I just bought an 05' and it ran 13.96 in 95 degree weather with a DA of 2500 ft. This is with 1500 miles on it. The cars are very sensitive to heat soaking. It would run 195-215 with the 180 thermo. Now it has a 160 and runs 180-185. With my manual fan switch I can keep the car at 180. It makes a huge differance. Without the switches, if you sit a light for awhile, you can feel how lazy the car is. Its unreal. With both fans, the car runs noticeable faster. It because of the compression 10.9:1 and the damn computer. It pulls timing big time when it gets hot. When it isn't hot, it pulls timing because of Torque Abuse Management (TAM). It feels like the car shut off inbetween shifts. It pulls timing and closes the throttle (drive by wire). There is probably 1 to 1.5 seconds in the car just by plaing with the computer. LS2Edit, efilive, hptuners, etc. should be out soon for these cars.
I am anxious to run the car again because I did the 160 thermo, fan switches, timing tricker (lying about air temp to computer, insulated intake elbow, removed hood gasket, opened hood scoops, removed plastic valve covers(otherwise the coils get heatsoaked).
For all you nay sayers. This is a great car. It should have been called a G8 and not a GTO though. When its cool out, its a beast even at 3800 pounds. And as far as styling, its kinda nice to not even get looked at. I barked the tires near a cop the other day and he had no idea where it came from. He looked right at me in my "V6 powered Grand Prix" LOL.
I suspect you guys are seeing 04's at the track. They had the LS1 which was 350 horse. The 05' have the LS2 which is 400 hp.
The gas tank is in the trunk because the Aussie crash standards aren't as strict as they are here. They didn't have time to redesign the back of the car, so they stuck it in the trunk and put a 45 lb tube frame in front of it. That will be coming out at Norwalk
So will the Spare, jack, and chalks... and skid plate.
Just have to figure out how to launch a 3800 lb car with IRS on 245x45 tires without wheel hop....