BigAls87Z28
06-16-2005, 10:38 PM
Holy wow...
Ill dabble on each car later on, but let me first say that the CTS-V is by far the hottest car GM has.
Well, first things first....
I took my dad there for a Fathers Day present. We havent spent a whole day together and I havent seen him cause we have both been busy, but today we went up to the Nassau Coloseum to this huge test drive event GM holds. Some may have heard of it, some might not. GM brings out all there new models, and lets YOU drive them. They also bring out compeditor models so you can actualy feel the difference. They have different test tracks for passanger cars, luxury cars, trucks, SUV's, large SUV's, and last but certainly not least...the Hummer and Performance tracks.
Here are a few of the cars I drove, in no peticular order
First car up...
2005 Pontiac GTO
LS2 6.0 V8 400hp Auto
Great sound coming from the exhaust! Plenty of power, and of that great interior make it a hell of a car to drive around. Track is pretty small, but you can have a lot of fun with it. Handling is heavy, but you deffinalty know what is going on. Push the loud pedal, and the car snaps together pretty quick. I really wish they had this at the bigger performance track, but oh well...
Great car for the cash, by far.
Next up
2006 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP
LS4 5.3 V8 303 hp Auto
Another well put together car by Pontiac. And the GXP means that it gets a lot more power from that big V8. The GXP handles and breaks fantastic, thanks in part by large cross drilled rotors, and larger 255/45-18 inch front tires (225/50-18's in rear). Steering felt great, and you can deffinaly feel the power of the V8. Too bad you cant really open her up. And because the 5.3 is all aluminum, it ends up being abotu 130lbs ligher then the SC3800. Guages are HUGE and very easy to read. Great car but for the near 30k price tag, Im in a GTO.
2005 Caddy STS 4
Northstar 4.6 DOHC V8 325hp 5spd Auto with Sport Shift
My first of 3 (4 if you count the CTS-V) Simga chassis cars, and one of the finest examples of performance and luxury. They had a BMW 530i and a MB E320 there to compare to the CTS and STS V6, but the Sigma chassis really shows its stuff with the magnetic shocks, and powerful V8. Through the luxury car track, the car was level through the turns. Very impressed with this chassis, and with teh car overall. Interior felt on par with anything from Germany or Japan.
2005 Pontiac Bonniville GXP
Northstar 4.5 DOHC 295hp 4spd auto
Looking at the clean exterior, it does look like a sleek car. Take one step into the interior, and you are thrusted back into time with its mid 90's interior. The faux Carbon Fiber trim is sad, and the crappy dash lay out says that GM was right to kill this car. It handled ok, and its performance from the FWD Northstar engine was good, but the interior is just too horrible and the price is above what a GTO costs. Sorry to see another long lasting nameplate be retired, but with the GP being so big, there is no need for this car.
2005 Saab 9-2x
H-4 Turbo 225 hp 4spd
Wow...just horrible. If this car is such an image car (WRX) I feel really bad for my generation. Turbo boost is like um...............HELLO. It handled fine, but when you push down, there is no power for a few seconds. Maybe you could control the boost more with a 5spd car, but really I wasnt very impressed with the Saabaru.
2005 Saab 9-3
I-4 Turbo 210hp 5spd Manumatic
Great interior, but the turbo boost on this car was also slow to hit. Handling was great, and feel of the chassis was good. Another case of needing more power when you press the pedal. Not much else I could say, it would make for a fun daily driver. I wish that they had the new turbocharged 2.8 there, but maybe next year.
And now for the Big 3...
2005 Hummer H2T
6.0 V8 345hp 4spd auto 4x4
They had the Hummers set up in there own track with dirt mounds. There is a guy that sits with you to tell you what to expect and how to drive over the obstacles. First you come up to a mougles that you can feel the SUV take on with very little fuss. Then there is a 20ft mountain that you go up a very steep incline, and then go down the otherside. Its like yo ugo strait up, and then right back down...very wierd if you havent been off road.
Then they had a little 4ft burm that one side of the truck went up, and put the SUV at a 45* tilt....again, scary.
Overall, I was impressed with the H2, its not the parking lot monster truck everyone makes it out ot be. Its a true off roader. Its no H1, but lives up to the Hummer name.
2005 Corvette C6
6.0 LS2 400hp 4spd auto
Oh dear lord, the mother of all sports cars. The King of American performance cars, the pinnical of GM design and technology....and oooo baby, does it move!! The C6 is on the Performance track, and they had a handful of them there. My turn, and there is an SOM C6 vert....oh yeah. I put it into drive, turn the switch to sport mode, and get read to go. Rolling into the throttle, the car just comes alive. There is an 1/8 mile sprint, and then comes a long left turn, and the car just sticks to the pavement. I come to the apex, and nail it out to the next 1/8 mile sprint, and then hit the brakes. The car just drives great, but the car feels as if its just not being used to all its ability. Its like "what the ***** is this, its not a real race track?". I would like to see how it feels on roads and be able to get into it for longer then 10 seconds.
