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Ford Mustang (2005) vs. 2005 Pontiac GTO
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Comments
I think so too, although I can generate a few instances where the GTO wouldn't always win. I haven't been to the drag strip in years. I should go this summer (New England Dragway in Epping, NH) and see what the GTOs and Mustangs run. I'd also like to see if I can pull a sub-14 second 1/4 mile in my Camaro. It would be fun to run heads up against an 05 Mustang GT - and win. But I think they have a power to weight advantage on my Camaro. I'm at 275hp stock, around 3400lbs. I'll be looking at close to 300 with the cheap intake I made and the exhaust I'll be putting on. Still a slight disadvantage I think.
Traffic don't get much heavier than that and I still get a thrill out of it.
I love red lights and blowing people away. Most folks on the road don't have a clue about the GTO's power and it is a fairly sedate looking car (unless you have a red or yellow one - mine is black). I constantly have other drivers - from BMW's to Honda's, (Mustangs included), thinking they will surpass me so it's fun to blow them away at stop lights.
I'm not knocking the Mustang in the least - nice cars, but I love my GTO.
I guess that means the VW Beetle beats the Mustang, eh?
What difference does it make if it's around in 10 years?
How does that pertain to the issue of which car is better?
Just because the Mustang appeals to the masses, that does not mean it is a better car. Like I said earlier, if that is the basis upon which you judge which is the better car - then the VW Beetle, Honda Oddesy, Jeep Cherokee, SUV's ad nauseam - would beat the Mustang hands down.
Trendy & popular does not equal superior.
I think we can all agree that GM did a poor job of marketing but perhaps they did not want the GTO to interfer with their Corvette sales.
'05 Mustang has been tested 0-60 from 4.9 secs to 5.4 secs.....pretty much indentical to the GTO. 1/4s have run from 13.5-14.0 secs....again, almost identical to the GTO, regardless of whether the GTO was an '05 or an '04.
Believe what you will.
But, if you like your car, you don't need my approval for it. Drive what you like.
Ahem, check your math...
5 times as many.
Yeah I know you Ford guys are goin yeeehaa, right, spare me.
Shelby gets much respect from me, but really, is Ford gonna milk his name fer everything its worth? You bet. Its plasterd all over the May issue Moter Trend, not that im suprised or impressed for that matter. What I can say for sure? This, If GM can scrap up enough mollah, Poniac's gonna drop the Judge or the Stinger (have a little peak at it on google) More than likely, its gonna be just a little bit faster than the GT 500, and Dodge is droppin the supercharged version of the Charger (big whoop.)
The race to 500hp begins next year, The million dollar qeastion is, Who's gonna be on top?
That means about 57,000 GTs will be delivered in the '05 MY.....the vast majority of them have been/will be sold at MSRP or above. Orders for '06s have been strong. That means demand will keep the price around MSRP for at least the first several months the '06s go on sale (should be sometime late Sept/early Oct). No doubt there will be another price increase for '06. That means resale for those of us who bought '05s should be good.
While Ford isn't the model of fiscal strength right now, they do have some "hits" on their hands (Mustang, Escape, the 500 will easily outsell last year's Taurus). Ford has had their "duds", too (thunderbird comes to mind).
GM has just announced a reduction in force by about 25,000 workers. That means, inevitably models, if not whole divisions have to be cut. While I hope this doesn't happen, I'd suspect the GTO which will sell about 11,000-12,000 units for the '05 MY, is in serious jeapordy along with models like the SSR.
That said, the deals on GM vehicles are so good right now, I may relegate my Vibe to a family member and get a decent size truck or SUV for a great price (with GMS + rebates). I'm thinking an Envoy here.
That said, Toyota, Ford, Honda and Jeep aren't sitting on their laurels. They are offering cash back (either secretly or blatantly) that makes it look like they'll match GM, dollar for dollar.
With just a few phonecalls, I've been able to get pricing near $25K for a 4X4 GC Laredo, GMC Envoy, Toyota Highlander or Honda Pilot LX.
