1986-2006 Dream Machines: These Are the GM Cars that Should be In Video Games!

[Ming]

1986-2006 Dream Machines
THESE Are the GM Cars that Should be in Video Games!
Editorial by Ming
www.gminsidenews.com
2/25/2005 (Updated: 12/03/2005)

I consider this a sort of "Part 2" to this commentary:Where are the GM cars in Video Games?

I recently purchased Gran Turismo 4, and although the game itself is fun, the number of GM cars in it is less than a GM fanatic like me had hoped for. I know the game was developed in Japan, but that didn't stop Ford. It's not just Japanese domination - according to "full lists" out on the web - Ford has 47 cars, to Chevrolet's 29. There is also a high ratio of "concept" cars to actual production vehicles when it comes to GM. Forza Motorsport seems to have a good list of up-to-date GM cars, but the game also has a number of mid 80's to late 1990's Japanese cars like Corollas and Celicas, without much but halo and pony cars from the Domestics of those decades.

GM cars are so often limited to just "Classic" Muscle Cars from 30+ years ago, with a few modern day Corvettes and Camaros. Recently, other GM cars like the Pontiac GTO have made it to games like Need For Speed Underground 2, but in general the Japanese makers have a much richer roster of "modern" cars, going back to the mid 1980s, including many more FWD "performance" type cars.

Gran Turismo 4's in-game description of Pontiac is "lackluster" all the way from the "end" of the muscle car 60's until the new GTO and Solstice arrived. I found that offensive, to say the least, but more likely just based on the game designers' ignorance of the American market. I also found a friend's idea that GM had "nothing" performance oriented available besides Vettes and Camaros during this general time period (1980-2000) hard to swallow, so I decided to compile a list of "Game Candidates" for the perfect world where game developers aren't heavily biased towards Toyohondassan (Nissan alone has 64 cars in GT4).

As a result, I've put together a list of GM cars I would love to see in future games, with this level of detail and variety of cars, and covering most years between 1986-2006 (the last 20 years). As in Gran Turismo, there are many cars that are just "performance variants" of regular cars, not just the purpose-built ones like the Corvette. The variation involved is a means to allow the cash-strapped player in the beginning of the game to buy a cheap car to work his/her way up with. Is a Chevy Sprint Turbo anywhere equivalent to a Z06 Corvette? Of course not, but being that there are many classes in road racing, a rounded list with all types of performance cars - from the lowly econocar performance trim to race-bred sports cars - makes these games more interesting and deep at the various stages. It also lends to a feeling of accomplishment when the player purchases and race-modifies his pricey Cadillac XLR-V.

GT4 also allows you to purchase some "tuner house" cars, fully modified - like the sort you see in a shoot-out in the auto magazines, or on the cover of a sport compact magazine. I've included some cars like those for the various GM brands in the list below as well.

So, on to the list!

1986-2006:

Pontiac:



1986 Grand Prix 2+2 NASCAR Edition AeroCoupe
1987 Firebird Formula WS6
1987 Fiero GT
1988 Fiero Formula
1988 Trans Am GTA Notchback
1989 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am
1989 Huffaker Racing IMSA GTU Fiero *
1989 6000 STE AWD
1990 McLaren Turbo Grand Prix +
1990 Sunbird GT Turbo
1995 Firebird Formula LT1
1996 True Value IROC Firebird *
1996 SLP Firehawk Formula +
1997 Firebird Y87 3800 V6 Performance Package
1997 NATCC Sunfire *
1999 SLP Grand Prix GTX Coupe +
2000 Bonneville SSEi
2001 SLP 10th Anniversary Firehawk +
2002 Firebird WS6 Trans Am with Ram Air
2002 SLP Grand Prix GTX Stage 3 +
2003 Grand Am GT coupe with Ram Air SC/T
2004 Arrowhead Performance 455 Tiger GTO +
2004 Grand Prix GTP w/CompG
2004 Lingenfelter 427 CID GTO +
2004 Bonneville GXP
2004 Rhys Millen Formula D GTO *
2005 GTO with Sport Appearance Package
2005 GTO.R *
2006 G6 GTP hardtop coupe
2006 Solstice
2006 Grand Prix GXP
2006 SEMA2005 G6 Performance Coupe +
2006 SEMA2005 RK Sport/Energy Suspension Solstice +

Chevrolet:



