Forgotten Classics - The Story Of The Last V8 Pontiac Grand Prix

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror) 12/22/2014 at 10:03 • Filed to: Forgotten_Classics, FORGOTTEN CLASSICS, FC, ESSAY

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Today I'm giving you a preview of my new weekly 2015 feature : Forgotten Classics.

The goals of this series of essays will be to bring cars that are getting no love back in the limelight. FC is also a thorough analysis of why such cars remained obscure and never got the praise they deserved.

Subject of today's special Christmas edition is the 7th generation of the Pontiac Grand Prix in top of the line GXP trim, featuring a 5.3L LS4 V8 engine.

Introduced in 2003 as a 2004 model, the seventh gen Grand Prix was quite the looker. Wide, long and low, it meant business. Under the hood was a selection of two 3.8L V6's (one being Supercharged) and a 5.3L V8.

This particular GXP trim of the Grand Prix meant a lot for Pontiac, it was basically an E55 AMG for people on a budget. Now, before throwing tomatoes at me for the above statement, I know it had a few shortcomings compared to the MB, but it was only half the price, so it's hard to complain.

The list of goodies on the GXP model didn't stopped there. Performance suspension : Check. Performance brakes : Check. Performance tires : Check. Performance front seats with leather and white stitching: Check. Performance exhaust system that goe BBRRRRRPRPP : check, Aluminium pedals : Check. And the list goes on an on.

Inside the GXP was a driver oriented dash for enhanced hoonage. It also featured a screen which was a novelty for the era.

The interior was also a lot cleaner compared to previous Pontiac cars. It was a clear sign that Pontiac was going back to its roots of pure performance.

The whole dashboard was made so the driver could concentrate on clipping that apex rather than asking himself : "hey what's that button for?".

On the outside, Pontiac applied the same ideology of not overdoing things. Gone was the plastic cladding of the 90's and the useless rear spoilers, the GXP was looker in a very German kind of way; muscular but classy.

The immense amount of torque and power the LS4 delivered made this car capable of tremendous accelerations, watch this video and see how it pull to 100 MPH, just astonishing. And that sound.

Used examples can now be found for !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but why ? There's a lot of theories about that, but I think the lack of marketing efforts and the poor brand perception at the time are the main culprits.

Not many GXP were sold, and nobody ever talks about them now. I think it's sad because they are very capable and affordable enthusiasts cars that are slowly dying alone like 10 years old mixed race dogs in a shelter.

Let's not wait until they're listed on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to give them some love.

See you all in 2015, stay safe !

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:14

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They're so cheap used because their transmission eat themselves up from the V8's power every 50,000 miles. Same goes for the Impala SS of this period. Anything with the FWD 5.3 and 4-speed auto combo.

Which sucks because for all the reasons you stated I love these.

RazoE > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:15

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Pontiac interiors are freakin' horrible.

Margin Of Error > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 12/22/2014 at 10:15

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A manual swap would probably solve that ?

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:17

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I don't think there's anything in GM's transmission catalog that hooks up to it.

I own dead car brands only > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:17

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the transmission, the 4T65 couldn't handle the torque so it frequently broke, no, it shattered. Then it had DoD which caused oil consumption issues plus a few things.

The fix? Have thtransmission fortified by triple edge and turn off the DoD and its a good car now.

Margin Of Error > I own dead car brands only 12/22/2014 at 10:19

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Well, at least there's a solution, thanks for the info.

Margin Of Error > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 12/22/2014 at 10:19

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That's a doggone shame.

Margin Of Error > RazoE 12/22/2014 at 10:22

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I disagree, but is there something that you like ?

RazoE > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:27

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My buddy's GTO is nice, but that's a rebadged Holden. My friend had a Grand Am, brother's baby's momma's aunt had an Alero and my cousin had an older Grand Prix, and just getting in was a miserable experience in all 3. Everything creaked, and was hard and shiny, and just the design of the interior pieces seemed random. I couldn't stand them.