I doubt GM is going to do anything other than make bread and butter high volume trucks and cars with a cut of 25,000 workers and shutting down plants in the next couple of years.
As far as GM's employee pricing, I say, ya gotta do wacha gotta do.
As far as the gt500, don't get too excited, Shelby claimed the gt350 would run 0 to 60 in 5 secs flat in the 60's. Did it happen? Nope, it ended up doing 6.0 secs 0 to 60 mph sprint.
Don't belive the hype, not yet anyways but then again, that was the 60's.
Ahhh, like it matters, If Shelby's name is still strapped across the back. Its GONNA sell. Regardless of what they call it.
If anything would hurt would hurt sales it's that 39k price tag.
I imagine it'll be worth it but that's just my imagination, we'll see soon.
Problem with Honda is that they don't make a V8, never consider them for my own purposes. Toyota makes a V8, Lexus, but you pay extreme dollars for it. F150 kills the V8 Toyota Pickup in the sale dept.
GTO or Stang, again, Japanese don't make anything that compares.
Remember when SUV mania hit , Who doesn't, Ok fast forward to now, SUV's are imfamous gas guzzulers and gas althuogh it has dropped a couple scents or two its still crazy high right.
So right about now, The market is LEANING towards the full size sedan. Ya wanna save a little money but downgrading form an SUV to a 2d coupe, not gonna happen. Dodge gives birth to the magnum, its a hit, so, why not bring the charger back, as an apealing still bold sporty looking sedan? Like I said before, its not a bad looking car and if it does do better than the magnum, when the suped up version of it hits dealerships next year, Its gonna give GM and Ford a hell of a time for the top dog American mucsle car spot.
Just yesterday GM anounced they were laying off 25,000. That can't be good.
I think Nissan is going after the big truck market. While they will probably make inroads, I think that's as far as they will go.
But I guess it's no worse than seeing them in some monster SUV.
With the fast cars, they will probably kill themselves but with the SUV's, the odd's increase that they will take out others with them.
Can't tell you how many times I've been going along at 80+ and had some bonehead 18 to 25 year old on my rear in a huge SUV or truck.
They are gonna drive whatever they are in like a sports car so better that they are in a lighter weight vehicle to minimize the damage they inflict on the rest of us.
But, that's the problem with Ford and GM. They're building the best work trucks on the road when the public wants trucks that drive like cars.
Back to GM's issues, I do believe they will have to cut a division.....probably should be Buick. But, they are also going to have to shrink the amount of models they offer, too. Common sense says the GTO and SSR would be the first to be axed so they can focus on volume models like the Malibu, G6, etc.
I still think GM, Ford and Chrysler make the best V8 engines in the world. Plus, they can do so more economically than any of the Japanese or European marks can.
I have a strong feeling the Charger R/T will out-handle a GTO. I suppose it might be off topic to post this here, but here are some snippets from the latest Autoweek review of an Daytona R/T:
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At just more than two tons the Charger’s mass poses challenges to its brakes and tires in track work, but the car feels smaller the faster you go, a trait it shares with some of Europe’s best. The Spiral reveals a sweet- handling sedan with nicely weighted and responsive steering, no noteworthy flex in the chassis, and an automatic transmission tuned to hold your gear rather than shift up when you modulate the throttle. With ESP stability control on, it’s no problem. With it off, we manage an old-school four-wheel drift, a little countersteer and throttle input just balancing the slide.
The Daytona R/T weighs about 120 pounds less than either of its platform mates, the 300C and Magnum RT, and by comparison to the latter model, especially, the balance is better—farther forward and lower. It’s near 50-50, a proportion no one could have imagined back in the muscle car era, when kids all wanted Mustangs but their dads wanted Chargers.
Moving Dodge away from its near-total dependence on trucks is a process that began with last year’s introduction of the Magnum sports touring wagon, continues with the Charger and then the Caliber (Neon replacement) in ’06. A replacement for the Stratus line follows in ’07. “In 16 months we’ll have replaced the entire car range,” says Murphy.
With those goals, and with due respect to the emotional reactions of those who think a four-door shouldn’t be named Charger, another coupe wasn’t going to do the job Dodge needs to do.
