Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General help defend SVT tours!

92-93 V6 option was a 3.3L. www.edmunds.com
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After reading a cople of the messages, I wonder why you people even bothered replying. There is a lot of ignorance that it just isn't worth the effort in trying to get your point saccross as they will never understand some of the strengths the Contour has. There is also a lot of ignorance about Grand Ams so if you don't know, shut up and save the CEG face. You'll make us all look like asses. The Gramd AM (99+) has a place in the market, but it's a vastly different car from the Contour. Before you all say they are slow and suck, theu have automatics (consistancy) and a lot of torque. They run mid-high 15's at the track, same as non-SVT sticks with good launches. Be carefull of those older Grand Ams too. I had a '92 with a stick which was pretty quick, and I autocrossed it a lot. The car wasn't too bad for the amount of abuse I put it through.

Coolunderfire
This boy has alot to learn....don't pick on the SVTs until the GTO makes it way overseas... :rolleyes:

Aaron,

I do agree that the older GrandAm's weren't horrible cars. I do believe in '92 you could get them with the Quad4 and a stick. I don't recall which level of tune they came with, but somewhere at 180HP and above (upto 195HP) out of 2.3L, with early 90's technology, and yes, natrually aspirated. (FWIW, I had a 1990 Beretta GTZ with the 180HP Quad-4 and it ran 140+ MPH [calculated based on tach and ratios] on the German Autobahn.)

But the earlier GA's were a lot lighter cars than they are now.

Let me post this now, and I'll come back and fill in the details. Edmunds.com is slow to respond.

1992 GrandAM GT http://www.edmunds.com/used/1992/pontiac/grandam/2drgtcoupe/specs.html?id=lin0066

2001 GrandAM GT http://www.edmunds.com/used/2001/pontiac/grandam/2drgtcoupe/specs.html?id=lin0066

The 2001 has put on weight, and lost HP, but has more torque which
most 'mericans like.

TB

Tony, that's what I had 180Hp Quad 4 with a stick. Same drivetrain as your GTZ, but I had the fuel cut off @ 110mph. Acheiva SCX had top power for that engine, or the older Calais Quad 442. Frequently rivaled a friend at college with a GTZ at the autocrosses. He graduated to a 93 RX-7 R1, but lives in Wisconson. Gearing was a little tall for the engine, but it was rather quick especially for their time. Just as quick as the newest GT's are with a different temperment. And right about the weight, just over 2800lbs for 92-95 style, and 99+ is up to 3100ish IIRC. I think the 99+ is a very different car from both the earlier ones and the Contour.

You mean put on weight like most Americans... No offense to you, sir.

Yup, you are right about the weights, the car has put on from 250# to 350#

And for the edification of others, the Beretta GTZ, probably had similar weight, but not noted in the Edmunds specs here:

http://www.edmunds.com/used/1990/chevrolet/beretta/2drgtzcoupe/specs.html?id=lin0066

Sometimes I wish I still had that car. I'd probably AutoX it, just for fun.

TB
Just a fan of fun cars, no matter who builds 'em.

Same here.

Brinn...I think I love you and I don't even know you. That was the most amazing smack down on the GAGT I have yet to see. They can't argue with professionals too. I also love the fact that they need forced induction to beat us...put a SC on a Contour and wave goodbye.
I agree on the 'fan of fun cars' thing but I really don't see this as a fun car personally. I see it as a good car but not a fun car. Now, a miata, albeit not terrible quick stock, is a fun car cause you can rev it to high heaven and throw it around. The GAGT just kinda sits there.
><>David<><

I was specifically referring to the earlier attempts with the Quad-4. It was a fairly high revving production car, probably as close to 7K as the SVT Contour, certainly in the same neighborhood.

I do agree that the current pushrod V6's, while bullet-proof, are not really fun. If the 2.4L I4 was/is still available, it was a larger, but lower revving and lower powered version of the Quad-4.

I do honestly believe that GM had the "SVT Contour" in the early 90's with the Beretta GTZ and the Quad-4 equipped compact cars such as the Grand-Am and Olds 442 and later the Achieva SCX. Although, probably not on a comparable chassis, but competent, none-the-less.

Check out the car rags from 1987-1990 where the Beretta was favorably compared to the 3er of that day.

They learned what Ford learned half a decade later. Most buyers of American made cars believe there is no replacement for displacement.

So it's not like GM doesn't have modern multivalve powerplants, they just choose to install what their customers want, bigger torqey V6's.

Alas, I realize I'm living in the past of GM, as well as for Ford, and the Contour is past tense as far as Ford is concerned.

So in the business world, the Grand Am wins. The loser is the car enthusiast.

Sorry,

TB

I had a '93 Bonneville SSE that I thought was a pretty good performing car. At least that's what I thought before my SVT. There's nary a Pontiac sedan that will keep up with us once the road turns wavy.

Brinn, that was simply amazing, a wonderful assortment of facts, I memorized them all, thanks! Down with ponticraps