There are alot of great cars coming out by next summer. RX-8, EVo 8, WRX STi, Golf R32, Pontiac GTO, 350Z is already out. I heard that a normally aspirated and affordable Supra may also debut. The main reason the GTO seems so attractive to me is b/c I like the Holden Monaro. Holden's cars have proven to be great and I like the Monaro as soon as I set eyes on it. It has a Vette engine which is a proven performer. The Monaro is already used as a race car so it definitely has the potential to kick ass. Pontiac didnt design it which is also a plus. (except their design cues they desided to add just so it surely gets mistaken for a Grand Prix) I really think this 8 cylinder rear wheel driver will be a great car. It just happens to be a little slow (just not to make the Vette look bad). But could easily be made fast. But an STi and EVO-8 are already faster. I think that the GTO would be a much nicer car to own for everyday driving. A bit easier on the eyes and the interior looks great. A much more liveable car. What do you think?

its a proven car here in australia, good everyday car, its not a performance car, its a commodore with two less doors. too mad u yanks didnt get the 300kw (430hp) GTS tuned engine ay!

It's also too bad we don't get all the other crappy monaros. I think the GTO is pretty far away from the original. It needs to be american, not european looking. It also needs a better engine. The first GTO's produced like 400hp or something. It hink pontiac should bring back the tri-power 321. that was an insane engine! But what are you going to do. The Mercury Marauder is finally going to have some copetition. Now theres going to be TWO american muscle cars. I'm just waiting for dodge to bring back the Charger R/T. That would be awesome.

No offense Mopar, but you need to let up on the old muscle car glory. They were heavy and slower compared to todays lower powered vehicles. Yeah, they had enough torque to burn the tires off but that was because they weighed so much they needed it to move. But...I still do like them.
Seconly 500 hp on a heavy car isnt any better than 200 on a light car.
The engine in the Monaro (GTO) is a corvette engine. Constructed of aluminum, light, and can easily be made to crank lots of HP. Take a look at the CR-5 race vette. That should ease any doubts you may have.
Now...the GTS Tuned version? Does it have the same engine Rohan?
A couple problems I heard the Monaro had was a harsh suspension on rough roads (bottomed out) and slow, sluggish steering. Im hoping that this will be fixed before hitting US showrooms. Also, the GTO will have 340 hp instead of the Monaro's lesser Hp. GM wouldnt go any higher to make the Vette look like a lesser car.
Question for the Aussies...Does the Monaro have sufficient space for a large exhaust? I heard engineers were having a hard time squeezing more power out of the motor because of the exhaust space restrictions.
What exactly is "American" looking? I think the Monaro is a fine looking car. Clean lines, nice curves, no bulky cladding typical of Pontiac. Its a shame Pontiac couldnt come up with something on their own. Also, Holden is a subsidiary of GM. So, besides being based in Australia, they all started out as GM vehicles.
How are the Monaro's doing as far as POTENTIAL? Aussie's should know this. I mean...are they easily able to be modified? Ive seen the race car but are they the same car?

Let me tell you a thing or two about Holdens here in Australia... as far as i understand they are still running a pushrod engine, so the technology is dated. I prefer Holdens to Fords here, so you're not just getting the opinion of a Ford man. The new Ford engines here are far superior. The best thing about the Holdens are they are very easy to modify, the result of easily removable parts... in my opinion this stems from an expectation that parts will fail. It is a very powerful engine, but i feel the problem with Holdens (read: GM) and Fords is that their solution to power is simply throwing in the biggest engine with the most pots and not bothering to engineer it much. I definitely prefer well tuned 4-cyl engines. We have a Statesman which has the big Gen III Holden engine that's in the Monaro and i do like driving it, but if i was buying one i would prefer to hold out until the next series of engines they build to technologically challenge the recent Ford engines.

Also from the pictures i've seen of the Pontiac the new front seems to match your fear of "bulky cladding"... crappy-looking nostrils at the front. I wish the Monaro luck selling there, but i do wish that we had a better engine as our export flagship - although it is your (US) engine anyway so it shouldn't be a problem. I pray that the colour (yeah that's how we spell it) schemes are more inspiring over there... here virtually every one you see is canary yellow or bright orangey-red - not my cup of tea!

