A main rival to the Northstar equipped GXP is once again Chrysler's HEMI V8-powered 300C. In fact the 300C ingratiates
 |
| GM needs to hit the books if it intends to promote Pontiac as its performance division. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
itself with substantially more horsepower and torque than does the Cadillac V8. The 5.7-liter (345 cu-in) Chrysler mill doles out 340-horsepower and a walloping 390 pounds-feet of torque. The Northstar numbers are 275-horsepower and 300 pounds-feet of torque - you do the math. And while you're at it, factor in the rear-wheel and optional all-wheel drive formats of the big C, along with its significantly lower price threshold. What d'ya get? Just like in school, I get a "C," a Chrysler 300C that is. GM needs to hit the books if it intends to promote Pontiac as their performance division. There is no doubt that the world's largest automaker has the performance technology to compete or dominate in the big car/big power arena, just look at the wonderful drivetrain in the C6 Corvette, but others such as Chrysler, with its cutting-edge 300C, are getting the jump and therefore gnawing away at the General's once dominant marketshare. While still sizeable, at 26 percent in the U.S. for the month of June 2004, GM executives had better stow away their "29" lapel pins for a time in the future when they bring something a little more competitive to the table than the Bonneville GXP. By the way, the number 29 was an internal goal for reclaiming lost marketshare that GM was targeting in recent years. The strength of Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and now even Chrysler is making that number seem as elusive as a 29 point cribbage score. But hey, this is supposed to be a road test review of the 2004 Bonneville GXP, not a blustery debate about Chrysler versus Pontiac for King-of-the-Hill sedan status, so let's get back to it. Whether one views the Bonneville as yesterday's techno-marvel or today's performance sedan, there is a lot more to admire and enjoy about the GXP than just its rumbling Northstar, beginning with its solidity and rigidity. A wallowy platform does not equate to a good
 |
| There is a lot more to admire and enjoy about the GXP than just its rumbling Northstar. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
handling car, it equates to excessive body flex and underachieving handling performance; this is not the Bonneville GXP. The GXP delights with its solid platform and strong, competent handling. Suspension design, including geometry and calibration, is critical in finding the elusive sweet spot between tenacious road-holding and road-smoothing abilities. The engineers at Pontiac have come very close to achieving such jubilation. The GXP rides on the firm side for a big American sedan, but never on the harsh or uncomfortable side of the continuum. Its 4-wheel independent setup features a tri-link trailing arm and solid stabilizer at each wheel, striking a real-world balance between track-like handling and everyday commuting comfort, erring I would say, in favor of kidney preservation.
