2004 Pontiac Bonneville Review

Specifications

Northstar V8 Ups Pontiac Ante, But is it Enough?

Will upping the power ante by dropping GMs exceptionally smooth and refined 275-horsepower, DOHC, aluminum 4.6-liter (278 cu-in) Northstar V8 into the Bonneville be enough for the big sedan to claim domestic 4-door dominance? Pontiac certainly hoped so while it was in development, but now that powerful new Chryslers 300C has taken the country by storm hoping may not be enough. After all, “That got a Northstar?” has hardly become a pop-culture catchphrase.

HEMI or not, before I start analyzing this modern day Pontiac flagship a short history lesson is needed. The Bonneville emerged in 1957 as a loaded, performance oriented convertible powered by a Strato-Streak 300+horsepower V8. Only 630 units were produced before a hardtop coupe was added to the redesigned, heavily chromed 1958 Bonneville lineup, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Interestingly enough, a small sample of that history sits upon my bookshelf. As if performing some sort of automotive journalism oversight role, my 1:18 scale die-cast 1958 Bonneville convertible bears witness to every key I strike. Write something out of line and Im feeling like its replica V8 will fire up and set me straight - hold on, Christine was a 1958 Plymouth Fury wasnt it?

Something thats been set straight on the Bonneville GXP is Pontiacs over-the-top usage of sculpted side cladding. I was pleased to see a much more restrained, essentially flat side cladding adorning my test GXP. But this improvement doesnt entirely overcome the aging lines of its refreshed exterior. Pontiac continues to adhere to the wedge shape that was immensely popular throughout the 1990s, but is now losing its grip to the likes the new Chrysler 300 and impending Ford 500. Visually, the GXP shows its age in the same way that special effects do in a decade old movie.

Given the GXPs out-lived design, it is still eye-catching and very sleek looking, especially when finished in the brilliant, Crimson Tintcoat red of my tester. Its monochromatic color scheme was highlighted by huge, 18-inch, 5-spoke aluminum wheels; the large openings of which expose, in a nice way, the Bonnevilles prominent red-painted brake caliper assemblies - a la Porsche C4S. Other external improvements include the flush-mounted twin honeycomb grille openings, spicing up the wind-cheating nose of the big sedan.

And just how big is this 4-door family hauler? Well lets do a little comparison-shopping. The GXP consumes 202.6 inches of tarmac lengthwise; thats more real estate than required by the new Chrysler 300 at 196.8 inches, the 2004 Lexus LS 430 at 197.4 inches and just slightly less moorage than an S-Class Mercedes-Benz at 203.1 inches. Although appearing aerodynamic, any way you slice it the Bonneville is substantive in size, translating of course into fairly spacious seating for five adults and plenty of cargo capacity.

A number of technology and decorative touches are added to the interior when the GXP insignia is affixed to the Bonnevilles front fenders, including a heads-up information display projected onto the lower portion of the windshield - something that was first introduced to the GM fold in this model even in its pre-2000 (current-generation) guise, and is showing up quite regularly on the automakers high-end vehicles. Also take note of the faux carbon fiber trim pieces scattered throughout the cockpit, plus the stainless steel surfaced gas and brake pedals.

Beyond the sporty visual cues, all occupants will definitely appreciate the powerful performance of the Monsoon audio system installed in GXP versions of the Bonneville. With the GXP sitting as Pontiacs pinnacle vehicle, nothing less than a heavily contented cabin would suffice, and this benchmark has been easily met. My leather and suede trimmed sample was equipped with dual zone climate control plus rear air, heated front seats and a full gauge package to name a few goodies.

The constellation of controls, switches and dials for all these comfort and convenience features created in me a state of sensory overload. Its as if Pontiac hopes to win points by wowing us with a dash layout more complex and comprehensive than in a Boeing 747. And if you think I am overstating the issue, drive the GXP at night and bear witness to the multitude of bright red backlit gauges, buttons, dials and knobs that surround the driver. On the positive side though, all of the controls are within easy access of the driver. Basic audio controls are repeated on the steering wheel, enhancing safety and convenience. The expansive dashboard houses no less than eight circular air-vents for cooling the driver and front seat passengers, which in my view tends to add to the overall cluttered appearance of the GXPs interior, especially when the vents are highlighted by the aforementioned carbon fiber trim surrounds. Of course, a strong dose of cooling air is essential when overwhelmed.

As the dash arcs toward the passenger side of the car, it sweeps down to seamlessly join with the center console. Here Pontiac has bolted in a conventional, straight-line shifter that does not offer a manual mode. Its unfortunate that such a driver-oriented car doesnt encourage driver involvement in the selection of gears. Even a gated shift pattern would enhance precision in the cog swapping process that many drivers enjoy being part of.

