Ford Mustang (2005) vs. 2005 Pontiac GTO

kevm14 · July 2005

Yeah and they'll sell every single one of them........

kevm14 · July 2005

You should have downshifted to 5th.

max19 · July 2005

Dodge Charger R/T 0-60mph - 6.1sec, 0-100mph - 14.6, 1/4 mile 14.6 @ 100mph, Top speed 149
Mustang GT 0-60mph - 5.6, 0-100mph 13.7, 1/4 mile 14.2 @ 103 mph, Top speed 148
GTO (0-60 time - 5.1) - (0-100mph - 11.8) (1/4 mile 13.6mph) (Top speed 158)

And still the winner based on exactly preference and not the bottom line (THE NUMBERS) is the Mustang GT. This comparos have too much "feeling" and not a lot of substance. Like my Boss used to say: "THE TRUTH IS IN THE NUMBERS" and not the number of vehicles sold but the performance numbers. By the time the Charger and the GT get to 100mph I would be waiting at the finish line after having a conversation on my cellphone. 2.1 seconds of difference from 0-100 mph...that in the world of street rancing means loosing a bet and somebody has to wash my car.

As you seen, when wetalk about Muscle Cars, we are not about slalom and skid pad so much as someone with an EVo or a WRX STi. A muscle car is about the way it growls at high revs, is about the burn-out $220 a tire and about prescence. We love to hate in America and the minute someone said that the style was bland, all the sheep followed the herd. It is funny that when the car came out it was JD Powers sports car of the year, the car was compared to a Mercedes AMG SLK, and has shared the track of an SRT8 300 and a CSV. In the comparo with the caddy and the 300 they used a 6 speed tranny instead of the automatic like the other two cars...I wonder why did that happened...? Of course! Car and Driver wasn't going to put down the Caddy from 0-60 and 1/4 mile since the auto tranny from the GTO would have made exactly the same numbers. GM will not allow a flagship model being out down by a $22K less vehicle.

I will admit, that the drawback of the GTO has been the slalom and the Skidpad...let's think about that too: I bought my Phantom black/black leather 18" alloys and I have tried GTO's with the 17" alloys and for those of you GTO owners out there: MAKE THE CHANGE. I changed the tires to Continental Sport Contact 2 (used by Ferrari on its F430) the tire is about $255 each and the difference is incredible on everyday driving and road grip. No, I dont work with continental, I happen to have an Audi 1.8T that had them. (My Audi is chiptunned, Diverter valve changed and KN filter - Dyno test @ 240 HP 0-60 in 6.4 sec 1/4 mile in 14.9 - I can almost race with the R/T...my wife drives that car now and I get to drive my GreaTOne.

Consider this: I got my Goat for $29,285 ( $1000.00 Hot Buttons, $500.00 Military discount, Employee discount - I am a though buyer. Barely a $500.00 difference from the Mustang...

tayl0rd · July 2005

In the comparo with the caddy and the 300 they used a 6 speed tranny instead of the automatic like the other two cars...

Umm... The CTS-V comes only with a 6-speed manual transmission.

max19 · July 2005

My point is - The GTO will perform better with a Auto than with a 6-Speed as stated by Pontiac's 0-60 and 1/4 mile test.

sputterguy · July 2005

I guess I should have downshifted but it looked like I had more room. Next time...

lovegto · July 2005

I am tired of people putting down the looks of the GTO compared to the Mustang. I have driven the GTO for a couple of months and am suprised at the number of drivers in other cars who give me the thumbs up (sometimes other digits too). Admittedly the thumbs have been coming from drivers of Chevy Cavaliers but also from Dodge Neon and Ford Focus Drivers as well. Therefore I suggest that all those who put down the GTO looks just shut up.

vppreacher · July 2005

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....or the driver as this case may be. Personally, I think the Mustang looks much better than the GTO (new or old). However, I also think it looks better than many other cars (350Z, Charger, etc). Saying one car looks better than another isn't putting the other down. Some people think Faith Hill is prettier than Shania Twain or Brad Pitt is more handsome than Antonio Banderas. What I cannot understand is why it matters what others think about your car; Variety is the spice of life.....

gxpgtodanman · July 2005

Looks are subjective, You either like it or you don't. There is MORE to a car then looks. Driving, interior quality, comfort etc. Interior/seats is nicer in GTO.