I'm sure you think muscle cars are slow. Hel, back in 1968, a dodge charger with a 440 375hp engine could just skim 0-60 in 7 seconds. But thats not becaue of the weight, it's because of the tires. The same charger with tyres from the 60's could do 7 seconds, but with modern street tires, it could easily make 5 seconds in the 0-62 time. True, a light car with 200hp handles better than a big muscle car. But hink of the mentality of the 60's. They wanted to go really fast in a striaght line. Didn't care about stopping or turning. This is because highways in the states are long and, for the most part, straight. There was no need to have good handling. And people wanted to be comfertable. They could take there whole families with them to the dragstrip in total comfort. They also wanted to feel secure. A big boat of a muscle car was probaly more safe than a european sports car of the time. Plus, muscle cars are very imtimidating. But they also havea very welcoming look. They say, "come drive me. I'll destroy the guy in the next lane, but I won't hurt you or your family". They have a soul, which much of the modern cars lack. The engines had a growling sound when revving, but a purring sound when idling. They sounded beefy, not like crappy tuner cars that sound like dog farts when they accelerate. They have a much more simpler engine. No turboes, no superchargers, no power steering, no computers, no ESP, no shinny chrome or colored wires and no plastic engine covers. They were simple and powerful. Afterall, isn't that what we all want?

True Mallon..thats why muscle cars are great. They are simple and easy for the everyday joe to work on. Nowadays, unfortunately, is no longer true. Emissions and fuel costs have changed all that. I do like the idea of no computer. Just a carb, motor, and exhaust. That is why cubic inches worked. But the computers and superchargers to make it a lot more complicated....maybe more fun. Back in the day a married guy could still have a fast car b/c he could still fit his family in it. Im sure most married men would love to have the best of both worlds now adays...but how? Hmmmm. The good thing is the spirit, the love, and the heart of the muscle car days is still alive even in the import scene. All countrymen still love a great car. Atleast I do. No matter how big or small.

i think that sports cars weren't really made for family usage !
i dont think a man with his family will go 200km/hr !!

by the way i noticed you posted several times ... why don't you register and become a member >?

I thought about being a member, but why? I have too many passwords to remember as it is. Something like 30 between paying bills, my job, etc. Being a guest seems easy enough. I do enjoy the forum though.

As for the pushrod engine GM has had huge success with the motor. I dont really see a reason to change it. I beleive pushrods dont breath as easy b/c of less room for valves but they work well.

true, the import scene is carring the love of the car as it did in the 30's through 70's. But it's diffrent. The way to get more horsepower back then was bigger cubic inches. This is no longer the case. They find ways to make an engine work faster and more efficent. Air filters, fuel rails, turbochargers, exhaust,etc. The thing is today, we have the technology to do such things. Aluminum heads, blocks, rods and cylinders make the engine stronger, therefor engines can withstand higher revs. For example, a 68 440 magnum from a charger R/T got it's max horsepower (375) at a lazy 3200rpm. The new RX-8, with a rotary engine, can redline at 9000rpm and gets it's max hp (i think) at about 7000 rpm!

So, even though there are many improvments in the auto tuning scene, alot of bad has been added to it. Alot of imposters have sprung up. In the good old days, muscle came before looks. when a pro hotrod maker made a design, he/she always added a big 350 small block or bigger to the design. Today, ugly twim hood scoops, front air dams and huge rear wings plauge the looks of tuners today. Thats not even the worst part. Alot of tuners put looks before peformance. They make the car look fast, but don't back it up. So sad.

yeah the GTS has the same engine as the monaro and GTO, just tuned alot better i guess. down here the GTS costs around 30 grand ( 20 grand US ) more then the GTo, so it comes at a cost.

Hurrah for the GTO! I think it's a good step in a good direction.

Note on the Mercury Marauder: pretty damn lacking unless you slap down alot more money for the Marauder S. I forget who excatly does this upgrade, but it does make it a good, lethal muslce car, as opposed to a 303hp waste of V8. I read about it in a magazine a while ago, very expensive, but onyl because theres so much to improve on the powertrane. With the base Marauder though, your getting not very much bang for your buck, it's no wodner they undersold by alot. Good idea, poor execution.