The same drivers will likely find plenty of comfort in the wide front buckets, but sadly little in the way of side-bolster support. The 12-way power seats offer tremendously large seating and back rest areas, but are fairly flat in contour when compared to seats in other premium sport sedans, such as the Recarro designed perches found in the V8 powered Audi S4. The fall-out from the plush, but less body hugging seats, combined with the absence of a manual-mode shifter is a mixed performance message. “Yes we give you a sensational V8 with plenty of punch, a taut performance tuned suspension, speed rated tires, 18-inch wheels and massive brakes - but we dont really expect you to use it,” is my interpretation of what Pontiac is saying in regard to the GXPs performance equipment.

And thats unfortunate because the GXP is quite a performer when engaging the added muscle neath its hood. The Northstar powerplant is renowned for its ability to hustle Cadillacs down the thoroughfare with authority and refinement. In its Bonneville application the horsepower rating has been dropped slightly to 275 - 25 more ponies and 600 cubic centimeters larger than when in the defunct Oldsmobile Aurora. Pontiac literature claims a 0 to 60 mph time of just over 6-seconds, declaring the GXP to be faster than the BMW 330Xi and the Lexus ES 330. A closer comparison would be to Chryslers HEMI-powered 300C, as the two models it chose to put to task offer relatively low-powered 6-cylinder engines. One thing thats for certain is the sweetness of the Bonnevilles V8 growl. Pontiac didnt stumble onto the authoritative exhaust note by accident, mind you, as plenty of R&D went into the “burble” of the GXPs pipes, which end at a pair of chrome tips tucked neatly beneath the rear fascia.

The lazy burble is the first clue that this 32-valve V8 doesnt need to flex its muscles unless during extreme acceleration. Rather it simply loafs about town, rarely breaking a sweat. When the time comes to speak its mind, the Northstar doesnt hold back. Power comes on smoothly and registers from sun up to sun down on the GXPs large tachometer. This isnt an engine that only delivers the “goods” in the final third of its rev band, but rather torque builds quickly at low rpms and remains in place until the twisting needle breaches 6,500 rpm. I was also impressed by the refinement of this Cadillac-derived power monger. Vibration and harshness never entered the picture, just honey smooth propulsion.

Before delivery to the front wheels, all that propulsion needs to be harnessed by and fed through a capable transmission, which in the case of all 2004 Bonnevilles is a fully-automatic 4-speed gearbox with overdrive. As with the bulk of modern GM auto-boxes that Ive tested, the GXPs version shifted flawlessly. Cogs were swapped crisply and shift points were always appropriate to ongoing needs and demands.

The aspect of the drivetrain that disappoints, depending of course on your drive-wheel preference, is its front-wheel drive setup. The need to strap in a 275 horsepower V8 to safely launch the hefty sedan off-the-line by only its front wheels is no doubt the sort of complication that would have kept GMs engineering staff awake at night. The twisting force on the unequal length axles creates a natural tendency for the car to pull madly to one side or the other, which can easily be compounded by uneven road surfaces, uneven tire pressures and driver initiated steering inputs. In the case of the GXP, the engineers have done their homework and earned their pay. Torque steer is very well controlled, but unfortunately not completely eliminated. Under full acceleration the GXPs steering becomes hyper-twitchy, with a steady pair of hands needed to maintain a straight line or negotiate a curve.

A main rival to the Northstar equipped GXP is once again Chryslers HEMI V8-powered 300C. In fact the 300C ingratiates itself with substantially more horsepower and torque than does the Cadillac V8. The 5.7-liter (345 cu-in) Chrysler mill doles out 340-horsepower and a walloping 390 pounds-feet of torque. The Northstar numbers are 275-horsepower and 300 pounds-feet of torque - you do the math. And while youre at it, factor in the rear-wheel and optional all-wheel drive formats of the big C, along with its significantly lower price threshold. What dya get? Just like in school, I get a “C,” a Chrysler 300C that is. GM needs to hit the books if it intends to promote Pontiac as their performance division. There is no doubt that the worlds largest automaker has the performance technology to compete or dominate in the big car/big power arena, just look at the wonderful drivetrain in the C6 Corvette, but others such as Chrysler, with its cutting-edge 300C, are getting the jump and therefore gnawing away at the Generals once dominant marketshare. While still sizeable, at 26 percent for the month of June 2004, GM executives had better stow away their “29″ lapel pins for a time in the future when they bring something a little more competitive to the table than the Bonneville GXP. By the way, the number 29 was an internal goal for reclaiming lost marketshare that GM was targeting in recent years. The strength of Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and now even Chrysler is making that number seem as elusive as a 29 point cribbage score.