I have gotten many thumbs up, "Hey, Nice Car" people following me into the parking lot to ask me questions about it, etc. At the car shows I go to with it, many people are interested etc. Just on the highway today, many cars slowed down and to look at my GTO, checking it out. For a supposedly dull car, everyone seems to notice it !!

gtodon · July 2005

lof
All I have to say is sense I bought my 2005 GTO I have seen more heads turn than ever before. Even my 15 year old daughter say she feels like a movie star in my GTO cause everyone looks as we pass. My wife is getting tired of all the people noticing my GTO. When I drive down the road people pull up next to me to say how nice it looks. It might be the red with chrome wheels and smoked glass. Even the guy in the new 350zx nissan giving me the thumbs up. Everywhere you look you see the mustang. It's the price. But they don't mess with me. They know when they see that 6.0 on the back. The mustang does have the looks, but I want power. So I went with the GTO, and I am a GM person, not a ford person.

gtodon · July 2005

Hey
I know what you are saying. The same here. Every day someone is telling me how nice my GTO is, If not 5 people. I can't wait to get up in the morning to drive it.

elias · July 2005

same here. maybe the 2004 gto is a 'sleeper' but the 2005 is not. i had been hoping my grey 2005 gto would be a 'sleeper', but no. it's incredible how much attention i get when driving this car . everything from people yelling (nice things) at me in traffic, talking to me at traffic lights, ogling the car on the highway. and on the downside, some punks have tried to race me or cut me off on the street, or otherwise "play" in ways that i think are not reasonable. also the car got rearended 3 days after i bought it - before i had even notified my insurance company about it. maybe that was just a coincidence, but the car does seem to attract all kinds of attention. if i had ordered it, i would have specified the no-scoop hood too, that would have been more sleeper-ish. but i found this one on gmbuypower when it was still on the boat, and put a deposit on it.

before i took delivery i asked the dealer if they would remove all the GTO/6.0 badges. they said they couldn't do it because they were "pinned" onto the body. the car is in the body shop now for about $600 of rear damage (bumper cover). it may be futile but i might pay them to do the body work necessary to remove all the badges, and also might ask them to put on the holden bumper cover which is smooth and does not say GTO .

btw, it's tough to keep up with this thread, so many postings

i'm not caught up but figured i would post this anyway. cheers to all, mustang & GTO folks both!

elias · July 2005

i have another car for family duty too, but i still needed the GTO backseat so i can have the flexibility to shuttle kids with the GTO for school/activities on the way to or from work, without having to go home inbetween and swap cars. (our other cars are a passat TDI and volvo xc90.)

gxpgtodanman · July 2005

I removed the Pontiac and 6.0 emblems from the 2005 trunk lid myself, very easy to do. Do NOT remove the GTO badge symbols on the side, there is a hole under there. On the Aussy Holden Monaro they side signal or marker lights there. Do NOT take the Pontiac symbol off the top of the trunk lid, there are 2 small holes under it.

I bought 3D vinyl letters for the GTO symbol at the bottom of the plastic fascia on the rear to fill it in. To me it looks better. Some of the Mustang guys do that with the Cobra letters imprint on their rear fascia, buy vinyl letters so you can see it better. I got vanity plates as well.

