2004 Pontiac Bonneville Review

Specifications

All New, All Muscle

In the automotive world of the 21st Century, change for the sake of change is as common as dealer incentives, that new car smell and the timeless salesman line, “Ill have to check with my manager.”

New models beget new models, new colors wash away old colors, and new names replace old names. All of which makes coming across a vehicle model name that has survived the ravages of modern day marketers an oddly comforting, albeit rare, occurrence. And while the 2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP is an all-new model, the name Bonneville harkens back to simpler times when a guy by the name of Dwight David Eisenhower was President, a coke cost a nickel and Jack Kerouac was laying down a literary beat that would come to define the times.

Born in the optimistic, skys-the-limit 1950s, the Bonneville moniker, originating from the famous Utah salt flats that have been home to pretty well every land speed record since time immemorial, has lent itself to Pontiacs large sedans for more than a half-century, though none have been as technologically advanced, nor as audibly threatening as the 04 GXP.

A stable mate to the base SE and SLE models, the GXP combines muscular performance with well-appointed creature comforts. Powered by a Cadillac-inspired 4.6-liter Northstar V8, which actually comes directly from the now defunct Oldsmobile Aurora, the full-size sedan is Pontiacs best effort to date in taking on the boatloads of European and Japanese sport/luxury four-doors that now dominate a class once ruled by the Big Three.

Like those imports, and unlike far too many U.S. sport sedans, the GXP is tight in the corners, thanks largely in part to its four-wheel independent, performance-tuned, load-leveling suspension, variable assist rack and pinion steering, front and rear stabilizer bars, Stabilitrak electronic stability control and electronically controlled transaxle.

With 275 horses mated to a smooth four-speed automatic Hydra-Matic transmission (speaking of brand names from the past), the performance of the Bonneville is what youd expect from a powerful sedan. Acceleration, particularly at highway speeds, is immediate, and the performance-tuned dual exhaust system produces a sound that will turn heads.

The sport styling of the GXP is also worthy of a neck snap or two. Redesigned front and rear fascias, with new headlights, taillamps, exhaust tips and rear spoiler give the GXP a sleek look no prior Bonneville has ever had, and the meaty 18-inch 5-spoke wheel and P235/50R18 tire package, complete with large front rotors and red-painted brake calipers, provide the kind of Euro-look that has come to define the category.

Inside, the GXP is loaded with features, including big, suede-trimmed seats up front and in the back, an eight-speaker Monsoon CD player, and power everything. My tester was also equipped with a heads-up display option, and while Ive never felt the need to see my speed displayed on the window, the fact that a blinking indicator light shows up there is a helpful reminder to those who forget to turn off their signals.

The Bonneville press kit lists the Nissan Maxima, the now defunct Chrysler Concorde and 300M, plus the Toyota Avalon, Lincoln LS and Lexus ES 330 as the GXPs chief competition, but at its near-$40K fully-loaded price tag, a number of German, Swedish and premium Japanese sedans enter the picture. Meaning, the GXP is up against some tough competition. Still, none of the European or Japanese cars offer a high-tech V8 engine at anywhere close to the same price. Only Chryslers new 300C is in this class, but in reality at 340 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque the C, along with its 5-speed automatic transmission with manual mode (Pontiacs 4-speed unit offers no such manual actuation) is well out of the Pontiacs league. The Chrysler is also priced better, while throwing a fair amount of sophisticated Mercedes-Benz components into the mix all covered by a much more extensive warranty.

The Bonnevilles interior is also less appealing than its premium price would suggest. Its plastics are still harder and glossier than most alternatives in this price range, while fit is not anywhere close to cars such as Acuras new TL.

Still, given the technological and interior appointments of this all-new Bonneville, Pontiac has done well to produce a sport sedan that can run with the big boys. And theres always that name.