My dad drove the 6spd model, and he loves the car. He loved the view from the driver seat, he loved the feel, he loved everything....but, the next car took the cake...
2005 Caddy CTS-V
5.7 LS6 400hp 6spd manual
While we were waiting in line, my dad looks over and sees the handful of CTS-V's parked next to the C6s and says "wtf are thoes little Caddy's doing over here?" I tell him that thoes are the V models, they pack a huge punch. He laughes and tells me that Caddy is an old mans car, and that no Caddy should be in the "performance" pen, next to the C6.
Well, I tell him to just get into the car. The guy that sits with you told my dad to just roll into first, and then just gun it.
My dad did just that....and WOW...this thing took off like a bat out of hell. The engine came alive right away, and the 3900lb car felt faster then the C6. Amazing...the car took the wide turn with ease, as my dad stayed on the gas...then he gunned it again in the last 1/8th and got it up to 70 in 2nd. Then the stop sign comes up, and thoes BIG 14.4/14 inch rotors with big 6/4 piston calipers clamp down and almost cause me to hit the dashboad...while sitting in the back.
My turn, and it feels so much different when you are in the driver seat. Man, the car just launches like a rocket!! Handling feels great, and it feels as yo uarent even hurting the car, much more taxing the suspension. Punch it again, and WHAM right back into your seats.
Easily by far a much faster feeling car then the GTO and C6. I can only think that the LS6's cam shaft is a bit more agressive to give a little bit more umph when you nail it. That, and the gears are a bit bigger I belive. Puppy sure does haul.
My dad is in love with the CTS-V. This guy wouldnt think twice about it 3 days ago, but now he cant stop talking about it.
I really think that everyone next year needs to go to this. Its a great time, and you can spend all day there driving car after car. Only problem is that you have one chance on the Corvette, CTS-V and Hummer. The rest of the cars you can drive alllll day.
I also drove the new 05 SSR with the LS2 and manual trans. Good power, good handling, but its a truck and im not big into thoes. Drove the Colroado with teh I-5, and it moves pretty good. Cobalt LS coupe was nice, but didnt get a chance to drive the SS or the Ion RL. I also drove the LaCrosse CXS with the 240hp 3.6 V6, and the car handled and performed better then any Buick in a decade.
Ill dabble on each car later on, but let me first say that the CTS-V is by far the hottest car GM has.
Well, first things first....
I took my dad there for a Fathers Day present. We havent spent a whole day together and I havent seen him cause we have both been busy, but today we went up to the Nassau Coloseum to this huge test drive event GM holds. Some may have heard of it, some might not. GM brings out all there new models, and lets YOU drive them. They also bring out compeditor models so you can actualy feel the difference. They have different test tracks for passanger cars, luxury cars, trucks, SUV's, large SUV's, and last but certainly not least...the Hummer and Performance tracks.
Here are a few of the cars I drove, in no peticular order
First car up...
2005 Pontiac GTO
LS2 6.0 V8 400hp Auto
Great sound coming from the exhaust! Plenty of power, and of that great interior make it a hell of a car to drive around. Track is pretty small, but you can have a lot of fun with it. Handling is heavy, but you deffinalty know what is going on. Push the loud pedal, and the car snaps together pretty quick. I really wish they had this at the bigger performance track, but oh well...
Great car for the cash, by far.
Next up
2006 Pontiac Grand Prix GXP
LS4 5.3 V8 303 hp Auto
Another well put together car by Pontiac. And the GXP means that it gets a lot more power from that big V8. The GXP handles and breaks fantastic, thanks in part by large cross drilled rotors, and larger 255/45-18 inch front tires (225/50-18's in rear). Steering felt great, and you can deffinaly feel the power of the V8. Too bad you cant really open her up. And because the 5.3 is all aluminum, it ends up being abotu 130lbs ligher then the SC3800. Guages are HUGE and very easy to read. Great car but for the near 30k price tag, Im in a GTO.
2005 Caddy STS 4
Northstar 4.6 DOHC V8 325hp 5spd Auto with Sport Shift
My first of 3 (4 if you count the CTS-V) Simga chassis cars, and one of the finest examples of performance and luxury. They had a BMW 530i and a MB E320 there to compare to the CTS and STS V6, but the Sigma chassis really shows its stuff with the magnetic shocks, and powerful V8. Through the luxury car track, the car was level through the turns. Very impressed with this chassis, and with teh car overall. Interior felt on par with anything from Germany or Japan.