gxpgtodanman · July 2005

Even though the GTO isn't my everyday car, I still needed the backseat for the kids carseat when going to car shows etc. Mustang was too tight. The only pain in both cars is getting in or out. Once you are in GTO, feels like a midsized car, pretty roomy back there. The backseat of the GTO is much more comfortable then the Grand Prix's and just as much if not more room

elias · July 2005

thanks for the debadging info, gxpgtodanman. it is consistent with what i have observed and what dealer told me. i can see that the 6.0 emblem is just a 'sticker'. i actually want to remove just the 6, so it says ".0". but i'd only do that if i could get rid of the triangular GTO badge on the front fenders too, and get a smooth/holden rear bumper cover. the car is in the body shop now so maybe i'll ask them to do that stuff. but at this point i'm thinking it's pointless. the functionless hood scoops alone make the car obviously fast / obviously a sick-fast pontiac, like a WS6 TA. the car gets so much attention that i doubt removing the badges will make a difference with that. i'm just going to have to get used to driving a car that gets so much attention. oh, the sacrifices i make

one mustang guy (previous-gen) rolled up next to me at a light, saying that he wished we were first in line. i told him i would be happy to blow his doors off even though my car wasn't broken in yet. when he realized it was a 2005, he said "never mind, i don't have a chancet". i told him, hey, i can't see if if you have a blower or something under your hood, but if you do, you'd have a chance. he said no way.

"nuff respeck" to the mustang guys too. the new mustang is plenty awesome. i think it's funny how some folks get so touchy about mustang vs. gto, or mustang vs. camaro. but it makes for some entertaining edmunds//newsgroup threads doesn't it!

be safe out there folks. keep the racing on the track, and keep the other drivers in mind when you are on the street - make your driving moves to increase their safety ! this is the responsibility especially of us more skilled drivers, to make moves that increase the safety of the less skilled drivers. ok, all that said, i'll probably get mowed down by a dump truck tomorrow but hey at least i'll go out with the right attitude, maybe saving the life of some clueless geo metro driver who will never realize it, as i get flattened by the dump truck. ok then, on that positive note, TTFN !!!!

gxpgtodanman · July 2005

Actually the hood scoops on the 2005 GTO do FUNCTION. They let hot air escape and help cool/vent LS2 motor. Saw a thermal picture somewhere on ls1gto.com site. Otherwise they don't do anything for perf.

max19 · August 2005

Following your train of thought for all of you out there not that you do it, just as a precaution:

STOP TAILGATING! AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS NOT TO DO SO.

I have seen accidents produced merely by some idiot that thought the person in front of them wasn't fast enough at 85mph. There is no road in America with a 85MPH speed limit. The person in front did not gave the approaching vehicle the right of way and the vehicle in the back pulled in front of the other vehicle and slammed the brakes. Road rage last 5 minutes, the sentence in Jail is a life due to reckless driving and homicide. 5 People died that day.Driving that fast should be left for the track. I don't want to sound dramatic, I just want to see that our roads are safer and that we can see our GTO's 20-30 years from now and enjoy the view-sound of a wonderful piece of machinery. :shades:

gxpgtodanman · August 2005

I don't tailgate, but many people love to tailgate me so close behind my GTO that I can only see their windshield in my rear view mirror. This is with me going nearly 10mph over spd limit. If I ever had to stop hard, I would get rammed.

kevm14 · August 2005

all that said, i'll probably get mowed down by a dump truck tomorrow

Funny you should mention that.

Avon Mountain Accident

This was like 2 miles from my girlfriend's house.

vppreacher · August 2005

Tailgating is dangerous and annoying. I would add traveling slowly in the fast lane as well though. If we all stopped tailgating as well as got over when someone wanted to pass, we'd cover both sides.

gtodon · August 2005

l lol
You can talk about what is gonna be. But lets talk about right now. I have a 2005 GTO and there is not a mustang made now that will keep up with me. Will there be a mustang? Let's wait and see. Talk is cheep. Mustang are allways slower.

gtodon · August 2005

LOL
Wake up. The 2005 mustang don't have a chance against my 2005 GTO. The mustang does have the looks but not the speed like my 2005 GTO. It my sell better than my GTO but maybe that's because it's $10,000 less than my GTO. My GTO has better times over the mustang. And as far as the looks of my GTO people love it. Everyone stop and looks. I would rather drive a 400 hp car that u don't see every time you turn around like the stang that everyone has cause it's cheep.

