It was the most predictable outcome I have ever seen in that magazine. The Bonneville was outperformed (in the straightline & in price & appointments), and the Crown Victoria was just flat out humiliated.

There were some interesting things that came out though:

*Despite being massively larger & having a body on frame construction, the Crown Vic is only 80 pounds heavier than the 300C
*The 300C seems to have a wide variance of computer tuning from the factory. C&D's last test of the 300C was 5.3 seconds 0-60. This time it was 5.9. The highest time I've seen for the car I believe was Road & Track at 6.2. The 1st person to crack the computer codes will probally be a god to mopar fans.
*The Bonneville GXP performs well for a front driver.
*The 300C's traction control computer can't be turned completely off. Although it limits actual grip (I believe the GXP beat it), in emergency lane changes the 300C is unbeatable (in this group anyway).
*Ford's Lincoln LS is damn overpriced. Ford offered one for the test, but C&D turned it down for the test because it cost $47,000 & the test centered around American cars in the $30,000 range.
*Finally, if you want to buy any new V8 sedan in the US in the $30,000 range, and want an overall performer, the 300C is the only game in town.

There is also an official test of the new Corvette as well, but that's a different thread.

 

hmmm Seams like Ford has to get the ball rolling..the new RWD car from GM is on the way...??? what about Ford??

 

I see these things for sell at around $32,000 all over...what useless options did they pick to make it so expensive?

 

GXP looks cool, at least my local dealership has one sitting outside, and since we can't get the GTO, its the fastest car on the lot lol.

 

I saw a GXP Bonnie on the road yesterday, and the thing looks phenomenal in person. I'd take one hands down over a 300C based on aesthetics alone...(and the fact that it's made by the General)

 

If it were rear drive, I'd agree with you. Front drive just doesn't cut it for me.

 

The V8 is considerably more expensive, and a pretty rare option.

 

Base V6 LS starts at $32,300. The foot-in-the-door charge for the LS V8 is now $39,880

 

Ah, that explains part of it. I guess discounts aren't included in magazine tests. I've seen the V8 LS for nearly $10000 off sticker at certain dealerships.

 

The GXP, if RWD, would make for one hell of a car. It looks sooooooooooo much better with its cladding gone, and thoes 18's give it the best stance out of all of them.
Why bother bring in the Crown Vic?

And for thoes who question why the CTS-V is so expensive, take a look at a fully loaded V8 LS and as Ford why? I would rather spend my 50k on the CTS-V then the boring, dull, and underpowerd LS.

 

I rented an LS sport last August, and it most certainly ISN'T underpowered! The CTSv outaccelerates LS1 F-bodies and isn't far off C5 Corvettes, so using the "V" as a yardstick to determine what's underpowered is a bit outlandish!

By any measure, the Lincoln LS is very quick, handles exceptionally well, and is actually a fun to drive car. If the Ford division got a stripped version of this car at the Corwn Vic's price, I think they'd have no problem selling them at all. The only issue I have with the LS is that when Ford upped the power on these things, Ford sent the price from "Pretty high" to "You're kidding...right??" levels.

The current V8 powered LS is a bit quicker than the GXP (low to mid 6 second to 60 mph). The V6 LSs are quicker than automatic V6 Camaros.

LSs aren't slugs.

 

Can anyone post the results of the performance tests? I checked out their website and could not find a thing on it...

 

I glanced at that article last night...

One thing I found hilarious was that they scored the Bonneville and the Crown Vic EQUAL in... STYLING!!!

Now, I know that styling is subjective and eye of the beholder and all that.... but, how can you possibly say that the Crown Vic is styled as well as the Bonneville?!?!

Ouf.

 

From what I got, they ripped the GXP pretty good, but not as much as the Crown Vic.

GXP got the highest top speed at 141 mph.
There was one second seprating each car in 0 to 60 runs.

300C 5.9 sec.
GXP 6.9 sec.
CV 7.9 sec.

I was shocked at the Crown Vic Sport's 32K sticker price We get our PIs for 20K, but they are stripped of everything. I think the GXP should get the 300hp Northstar. And the GXP is way overpriced at 38K

 

IMO, the Bonneville, at least in GXP form, is a much better looking car (on the outside) than the 300, let alone the Crown Vic (which is kind of handsome in an old school kind of way). The 300 is actually ugly, and misproportioned. The greenhouse is way to squashed compared to the slab-sided doors, especially the rear windows. But it is newer and fresher, while the Bonneville is entering its 6th model year (and the Crown Vic is even older). A pretty dumb comparison test - like Guion said, easiest outcome to predict ever.

Also, regarding pricing, I guarantee you can drive away with a GXP for quite a bit less than most of the 300Cs will go for in real, out the door prices.