2006 Pontiac G6 GTP Coupe Road Test

Dishing Up Sleekness with Performance to Match

GMs Pontiac division was in desperate need of some new fixins if it was to attract more attention from the X and Y generations than a knitting convention in Florida. Well the fixins have been served and now has more opportunity to pull in that intended buyer with some rather tantalizing un-Pontiac-like offerings. Along with the new Solstice roadster and all-wheel-drive (AWD) Torrent, the G6 is one of those dishes. Its a completely new vehicle from Pontiac, not a warmed-over Grand Am with restyled washboard cladding, and this weeks GTP Coupe tester is the sportiest G6 of all.

Admirably GM shattered the molds typical of Pontiac when penning the exterior lines of the new coupe. Its as sleek as any moderately priced example out there, such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry Solara. I really admire the clean, uncluttered simplicity of the G6 Coupes body shape: no cladding, no phony spoiler (at least not on my tester) and no gimmicky stick-ons such as fake air scoops and imitation vents - how refreshing is that!

Size-wise, this front-wheel-drive two-door falls nicely between the slightly smaller Accord coupe and the marginally larger Solara; but when it comes to wheelbase, GMs coupe eats-up a full 5 inches more tarmac over Toyotas version. Compare rear overhangs and one can easily see that GM made a purposeful effort to place the rear wheels of the G6 Coupe as far into the corners as possible. Not only does this approach improve the visual balance of the vehicle, but it also contributes to interior roominess, especially in the back seat, and impressive ride and handling dynamics.

Inside the G6 GTP, a fully-adjustable bucket holds the driver firmly and comfortably in place. From this perch, forward visibility is good, but as with coupes in general, rearward visibility is compromised. As mentioned, the long wheelbase of the G6 Coupe translates into remarkably good legroom both front and rear. Headroom up front is also plentiful, but duck that noggin if relegated to the two-position rear seat. Anyone verging on 6-feet or more will encounter headliner-rub when seated in the rear. Looking at the specs, though, reveals that headroom in the rear is consistent with both the Accord Coupe and Solara hardtop rear seat accommodations.

But being that most “personal coupe” buyers dont sit in back, Pontiac has prioritized its efforts in other areas. Like, for instance, the interior build quality, which in my tester exceeds much of what the domestic brand has done in the past. I was unable to find any noteworthy deficiencies, other than the existence of more hard plastic on the lower portion of the doors and trimming the A-pillars than I would like to see. On the positive side, Pontiac has tightly clustered the analog instrumentation, surrounding each of the four primary gauges in a chrome bezel and positioning the upscale grouping in perfect sight of the driver. At night the readouts are illuminated in red against a black background. The center stack, housing the HVAC and audio controls, also lights up in red at night. The assorted switchgear controlling these functions is well-placed and intuitive to use. I am pleased to see that Pontiac resisted adopting control systems that favor fashion over function in an effort to wow us with glitz.

If not with unnecessary glitz, the effort to impress has clearly been put into operational refinement and performance. If there is a singular drawback in the GTPs performance department, its undoubtedly the vehicles front-wheel drive (FWD) configuration. Sure FWD is fine for the G6 sedan, but when it comes to performance-oriented driving enjoyment, FWD doesnt measure up - at least not by my dipstick. Of course, adapting rear-wheel drive (RWD), or even AWD to a FWD architecture is more than simply plugging in a driveshaft, and wouldnt likely have been cost effective for a one-off application. Once resigned to being pulled through hairpins rather than pushed, the strengths of the G6 GTP coupe emerge.

The GTP designation informs those in-the-know that this coupe is not your average mid-size 2+2-seater, and it boasts 240-horsepower and six gears to back-up the claim. Pontiac was astute enough to put some serious brawn behind its top performing G6. The GTP either meets or out muscles the competitions best with a new, 3.9-liter (231 cu in) V6 featuring variable intake valve timing and a variable intake manifold. Backing up the ponies is 241 persuasive foot-pounds of torque, online at only 2,800 rpm. Running that kind of torque through six gears (when equipped with a manual transmission) easily propels the GTP coupes 3,472 lbs of mass. Power is plentiful sub 3,000 rpm, which isnt always the case with V6 mills. Thanks to a torque rating consistent with many V8 engines, keeping the front wheels of the GTP from spinning frantically when the traction control system is deactivated can be a challenge. Pontiac claims a 0 to 60 mph GTP time of only 6.6 seconds.

