the upcoming 04 Monaro, which has dual exhaust, revised gas tank location, and a power boost. The engine for the GTO is said to be specific to that car, and I am hedging my bets that the production version will be even more powerful. The reason I say this is because a month ago I had discussions with a GM press rep, and he told me that the production GTO had not had final horsepower numbers set, and they were still tweaking many things about the car. Well as we held those discussions, the show cars had been finished and on US shores for 2 months. In short don’t believe that the 340HP number as the end point for 2004 GTO power, I am expecting the final number to be closer to 360HP expected for the IV Gen V8. Pontiac did something similar with the 04 Grand Prix initially setting HP at 250, then increasing it to 260HP as testing and development progressed.
The next generation GTO will be built in North America alongside the Pontiac Grand Prix. Both cars will ride on a new chassis that will essentially be the mating of the luxury Sigma Platform and the current V-car platform. The biggest change to Sigma will be the addition V-car type suspension components. The RWD Grand Prix has already been under development for a year as a 4-door version of the new platform, with the GTO being planned as the 2 door model. Expect the GTO to remain fairly exclusive, with the Grand Prix having models to fit a wide cost range, much like now with the price difference between the base GT and expensive GTP Comp G. These cars should be ready by 2006.
The Pontiac G6 show car was little more than a thinly disguised 05 Grand Am, essentially the equivalent of the G-Force show car to the 04 Grand Prix. The new Grand Am will be a major step upscale for Pontiac. While it’s Epsilon platform sister the Malibu will see plebian duty as Chevy’s affordable people hauler, Grand Am will take the platforms abilities to the limit. The showstopper will be a retractable hardtop coupe that will feature AWD, a 6-speed manual, and a forced induction V6 making somewhere between 260 and 300HP. This car was expected to be Pontiac’s new halo car pre GTO, so prices will approach the mid $30K’s loaded. Take away some options and you will go down to the sedan which looks much like the G6 that in base for will cover the affordable market the current Grand Am Covers.
The Solstice is green-lighted and will ride on a new small RWD architecture that will be shared with the Saturn Sky and Buick Bengal. I expect this “new” platform to be a mix of Delta and off the shelf GM parts much like the show car. Developing an all-new chassis will cost too much for GM to keep the cars at their projected price point. Also the name Solstice may be dumped in favor of Firebird or Sunfire.
Pontiac’s future in the economy car market at this point is uncertain. I am unsure of any plans to replace the current Sunfire after it dies in 2005.
Seems Pontiac has been getting all the glory as of late. Most of the excitement has centered around the upcoming GTO, which recently debuted on the show circuit. The show car GTO’s are very hurried examples based on previous generation (2002) Monaro chassis, as evidenced by the Australian gauge cluster, single exhaust and by some accounts unmoved gas tank (I have not verified this). The production car will be based on the upcoming 04 Monaro, which has dual exhaust, revised gas tank location, and a power boost. The engine for the GTO is said to be specific to that car, and I am hedging my bets that the production version will be even more powerful. The reason I say this is because a month ago I had discussions with a GM press rep, and he told me that the production GTO had not had final horsepower numbers set, and they were still tweaking many things about the car. Well as we held those discussions, the show cars had been finished and on US shores for 2 months. In short don’t believe that the 340HP number as the end point for 2004 GTO power, I am expecting the final number to be closer to 360HP expected for the IV Gen V8. Pontiac did something similar with the 04 Grand Prix initially setting HP at 250, then increasing it to 260HP as testing and development progressed.
The next generation GTO will be built in North America alongside the Pontiac Grand Prix. Both cars will ride on a new chassis that will essentially be the mating of the luxury Sigma Platform and the current V-car platform. The biggest change to Sigma will be the addition V-car type suspension components. The RWD Grand Prix has already been under development for a year as a 4-door version of the new platform, with the GTO being planned as the 2 door model. Expect the GTO to remain fairly exclusive, with the Grand Prix having models to fit a wide cost range, much like now with the price difference between the base GT and expensive GTP Comp G. These cars should be ready by 2006.
The Pontiac G6 show car was little more than a thinly disguised 05 Grand Am, essentially the equivalent of the G-Force show car to the 04 Grand Prix. The new Grand Am will be a major step upscale for Pontiac. While it’s Epsilon platform sister the Malibu will see plebian duty as Chevy’s affordable people hauler, Grand Am will take the platforms abilities to the limit. The showstopper will be a retractable hardtop coupe that will feature AWD, a 6-speed manual, and a forced induction V6 making somewhere between 260 and 300HP. This car was expected to be Pontiac’s new halo car pre GTO, so prices will approach the mid $30K’s loaded. Take away some options and you will go down to the sedan which looks much like the G6 that in base for will cover the affordable market the current Grand Am Covers.
The Solstice is green-lighted and will ride on a new small RWD architecture that will be shared with the Saturn Sky and Buick Bengal. I expect this “new” platform to be a mix of Delta and off the shelf GM parts much like the show car. Developing an all-new chassis will cost too much for GM to keep the cars at their projected price point. Also the name Solstice may be dumped in favor of Firebird or Sunfire.
Pontiac’s future in the economy car market at this point is uncertain. I am unsure of any plans to replace the current Sunfire after it dies in 2005.