gtodon · August 2005

LOL
Sorry boy. what you read in magazine don't get the job done. There is not a stang out there that will stay up with my 2005 GTO :-). I love my GTO and everyone else does too.

sensai · August 2005

I also love my GTO, but your going to get a lesson if you take that attitude against an 03/04 Cobra. Your going to have a pretty tough time against a Mach 1 too, especially from a stop. Other than that, yeh the GTO is faster than pretty much all other stock Mustangs.

mustang_svt · August 2005

I sold an '03 Cobra to get into an '05 GTO. If I could clone myself and then race the two cars, the GTO would win all day long. Now don't bash me too hard - I love both cars but the GTO (mine anyway) definitely outperforms the Cobra I sold.

sensai · August 2005

So you had an 03 Cobra with the supercharger and you think the GTO is faster? I would love it if it were, but both magazine and real world numbers prove otherwise.

kevm14 · August 2005

Could the engine of those Cobras vary wildly? I knew a guy who selected a leftover 02 Firebird T/A after testing an 03 Cobra and 03 Lightning and thought the Firebird was the best of the group. Fastest, too. I know it's not SUPPOSED to be faster than the Cobra....so I ask the question if they need a special break-in, or if there's a huge power output varience among engines.

lowflier · August 2005

I can't speak to the real world numbers because I never had either at the track. C&D mag numbers reported a 0-60 on the Cobra @ 4.9 and an '05 M6 GTO @ 4.8. The quarter on the Cobra was 13.3 and the GTO was 13.1 or 13.2. I have an '05 with the A4. Pontiac claims the A4 is one or two clicks faster than the M6. I personally consulted with the seat of my [non-permissible content removed] which is backing up what the mags (& Pontiac) are telling everyone.

lowflier from work
mustang_svt from home

gxpgtodanman · August 2005

It's only a small mention but this month's Car and Driver has an article on how to soup up your 2005 mustang to compete with the GTO. Don't you just love it. The GTO's are finally getting some respect.

Also, check out the August edition of MPH (Maximum Performance & Horsepower magazine. They did a comparo test of the '05 GTO vs. the Mustang GT and Charger R/T. GTO won in all the main categories.

Just watching the speed channel the other day the Gto owned the mustang in every 1on1 test they did

blasto · August 2005

I am ...or may I say I will be...,(yeah that sounds better) the soon to be owner of an "05 black on black GOAT. The sales manager called me today and told me the car was ready for PDI and had NOBODY putting their behind in this particular machine. I can't wait since I am out of town and go home for the weekends.

Here is my story: I had a 1985(225 hp) and a 1994 Mustang GT Cobra (245) and I have always been a Ford-Mustang guy. I recently decided to get a sportier car than the one I was driving, a 2000 Jetta 1.8T. I think I forgot the way a true muscle car feels and drives and the sense of power with the exhaust sound...

I went to the nearest Ford dealer to get my Mustang since the newedly desing is impecable nice. I test drove it and felt the power once again. When I went to crush some numbers the dealer that I was reffered to by a buddy of mine change their attitude when we were talking about cutting some slack on the MSRP and incentives and rebates which they were non for the GT.

I was mad at the fact that they know they have a gold mine and pretend that Mustang aficionados like me will pay 2K over invoice and just be a Laydown deal. I like shopping for cars, I like making the sales personel work for their commision and I do understand that dealers have to make money but I will fight the very last penny I could on this one.

I saw the '04 GTO when it came out on the street. Bland. Said nothing. I have never had a GM car in my life and it was considered sacrilege in my family to do so. Then, I saw a movie called "The Last Ride" with one of my favorite actors, Dennis Hopper and I told my salef I should give it a try just to see it in a dealer nearby in "close caption" after the first glance at close distance and after seeing the interior I said "I gotta get me one of these!". The next day I went to the Buick,Pontiac dealer and had a test drive. Sorry for my family and Mustang fans. This car is something else. It put a smile on my face just starting it. The exhaust sound is incredible, the engine growls ans kind of tilt the car when you rev it. The interior was far superior than the new GT, at 70 MPH the car was doing way under 2000 RPM at 6 gear.