HEY MOPAR they are bringing back the charger R/T but its stll concept. Its not a hemi unfortunately its like a 330 ci. and it runs on compressed natural gas. its going to be the first car to be a performance car that runs on natural gas? but hey i have no arguement with the new GTO it just better prove its worth on the road.......i shall watch closly hehe :shock: :twisted: :roll: :P

I agree with mopar, the new GTO shares nothing in common with the original except the name. It's slow, expensive, and boring looking. The origanal was a new idea, very fast, and affordable.

Hurrah for the GTO! I think it's a good step in a good direction.

Note on the Mercury Marauder: pretty damn lacking unless you slap down alot more money for the Marauder S. I forget who excatly does this upgrade, but it does make it a good, lethal muslce car, as opposed to a 303hp waste of V8. I read about it in a magazine a while ago, very expensive, but onyl because theres so much to improve on the powertrane. With the base Marauder though, your getting not very much bang for your buck, it's no wodner they undersold by alot. Good idea, poor execution.

Marauder is not slow, is just too heavy, but it's a great feeling, i test dorve one, and i would get one for the times i travel coast to coast with friends. and it pulls 0.85g, not that bad for the size

By the way, the 430 hp monaro, is not a street legal car, the engine is taken from c5-r a bit detuned, so i dont think it would pass emissions (even with the 120hp reduction from the base race car)

Yeah, being too heavy results in it's BEING SLOW! It need more power to make it a real muscle car! 0-60 in over seven seconds isn't what's gonna put these import racers "in their place" like Muscle cars are "supposed" to.

Oh, I found the aftermarket tuner for the Marauder I was reffering to ealier. It's called the Kenny Brown Marauder S. How does a THREE SECOND QUICKER 0-60 time sound? 4.5 seconds to be exact! Bam! and a 13 second quarter mile time! The brakes are upgraded as well as some tweaked suspension. All for a coool $54k(including the price of the car )

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By the way, the 430 hp monaro, is not a street legal car, the engine is taken from c5-r a bit detuned, so i dont think it would pass emissions (even with the 120hp reduction from the base race car)

look mate get ur info right mr fr500! dont know where u get ur info seen as ur obviously not from oz. the GTS is a road legal car and sold on mass.

btw just wanted to know where u pulled this 'info' from

ps. i had to register to get this point across!

yeah the GTS has the same engine as the monaro and GTO, just tuned alot better i guess. down here the GTS costs around 30 grand ( 20 grand US ) more then the GTo, so it comes at a cost.
i presume that ur talking about the HSV GTS and where i come from its 95,000 $aus

Hurrah for the GTO! I think it's a good step in a good direction.

Note on the Mercury Marauder: pretty damn lacking unless you slap down alot more money for the Marauder S. I forget who excatly does this upgrade, but it does make it a good, lethal muslce car, as opposed to a 303hp waste of V8. I read about it in a magazine a while ago, very expensive, but onyl because theres so much to improve on the powertrane. With the base Marauder though, your getting not very much bang for your buck, it's no wodner they undersold by alot. Good idea, poor execution.

Marauder is not slow, is just too heavy, but it's a great feeling, i test dorve one, and i would get one for the times i travel coast to coast with friends. and it pulls 0.85g, not that bad for the size

By the way, the 430 hp monaro, is not a street legal car, the engine is taken from c5-r a bit detuned, so i dont think it would pass emissions (even with the 120hp reduction from the base race car)
i havent herd of a 430hp monaro but there is the HRT 427 monaro wich has thr c5-r engine with 560 hp

HRT 427 is NICE. I would love to see it come to the US.

HRT 427 is NICE. I would love to see it come to the US. to bad u probly wont, its not going into production.

yeah talkin bout the GTS, yeah dont worry i know what im talkin bout, im from melb

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By the way, the 430 hp monaro, is not a street legal car, the engine is taken from c5-r a bit detuned, so i dont think it would pass emissions (even with the 120hp reduction from the base race car)[/quote]
i havent herd of a 430hp monaro but there is the HRT 427 monaro wich has thr c5-r engine with 560 hp[/quote]

i believe the 430hp monaro ur talkin about is the HSV GTS coupe, which has 300kw, i believe thats about 430hp!

I cant wait for the 2009 GTO, somehow it holds a resemblance to that of the old GTOs I dont think the new one is legitimate.