7 Facts about the Front Wheel Drive LS4 Cars
The least expensive way to drive an LS, and the easiest way to carry your whole family with one, is to buy one of the 2006-09 GM W-Platform cars. These cars may look like generic GM rental sedans, but they pack over 300hp of LS4 power to the front wheels!
1. Front Drive V8 Power
Maybe not the most popular configuration, but the LS4 cars all share the unique distinction of front-wheel drive, with modern 303hp, 5.3 liter LS based V8 powerplants. This eclectic group includes -- the sporty Grand Prix GXP, the luxurious Buick LaCrosse Super, the family friendly Chevy Impala SS sedan, and the muscular Chevy Monte Carlo coupe. If you want the power and sound of a V8 in a family car, and don't mind which wheels are doing the driving, these cars are a great choice.
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2. 2006-09 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP
The Pontiac Grand Prix GXP was the sportiest, best handling and most fun to drive of the LS4 cars. In order to tame the power and weight of the V8 motor over the front wheels, Pontiac made a unique engineering decision: The front tires are actually wide than the rear. Both front and rear roll on 18 inch wheels, but the front is 8 inches wide with 255mm tires, and the rear is just 7 inches wide with 225mm tires. The car is also lower, and uses Bilstein struts from the factory, in an attempt to make an American version of a German sport sedan.
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3. 2008-09 Buick La Crosse Super
If you are a fan of the type of luxury cars Lincoln and Cadillac used to make, big, powerful, comfortable, and soft riding, then the Buick LaCrosse Super is the LS4 car for you. All of them had woven leather seats, extra sound deadening, thicker glass, and a healthy dose of chrome trim. These cars may not look fast, but except for the 1987 Buick GNX, there was not a faster production Buick in the modern era, with o-60 mph times of less than 6 seconds.
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4. 2006-07 Chevy Monte Carlo SS
Are you a NASCAR fan? The 2006-07 LS4 powered Monte Carlo SS is about as close as you can get to a NASCAR coupe for the street from GM. Sure the latest Chevy SS sedan has more in power, what with it being rear wheel drive and all, but the current NASCAR racers look nothing like the factory cars. At least back in 2006 there was a passing resemblance, and the Monte Carlo is one of the last big 2 door cars GM is likely to ever build, which makes it the ultimate dad car.
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5. 2006-2009 Chevy Impala SS
Looking for a getaway car to start your life of crime? The LS4 powered Impala SS is just the thing. Cruise in it and you can get 24 mpg on the highway, and look like any number of rental cars, but put your foot down and you'll find the top speed is nearly 150 mph. These cars are as reliable as any other 21st century GM sedan, though the transmission is a known weak point, but you have that added cool factor of a V8 exhaust note and more torque than any sane man could need this side of a tractor pull.
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6. The Transverse Challenge
There are two fundamental challenges with the LS4 motor in this platform. First, how to fit a big V8 engine and transaxle between the wheels. Second, how to manage the "torque steer" that tends to occur with high-power, front-drive platforms. The LS4 motors use a unique crankshaft that mounts a smaller harmonic balancer closer to the block, and a compact accessory belt drive, for a package 1 inch smaller, front to back of the block. The starter was also moved to mount on the transaxle, to free up space for the exhaust on the firewall side. The torque steer was handled with the popular trick of having equal length half shafts and an intermediate shaft, though Pontiac went even further, with unique specially constructed tires.
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7. Price
The best thing about these fun V8 family cars is that you can get one for practically pocket change. The nicest one in the country wouldn't even list at $15,000, and dealers are selling nice examples for as low as $5,000. Plus, the nature of these cars means most have lived easy lives, with adult drivers never taking them to the sweet side of 80 mph. Sure, you can buy a 4th generation Camaro for less, but that is just not as practical if you have kids and groceries to haul.
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If you have an LS powered car or projects, there is all sorts of help to be found in the how to section of LS1Tech.com