[nsap]

GXP

--GXP Options--

Sport Package- StabiliTrak, TAP Shift, InfoTech Center
Proformance Tuning
UltraLux Suede and Leather seats

--GXP Engine--

5.3 Litre V8 SFI (I know, but this is TRUE)

--New Colors--

Bermuda Blue

--Arrival--

March 2005


Stay tuned to GMI for the latest...

 

[kje]

That will without doubt make the G/P the quickest FWD GM offers. The 5.3 torque should best the 4.6 cammer, and even 3.8 blower motor. Especially if it is all alloy.
Personally, I was guessing the first use of the 5.3 in FWD would be in the Park Ave. Ultra. Big Buicks need and should have big grunt off line. Hair dried 3.8 doesn't have the boost or refinement to compete at that $ level. Stuffing that small block into a G/P will be a real hi-po coup for Pontiac.

P.S. Congrats to nsap for great intel!

 

[mackingu]

could someone remind me why is GM still putting V8s in FWD cars? :blink:

 

[TAFreak]

This is great news, the more V8 Pontiac's there are - the better off the world is.

 

[gerardo_zg]

COOOL!!!! , it's going to be AWD or FWD?

 

[Canuck]

The boost in performance and higher content features is great. But the 5.3 better not produce torque steer or Pontiac should wait til they have a rwd or awd platform for the GP.

 

[Nocturn_Bird]

CMON make it RWD already...pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease. That would be so damn cool.

 

[geekoid]

:woot2: WOW! This is awesome news. Thanks for the information nsap.

 

[chadbarb99]

Hey, be happy that GM will offer a car that will blow that Nissan Maxima TIN CAN back to rice rocket central. In this case WHO CARES IF it's FWD, AWD, or whatever, as long as we are ahead of the competition I'm happy.

 

[MCGARRETT]

March 2005? Sounds more like an early 2006 Grand Prix GXP than a 2005. Though I do believe the V8 rumors, look for the SS Monte Carlo and Impala to have the same engine option too.

Though I think that the Buick Park Avenue should have a V8 too, I would rather see a DOHC engine in something like the Park Avenue. By March 05 though, there probably be an all new Park Avenue, or something to replace the Park Avenue at least.

 

[sykboy]

Better be aluminum or AWD, otherwise it will be a critical flop. I can hear it now. What is GM thinking...yadda yadda........Old tech........blah blah......other people use DOHC....oink oink........will they EVER learn. lasma:


If they do it, and I think they should, it should be an all alum. 5.3 making 300HP through an AWD system OR at least an LSD with minimal TQ steer. And this thing should be able to get NASTY. Oh and BIG @$$ brakes. I hope they put their hearts into this and everything else they start bringing to market.

This would be a perfect platform to show what an OHV motor can do in a tight, light FWD configuration.

 

[BigAls87Z28]

Wow. 5.3 is a big motor for a wee little car. Its going to be hard to retrofit an AWD system on the car. The would have to design a new center diff and it would be a big mess. Way to much engineering to go into dropping an non-existant AWD system into a car not designed for AWD. The price for one of these would rival the new Bonnie GXP...hell it could match a C5(total redesign and restruction of the chasssis). If anything, they keep it FWD and they are still gunan have to design a trans to hold the torque of the 5.3. Bigger brakes are gunna have to go with the car... its a GXP so they are gunan improve that. Drivetrain is my problem here. The 4.8 could put out as much power, with not as much torque. That could be a better motor. IMO a smaller Northstar would be the best idea. 4.2 or a 4.0 DOHC motor pushing 270 would be fine. The 5.3 would put the GP higher then the Bonnie in power. Save the massive V8's for a RWD chassis.

 

[ZiggyKD]

Hey, be happy that GM will offer a car that will blow that Nissan Maxima TIN CAN back to rice rocket central. In this case WHO CARES IF it's FWD, AWD, or whatever, as long as we are ahead of the competition I'm happy.

Oddly enough, I was informed that the Maxima was once a rear-drive sedan, with no less than a V6 out of their then-current Z. Don't know exactly why they made the switch to FWD. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[sykboy]

An alum. 5.3 would be lighter than the NorthStar.

An AWD system was in the G8 a few years ago, it isn't something I was expecting, just wishing for.

Why use a 4.8 when it would weigh the same as the 5.3(roughly,using the same materials.), which is already produced as an alum. engine. But, I agree it would provide enough power.

The grand prix is bigger than a camaro, so no it isn't wee little. 3500lbs or so.

GM has trans. that will handle it. That isn't a problem.

