I test drove a new '06 GTO (an A4 with 18s) for the first time last weekend. Loved everything about it... except the trunk size...

For the Aussies on the board with new Commodores: How different is the new G8 (your Commodore SSV) going to be versus the old Monaro/GTO?

I'm debating trying to swing a really great deal on a left-over GTO versus waiting for the new G8s to arrive in 5-6 months and having to pay full price.

Craig in one word mate....

WAIT

It'll be worth it....

Woomera to San Diego, now that's a cultural change... :madsign3:

JK,

Not that I don't appreciate your short answer, but could you also provide some specifics. It will help sell the wife on the G8.

She liked the GTO also and she especially likes the low price deals available now. She is partly driving the new car purchase (GTO, G8, or?) since she doesn't like driving my manual-trans G35 anymore.

Woomrea to San Diego is a big change, but it's also ancient history. We left Australia when I was 17 (I'm now 47).

For one thing, the tank is a saddle sitting beneath the floor, so at least you'll be able to put something in the trunk that is bigger than a shoe box. Secondly, the chassis is far more rigid (as the Monaro and therefore GTO had less rigidity had less than even a standard VZ sedan). The ESP is ridiculously good, allowing plenty of fun whilst still letting you look like a hero. Its bigger, faster, corners harder, has a better quality interior, and is better balanced. Did I mention its a bit of a looker as well? More safety, more grip, more features, more noise, more presence. It's essentially a second generation because we have been nice enough to run it in Aus for 18 months so the bugs are ironed out already.

Its bigger, faster, corners harder, has a better quality interior, and is better balanced.

Faster than the GTO? Let's not get carried away. I agree with most everything else you stated, but it is not faster than the GTO.

Faster than the GTO? Let's not get carried away. I agree with most everything else you stated, but it is not faster than the GTO.

Since there has still been no independent test of a U.S. spec G8 V8 published ( at least not that I am aware of ) this is still pure speculation, but I doubt that the G8 will match or beat the GTO, in manual vs manual trans. configuration. But it might be ‘close’ – perhaps within 2 or 3 tenths, in the quarter mile.

With the G8 having a bit less aggressive final drive, a bit more weight, and a bit less HP than the 6.0L version of the GTO, I don’t see how it could be quicker. ( Some GTO acceleration test results & other specs, for both 5.7L and 6.0L versions, from various sources, below . . . )

My ** GUESS ** is that the A6 will show high 13s @ 100+. With a fairly high overall first gear mechanical advantage – plus Torque Converter, plus a single shift on 0 to 60, I believe that the A6 ( version I’d buy ) will be reasonably competitive with the manual, in acceleration numbers.

- Ray
Willing to be proven wrong . . .

Weight:
2004 GTO manual trans = 3800
2008 G8 V8 4000

GTO Final drive: 3.46:1
G8 manual trans will be: 3.27:1

Quarter mile times from R&T 350 HP & manual trans:
13.9 @ 103.6 ( comparo )
0 – 60: 5.4
13.8 @ 103.8 ( orig test )
0 – 60: 5.3

C+D 350 HP manual trans:
14.0 @ 102
0 – 60 5.3

GTO 350 HP 4 speed automatic ( MT test )
Weight 3725
Final drive 3.46:1
Quarter:
13.85 @ 101.41
0 – 60: 5.4

From Car and Driver test of the GTO w/400HP & 6 speed manual:
13.3 @ 107

0 – 60 in 4.8

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/13168/21st-century-muscle-cars-results.html


Motorweek 13.5 @ 108

http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2423.shtml

And . . .
G8 V8 manual trans final drive = 3.27
First gear = 3.01:1
Overall = 9.84 to 1

[ G8 A6 = 4.03 first & 2.92 final drive = 11.78 to 1 ]

Faster than the GTO? Let's not get carried away. I agree with most everything else you stated, but it is not faster than the GTO.

Do you mean quicker or faster?

There is a difference

Mike:aus_flag:

Do you mean quicker or faster?

There is a difference

Mike:aus_flag:

Yea, I know. I gave up trying to explain the difference on car boards years ago. I have adapted to assume when someone on a car board says one car is faster than another car, they mean in terms of acceleration (i.e. quicker). That is the factor that most people care about. Top speeds (i.e. faster) of the cars are the same or nearly the same depending on how you look at it. It is my understanding, I know some people will give different numbers, both cars are electronically limited to 155 mph. Also, if you calculate the theoretical top speeds using gear ratios, rear gear ratio, top rpm, and tire size, the GTO and G8 are within a couple mph, except for the A4 GTO, which is significantly slower. Of course, this does not take into account the drag coefficient of each car, so the real world numbers may be slightly different. I do not know the drag coefficient of either car, so I can not state which car is actually faster, but they should be close.

It was much easier to say what I said before. :p

Point taken, but I was referring to the G8s ability to corner harder and lay better lap times due to its increased chassis rigidity and the inclusion of a highly regarded ESP setup (for those who need it...like me ;)).

Either way, Monaro CV8 (I understand there were differences to the GTO) posted 0-100KPH in 6.01 (MOTOR Magazine Feb06)
vs.
VESS at 5.2 (MOTOR Magazine Jun 07) (I understand there will be some differences to the G8)

I love the Monaro, but the G8 will have all of the pros, none of the cons (ie 2 doors, small trunk & Cavalier looks) plus an interior that feels more like home. My Commodore is basically a GTO inside, and my brother's Calais V is a G8, and there is no contest.

The Calais is quieter, easier to drive, has a much better auto, the traction control in the Monaro is a bit agricultural, the ESP reacts like it has esp.