Vampyre

I know some of you don't like the GM brands, but with Bob Lutz behind the wheel at GM in designs, lots of things are changing. Here is the press release pics and info for the 2004 Grand Prix that will be 'officially' released later today.











Photos obtained from Wieck Media Services, www.wieck.com

Engine will be a S/C V6 with 280hp and 280trq. No coupe or manual expected, yet, but with Bob Lutz, you never know what will change between now and next year when it's in production.

ThoroDredCLS

I am not a GM fan, HOWEVER, they are improving a lot. GM trucks are second to none => GMC/Chevy/Cadillac that is.

Nicky Pass

Looks like a Grand Am on steriods..........

charliemike

Getting better.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Agreed... that thing is pretty nice!! Doubt those rims will come on it standard... but I like them. I think that's my favorite part of the car... the rims!!

Vampyre

OKay, a little more info. The engine is staying the same for the time being, given that the engine orginally planned was scrapped when Olds was phased out of the GM plans. However, they replaced the S/C with the Gen4 Eaton supercharger. AS for other changes they have a 'manually controlled automatic transmission' aka similar to our sportshift, however it is controlled by sterring wheel mounted paddles, similar to the F1 gear controls.

Also suspension mods have the car doing .85g's in the lateral.

Here's a short quote:
"“280 x 2” equals power, performance and fun ... times two
With a chassis designed to achieve .85G of lateral acceleration, the G-Force has the muscle to move the needle. A supercharged “280 x 2” 3800 series II V6 engine that produces 280 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque sits in a lightweight aluminum engine cradle under the hood. A next-generation supercharger housing and faster charger drive ratio produce the greater than average Grand Prix power, but the impressive torque is what gets G-Force moving in traffic.

Speed-based electronic throttle control “drive-by wire” hardware keeps the car docile in the parking lot yet responsive on the highway with no compromises."

Man, this car has me leaning back toward a GP given my experience with my GTX. Next car is going to be a VERY tough choice.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

Looks pretty sweet!! They should definately come out with a coupe!! I ddon't know about that interior though....Looks like a mish mash of different elements. Definately need to work on that!

Marc S

Those rims are hot I think the car is ok

Collective27

I think its pritty good looking, but who knows how the quality is going to be, it is a GM after all.....the interior is so so, the rims are nice, and did you notice they have the blacked out headlights simmiler to the 03 CL.....still though it would take alot for me to by a GM product.

Caddy©

V e r y Nice !

Vampyre

WOAH! Wait a minute this is NOT the next gen Grand Prix, just a concept of the DIRECTION it will be going. SO I guess the engine will most likely change along with some of the styling cues. Hopefully make it even better. Here's why I say this:

“We think Grand Prix drivers will be excited with this strong hint of the future,“ Myers said. “And if Pontiac drivers think the G-Force show car is thrilling -- there are more surprises in store when we reveal the next generation Grand Prix.”

Maybe there is hope for one of the near 300hp or 300HP+ I6 engines GM is developing to make it in here.

I agree that the inside is a little funky. I like the drivers area, but I think the dash on the passenger side is sunk in too deep. Something doesn't look right.

Now let's hope with production moving to a new plant in Canada somewhere, the quality will improve.

Now if they came out with a manual coupe..... I think GM would have me back 100%.

Choices... too many car choices!

soopa

looks like the new altima

Vampyre

huh?

Scorpius

I actually think that's pretty nice... After the beating the Lutz freak took when he designed that Aztek monstrosity. I had somebody rev on me in oneof those. The road was icy so I didn't toast it.

Vampyre

hehehe...LUTZ did NOT design the Asstek.... he designed the PT Cruiser for Chrylser. When he came over to GM, you should have seen some of the sentances he was quoted as saying about the Asstek. If I ever find them, I'd post them. Let's say I felt bad for the engineers. He goes for what people REALLY want, not for what the useless focus groups say like GM was doing in the past. Therefore, you have vehicles like the Bel Air, the Pontiac Solstice, this Grand Prix (which most of the changes can be found in discussions at ClubGP from months and even over a year ago.) Lutz will bring GM back from it's ugly days. Thankfully. Let's see how long they can hold him. Hopefully longer than Chrysler did!

astro

I think it's a definite step in the right direction...move away from the styling by frigidaire sutff some more...the integrated turn signel/fog lights is a neat idea

Chrisbert

Looks good. Of the GM lineup, Pontiac has the most innovation in their "looks", IMO. Although, it is hard to beat the Vette in the looks category.

