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Pontiac Grand Am GT coupe and sedan rock with ram-air power
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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MILAN, Mich. -- Crank up Pontiac's new Grand Am GT, the sporty compact with a V6 engine linked to cold-air induction and a low-restriction exhaust, only if you dare: The muscular version of Pontiac's best-selling coupe and sedan with flared hood nostrils and performance hardware totes the ram-air kit and twin-port hood scoops designed to force more outside air into the engine in order to muster even more power.
It zips a straightaway at an illicit rate, as we prove in performance tests conducted at a private motorsports park nestled among Michigan farmlands beyond the fringes of Motor City.
With a red needle in the GT's round tachometer inching toward a 6200-rpm red zone while deep bass notes bleat from twin chrome-tinged tail pipes, the spicy Grand Am climbs quickly to high speed on a blacktop drag strip, then maintains the pace easily until we run out of pavement.
Big disc brakes rein the machine rapidly to make the right-hand turn at the end of the stretch, then we steer a course back to the starting line and fire it up again for another half-mile sprint under maximum power.
And so it goes while playing with Pontiac's prime sportster, which looks all-powerful as fitted with the optional new ram-air hood.
Constructed from high-impact fiberglass with a shiny gel-coat finish, the hood forges power domes left and right with the hood scoops up front as thin horizontal ports.
Complementing the hood scoops, a shapely fiberglass wing spoiler flying off the back deck works to pin the tail to the track and strengthens the overall look of a vehicle geared for performance.
New exterior styling marks all variations of Pontiac's Grand Am in the class of 2003. Designers stripped away excess plastic cladding on fenders and doors to clean up the flanks, then applied smooth fascia fore and aft. Subtle welts streak low through the forms and surround the vehicle.
Skewed as either a two-door coupe or four-door sedan and riding on the elongated platform that first appeared in 1999, Grand Am comes in seven different styles -- five for the sedan and two more for the coupe.
The sedan adds three options for power from engines with four or six cylinders.
The coupe focuses strictly on sporty GT and upgraded GT1 editions with the V6 tied to ram-air induction plus taut suspension tuning and 16-inch touring tires.
As entry point to the series, Grand Am SE sedan packs the EcoTec four-cylinder engine.
This modern plant -- a dual-cam design displacing 2.2 liters and mustering a hardy 140 hp at 5600 rpm plus 150 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm -- was developed as a universal engine for service in various brands of General Motors.
It's noticeably quieter than the 2.4-liter engine it replaces -- thanks in part to twin balance shafts in the cylinder block that cancel so much shaking inherent in a four-in-line plant.
Although total horsepower pares by ten points from the previous engine, this plant acts more lively because of the redistribution of torque -- it comes on stronger at lesser engine speeds in the bottom gears.
Also, physical dimensions of the engine actually decrease, but that ends up boosting fuel economy figures. Grand Am SE now scores up to 33 miles per gallon with the manual shifter, and it only dips one point with an automatic that's standard with one trim step up to the SE1 version with GM's Hydra-Matic four-speed.
A new SE2 sedan for Grand Am emerges with 2003 versions and brings more power plus more standard equipment and new options.
Grand Am SE2 draws from The General's workhorse iron-block 3.4-liter V6.
It produces up to 170 hp at 4800 rpm, with 195 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm running through the four-speed automatic.
Grand Am GT and GT1 coupe and sedan cap the series with V6 engine linked to the cold-air induction equipment and low-restriction exhaust.
These enhancements kick output to 175 hp at 4800 rpm, with torque pushed to 205 lb-ft at 4000 rpm.
The automatic four-speed transmission for all GT models -- GM's Hydra-Matic 4T45-E -- hones the final drive ratio and handles more torque with quicker shift sequences.
Regardless of engine choice, Grand Am in any trim looks muscular in a bold statement that implies speed and action.
The face, tracing to restructuring in 1999 which forged a new platform with longer wheelbase, snarls with cat-eye headlamps, twin-slit nose and a double-decker intake mouth flanked by round foglamps.
At the tail, round corner lamps supplement standard brake lights by illuminating the area beside and behind the vehicle as a visual aid to a driver backing up.
Peel back the taut skin to find a rigid unit-body structure on Grand Am with cross bracing to check frame squeaks, plus a hydro-formed front cradle that isolates the engine, and front and rear crush zones to absorb impact energy from a collision. The extended wheelbase at 107 inches and a broad wheel track of 59 inches establish a stable stance to set up a smooth ride quality.
To this platform the developers added dynamic control systems such as rack and pinion steering and the four-wheel independent suspension using MacPherson struts up front with lower control arms and a tri-link design in back with solid stabilizer bar to stem body sway.
Organization of the interior revolves around the driver's seat, with the dashboard center-section panel and instruments canted toward the driver in cockpit fashion. Two bucket seats border a center console, and in back the bench for three has sculptured spaces for two.
Base SE edition contains conveniences often considered optional, like air conditioning, a steering column with tilting wheel, power door locks and stereo sound.
Two more SE levels (SE1 and SE2) build in gear like power windows and cruise control, with the V6 engine and automatic shifter optional on SE1 and standard for SE2. OnStar telecommunications is aboard now and the subscription-based XM Satellite Radio service is optional.
The GT series adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, power mirrors and a Monsoon sound system, while GT1 brings six-way power control to the driver's seat and a power glass sunroof.
Grand Am's price ladder climbs upward from $18,250 for the SE to around $25,000 for the GT1 dressed with optional leather upholstery and chrome wheels.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM Specs |
| Description: |
Compact sports coupe, Compact sports sedan
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| Model Options: |
Compact sports coupe, Compact sports sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
107.2 inches
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| Overall Length: |
186.3 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.2-L I4
OHV 3.4-L V6
OHV 3.4-L V6 R/A
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| Transmission: |
I4: Manual/5
Auto/4/TCS
V6: Auto/4/TCS
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
SE: Power disc/drum/ABS opt.
GT: Power 4-disc/ABS
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| Airbags: |
2 (front)
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| Gas Mileage: |
I4 M/5: 25/33 mpg
I4 A/4: 25/32 mpg
V6 A/4: 20/29 mpg
V6 R/A: 20/29 mpg
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| Price: |
$ 18,250 to $ 23,545 |
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