I cut a deal with the dealer paying $31700 for the car plus the military incentive ($500.00) so really $31,200 and even if I had to pay full MSRP on this one unlike the Mustang dealer there was no markup. I can't wait until Saturday. Is there a way to post pictures in this forum? Sorry if I sound way too excited but I guess you guys understand the newbies...

I had to wait a couple of weeks for this one but i will bet it will be all worth it. I am waiting to break in the engine...oh sweet!!!!!!! Rev it up guys!!!

vppreacher · August 2005

Congrats on your new GTO! They are nice rides. I took an opposite tack though.

Ford, like every manufacturer, has some dishonest and disreputable dealers. The Mustang is such a runaway hit some are definitely taking advantage of consumers. However, if the market will bear a higher than MSRP price, than that unfortunately is what many people will charge.....and pay.

I fell in love with the new Mustang's combination of modern and classic styling, great performance, and total package. I shopped around until I found a dealer who was honest and fair. I ended up having to wait 7 weeks for my order, but I got it $1,000.00 below MSRP (~$27,000.00). I didn't get the automatic or the overpriced Shaker 1000. For me, the 4 grand difference in price, thousands less in cost of ownership, larger trunk, and unique styling clinched the deal. No argument that a stock GTO beats a stock Mustang GT, but that 4 grand extra can even those odds with a little help from Vortech, Steeda, and Eibach.

blasto · August 2005

Oh man trust me, I still love the Mustang GT. It is an awesome car, no doubt about it and it delivers. PERIOD. I always complained about the Mustangs' interior ever since I had my older versions. I in fact still own one of the cars (1985) but is back in the island (Puerto Rico) and I have no intentions of bringing it here to GA. It gives me a reason to go back and hit the beach for a couple of days, is a nice ride.

The feel for each car is different but I am in no case a street racer, I just like the feel of a true muscle car here in the States with my GTO and back in the island with my GT. I will disagree with anybody either trying to put the Mustang GT or the GTO down. They are an American Tradition. The Mustang has won the 10 best cars in C&D, Won the opinion (Not the performance) of this months auto mobile mag comparo. I only wish that when they came up with the Saleen version, it wold have been in the mid 30's but they went way i the Mid 40's for one.

There you go. It's only a dream to know you are in a 400HP car...you either have to pay over 50 grand when the GT500 comes out or pay 48K for a Saleen, a Corvette for 47K or a CTS-v for 51K.

Why wait until saturday, I am going to the dealer today!!!!! :shades: :surprise:

:P

elias · August 2005

it is awesome how the goat tips to the side when you goose the engine while parked/neutral.. you see this same effect on dragsters - i understand that because of this, the springs on one side of the dragster have to be stiffer than on the other. all my Z28s used to do this noticeably just like my 05 goat. but c'mon, mustang V8s must do it too, to some extent, eh - it's not like the mustang engine is mounted transversely, eh?

vppreacher · August 2005

Good points all!

The GTO's performance, sound, and interior are impressive. I just wish the styling was better. While the 2005 is way better than the 2004, I still find the styling (like the new Charger) to border on the bland. I know GM and Dodge could have figured out a way to take the modern performance and combine it with some retro styling features. The GTO is way better than the Charger, but neither evokes an evisceral feeling of "muscle" in me.

Oh yeah...the Saleen is a rip, the Shelby GT500 is sick, and the more any American car manufacturer makes a great car the better!

gtodon · August 2005

That's a joke.

vppreacher · August 2005

Considering the Vette looks to be about 700 lbs lighter with 25-50 more horsepower, I don't see how the Shelby will beat it in most performance categories. To be fair though, why would you compare two stock cars with drastically different prices? It's comparing apples to oranges and makes no sense. You don't hear Mustang owners arguing with GT owners or Z06 owners-to-be with GTO owners. The Mustang and the GTO are much better sports values for the money, but they can't compete with the higher priced cars.

