GTO coupe proves Pontiac still builds excitement

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In 1964, the car that created Pontiac's reputation for excitement was the GTO coupe. Now Pontiac has a new version and the 2005 GTO is much more exciting.

The fun and excitement of the 2005 GTO comes from a powerful engine, even compared to the 2004 model. Under the hood is a 6.0-liter V-8 engine that produces a whopping 400 horsepower and 395 foot-pounds of torque almost instantly. This puts it in the elite class of a car that can do 0-to-60 mph in less than five seconds. That's a thrill.

This powerful engine was linked to a six-speed manual transmission on the test car. However, for those who prefer to remain shiftless, a four-speed automatic transmission is available as standard equipment. The manual is a $695 option and playing around with a manual transmission provides a lot more fun -- most of the time.

Every once in awhile, I found myself getting "hung up" when shifting as the gear box was notchy, and unless I was precise with my shift pattern, I sometimes failed to get into gear.

Even though the GTO isn't a large vehicle, it looks mean, with a pair of stylish scoops on the new hood design, allowing more air to be drawn into the engine compartment. The coupe sits on 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels. It also has a new dual-exhaust system and both exhaust tips are polished to give this $32,990 beauty a touch of class.

Because of it overall size, it's a real struggle to get into the rear seats of this four-passenger coupe -- and the trunk space is not very large. But the two leather sport bucket seats in the front were not only inviting, they were civilized to get into. After using eight-way power to adjust the driver's seat, I examined the clear-cut instrument panel and checked out the other controls including cruise control and the tilt and telescopic steering wheel. I noted there were plenty of storage compartments, plus a couple of cup holders. It even had a convenient power outlet in the front console area.

The GTO has safety features that made me feel comfortable as I was stepping on the gas pedal: front and rear disc brakes and traction control. The sound system also had power, featuring a Blaupunkt 200-watt, 10-speaker audio system, including a six-disc in-dash CD changer. But the really enjoyable sounds came from the deep tones of the exhaust pipes. These tones were not the loud, annoying sounds that some sports cars have, but reverberating tones that were music to my ears. So I turned off the sound system, even though audio controls on the steering wheel were a nice convenience.

As I drove, I observed the instrument panel had readouts for average speed, average miles per gallon, trip odometer, trip time remaining, fuel used and fuel remaining.

This car also had daytime running lamps and automatic headlamp control. It had a theft and content deterrent system, plus all the latest safety features.

In addition to the enjoyment of zipping around rural roads in an exciting coupe with precise steering and strong engine, I attributed the fun to how easily the car handled.

The Pontiac engineers did a great job assembling a coupe that feels secure when making hard, sharp turns. I'm told the GTO has a unitized body frame and four-wheel independent construction.

I had no problem when hitting hard bumps, as the suspension system seemed to absorb the jolts of the road.

Obviously, the GTO has come a long way -- as have all vehicles. The difference, however, is this GTO retains its exciting image.