First off, the article was much more glowing than MT or CD. The main criticisms were the lack of dead peddle, the mushy shifter and the not-soft-enough tires.
THE NUMBERS:
0-60: 5.3 sec
1/4: 13.8 @ 103.8
0-100: 12.9
Lat accel: .81g
700ft slalom: 63.4mph

In the same issue: S4 vs M3 vs C32AMG
0-60: 5.4, 5.0, 5.1
1/4: 13.9/101.2, 13.5/105.8, 13.6/105.4
0-100: 13.6, 12.0, 12.2
lat accel: .86, .87, .83
700ft slalom: 65.8, 68.3, 67.0

I'd say the Goat is 4 stickier tires away from some very expensive company!!

It is amazing how 3 magazines can come up with similar numbers but have complaints about different things.

I believe all the cars were tested way back in August in Australia. I don't think they tested the cars on the factory released tires.

I wonder if pontiac saw the test results and put different tires on them? Hmmm.

Yea, different shocks springs and tires and the car will handle decent.

But I'm pretty sure all 3 mags name the correct tires and size. RT also complained about excessive wheel hop on standing start acceleration, but the other two did not mention it. Another thing I noticed is how variable the top-end was for the three mags. For example:

During acceleration testing, lets look at the performance of the three test cars from 100mph to the end of the quarter mile. At 100mph, I make the assumption that all three cars are in the same gear (4th) and that the hammer is to the floor, so other than the body-weight of the drivers, the drivers are not a variable.

Motortrend: 0-100 in 13.1sec, 1/4 in 13.62 @ 104.78
Road and Track: 0-100 in 12.9sec, 1/4 in 13.8 @ 103.8
Car and Driver: 0-100 in 13.4sec, 1/4 in 14.0@ 102

So, with a little math, the acceleration of each GTO from 100mph to the end of the 1/4mile is:

MT: 13.5feet/sec/sec
RT: 6.2feet/sec/sec
CD: 4.9feet/sec/sec

Pre-production pilot cars? Weight? Weather? Wind resistance? Too much magazine racing while we wait to get our hands on the real thing?

interesting :zap:

I don't know if any body noticed but in C/ D and M/T the yellow car and the silver car both have tower braces, and in no other picture or pictures are there any tower braces. confused will this be a production option or aftermarket piece/

Originally posted by blackgoat@Nov 8 2003, 11:05 PM
I don't know if any body noticed but in C/ D and M/T* the yellow car and the silver car both have tower braces,* and in no other picture or pictures are there any tower braces.* confused will this be a production option or aftermarket piece/
Every picture I've seen of the engine compartment of the production car has had the tower brace. :huh:

http://www.newagegto.com/Picture%20050.jpg

http://www.vorshlag.com/reviews/newGTO/gto7.jpg

The only pictures without the tower brace are engine pictures outside of the car or I think the tower brace was not on the Show Car from a year ago.

18 August 2003
"Now Monaro CV8 receives the same 245kW V8 that powers VYII SS and SV8 models, a front suspension strut tower brace, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, electro-chromatic interior mirror, illuminated steering wheel audio controls, on-glass rear aerial, active front head restraints and longer-seatback bucket seats."

Thanks guys for the info, the pictures I took at the Detroit auto show of the display GTO did not have the tower brace.

Originally posted by blackgoat@Nov 9 2003, 12:56 PM
Thanks guys for the info, the pictures I took at the Detroit auto show of the display GTO did not have the tower brace.
Yep, I checked my pictures of the Show Car from the Detroit Auto Show and you are correct in that it did not have the tower brace.