1986 Monte Carlo SS
1986 Camaro IROC Z28
1987 Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe
1986 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Car
1987 Sprint Turbo
1988 Celebrity Eurosport F41
1988 Peerless IMSA GTU Beretta *
1989 Camaro IROC Z 1LE
1990 Beretta GTZ
1990 Camaro RS V6
1991 Lumina Z34
1991 Camaro RS B4C Pursuit Vehicle
1991 Chevrolet-GEO Storm GSi
1992 Cavalier Z24
1993 Corvette 40th Anniversary
1994 Lingenfelter Impala SS +
1996 Corvette Grand Sport
1996 Caprice 9C1
1996 SLP Impala SS +
1997 Mallet Corvette ZR-1 +
1999 Camaro Z28 1LE
1998 Lingenfelter Corvette C5 TwinTurbo +
2000 Corvette C5-R *
2000 Cavalier Z24
2001 Justin Bell #40 Trans Am Corvette *
2001 Thrasher Intimidator-3 Monte Carlo SS +
2002 Camaro 35th Anniversary SS
2002 MTI Corvette Z07 +
2002 Guldstrand Corvette +
2004 Corvette Commemorative Edition
2004 Monte Carlo Intimidator SS Supercharged
2004 Impala SS Indy 500 Edition
2005 Corvette Z51 Performance Package
2005 Corvette C6-R *
2005 Lingenfelter 403 CID LS2 510 HP Corvette +
2005 Cobalt SS Supercharged
2005 WTF Engineering Grand Am Cup ST Cobalt SS Supercharged *
2006 Monte Carlo SS 5.3LV8
2006 Malibu Maxx SS
2006 Cobalt SS 2.4L
2006 Corvette Z06
2006 SEMA2005 Cobalt Coupe Wide Body +

Cadillac:



1993 Allante Northstar
1994 Eldorado Touring Coupe
1997 PPG Catera Pace Car +
2000 LMP Race Car *
2004 CTS Sport Package
2004 CTS-V
2004 Speed World Challenge CTS-V R *
2005 Lingenfelter CTS-V 427 CID +
2005 XLR
2005 Chemcraft Grand Am Cup GT CTS-V *
2006 STS-V
2006 XLR-V

Oldsmobile:



1986 Cutlass Supreme
1987 Cutlass 442
1991 Cutlass Calais Quad 442 W41
1992 Achieva SCX W41 C41
1992 Oldsmobile Motorsports IMSA GTU Achieva *
1994 Cutlass Supreme V6 Coupe
1996 LSS
1996 Brix Racing GTS-1 Aurora *
2002 Aurora V8
2004 Alero GLS Coupe

Saturn:



2001 SC2
2004 VUE Redline
2004 Lisa Kubo Pro FWD Ion Quad Coupe Drag Car
2006 ION Redline

GMC:



1991 Syclone
1992 Typhoon
1998 Sonoma ZQ8 Sport V6
2006 Sierra 1500 4WD SLE1 Vortec Max Performance Pack
2006 Canyon 2WD SLE-3 ZQ8 Sport I-5

Buick:



1986 Performance Motorsports Trans-Am Somerset *
1987 GNX
1987 Grand National
1987 Regal Turbo
1987 Skyhawk Turbo Hatchback Coupe
1987 Electra T-Type
1992 Riviera Gran Touring Package
1995 Roadmaster Limited
2003 SLP Regal GSX +
2006 Lucerne CXS

International:

Holden



1986 Commodore VL Aero
1987 Brock/Mobil 1 Commodore VL SS *
1994 HRT Holden Commodore VP - V8 Supercar *
1998 HSV VT Clubsport 195i +
2001 HSV VX2 R8 +
2002 Holden Monaro CV8 T3 Targa Tasmania Rally Car *
2003 VY Commodore SS
2004 Repco Valvoline Commodore *
2004 VZ Commodore SV6
2004 HSV Coupe 4 +
2004 VZ SS Ute
2004 Holden Monaro CV8-R
2005 Storm Ute
2005 Ryal Harris Yokohama V8 Utes Series SS *
2006 Commodore 6.0-litre L76 V8

Vauxhall



1999 Vectra SRi V6 Challenge Car *
2001 Astra Coupe 16v Turbo
2004 VXR220
2004 Tigra 1.8i Sport
2005 Monaro VXR
2005 Astra VXR
2006 Zafira VXR
2006 Vectra VXR

Opel



1991 Calibra Turbo
1991 Lotus Omega +
1992 Vectra 2.0i Turbo 4X4
1993 Corsa 1.6 GSi 16v
1993 Omega EVO 500
1994 Astra 1.8i Sport
1994 Vectra 2.0i GT 5d
1997 Tigra Ecotec 1.6
2001 Opel Team Phoenix DTM Astra V8 Coupe *
2001 Steinmetz Astra Convertible +
2003 RML Corsa Super 1600 *
2004 Speedster VX220 Turbo
2004 OPC Team Phoenix Vectra GTS V8 *
2004 Vectra GTS
2006 Astra OPC

Saab

Photo: Here

1993 900 i-AERO Combi Coupe
1997 Michelin/SCCA PRO Rally Saab 900 Turbo Coupe *
1997 9000 CSE 2.3T
2002 9-3 Viggen Coupe
2003 9-3 Aero
2004 9-5 Sedan Aero
2005 MapTun 9-3SS 2.0T 210 Hk +
2005 9-2X Aero
2006 9-3 SportCombi Aero 2.8T V6

Chevrolet International

Photo: Here

2004 Kalos Challenge Rally Car * (Europe)
2005 FIA WTCC Nubira * (Europe)
2005 C2 (Mexico)
2006 WTCC R+ Nubira +

-------------------------------------
BLUE indicates car in photo
* Denotes race car, not production car
+ Denotes "Aftermarket Tuner" or "Factory Tuned" car

Watch this list for changes:The Definitive GM Performance Car List 1986-2006

Things to be covered in other lists:

1. Trucks (GMC only has trucks, so I've allowed them in)
2. Pre 1986 cars
3. CONCEPT CARS like the Pontiac Rageous or Chevy Borrego (one-off SEMA tuner type cars based on production vehicles are OK). They were cool, but GM didn't build 'em for us, so the games shouldn't reward GM for not putting its money where its concepts were.

