2004 SEMA Show
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GM Performance |
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General Motors, eager as they were to bask in the light of Leno shiny star, was more than happy to clap the comedian’s shoulder and help him lift the weighty stone of success. But Leno was not so quick to share the credit, laughing aloud and telling the assembled audience that “success has many fathers” and that, in essence, it was nice for General Motors to join in the project after the project was complete. What really matters is that the ’66 Toronado has been impeccably restored, updated and given a custom power boost into the stratosphere. Leno’s Toronado features a 1,070-horsepower twin-turbocharged V-8 GM Performance Parts prototype crate engine, and a classically restored exterior and a stock interior. Underneath, however, there’s a modified C5 Corvette chassis and suspension and a Corvette rear transaxle. Stars and their cars aside, Gary Cowger, General Motors president of North America, had other important things to talk about – all of which enjoyed the reflected glow of Leno but were more than able to stand up on their own. Cowger once again debuted the Grand Prix GXP – a high-performance sedan equipped with interior appointments, an upgraded exterior appearance, sport-tuned suspension and a new 5300 5.3L V-8 (LS4) engine, producing an estimated 290 horsepower. The Grand Prix GXP is the second recent GXP concept to reach production, following this year’s launch of the V-8-powered Bonneville GXP – which currently accounts for about 30 percent of all Bonneville sales. It is the first Grand Prix model since 1987 to offer a V-8 engine and it is the first Pontiac equipped with Displacement on Demand (DOD) technology, which can provide up to a 12 percent improvement in fuel economy. The Grand Prix GXP is expected to deliver 0-60 performance of approximately 6 seconds. Cowger also showed the next GXP – a concept Pontiac G6 GXP. The G6 GXP features an integrated system of chassis and suspension refinements designed to complement the high-performance drivetrain, as well as delivering distinguishing exterior and interior appointments. The G6 GXP concept’s elements include a 3.6-liter HO V-6 with 275 horsepower, a six-speed manual transmission, Bilstein shocks, chromed production wheels and performance tires. Also among the 40 showcase vehicles at the General Motors area was the Chevrolet Cobalt Phase 5 drag racer. The production-based Cobalt Phase 5 race car features powertrain, chassis and safety components developed by GM Racing – including a 500-plus horsepower race-prepared Ecotec engine that inspired the Phase 5 name. The Phase 5 Cobalt has a turbocharged 2.2-liter Ecotec engine that’s been modified to produce 535 horsepower while retaining 65 percent of the production engine parts.
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