Perhaps what impresses me more about the GTP than its hustle is the refined operation of GMs new large displacement V6. I have long bashed domestic carmakers about the lack of refinement in their V6 engines - most having about as much finesse as a blindfolded 10-year old going at a piñata full of candy; well, finally theyre catching up to the offshore competition. Despite being an archaic 2-valve per cylinder overhead-valve lump, the liquidity and smoothness of this powerplant invites the right foot to do what it does best. Taking it from idle to redline is joyous. The engine never sounds thrashy or like its grinding marbles while smoothly giving its all. Commendably, GMs GTP engineers also eliminated the much dreaded and all too pervasive demon of torque steer from the GTPs driveline.

All said there are some weeds mixed in with the roses. The short stick connecting driver to the GTPs six forward cogs is not one of the most gratifying I have ever employed. It competently performed its intended function, but required a little more urging in doing so than some other gearboxes I have sampled, for instance, the one in Hondas V6-powered Accord Coupe (see the road test in the archives under Honda: 2005 Honda Accord Coupe EX V6 Road Test). Abstaining from rowing your own cogs will require the selection of GMs 4-speed autobox, supplemented with a manual-mode - once again the Honda bests Pontiac by providing a silky-smooth 5-speed automatic with manual mode. If I could make one GTP recommendation to the Pontiac engineers and product planners, it would be to mount a proper dead pedal in place of the flat spot in the foot-well, which is less than performance inspiring.

Its due to the outstanding handling capabilities of the G6 GTP Coupe that I raise the dead pedal issue. With its wide 18-inch rubber tenaciously adhering to the pavement, my tester blazed through turns and switchbacks with predictability and precision. This vehicle is well-balanced thanks to a lively chassis and long wheelbase. Its 4-wheel independent suspension is specially tuned to enhance the GTPs handling qualities without subjecting occupants to an excessively firm ride.

The setup keeps the car stable and on course throughout rapid lane changes and emergency maneuvers but with some noticeable body lean harmlessly presenting itself. More annoying to me than body lean was the suspension noise, occasionally generated by uneven road surfaces. Although the cars body structure feels solid and sound, the thumping of the suspension system was a bit disconcerting. Perhaps its existence was emphasized by the absence of road noise: the GTP produces little wind and road noise, making its cabin quite serene.

A reassuring GTP strength is its flawless braking, which felt characteristically more Germanic than domestic in operation. As expected, the G6 is equipped with a 4-wheel antilock disc arrangement. Aiding in maintaining control of the GTP Coupe in the most challenging situations is GMs StabiliTrak electronic vehicle stability program combined with an electronic, all-speed traction control system, both of which are standard GTP equipment. Standard safety fare also includes dual-stage driver and front passenger frontal airbags. Regrettably, front and rear side-impact side head curtains are optional rather than standard.

Not at all regrettable though, is the wealth of standard comfort and convenience amenities accompanying Pontiacs top-line two-door G6. The list includes power windows, keyless entry and power locks, power folding exterior mirrors, dual-zone climate control, rear seat heat ducts, a driver information center, 6-way power driver seat, split back folding rear seats, an 8-speaker Monsoon audio system with steering wheel mounted controls, steering wheel mounted cruise control, power adjustable pedals (only with auto transmission) and fog lights.

Pontiac has done very well for itself with the G6 GTP Coupe. Buyers in the mid-size coupe market now have another realistic contender to assess before claiming title to a new ride. Certainly there isnt much in this segment that trumps the vehicles sleek design and performance thresholds. Like a young athlete with much potential but a few weaknesses, the G6 GTP Coupe has a lot of soul and a winning spirit making it a serious contender, and a blast to drive fast.

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