[Ming]

Photos (feel free to post any more you can find!):

1986 Grand Prix 2+2 NASCAR Edition AeroCoupe: http://www.lwcgm.com/cars/DSC00376.JPG

1987 Firebird Formula: http://www.fedrelandsvennen.no/amcar...ilder2/771.jpg

1988 Fiero Formula: http://home.no.net/amcars/Bilder/Fiero/Fiero_b02.jpg

1990 McLaren Turbo Grand Prix: http://www.turbograndprix.com/blktgpbig_.jpg

2004 Rhys Millen Formula D GTO: http://www.drifting.com/Rhys_PR_4.jpg

1991 Lumina Z34: http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...174_5_full.jpg

[dav305z]

Buick: GNX

Chevrolet Cobalt will make it.

[MaxLegroom]

How about these from Oldsmobile:

Cutlass Calais International Series ('89)
Achieva SCX('92)
Aurora ('95)
Cutlass Ciera International Series ('89)
Cutlass Supreme International Series ('91)
Intrigue ('00)
Alero GLS coupe ('02)
Cutlass Supreme 442 ('85)

I generally agree with the list you've put up, but I'd have made the STE a '85, and add the Celebrity Eurosport VR. Both, if nothing else, would make good additions to the used car list.

[puma12]

I believe there a good amount of American cars in GT4, by which I mean really fast and good looking cars.

I really can't care for 1980s badge specials, and just because there are many of those on the Japanese side, it can't really be a good excuse for badge specials to be on the American side. I'll take a classic 1960s Camaro over any "classic" 1980s Pontiac...

[Nocturn_Bird]

How about a classic powered firebird? the 70-74 455 SD Trans ams for one...
The Solstice and its future trim model.
The CTS, CTS sport (new SC variant if it does indeed hit the market), and all the V models. The STS AWD also along with is V variant.
Saturn Sky, and the Ion redline should have made it in.
The SC Buick Regal, I cant think of any good olds to put in.
I want the Fiero with V8 swap option also...
I would also like to see some Holden cars, along with the Aussie Fords.

[HOJIMAN2K3]

Olds had a 442 HO W-41 in 1991 it came with a five speed with an LSDiff. It idled rough as hell and there was no power until 3000, but it was good for about 190HP

[iluvcamaros]

I love to see some of those cars in a game, in NFS Underground 2 when you start out your basically picking between an old Nissan 240Z or a Miata. It would be awesome to be able to pick a late 80's Camaro or a Z34 Lumina.

Didn't Buick have the Reatta or whatever it was, thats the only buick I can think of.


http://img226.exs.cx/img226/5803/988...1989med0aq.jpg

[atomicshark]

You forgot the old Monte Carlo SS Aero.

[xtremegrandam]

For Saturn you also have the Red Line VUE and Aura they both have 250HP

[demonv8]

You guys think you've been snubbed?? Whay about us Aussies, our cars are hardly ever in any games excpet for TOCA 2 which only had the racing car versions of the Commodore/Falcon.

I've always dreamed my VX SS would be in a game, but alas it is never to be. GT4 only has a couple of Aussie performance cars which when compared to the number of *** crap supposedly in the game is a big slap in the face for Holden/AU Ford.

[Askani]

Buick Reatta
2003 Buick Regal GSX (SLP)
2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GTX Stage 3 (SLP)
GMC Syclone & Typhoon (I Don't care what anyone says, they'll still out-handle over 90% of the cars from this era.)
1999 Pontiac Sunfire GT
Convertible Cadillac from the 90's with the Northstar, can't remember the name...
Both the Alero & Intrigue OSV Cars
The Alero 442 from a few years back...

Can't really think of anything else besides more trucks... I'd rather have a few trucks in there than ten versions of the same body style Celica.... Who really gives a crap about all those *** cars anyway, with the amount this game sells in the States they should make a U.S. version, and not this watered down crap...

[Askani]

Plus the regular Buick GN,
Buick Regal T-type
A first-year Firehawk, plus another Firehawk,
& a Turbo Trans-Am... Both 2nd & 3rd gen...

[DemonKnightDK]

Buick GS and GSX
Buick Wild Cat (preferably the 67 model I like ite body style more so than the later ones)

Olds Tornado
Olds 442
Olds Alero

[jwrebholz]

2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G
2005 Saturn Ion Redline
2002 Oldsmobile Aurora V8
any year Saab 9-3 Viggen (Don't forget, Saab is owned by GM)