NormGTO
04-25-2005, 06:02 AM
I attended a 3-day driving school at Grattan Raceway in Michigan this past weekend. It rained all day Friday which was great trying to learn a new course with a new car. :) The weather broke Saturday until the last session. It was dry and about 45F. We did lane change, slalom, and thresold braking exercises in the morning so we got two runs in the afternoon. It rained all evening and then to snow. There was about one inch of snow on the cars before the last beer Saturday and a couple of us had visions of a plowed track like Mid-Ohio was a few weeks earlier. :) It ended up just being wet for the first two sessions. Sunday it was dry for all sessions but breezy around 35F.
The GTO handled good and the brakes and tires started to get hot and fade away about the same time. Many comments about the '05 model with it's hp increase with the LS2 and the awesome exhaust note of from the new dual exhaust.
I was running stock tires(BFG KDW M+S) and stock brake pads(C5 PBR caliper with some soft probably organic street pad). I might try to do some ducting before spending big bucks for brake kit upgrade. Anyone know if the '05's have C5 calipers like the '04's? Most of the Audi's and other cars in attendance have upgraded to Porsche brakes or Stoptechs. I might have been the only one running stock pads. :)
The tires with the 400 wear rating would only stay quiet for the first 2-3 laps. They worked great in the pouring rain but would fade quickly in the dry. Why they would put a M+S tire on a 400hp car is beyond me. With a street performance tire this car would come alive and even more so with DOT race rubber. But then it would be bumping into performance category of other cars in the line up. ;)
The gearbox/drivetrain seems quieter and better built than the clunking V. I only have a whimpering whine at 50 MPH since new, but it has not changed with three track days and 1500 miles. If the radio is on you cannot hear it. During lane change maneuvers the steering ratio is a bit slow and like a few could not make it. There is some body roll which stiffer sway bar bushings or sways would help. If you notice in auto mag. testing BMWs have lower slalom skid pad results but excel in the slalom. With it's low sitting engine and a stiffer suspension, back by the LS2, this could be quite a under rated performer.
There is no Stability program in the GTO, just traction control. It is very conservative and could get the back to rotate before it engaged. The GTO has a very low mounted engine which help lower center of gravity. So low they have a skid pate as it is the lowest part of the car.
Below are a few pics of Tom Paine's CTS-V and one of my car and my instructor's Noble M12. The Noble is built in South Africa on a Lotus Elise chasis sporting a twin turbo 3.0 liter Ford Duratec V6 making around 380hp in a 2300 lbs chasis. The handling and mid range power would have my helmut banging the back of the seat if I did not brace my neck. :) Truly impressive package seeing 130 MPH down the front straight. I was seeing 120 MPH before letting off early to save the brakes.
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050453sh.jpg
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050524jv.jpg
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050496yw.jpg
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050478uf.jpg
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050559nl.jpg
Norm
The GTO handled good and the brakes and tires started to get hot and fade away about the same time. Many comments about the '05 model with it's hp increase with the LS2 and the awesome exhaust note of from the new dual exhaust.
I was running stock tires(BFG KDW M+S) and stock brake pads(C5 PBR caliper with some soft probably organic street pad). I might try to do some ducting before spending big bucks for brake kit upgrade. Anyone know if the '05's have C5 calipers like the '04's? Most of the Audi's and other cars in attendance have upgraded to Porsche brakes or Stoptechs. I might have been the only one running stock pads. :)
The tires with the 400 wear rating would only stay quiet for the first 2-3 laps. They worked great in the pouring rain but would fade quickly in the dry. Why they would put a M+S tire on a 400hp car is beyond me. With a street performance tire this car would come alive and even more so with DOT race rubber. But then it would be bumping into performance category of other cars in the line up. ;)
The gearbox/drivetrain seems quieter and better built than the clunking V. I only have a whimpering whine at 50 MPH since new, but it has not changed with three track days and 1500 miles. If the radio is on you cannot hear it. During lane change maneuvers the steering ratio is a bit slow and like a few could not make it. There is some body roll which stiffer sway bar bushings or sways would help. If you notice in auto mag. testing BMWs have lower slalom skid pad results but excel in the slalom. With it's low sitting engine and a stiffer suspension, back by the LS2, this could be quite a under rated performer.
There is no Stability program in the GTO, just traction control. It is very conservative and could get the back to rotate before it engaged. The GTO has a very low mounted engine which help lower center of gravity. So low they have a skid pate as it is the lowest part of the car.
Below are a few pics of Tom Paine's CTS-V and one of my car and my instructor's Noble M12. The Noble is built in South Africa on a Lotus Elise chasis sporting a twin turbo 3.0 liter Ford Duratec V6 making around 380hp in a 2300 lbs chasis. The handling and mid range power would have my helmut banging the back of the seat if I did not brace my neck. :) Truly impressive package seeing 130 MPH down the front straight. I was seeing 120 MPH before letting off early to save the brakes.
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050453sh.jpg
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050524jv.jpg
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050496yw.jpg
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050478uf.jpg
http://img144.echo.cx/my.php?image=050559nl.jpg
Norm