For a rear-drive sedan with this much room and power, you either pay a lot more for a European import or you get a less exciting vehicle from the Ford stable.
Some potential Charger buyers might opt for a GTO, but the low sales volumes Pontiac expects for its image machine makes the case against a two-door Charger.
So, the early word looks good for the new Charger, both on the track and in the dealerships. We’ll be sampling production models in routine driving and instrumented testing in the near future. If the open question was “Is this gonna be a real Charger, or a pretender?” the answer is in: It’s the real deal.
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At $32k for a FULLY loaded 350hp Daytona R/T, it makes a hard case against a GTO. I personally think the 300C looks better but this is largely the same car.
The name Dodge Charger is synonymous with an era when Detroit iron and V8 muscle ruled the highways. In fact, it conjures up so many images of heady horsepower, that it is impossible to separate the real Chargers from the myths. Well, for 2006, the Dodge Charger is back. Not as a classic coupe, but as a full-size, rear-drive sedan. So, can this new version of the Charger make it to the finish line?
The 2006 Dodge Charger sets out to be a 21st Century interpretation of a classic Detroit muscle car. That is, one that's aimed at a broad range of buyers that desire a big powerful car, from high performance enthusiasts, to families, and even the local constabulary. To get the word out far and wide, Dodge made sure Charger hit NASCAR ovals even before it arrived in showrooms.
The showroom stock Charger lineup starts with the SE and SXT. Both are powered by the corporate 3.5-liter V6 engine with 250 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. This will be the most popular Charger engine.
Next comes the R/T with the same 5.7-liter Hemi V8 used in the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Magnum R/T, with 340 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. It includes Cylinder Deactivation that shuts down 4 of 8 chambers while cruising for an 8-10% economy gain. EPA ratings are 17 City and 25 Highway.
And then there's the limited-edition Daytona R/T, its Hemi punching out 350 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. And if all that wasn't enough, a 425-horsepower SRT8 version with a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 will arrive next year.
All Chargers use a 5-speed automatic transmission with AutoStick manual shift mode. Most of the Charger's mechanics are derived from the Dodge Magnum sports tourer and Chrysler 300. The 300 platform is such a watershed vehicle that it won MotorWeek's 2005 Drivers' Choice Award for Best Family Sedan.
But while based on the 300 and Magnum, Charger will not be available in all-wheel drive. It is rear wheel drive only, but with standard electronic traction and stability control.
The new Charger may be a 4-door sedan, but its near fastback roof line, high rear fenders, and squeezed side glass treatment hints at the coupe styling of the first Chargers. Compared to the 300 and Magnum, it's a leaner, yet still mean look with a lower profile grille and wedgy headlights.
On the profile, short front overhang leads to big round wheel cutouts and substantial 17-inch rims on the SE and SXT, and 18-inchers on the R/T and Daytona. Wheelbase is the same as the 300, measuring 120-inches, but the Charger is a little over 3-inches longer overall. Around back is a short rear deck with properly understated fascia and lights.
With a 4,031 pound curb weight for the R/T, this big car is also heavy, yet impressively light on its feet, as we found out on the curves of Virginia International Raceway where we got our first taste of today's Charger.
Unlike classic muscle cars that were only exhilarating in a straight line, this full-size sedan's short-long arm front and rear multi-link suspension make it quite capable of managing the bends in the road as well. Add the Road/Track Performance package to the R/T, with its wider tires, self-leveling shocks and faster steering, and the Charger handles well with fine balance for its size.
Smooth corner entries and wide, fast lines yield the best lap times. Turn in too sharply, and the front end will push hard and spoil the fun. The stability control is well tuned not to intervene too quickly. But while the steering is quick, it definitely needs more feel.
The big Hemi V8 delivers plenty of grunt out of the corners and down the straight bits. The R/T's standard 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS deliver plenty of stopping power, but like the steering, lack feel. On more sedate pavement the Charger R/T has a tighter ride than the 300C, but it still feels on the soft side. It is still that Hemi rumble, however, that reminds you that this is no ordinary family car.
