Joining a busy highway can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially when faced with a ridiculously short on-ramp that feels like it was designed as some kind of automotive obstacle course. Imagine a mere 100 yards to merge onto a three-lane highway with an immediate sharp left kink, no breakdown lane, and an off-ramp just 200 yards ahead. It’s the kind of situation that makes you appreciate a car with some get-up-and-go, something like the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP with the Competition Group Package, or as enthusiasts fondly call it, the “Comp G.”
Pontiac, in their infinite wisdom, equipped this Grand Prix with a transversely mounted, supercharged 3.8-liter V6 engine under the hood. Now, this engine might be older than some popular music groups, but it still packs a punch, delivering a healthy 260 horsepower. Equally important is the robust 280 lb-ft of torque, available at a usable 3200rpm. On paper, this powerplant should provide ample muscle to tackle even the most challenging highway merges, or at least outrun the local fire department if they designed your on-ramp.
Front view of a silver Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G, highlighting its sporty front fascia and performance-oriented design in an automotive review.
However, the moment you stomp on the accelerator of the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G, you might experience something akin to taming a wild horse – or rather, a prancing horse logo that’s more familiar on Italian sports cars. This front-wheel-drive sedan struggles to effectively deploy its power from a standstill, or anything close to it. For the initial few seconds, expect some serious front-wheel spin. Eventually, accompanied by the aroma of burning rubber and a sound that might resemble distressed farm animals, the Comp G finally launches forward.
Once the front tires of the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G manage to find grip, and once the ironically named StabiliTrak system wrestles control from the torque steer, the car surges ahead with considerable vigor. It feels genuinely quick, lending credibility to Pontiac’s claim of a zero to sixty mph sprint in around 6.5 seconds. While it might not be chasing down high-performance BMWs in a quarter-mile drag race, the Comp G certainly offers enough straight-line speed to raise eyebrows. But the question remains: does this power translate into a truly credible sports sedan experience?
Visually, the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G doesn’t scream “sports sedan.” In fact, its exterior styling might seem like a collection of sporty clichés haphazardly attached to what is essentially a family sedan silhouette. You’ll find token red-painted brake calipers, a somewhat bulbous rear spoiler, faux quad exhaust outlets, and side skirts and a chin spoiler that wouldn’t look out of place on a mountain bike. Perhaps the most distinctive styling element is the front end, which some might say resembles a slightly agitated cartoon character.
Stepping inside the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G, the sporty pretense continues to fade. Where rivals like the Mazda6 S or the Volkswagen Golf R32 boasted sophisticated interiors with brushed aluminum accents and modern designs, the Comp G presents a more dated aesthetic. Think dark plastic dashboard, rotary controls seemingly lifted from a bygone era, and white-on-grey gauges. On the plus side, the inclusion of XM satellite radio provides entertainment, and the heads-up display projecting speed and radio information onto the windshield is a genuinely cool feature that might appeal to tech-savvy drivers.
Pontiac touted the Tapshift buttons on the steering wheel of the Grand Prix Comp G as a way to “transform its automatic transmission into operating much like a manual.” However, this claim requires a generous interpretation of the word “much.” With only four gears available, the Tapshift’s utility is somewhat limited, mainly useful for dropping a gear for overtaking or indulging in tire-spinning displays. In most driving situations, simply letting the automatic transmission do its job by flooring the accelerator is just as effective.
Even when driven with restraint, the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G isn’t particularly engaging in corners. Those familiar with vehicle dynamics will recognize that the car’s weight shifts rearward under hard acceleration, leading to a predictable and substantial loss of front-end grip and control. Technically termed “excessive understeer,” this characteristic translates to a less-than-ideal experience when attempting spirited cornering. While the front tires do provide audible feedback as they approach the limits of grip, the Comp G wouldn’t be the top choice for tackling challenging, winding roads at speed.
Considering the supercharged power lurking under the hood, and acknowledging the typical American driver’s preference for straight roads, one might overlook the handling quirks if the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP Comp G were a budget-friendly performance option. However, with a price tag around $30,000, it wasn’t exactly cheap. Ultimately, the top-tier Grand Prix represented a model in its twilight years. The following year, GM would introduce the Pontiac GTO, a rebadged Holden Monaro – a rear-wheel-drive, V8-powered, Australian-made sports coupe with an available manual transmission. This GTO promised to deliver both exhilarating performance and improved handling, offering a more compelling proposition for driving enthusiasts. For those who found on-ramps a bit too thrilling in the Grand Prix Comp G, salvation was on the horizon in the form of the Pontiac GTO.