But hey, this is supposed to be a road test review of the 2004 Bonneville GXP, not a blustery debate about Chrysler versus Pontiac for King-of-the-Hill sedan status, so lets get back to it. Whether one views the Bonneville as yesterdays techno-marvel or todays performance sedan, there is a lot more to admire and enjoy about the GXP than just its rumbling Northstar, beginning with its solidity and rigidity. A wallowy platform does not equate to a good handling car, it equates to excessive body flex and underachieving handling performance; this is not the Bonneville GXP. The GXP delights with its solid platform and strong, competent handling. Suspension design, including geometry and calibration, is critical in finding the elusive sweet spot between tenacious road-holding and road-smoothing abilities. The engineers at Pontiac have come very close to achieving such jubilation. The GXP rides on the firm side for a big American sedan, but never on the harsh or uncomfortable side of the continuum. Its 4-wheel independent setup features a tri-link trailing arm and solid stabilizer at each wheel, striking a real-world balance between track-like handling and everyday commuting comfort, erring I would say, in favor of kidney preservation.

The linkages performing so admirably beneath a GPX include front struts with coil springs, performance-tuned Carbon monotube dampers and an anti-roll bar, plus rear semi-trailing arms managed by coil springs, complemented by an anti-roll bar and an automatic self-leveling system. In addition to competent handling characteristics, the folks at Pontiac ensured that excessive road noise would be off-limits in a Bonneville. Five layers of insulating materials and 22-noise blockers are used to prevent noise from intruding into the cabin, although wind-rush becomes evident at highway speeds - perhaps accentuated by the quiet of everything else.

With a curb weight of 3,790 pounds the GXP requires strong brakes to be a contender in the performance car category, and it has them in the way of 14-inch rotors up front and 13-inch rotors working the rear. The upgraded 4-wheel antilock disc brakes on the GXP repeatedly pulled in quick, easily controlled, fade-free stops. Pedal actuation was good, holding no surprises. It seemed the only encumbrance to shorter stops was the grip, or lack thereof, delivered by the P235/50R18 Goodyear Eagle mud and snow radials.

Widening the GXPs vehicle control safety margin is GMs StabiliTrak traction and yaw control technology, which responds in the thousandths of a second when a lateral skid is detected. When such forces of nature take hold, StabiliTrak applies wheel specific braking to return the GXP to the drivers intended path. Should Mother Natures forces dominate mans technology, the Bonneville is highly resistant to rollovers. It has earned the highest rating possible from the National Traffic Safety Administration in this category.

But in life, accidents are not always avoidable. Fortunately the GXP is equipped with dual frontal airbags and seat-mounted, side- impact airbags, plus OnStar in-vehicle communication and assistance is also standard equipment. The extra protection provided by side-impact airbags and OnStar system is available as an option on SE and SLE Bonnevilles.

The base Bonneville SE, by the way, is a comfortable, well equipped ride featuring air conditioning, power steering, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, 6-way power driver seat with lumbar adjustment, center console, cupholders, a trunk pass-through, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD player, digital clock, tachometer, map lights, intermittent wipers, illuminated visor mirrors, rear defogger, remote decklid release, automatic headlights, floormats, a theft-deterrent system, fog lights, load-leveling suspension and 225/60R16 tires.

SLE versions add traction control, OnStar telematics with a one-year service program, leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, heated power mirrors, automatic day/night rearview mirror, compass, rear decklid spoiler, 235/55R17 tires and alloy wheels.

The “Big Daddy” GXP fulfills the Bonnevilles performance role with the addition of the potent 4.6-liter (278 cu-in) DOHC V8, StabiliTrak, front side airbags, upgraded brakes, leather/suede upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, 12-way power front seats with driver-seat memory, Monsoon AM/FM/cassette/CD player, outside-temperature indicator, air-inflator kit, performance suspension and 235/50WR18 tires. A series of stand-alone options and option packages enable an owner to personalize their Bonneville, however once GXP status is reached very little is left unattached.

But performance and luxury come at a price; especially with three-little-letters (GXP) affixed to the front fenders. The V6 powered Bonneville SE starts at a $26,965, the V6 SLE checks out at $29,815 and the GXP rocks the world with its V8 thrust at $35,270. Including destination charge, my GXP tester was stickered at an alarming $37,400. The heavily contented, HEMI-powered 2005 Chrysler 300C is priced at $29,995. Even fully loaded with a color-LCD equipped navigation system - the Bonneville doesnt offer such an item - the Chrysler still stickers for quite a bit less than a fully-loaded GXP.

The Poindexters at Pontiac need new glasses if they think the aging GXP will divert frugal, performance-minded sedan buyers from B-lining to the nearest Chrysler lot. By yesterdays standards, the GXP is a great vehicle, but the playing field shifted between yesterday and today - just ask anyone with seat-time in a 300C.