The problem is excecution. Torque steer is a large factor, the Alm. V8 is lighter than the 4.6 and is probably close to that of the 3800, if not lighter than it.

IMO it is fine that the Grand Prix surpass the Bonne in power. It does right now. Not only that but it has an even better chance at being a true FWD performance car.( :huh: that felt funny saying FWD performance car, try it.)

 

[Tone]

Originally posted by ZiggyKD@Nov 24 2003, 04:37 PM
Oddly enough, I was informed that the Maxima was once a rear-drive sedan, with no less than a V6 out of their then-current Z. Don't know exactly why they made the switch to FWD. Can anyone confirm this?

Yes, the Maxima was originally the Datsun 810, then 810 Maxima, then just Maxima. Up until the mid-80s it used a rear-drive chassis featuring an IRS if I recall correctly. It also used the same straight 6 as the 280Z/208ZX.

The car switched to FWD, gaining more interior room, sometime in the mid-1980s. It continued to use the basic engine from the 300ZX, now a V6.

 

[mason]

Originally posted by sykboy@Nov 24 2003, 10:51 AM
Better be aluminum or AWD, otherwise it will be a critical flop. I can hear it now. What is GM thinking...yadda yadda........Old tech........blah blah......other people use DOHC....oink oink........will they EVER learn. lasma:


If they do it, and I think they should, it should be an all alum. 5.3 making 300HP through an AWD system OR at least an LSD with minimal TQ steer. And this thing should be able to get NASTY. Oh and BIG @$$ brakes. I hope they put their hearts into this and everything else they start bringing to market.

This would be a perfect platform to show what an OHV motor can do in a tight, light FWD configuration.

The Cadillac CTS-V got good reviews even from Edmunds.com, AKA Toyota central, and it has an "old tech" V8.
Performance & handling negate all complaints.

 

[usa1]

Are we talking about the 5.3L OHV engine here? It's hardly trivial to change a engine from RWD configuration to FWD configuration.

I doubt this is true, but I hope I'm wrong! Torque steer will be a big problem.

Mark

 

[ZiggyKD]

Originally posted by Tone+Nov 24 2003, 12:59 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Tone @ Nov 24 2003, 12:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-ZiggyKD@Nov 24 2003, 04:37 PM
Oddly enough, I was informed that the Maxima was once a rear-drive sedan, with no less than a V6 out of their then-current Z.  Don't know exactly why they made the switch to FWD.  Can anyone confirm this?

Yes, the Maxima was originally the Datsun 810, then 810 Maxima, then just Maxima. Up until the mid-80s it used a rear-drive chassis featuring an IRS if I recall correctly. It also used the same straight 6 as the 280Z/208ZX.

The car switched to FWD, gaining more interior room, sometime in the mid-1980s. It continued to use the basic engine from the 300ZX, now a V6. [/b][/quote]
thanks for the info! was hoping someone out there knew what I was talking about. Never knew the 280Z used a straight six, thought they've been v-engines since the 240Z. hmm, maybe that's just because I've seen so many guys drop in small block chevy's into those (which is totally sweet).

 

[desmo9]

Don't know where you heard that the 5.3, or any Gen 3 variant, will be turned sideways for FWD, or even done the old longitudinal way a la Toronado. Very doubtful. It's probably too big for a transverse layout, assuming they'd even invest in a transaxle suitable for the beast.

Either the GXP you speak of is one of the cars off of Sigma (RWD), as is supposed to be the case for the next Impala and Monte, or you've got the wrong engine. Since the next Bonne is likely to be the rear-driver, I'm thinking you have the wrong engine. If the Bonnie goes RWD next time around, they could use the Northstar variant in the GP, the one that will appear in next year's FWD Bonnie.

 

[Tone]

GM has been fooling with OHV V8 W-bodies for a while. Jon Moss squeezed an LS1 into an Impala for GMs Toy Test ... see http://www.gmhightechperformance.com/featu...303GMH_homerun/.

Seems the swap wasn't as difficult as you'd think. The 3800 is a 90 degree design, so the V8 is simply two cylinders wider (or longer, depending on your point of view).

So, it seems it'll fit, but issues of durability and torque steer might prove difficult to resolve. Perhaps the 5.3 will be automatic only (which helps in terms of torque steer), and will use electronic means to limit torque in lower gears.

GM's all wheel drive system is pretty compact ... and was used on the Montana/Aztek platform. Anyone know how close these platforms are to the W-bodies? Perhaps GM will use this system to create a larger WRX/Audi fighter.