2005 Pontiac Bonniville GXP
Northstar 4.5 DOHC 295hp 4spd auto
Looking at the clean exterior, it does look like a sleek car. Take one step into the interior, and you are thrusted back into time with its mid 90's interior. The faux Carbon Fiber trim is sad, and the crappy dash lay out says that GM was right to kill this car. It handled ok, and its performance from the FWD Northstar engine was good, but the interior is just too horrible and the price is above what a GTO costs. Sorry to see another long lasting nameplate be retired, but with the GP being so big, there is no need for this car.
2005 Saab 9-2x
H-4 Turbo 225 hp 4spd
Wow...just horrible. If this car is such an image car (WRX) I feel really bad for my generation. Turbo boost is like um...............HELLO. It handled fine, but when you push down, there is no power for a few seconds. Maybe you could control the boost more with a 5spd car, but really I wasnt very impressed with the Saabaru.
2005 Saab 9-3
I-4 Turbo 210hp 5spd Manumatic
Great interior, but the turbo boost on this car was also slow to hit. Handling was great, and feel of the chassis was good. Another case of needing more power when you press the pedal. Not much else I could say, it would make for a fun daily driver. I wish that they had the new turbocharged 2.8 there, but maybe next year.
And now for the Big 3...
2005 Hummer H2T
6.0 V8 345hp 4spd auto 4x4
They had the Hummers set up in there own track with dirt mounds. There is a guy that sits with you to tell you what to expect and how to drive over the obstacles. First you come up to a mougles that you can feel the SUV take on with very little fuss. Then there is a 20ft mountain that you go up a very steep incline, and then go down the otherside. Its like yo ugo strait up, and then right back down...very wierd if you havent been off road.
Then they had a little 4ft burm that one side of the truck went up, and put the SUV at a 45* tilt....again, scary.
Overall, I was impressed with the H2, its not the parking lot monster truck everyone makes it out ot be. Its a true off roader. Its no H1, but lives up to the Hummer name.
2005 Corvette C6
6.0 LS2 400hp 4spd auto
Oh dear lord, the mother of all sports cars. The King of American performance cars, the pinnical of GM design and technology....and oooo baby, does it move!! The C6 is on the Performance track, and they had a handful of them there. My turn, and there is an SOM C6 vert....oh yeah. I put it into drive, turn the switch to sport mode, and get read to go. Rolling into the throttle, the car just comes alive. There is an 1/8 mile sprint, and then comes a long left turn, and the car just sticks to the pavement. I come to the apex, and nail it out to the next 1/8 mile sprint, and then hit the brakes. The car just drives great, but the car feels as if its just not being used to all its ability. Its like "what the ***** is this, its not a real race track?". I would like to see how it feels on roads and be able to get into it for longer then 10 seconds.
My dad drove the 6spd model, and he loves the car. He loved the view from the driver seat, he loved the feel, he loved everything....but, the next car took the cake...
2005 Caddy CTS-V
5.7 LS6 400hp 6spd manual
While we were waiting in line, my dad looks over and sees the handful of CTS-V's parked next to the C6s and says "wtf are thoes little Caddy's doing over here?" I tell him that thoes are the V models, they pack a huge punch. He laughes and tells me that Caddy is an old mans car, and that no Caddy should be in the "performance" pen, next to the C6.
Well, I tell him to just get into the car. The guy that sits with you told my dad to just roll into first, and then just gun it.
My dad did just that....and WOW...this thing took off like a bat out of hell. The engine came alive right away, and the 3900lb car felt faster then the C6. Amazing...the car took the wide turn with ease, as my dad stayed on the gas...then he gunned it again in the last 1/8th and got it up to 70 in 2nd. Then the stop sign comes up, and thoes BIG 14.4/14 inch rotors with big 6/4 piston calipers clamp down and almost cause me to hit the dashboad...while sitting in the back.
My turn, and it feels so much different when you are in the driver seat. Man, the car just launches like a rocket!! Handling feels great, and it feels as yo uarent even hurting the car, much more taxing the suspension. Punch it again, and WHAM right back into your seats.
Easily by far a much faster feeling car then the GTO and C6. I can only think that the LS6's cam shaft is a bit more agressive to give a little bit more umph when you nail it. That, and the gears are a bit bigger I belive. Puppy sure does haul.
My dad is in love with the CTS-V. This guy wouldnt think twice about it 3 days ago, but now he cant stop talking about it.
I really think that everyone next year needs to go to this. Its a great time, and you can spend all day there driving car after car. Only problem is that you have one chance on the Corvette, CTS-V and Hummer. The rest of the cars you can drive alllll day.
I also drove the new 05 SSR with the LS2 and manual trans. Good power, good handling, but its a truck and im not big into thoes. Drove the Colroado with teh I-5, and it moves pretty good. Cobalt LS coupe was nice, but didnt get a chance to drive the SS or the Ion RL. I also drove the LaCrosse CXS with the 240hp 3.6 V6, and the car handled and performed better then any Buick in a decade.