Inside, the boy racer kinship to the Dodge Magnum is obvious. The cabin is expectedly roomy, if a little claustrophobic, due to the short side glass. Seating is firm and well padded, with the R/T including a standard 8-way power driver's seat. All the luxury and convenience features of the 300 and Magnum are available, including power adjustable pedals, high end audio with SIRIUS satellite radio, and DVD-based navigation system, plus automatic climate controls.
The rear seat is big and comfortable with a 60/40 split folding seat back. An optional DVD entertainment system keeps the kids quiet on long trips. Trunk space is also suitable for long hauls. At 16.2 cubic feet, it's even larger than the trunk in the 300.
Prices, fortunately, are slightly smaller. The base SE goes for $22,995, with the SXT priced at $25,995. The R/T costs $29,995, and the limited-edition R/T Daytona $32,495.
The 2006 Dodge Charger is a long way from the stripped down muscle car of the mid-1960s. It's a muscle car for today, with big power and performance, but all the amenities that 21st century drivers demand. The new Charger is as big and bold as the original, as it charges into a new era and across the finish line.
If the public decides a 4-door with a truck grill isn't to their liking (let alone, those Charger purists who say that anything with 4-doors isn't a Charger), the car will languish.
However, if you want a good looking muscle car, the Mustang is still the one they have to beat in my humble estimation.
Nor will I.
That is one Ug-Lee vehicle.
When it comes to hot product offerings from domestic automakers, Toprak said, "it's really the 300 and the Mustang."
The Mustang, though, seems to be getting a few more buyers than the 300 did after its launch. Last month, consumers bought 19,559 Mustangs. The biggest month the 300 ever scored was in December, with 13,525 sales. The Mustang is averaging about 15,455 sales a month this year, vs. 12,272 for the 300. GTO didn't even make the list.
Mustang rules baby!!!! Down goes gto,down goes gto!!!! :P
I prefer my horses under the hood instead of a little emblem on the grill - but by all means - enjoy your little pony car.
I just sold my '03 Vibe to my nephew. He just graduated and considered the selling price of $10,000 a "gift". Looking at getting something a bit bigger, I checked out the GC and Dodge Durango. Saw a Charger at the Dodge dealership. It's probably unfair of me to judge the Charger just by sitting in it and not driving it, but I'd take the GTO over the Charger in a heartbeat.
I'm now thinking pick-up truck......maybe something along the lines of a Tacoma. Anyone have any comments, both good and bad about these trucks?
I keep coming back to the Tacoma. We'll see if I can swing a deal on one today.
You want a car that everyone else has from the granny down the street to the kid at McDonalds, get the Mustang. You want a real muscle car...oh, forget it, you're a pony boy. Sorry I even mentioned it.
I'm sure someone will be along shortly with a rebuttal as we've been going at this for months. I'll try to stay on the sidelines just this once.
what'd you get?
Imagine this: a sliding scale for sports cars with "Handling" on one end and "Power" on the other. On the "Handling" end of the scale we find the Mazda RX-8. It accelerates slower than both the GTO and the Mustang. Does that make it an inferior sports car? NO! It can out-handle them both.
The GTO is all the way on the other end of that sliding scale. Lots of horsepower, relatively relaxed handling. This has been shown both in comments by testers, most notably the recent edmunds.com test, and in hard test numbers. Even the GTO guys admit it is more of a Grand Touring car. It does not handle as well as an RX-8 or a Mustang. Does that make it inferior? Again, no. It has better acceleration.
The Mustang is in the middle of the scale. It can not take a curve as well as an RX-8 or blast past 150mph like a GTO. But it is a good mix of both handling and horsepower. And that's why I like it.
It just depends on what you like.
Do you "live life a quarter mile at a time" and dream about vacant freeways? The GTO is your steed.
Do you love ripping around curves? Finding the apex? Heel-and-toe shifting? Slide into an RX-8.
Buy a Mustang if you just can't make up your mind, or you love both! It's not the best at either, but does everything well.