Just like if you want to be fair and even...give a Mustang GT owner $3-4 grand for performance upgrades and then run it against a GTO. In the end, a car is more than the sum of its parts and that's why the Mustang is currently the rave. Most people could care less about .3 going 0-60 or a second or two in the 1/4 mile. It is sublimely good in all categories and more than any other car on the market captures the old muscle car feel with modern fit and finish.

rorr · August 2005

I was having a discussion this weekend with my cousin about the new Mustang and what it means for Ford. Before I go any further, I'll point out that my cousin currently owns a C5 Corvette m6 and has owned a number of big block TransAms from the very early 70's. He currently races a '66 Shelby GT350 in vintage racing.

His opinion is that GM just rolled over and died with the F-bodies. He also thinks Ford hit a grandslam with the new Mustang. While he acknowledged that the GTO has it all over the Mustang in pure straightline performance, the Mustang kills GTO in style, and in this segment style matters. No kidding; this has been discussed endlessly in here.

But what hasn't been discussed is the fact that the STYLE (coupled with good performance), is bringing a lot of people (YOUNG people) back from foreign nameplates to Ford. In other words, many people will be buying Fords, 10-15 years from now who might otherwise be buying Toyotas and Honda because of the Mustang. This is not the case with the GTO. Most GTO buyers (not all certainly, but most) were already GM fans. And most GTO buyers are NOT kids/young adults. Yeah, I know, supposedly 'large' numbers of BMW owners have switched to the GTO. What, 50-100? What is that compared to 10k-20k people buying a Mustang instead of a 350Z? (Or the 25k-50k buying a V6 Mustang instead of a Chevy Cobalt?)

The point being that Ford is helping themselves out (moreso than GM) in the LONG run by bringing in a lot more young buyers.

gxpgtodanman · August 2005

Even with the new Mustang and it's success this year Ford is still losing market share, just like GM to the foreign rivals of Toyota/Honda. It's going to take more then just 1 car to reverse that. Historically the Mustang was always a good seller for Ford to begin with. I'm a American Muscle car fan. It's good we have 3 choices for now. As for the Mustang killing the GTO in style, Looks are subjective, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I personally like looks of GTO. The GTO interior/seats is nicer/higher quality.

Remember the Cobalt SS supercharged does outperform the Mustang V6 for similar price and gets better gas mileage. Simple pulley swap on SS and it's running low 14's.

From what I have seen most V8 Mustang buyers are not kids/young adults either. Most of the youngers ones are buying V6 Mustang. High insurance rates for a V8 Mustang if you are young. Just like F bodies. GTO has one of the lowest insurane rates I have ever seen for a 400hp car. It's not much more then my 200hp family 4 door sedan. I am in my early 30's.

Don't forget, all GTO's come fully loaded with the 400hp LS2 V8, there is no base V6 models. The gas guzzler tax on automatic. That certainly doesn't help GTO sales. Enjoy what you bought.

Charger, Stang & GTO are all good choices for people. At least we get 3 choices for now. It hasn't been this good since the early 1970's.

rorr · August 2005

I'm sure that, overall, Ford is still losing market share (like GM). And granted, a single car will not reverse that. However, Ford IS selling a car in large numbers which has no Toyota/Honda/etc competitor to at least help to reverse this trend. GM is not.

Yes, style is subjective and I'm sure that (to your eyes) the GTO looks good. But, my impression is that you were ALREADY a GM buyer and Pontiac aficionado so GM didn't really GAIN anything there. To help regain (or stop the slide with) market share, GM must win over buyers of other nameplates. The performance of the GTO certainly has what it takes. But if owners of other buyers were turned off by the styling of the GrandAm and GrandPrix, they're not going to give the GTO much of a chance.

The Cobalt isn't just competing with the Mustang V6; it's also going up against a whole slew of other FWD coupes, some with similar or better performance. But a V6 Mustang offers something the import badges DON'T: RWD and 'classic' styling.

Most of the youngers ones are buying V6 Mustang.