Nibbles > I own dead car brands only 12/22/2014 at 10:27

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or have a 4T80e installed

Margin Of Error > RazoE 12/22/2014 at 10:28

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I think they were getting better, I agree that the interiors on the 90's Pontiac were miserable.

RazoE > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:32

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Don't get me wrong though, I lust after a Solstice GXP coupe, or a GXP G8.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:34

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The only point of a FWD V8 is for a Fiero donor engine.

Margin Of Error > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 12/22/2014 at 10:37

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Ahem

I own dead car brands only > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:39

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Here is their website.

http://tripleedgeperformance.com/site/mobile?ur…

Once you get those two issues resolved, the DoD can be disabled with a diablo tuner. Its a rock solid car. I've seen a gp gxp with a turbo that made 700+ whp

DoYouEvenShift > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:40

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Love these car. Too bad the trans wasnt up to the LS4.

Lacrosse Super was a nicr sleeper too. Debadge it and nobody will know wtf it is or where that V8 rumble is coming from.

Margin Of Error > I own dead car brands only 12/22/2014 at 10:41

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That's like Hellcat figures, amazing

Thanks for the link, I'll check this out

Margin Of Error > DoYouEvenShift 12/22/2014 at 10:42

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Love me some LaCrosse V8 !

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 10:52

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The only reason I would own that now is because it's a classic. At the time of the Fiero release I would think of it the same way as the LS4's. V8 has no business driving the front wheels. Fiero swap.

T5Killer > RazoE 12/22/2014 at 10:58

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Looks better than my DD 96 legacy or beater 87 Tracer. But I am weird one that drives OLD OLD stuff

T5Killer > RazoE 12/22/2014 at 10:59

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Grand AMs interiors are something aweful. Its horrid and looks like a joke.

Margin Of Error > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 12/22/2014 at 11:01

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This looks like business to me

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Margin Of Error 12/22/2014 at 11:16

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That is business. Damb. Well played sir.

But still, with the exception of heavy limo+simpler drivetrain, I maintain my second point. My first point remains undamaged (who says you can't do a Fiero Limo-engine swap?)

Tohru > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 12/23/2014 at 14:18

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The G6 6-speed.

Source: V8 Fiero swaps.

Tohru > Nibbles 12/23/2014 at 14:20

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The 4T80E was used in the Bonnie GXP, the Aurora, and the Northstar Caddy's.

At the salvage yard we'd sell those all the time because people would break them.

Bring Back Pontiac > Margin Of Error 01/20/2015 at 14:48

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This was the worst Grand Prix interior.

Vic788 > Margin Of Error 01/20/2015 at 15:01

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Clusterfuck is best but it might be a classig or take the engine out of that in put it into a Fiero GT

Braking-Dad > Bring Back Pontiac 01/20/2015 at 15:07

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Yeah, it was brutal. I blame Maximum Bob. He love it.

Bring Back Pontiac > Braking-Dad 01/20/2015 at 15:13

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My dad went from a 2001 Grand Prix to a 2007 Grand Prix and constantly lamented about the interior design and always talked about how he missed the older car.

Braking-Dad > Bring Back Pontiac 01/20/2015 at 15:18

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For it's time, the older GP was a gem - especially the GTP.

Bring Back Pontiac > Braking-Dad 01/20/2015 at 15:27

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I inherited that 2001 from my dad and it was so solid. Then I sold it and bought a 99 GTP with some mods done to it. I loved that car. Put it on a dyno right before I got rid of it for something more reasonable and it put down 250 whp and 350 ft-lb.

I will always look back at those cars fondly.

Chris98499 > Margin Of Error 01/20/2015 at 16:05

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I

I think comparing this to a E55 is a bit of a stretch, however I think it was a decent car for GM...probably one one the better for it's time. I had an 06' Impala SS with all same underpinnings I'm sure and in my opinion the only thing that let it down was being FWD. It was great on the highway and not too bad when it needed to take a curve.

gla2yyz > Margin Of Error 01/20/2015 at 16:28

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Torque steer for days!

