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Impala SS vs. Pontiac GXP

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Old May 28, 2006 | 06:43 PM
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Default Impala SS vs. Pontiac GXP

Who do you think would win in different situations?
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Old May 28, 2006 | 08:08 PM
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From a stand still... probably would boil down to who could drive it the best. Judging by times they run pretty much the same.
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 07:01 PM
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I think the GP would have a traction and shifting advantage, but who knows? Only one way to find out!
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Old Jun 1, 2006 | 11:20 PM
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The Gxp is lighter and it has the tapshift. so i would go with the GXP
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Old Jun 15, 2006 | 07:01 PM
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The diffs are so minor, I would expect it to boil down to the driver, the launch and the conditions. Will very with each race. Just my thoughts.

I give the edge to the GXP of course

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Old Jun 15, 2006 | 09:49 PM
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The answer is simple...

The Monte SS owns em both!!!!!!
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Old Jun 15, 2006 | 11:16 PM
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Not really. The Monte only has about a 50lb advantage on either car. From extensive seat time in all three vehicles I can say that the GXP handles the power much more efficiently, mainly due to improvements in the suspension system over the Chevrolet cars. The Pontiac is simply a much more refined package that is better in every sense of the word, except price.

Of course, due to production variances and driver ability I guess it comes back to a tossup. Touche.
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Old Jun 16, 2006 | 07:41 AM
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Originally Posted by irocbsa
Not really. The Monte only has about a 50lb advantage on either car. From extensive seat time in all three vehicles I can say that the GXP handles the power much more efficiently, mainly due to improvements in the suspension system over the Chevrolet cars. The Pontiac is simply a much more refined package that is better in every sense of the word, except price.

Of course, due to production variances and driver ability I guess it comes back to a tossup. Touche.

Heh, you might say I am just a tad bit biased...

(i like all 3 cars very much)
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Old Jun 16, 2006 | 08:19 AM
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gxp has bigger meats on the fronts than the other two, small traction advantage.
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Old Jun 16, 2006 | 05:05 PM
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That too.
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Old Jun 17, 2006 | 11:58 AM
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Originally Posted by LittleMT
Heh, you might say I am just a tad bit biased...

(i like all 3 cars very much)

White! Let's see some photos of that one! I say the faster Laser Blue Monte Carlos have this scenario hands down though

On who would win, I'd have to say driver (turn off trac control), I cant see a slightly wider tire on the GXP pulling on the SS that much. Suspension, well, I'm a dummy when it comes to that. Now if one of these cars would have the torque limiting turned off, there would be a clear winner. Quite odd when you get a good launch and all of a sudden the throttle gets cut on you.
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Old Jul 9, 2006 | 10:52 PM
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Aren't the tires not only wider on the GXP (as already pointed out), but also more aggressive than the other cars fronts?
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Old Jul 10, 2006 | 06:51 PM
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C&D had the Impala as being a tad quicker and they said it was because of the gearing (3.29's for the Impala vs 2.93's for the GXP). They said the GXP was an all around better package though. Nonetheless, sounds like a driver's race.
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Old Jul 10, 2006 | 09:46 PM
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I am biased with the Impala SS. I would rather have the SS's 3.29's and RSA's than 2.93's and wider tires because I can get wider tires on the SS easier than a GXP owner can replace the gears. But that paddle shift on the GXP would be nice in my SS.
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Old Jul 11, 2006 | 08:56 AM
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I thought the difference in gears was a typo? Didn't someone over at ClubGP prove that they were, in fact, the same?
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Old Jul 11, 2006 | 06:53 PM
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Who knows maybe it was a typo, but here is where I got the info.

C&D Article

Despite the antics of the overwhelmed tires, hard acceleration still leaves the driver giddy — at least for the first few runs. We certainly can’t argue with this kind of performance from a family sedan that starts at $26,990 — there’s that 0-to-60 time of 5.6 seconds, the quarter-mile turns in 14.2 seconds at 101 mph, and the ungoverned top speed is 154 mph. Much to our surprise, the SS turned out to be 0.1 second faster from 0 to 60 and in the quarter-mile than the identically powered but 132-pounds-lighter Grand Prix GXP we tested last fall.

The SS’s quicker acceleration can likely be traced to its shorter final-drive ratio (3.29:1 vs. 2.93). It’s also interesting to note that this level of acceleration is accomplished with a four-speed automatic — that’s called making the most of what you’ve got. But despite this performance, the Impala isn’t convincing as a sports sedan.
Not that I'm going to argue over 1/10 of a second. When it comes to acceleration it's a safe bet they are virtually the same car. It's like the LS1 F-BODIES, there were folks who believed the SS's and WS6's made more power and were quicker than the Z28's and TA's. Folks believed the hood scoop on the SS, which didn't even line up anywhere close to the airbox, was functional RAM AIR. Experience at the track and dyno quickly proved otherwise for me as all stock WS6's, SS's, Z28's and TA's made about the same amount of power on the DYNO and ran about the same at the track.
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Old Jul 11, 2006 | 08:04 PM
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The only gear ratio available on any front drive LS4 car is a 2.93. The car and driver article must have been a typo.
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Old Jul 11, 2006 | 09:37 PM
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The Impala DOES have 3.29 ratio. Before I bought my Impala SS I looked over a lot if information and according to chevys website here are the gear & final drive ratios for the Impala SS

Gear ratios
First gear 2.92
Second gear 1.57
Third gear 1.00
Fourth gear 0.71
Reverse 2.39
Final drive ratios 3.5L V6 = 2.86:1
3.9L V6 = 3.29:1
5.3L small block V8 = 3.29:1
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Old Jul 11, 2006 | 10:15 PM
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Actually, you are right, but it doesn't mean what everyone thinks. With these transverse engine FWD cars, there is a final drive ratio and an overall drive ratio. The final drive ratio is the traditional ring and pinion like a RWD car. But our trannies also have a chain and sprockets to turn the power 180 degrees. The LS4 cars have a 3.29 final drive, but the sprocket sizing reduces the effective or overall drive ratio to 2.93. Here is a GM fleet article that shows what I'm talking about 3/4 down the page:

http://www.gmfleet.com/gmfleetjsp/si...ral/010505.jsp

Chip
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Old Jul 11, 2006 | 10:34 PM
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Exactly. What matters is the final ratio seen at the wheels.
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