EXACTLY. What they are NOT buying are yet another FWD sporty coupe. And what they are NOT buying are GTO's. And when these younger kids 'graduate' from their V6 Mustang, Ford has a better shot at keeping them in another FoMoCo product. This is my whole point. With the Mustang, Ford is bringing in many more young buyers who previously would never have considered a Ford. Who cares if these young'uns are buying V6's instead of V8's? GM, on the other hand, is trying to scavenge sales from other nameplates for the more 'financially established' buyer.

IMO, the GTO succeeds more by keeping existing GM owners at home while the Mustang attracts more new customers to Ford.

rorr · August 2005

Actually, I want to clarify - my argument isn't that the GTO is a 'failure' because it doesn't help GM to regain marketshare. The GTO was never intended to do this (obvious given the production numbers).

I guess my whole beef is that GM basically abandoned the whole youthful ponycar market with the demise of the F-bodies thinking that the market was moving more and more towards inexpensive, sporty FWD coupes. I also think that the huge success of the Mustang kinda caught GM with their pants down.

gxpgtodanman · August 2005

Actually I'm not a GM/Pontiac buyer. I am a Rear Wheel Drive aficionado, esp V8. I don't like Front drive. If the GTO did NOT exist I would have not bought a Pontiac, probably not a GM either. I would be driving a new Mustang V8. Vette, CTS-V, STS V8 are a little pricey for me.

The Mustang always brought in young buyers, and sold well. so did the Fbody until it's last few yrs. but I see your point. Too bad GM can't bring it back. Time will tell.

2005 Mustang has 55% of the Sporty Car Market so far in some July news article I read.

It's definitely a success for 2005, but As with the Thunderbird and the PT Cruiser, the first year sales may be its best.

rorr · August 2005

"Actually I'm not a GM/Pontiac buyer."

Sorry; sometimes I jump to conclusions. From your screen name, I was assuming that you had both a GXP and a GTO. I've also gotten the impression (not necessarily from you) that a large number of GTO buyers are frustrated F-body fans.

lovegto · August 2005

Not all new GTO owners are GM always. My last three cars have been a Ford TBird, Mercury Cougar and Mercury Cougar. Style is subjective and I prefer the GTO. Comfort and quality are much less subjective and in this the GTO has it over the Mustang. As to cost, I purchased the GTO at employee discount which was only $1,500 over the comparable Mustang GT at MSRP, the current selling price, and this included the $1,300 gas guzzler tax.
On the point about GM not mass marketing the GTO, you are correct. What GM needs to do is produce a 6 cylinder pony car to compete for the entry level buyer and have a souped up version of the pony car to give the 6 cylinder buyer a greater gotta have factor. Perhaps GM figures the Solstice to be that car. GM was behind the times when the first Pony cars came out, as the Camaro and Firebird were responses to the sucess of the original Mustang.
However I did not buy my GTO to save GM but because it as the best rear wheel drive coupe for the money.

gxpgtodanman · August 2005

I have had a lot of GM cars and a lot of Ford or Chrysler cars. Mostly all domestic.

GXP is a hoot to drive. My Company car. It was either that or a V6 300. Not HEMI, so I took V8 Grand Prix. Had a good sales year. Only negative is it's FWD. Too bad GM couldn't make RWD.

GTO sees cruise nights/car shows and some in town every driving.

Acura is the 4 door family sedan. Many transmissions later. Still going. Not anymore reliable then any American car I have had.

I am not a frustrated Fbody fan. I used to have one, but the GTO is much more refined, much better interior then any Fbody. And usable back seats that and adult can fit in nicely. There is no comparison, other then the drivetrain.

Remember some Fbodies in 2002 were nearly the same price new as a 2005 GTO is now. Go figure.

vppreacher · August 2005

After 3 Hondas, I am one of those import buyers Ford won over. I considered the S2000, 350Z, GTO, and even an M3. I ended up choosing the Mustang GT, because we had a great automotive experience with a Ford Expedition and the Mustang exudes style like nothing I've seen in a while. While both Ford and GM are having problems, it seems with the Explorer, Escape Hybrid, and the Mustang Ford is on the upswing. From everything I've read, 2006 looks to be as good if not better than 2005. I would love to see GM release a retro Camaro or Firebird though.