I drove all versions of that generation and the supercharged 3800 was the most livable car overall and was pleasantly torquey. The needle would climb evenly until you broke 200 km/h (125 mph).

Clarksonism > Margin Of Error 01/20/2015 at 16:36

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Theyre cheap because theyre fWD. a V8 and fwd do not mix.

That would be terrifying.

Aldairion > Margin Of Error 01/20/2015 at 20:16

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GXP trim was available with that V-8 on the Bonneville as well, and it was a pretty sharp-looking sedan without all of that wild body cladding, though on some days I think even the overdone old Bonneville looked good.

The interior was a typical Pontiac disaster though; probably the worst-looking dashboard I've ever seen. Who the hell put pen-to-paper and created this absolute catastrophe?

jcm055 > Margin Of Error 01/20/2015 at 22:15

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A good friend had an 08 and for all its perceived faults it was a neat car. He autocrossed it quite a bit and ran the dog mess out of it on the street. Once he did exhaust, tune and some weight reduction, he was running low 13's and outrunning 12 second cars on the street. I know we surprised the hell out of these kids in a newer 3.0L turbo 335i when they gave us a ricer fly by and we walked them down and passed them at 140...their faces were PRICELESS to see a Grand Prix pass them.

The biggest issue with them was the transmission. They used the v6 tranny, and it just couldn't hold up to the abuse. I've known several people with GXP and SS Monte Carlo's an Impalas with the LS4 and they all have the same issue. The GXP was definitely the best of the ls4 cars though, having the "sport" suspension and big, slotted brakes.

jcm055 > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 01/20/2015 at 22:18

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My friend that had the GXP mentioned years ago they were looking into swapping he auto 6 from an Acadia or something. His car got stolen a few years back so i dont know what ever came of that.

Autofixation > Margin Of Error 01/20/2015 at 22:29

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I'm not sure I will ever understand GM's fascination with connecting a V8 to the front wheels...

Autofixation > Clarksonism 01/20/2015 at 22:29

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They do great burnouts!!

Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 01/20/2015 at 22:33

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I was thinking this as well. Wouldn't the torque steer on something like this be horrible?

VMAX7 > jcm055 01/20/2015 at 22:45

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Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > Margin Of Error 01/20/2015 at 23:10

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They are cheap for a reason. The 4T65 in these could NOT handle the 5.3's torque. Needless to say, they had issues quite frequently. Not to mention, the market is very small for a FWD V8 Sedan.

With that being said, I ADORE these cars. My friend's dad had a Black '05 GXP when I was growing up, and it was the shit. The looks, the LS4, the comfort, everything was just awesome. If I ever have to sell my 'Vette for a more DD-able car, I would seriously consider buying one of these.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Doge_Supreme drives a BRZ 01/21/2015 at 07:48

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Depends. GM has proved that they know how to make a high-powered FWD cars behave.

Dave > Margin Of Error 03/09/2015 at 15:01

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The outside of this car was ok in that 90s leftover way. I always thought they made the front too square compared to the back end but still, nice car. The interior was an ok shape but pretty dreadful plastic. They were at least trying. This is the only car I've ever heard of in modern series production where the front tires were wider than the backs. I bought a G8 GT and did not regret that decision a single time.

jj1013 > Margin Of Error 05/20/2015 at 09:38

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700 HP + FWD = useless

kturner6511 > Margin Of Error 12/18/2017 at 08:36

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I literally can not stop laughing.

Hahahahahaahaaaaaahahahaaaaaaaaaa

Ok, I’m done.

Wait... nope... HAHAHAHAAAAHAAAAA! 

Embarrassed to say I’ve owned this car. Biggest. GM engineering. fuck up. EVER.

... and I bought one! 

I am dying over here.

Wattsman > I own dead car brands only 02/18/2018 at 12:40

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Faulty link!!!