First off.... the car does look better in person than in photos. Yes it could look a little sportier, but it's not bad.
Now, the driving part. I have to say in many ways it is superior to the f-body. The independant rear suspension is a definate step up. The car tracks better over rough pavement, stays planted in corners without the little steering corrections that you get accustomed to in an f-body.
One thing that is a little goofy. This is supposed to be a coupe with seating for four. It will seat four, I even tried the back seat. It's not too bad. The problem is that it takes Houdini's genetic offspring to get into the back seat in the first place. You must push a button on the front seat to enable the power mechanism to move the seat all the way forward in order to be able to step into the rear area. You can't do this by merely tilting the seat foreward. My 6 year old couldn't do it either. He has an easier time getting into the back seat of the latest generation f-body, just a little less leg room once back there.
The exhaust is quiet at idle, and speaks well at upper rpms. Not as loud as a uncapped borla, but a borlish muffled tone.
This example was an automatic, red with red interior. Not my mix of colors. I told them that if they ever get a silver 6 speed with black leather give me a call.
The car will be available for delivery after the Sebring race... the car must be there for some sponsorship stuff.
So after the test drive I drove off in my WS6, Zaino'd to the hilt, t-tops off and in the cruise mode. What comes up behind me? A blue 5.0 Mustang notchback with dual exhausts, monster tach and shift light weaving in traffic to catch up with me. He gets next to me and throws a few revs but I don't bite. A few miles up the road he's stuck at a light leading out of town. You guessed it...... I end up right next to him. A long light too. We both are feeling it. The light goes green, my tires grab the ground as I ease out. I hear him start to lose traction so I bury it. The revs climb, the engine singing it's sweet song. As I walk the mustang, hazing the 285 SZ50s halfway through 2nd gear and barking the third gear shift, I think to myself how lucky I am to not be driving the new GTO. The race would have been closer, the noise would have been quieter, and my wallet would have been alot lighter.
Don't get me wrong folks, the new GTO is a much better car than what has been previously passed off as a performance car. Too bad it's more than $25K. That would be a performance benchmark for the price. Maybe a used one in a few years.....
Now, the driving part. I have to say in many ways it is superior to the f-body. The independant rear suspension is a definate step up. The car tracks better over rough pavement, stays planted in corners without the little steering corrections that you get accustomed to in an f-body.
One thing that is a little goofy. This is supposed to be a coupe with seating for four. It will seat four, I even tried the back seat. It's not too bad. The problem is that it takes Houdini's genetic offspring to get into the back seat in the first place. You must push a button on the front seat to enable the power mechanism to move the seat all the way forward in order to be able to step into the rear area. You can't do this by merely tilting the seat foreward. My 6 year old couldn't do it either. He has an easier time getting into the back seat of the latest generation f-body, just a little less leg room once back there.
The exhaust is quiet at idle, and speaks well at upper rpms. Not as loud as a uncapped borla, but a borlish muffled tone.
This example was an automatic, red with red interior. Not my mix of colors. I told them that if they ever get a silver 6 speed with black leather give me a call.
The car will be available for delivery after the Sebring race... the car must be there for some sponsorship stuff. So after the test drive I drove off in my WS6, Zaino'd to the hilt, t-tops off and in the cruise mode. What comes up behind me? A blue 5.0 Mustang notchback with dual exhausts, monster tach and shift light weaving in traffic to catch up with me. He gets next to me and throws a few revs but I don't bite. A few miles up the road he's stuck at a light leading out of town. You guessed it...... I end up right next to him. A long light too. We both are feeling it. The light goes green, my tires grab the ground as I ease out. I hear him start to lose traction so I bury it. The revs climb, the engine singing it's sweet song. As I walk the mustang, hazing the 285 SZ50s halfway through 2nd gear and barking the third gear shift, I think to myself how lucky I am to not be driving the new GTO. The race would have been closer, the noise would have been quieter, and my wallet would have been alot lighter.
Don't get me wrong folks, the new GTO is a much better car than what has been previously passed off as a performance car. Too bad it's more than $25K. That would be a performance benchmark for the price. Maybe a used one in a few years.....
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