Yes...I bit the bullet and picked up a GXP a few weeks back. I didn't say anything initially because I wanted to drive it a few weeks until the newness wore off. I still have the Comp G....my wife is driving it now...so I have an active comparison. I will try and break this up a bit...

Why did I buy the GXP and not something else?

All of my cars were RWD until the Comp G (probably 8 cars)....then once I got the Comp G...my opinion towards FWD changed a bit. It is a bit more livable in everyday driving compared to RWD IMO now. I feel a little bit more comfortable with aggressive merging and such in the rain compared to RWD. In all honestly though....the GP handles well enough that it almost makes you forget RWD (at least I do). This car is 3 year Smartbuy (I know there will be a pull ahead somewhere)..so basically my "tide me over car" until the 5th come out. I looked at a GTO...but the extra cost, plus the features you give up just don't make sense. The only way you could really justify a GTO over a GXP is if no RWD is a deal breaker for you (it isn't for me). I looked at the Impala SS...but again, the lack of the GXP's content killed it.

How does the GXP Compare to the Comp G?

In terms of driving dynamics, it is really a completely different car. You know something is up when you turn the key and hear the exhaust which sounds like it would be home on a Corvette. The GXP simply gives the Grand Prix a whole new badassed personality. The car has mountains of TQ and is much more refined feeling than the blown V6. The TQ management on the Comp G is gone which greatly increases driving pleasure. In the Comp G, you would floor it, and the car would kind of sit there for a second...then the car would downshift and explode with power. The GXP on the other hand just downshifts and explodes. I have been doing some research, and people are running 13.6-13.8 from the factory with the GXP....so it is a full second faster than the Comp G. As for steering, TQ steer is a bit higher on the GXP than the Comp G...you really have to muscle the wheel on a full throttle blast. In the positive though, the Magnasteer seems to have been retuned to be lighter and more intuitive then my old car.

In terms of handling, the Bilstiens are a godsend. The Comp G was probably the harshest riding car I have ever owned. The GXP on the other hand soaks up all the bumps while exceeding the Comp G's handling ability (a tall task). In terms of handling, the GXP is going to out handle 95% of the cars on the road..that simple. The brakes are also amazing, as such slotted units should be.


In the interior, the changes are not drastic, but well thought out. The perforated leather on the steering wheel and shift feels 1000x better than the old slippery pleather. The steering wheel has a new airbag cover that actually fits (the old units edges were to long and would flex and such) and has a 3D Pontiac Arrowhead on the cover. Another big improvement is that Pontiac replaced the gray faux aluminum plastic on the steering wheel controls and shifter with a new laminated shiny metallic material. The old pieces had cheap paint on them that would rub off and look nasty after 6 months of ownership. Other improvements include the gauge cluster that has a machined metal background like the old 70's Trans Am's, and the chrome trim on the doors and the vents. The seats are improved with suede inserts and contrasting stitching. My car has the NAV, which looks much more at home than the balky corporate 6 disk changer. It has MP3 capability and shows turn directions on the HUD.

All in all, the GXP (with GM Card points, rebates, etc) was $28K out the with every option including the special Blue Green Metallic Paint.

Here are some pics.

 

Congrats on the purchase. I always thought you said you hated the GXPs different grills? Anyways what is going to happen with the Nox, just you and the wife right? Teach her to drive and get a video of the two going down the track together, should prove to be an interesting video. Teach her to SCCA race it and you chould have some real fun.

 

Congrats on your purchase, its a very nice car. I'm thinking about replacing the GTP with one in a couple years, we will see.

 

It did bother me till I drove one...haha. You don't look at the grille when you are in the driver seat...and in all honestly...it looks much better in person.

Plus the GXP is an amazing package. Think about it...I could have bought any GM car up to like $33K (where I was trying to stay)...and I chose a better version of a car I already own.

As for the Nox...my wife is a nurse...so we need an AWD vehicle just incase. After a couple years, we may trade it in on a new GMT-900 Silverado though...we need a truck.

 

The first thing I thought while reading this was "I didn't think he would be able to get past the 'bucky beaver' grille that he disliked so much for so long" too... heheh.

Congrats on the GXP!

 

cooooool!

I wish my GP interior looked like that!

 

i like the look of the new GXP's, and that interior is sweet looking. But one question, whats the DOD like? ive never realy looked what people thought of it. How does it work when your driving? do you notice it at all?

 

You don't notice it at all

 

That's pretty cool - hope you enjoy it! I test drove a GXP... they are nice.

 

Good to see another Pontiac on the roads. I am seriously considering a trade in on my Solstice to the Solstice GXP. I know I can get one below MSRP but I'm not sure if I want to take a hit, or cash in the stocks and put a blower on the 2.4l engine once one is tested and put through the motions on the Solstice.

The growl of the v8 is nice in the GXP. Congrats on the purchase, Branden.

 

I completely hate you, Branden. Damn you and that damn vagina blue Equinox straight to hell!!!

Nice friggen car, but I still hate you...only because I am so jealous...

 

Congrats!

 

Nice car. Nice review.

 

Hey now....you are still one of the few people who can say that you got lost while going down Big Beaver in a vagina blue Equinox in Detroit

I am iffy on this Blue Green Crystal. I didn't want black again...and I saw some pictures on the net of the color and thought it was a neat looking Green that turns blue (Blue Green Crystal Metallic right?). I had the dealer DX it...and when I got there at night, the damn thing was purple. Since I had to put a deposit on it to get it DXed I was stuck. It's green most of the time...I just wished it turned blue and not freaking purple. Everyone who sees it likes it though.

 

BGC is an awesome color...enjoy it I have a BGC blown GT on the lot right now that I'd love to buy as well...I think its a sweet color.

Nice modification to the Equinox in your sig