Vampyre

Actually, that's NOT a turnsignal/fog combination. THe yellow (or orange) looking portion is a fog light, the clear is a driving light. This was first shown on the G8 concept (the LS1 AWD GP from last years show).

I LOVE the fact that Pontiac has NO plastic cladding on the outside of this GP and the inside doesn't look as plasticy (is that a word) as the current one. That's another big step forward.

1SICKLEX

Lutz had nothing to do with this new Grand Prix either (looks hot). Lutz DID HAVE EVERYTHING to do with the new Caddy Seville getting pushed back, because he said it TOTALLY SUCKED. The Aztekand CTS would not have made production either.

Vampyre

Actually he DID have everything to do with this design. WE have a member in CLubGP that is NOT an employee of Pontiac, but they let him in on EVERYTHING. He's been in virtually any screening of Pontiac cars and they even have him at the Pontiac display here in Chicago since he's so knowledgable on the GP's. The original designs were scrapped by Lutz (the original looked horrible by the way) and he redesigned it based on questions asked and comments made at the last Grand Prix Gathering and through Tony's (the connected guys) ability to 'provide' information to the GP design team.

Chaptorial

Exactly what i was thinking. If that is just the concept, some things will still carry over. A definate step in the right direction for Pontiac.

JRock

That's the most God-awful steering wheel I've ever seen. But then I expected a tacky interior from Pontiac. That's their trend lately. I like the exterior of those pictures, but it remains to be seen how close to that the real store-bought car looks.



Yeah that's great but means nothing. Suspension mods have Skylines doing 1.4-1.6g's.

Tell us what the car does stock. After-the-fact modding means little as any car can go get a new suspension and pull better Gs.

Vampyre

Actually I think they mean that the modifications to the suspension over the current generation GP. I don't think they mean mods as in aftermarket mods. I know GM and Koni were working on a partnership so that's probably part of it. What else they could have done I don't know. I'm think strut tower braces as the 10 buick regal front brace fit perfectly with the current gen GP. Like they said though, there'll be a few more surprises when the final production version is announced. Hopefully those are for the better and not worse!

moomaster_99

Hopefully it won't be shod in GM pleather....

Rock Dog

You guys are way out of wack. Lutz did not design the Asstek, or the P.T. Cruiser, or the new Grand Prix. Do you know how long it takes to go from design approval to prototype? This Grand Prix was set in stone, at least 18 months before Lutz got to GM.

Bryan Nesbitt designed the P.T. Cruiser. Just after the "merger of equals," Bryan was hired by GM and put in charge of Chevrolet design. At 32 years old.

Lutz had a hand in the Viper, but that was mostly Tom Gale. Lutz however convinced Bob Eaton to build the Viper. He also had a hand in the Prowler, but again just a hand. Most of the Chrysler designs over the past decade have come from Tom Gale and his team. NOT LUTZ!

Rock Dog

So let me get this straight. Lutz a guy who has been with GM for less than a year. Was able to completely redesign a car in a few months at that company that has longer lead times than anybody?

It's called image management. GM knows that if they keep pretty close to form, the current owners will buy again as long as they through a few carrots in the new car. The real focus is how it plays to drivers of the competition. Will the Maxima driver want it? I have no doubt that they got in touch with the GP club to get some input. But no car company is going to place a succesful product in the hands of it's fanatics. If you hear "Lutz scrapped the original" it's called PR. Right now GM is leaning on the reputation, not the talent.

It takes a couple 3 or 4 months just to cost the tooling. And to figure out if they can manufacture the body components within budget.

charliemike

I do believe the Chevy Bel Air concept was his baby though.

gohawks63

I like it. Pontiac always seems to do a nice job with the styling, although they do tend to go a little overboard with the body cladding and the funky rear spoilers they put on the Grans Ams.

Looks a little Boy Racer.

Current gen Grand Prix was pretty hot when it first came out, although it seems kind of invisible now. Looks like the time is right for a redesign.

Rock Dog

Lutz was hired in August 2001. (after a dismal couple years at Exide.) I highly doubt that given 9/11 shortly thereafter, and the money drain the auto companies went through towards the end of last year, that GM gave Bob Lutz the bankroll, manpower, design, prototyping and manufacturing power. Needed to design and build a concept in 4 months. My money is on the Bel Air being in design long before Lutz got there as well.

Black CL-S 4-Life

Not a big fan of Pontiacs, but that one is sweet.