The GTO defiitely has an understated, "sleeper" style. The problem is unlike a BMW M3 or 330, it doesn't have the name or impressive history for quality and performance (nor the large pricetag!). A BMW has an understated elegance and style. The GTO just looks too much like a rebadged Cavalier or Grand Am.

elias · August 2005

rorr, you and your GM/racer/f-body/big-block pal make great points. i think you are right on. i am an old-time GM guy - i've owned 6 f-body cars over the last few decades - but my spine couldn't take the ride any more so i unloaded my final Z28 in 2004 and have not owned GM since then. GTO brought me back. i would have looked at c6 vette too if/once they were available for invoice.

by the way, for those who say GTO parts will be slow/tough to get, i don' t have any evidence to counter that. the dealer dude suspected the same. i think that the parts my car needs may be being sent by two separate outrigger canoes from australia right now. (antenna modulator & seatbelt adjuster mechanism/slider).

so, yeah, i'm a GM guy too and i think ford hit a home run with mustang, big time. either that, or the basketball analogy: nothin but net.

it's fun to talk to mustang guys as a GTO owner though - they become demure and respectful in the presence of the all-out GTO superiority. as they should be!

gxpgtodanman · August 2005

"The GTO defiitely has an understated, "sleeper" style. The problem is unlike a BMW M3 or 330, it doesn't have the name or impressive history for quality and performance (nor the large pricetag!)"

The GTO marque definitely has THE NAME and a impressive history for performance. This 2005 is the fastest/most powerfull stock one ever made. As for quality, the last GTO was 1974.

"The GTO just looks too much like a rebadged Cavalier or Grand Am."

The Mustang looks like a copy of 1968 Mustang, not too original. I'm glad they didn't make GTO retro. Imagine a redone 1974 Nova/Ventura Gto? Argh.. Anyway as we all know it's a rebadged Holden Monaro which is a car that has been compared to the BMW M5 in terms of performance. Check C&D Sept 2001 issue. It's also been compared to Mercedes SL55 AMG, also pretty impressive. My 2005 generates a lot of attention, people at lights, walking buy as I'm driving, car shows etc, asking me questions, saying NICE CAR.

elias · August 2005

the 2005 gto is no sleeper. i wish it was a sleeper ! it's incredible how much attention the car gets - people shouting from other cars, parking lots, opposing traffic. i actually like the more-sleeper/2004 styling way better but it's worth it to get the LS2. i've got 1500 miles on the car, mostly highway.. in city traffic or parking lots at least 20 random people have either shouted good things or asked about the car. my son tells me time after time about other folks on the highway staring at the car and then pointing it out to someone else in their car.

meanwhile i do enjoy checking most all the new mustangs i see, trying ignore the v6/rental ones, and hoping to see a really beefy one soon, an SVT/garter-snake, whatever they call the fastest mustangs. after my GTO's warranty is expired (ahem) i plan to bring the GTO to the 1/4 mile track - maybe the fastest new mustangs will be out by then, i'd like to line up against one.

lassen54 · August 2005

I followed a similar path to vppreacher after going through a few Toyotas.

I considered the new GTO, and could have definitely been happy with it, but the rest of the family gave it the collective thumbs down based on styling alone. The impressive performance attributes of the GTO were not enough to win me over.

We purchased one of the first GT Convertibles (Redfire Metallic with Interior Upgrade Package) and could not be happier with our decision.

I applaud Ford for building an American car that appeals to the masses. Ford offers the Mustang in various models, trim levels and engine configurations that appeal to young and old and a variety of income levels. It's called marketing and is the bread and butter of the automotive industry.

The new Mustang certainly has handling and performance characteristics not seen in previous generations. Drive one, you'll like i!. This is not to put a knock on the previous Mustangs as Ford has been on this run for 40 years. The Mustang is an American icon whether you like it or not.

Ford Mustang (2005) vs. 2005 Pontiac GTO

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