2007 Pontiac Grand Prix

2007 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX – PERFORMANCE MEETS PRACTICALITY

The Grand Prix builds on its sporty appeal with the addition of several new exterior colors to its palette for 2007. The exterior enhancements also include new 17-inch chrome aluminum wheels on both the base and GT models, and a standard tire pressure monitoring system.

Five new colors – Crimson Red, Midnight Blue Metallic, Shadow Gray Metallic, Purple Haze Metallic and Red Jewel Tintcoat – adorn the family-friendly, midsize sedan that combines big car roominess with the performance and agility of a sports sedan. (concept carz) Grand Prix continues to be the perfect blend of excitement and practicality.

For 2007, the Grand Prix lineup includes the well-equipped Grand Prix, the sporty Grand Prix GT and the high performance Grand Prix GXP. The Grand Prix is powered by the renowned 3.8L V-6, which is rated at 200 horsepower (149 kW), while the Grand Prix GT comes with the 3.8L Supercharged V-6 – it delivers 260 horsepower (194 kW).

The GXP is equipped with the 5.3L V-8 with Active Fuel Management technology, which regulates between eight- and four-cylinder operation to enable improved fuel economy in certain light-load driving situations. It is rated at 303 horsepower (226 kW).

The enhancements introduced on the 2006 models carryover into '07, including the Special Edition package offers a total performance look at a value-driven price of just $1,995 MSRP. Available on Grand Prix and Grand Prix GT models, the Special Edition package includes:

Únique ground effects package with deep air dam, flared rocker moldings and prominent rear spoiler
Body-color twin-port grille
Dual single round bright exhaust tips
The Special Edition package's prominent ground effects and front spoiler help to visually lower the vehicle, creating a sportier look.

Grand Prix interiors feature climate control with manual settings and HVAC outlets for the rear seat, two power outlets, rear reading lamps, electronic cruise control, a driver information center, remote keyless entry, power programmable door locks and ample interior storage. Standard seating surfaces are cloth, with leather available. Grand Prix models also offer a range of excellent AM/FM stereos with standard CD, as well as available MP3 capability, navigation system and six-CD changer.

Ingress and egress is great for passengers and cargo, with the rear door swinging open to a segment leading 82 degrees. Large objects are easy to carry thanks to the standard 60/40 split-folding rear seats, rear seat pass-through and an extra-wide trunk opening. Items as long as 9 feet can be accommodated with the trunk closed when the available fold-flat front passenger seat is folded flat.

The active and passive safety features on the '07 Grand Prix include standard four-wheel disc brakes, traction control systems and daytime running lamps. ABS is standard on GT and GXP models and available on base Grand Prix.

The Grand Prix GXP has a standard head-up display (HÚD), an active safety feature that helps the driver focus on the road by displaying dashboard information in the windshield. HÚD also allows the driver to navigate with the instrument lights off for better night vision.

Passive safety systems include safety belts and air bags. Consistent safety belt use is the primary and most effective form of occupant protection. All Grand Prix seating positions have three-point safety belts. Front outboard retractors have built-in load limiters to reduce peak chest loads by allowing a controlled amount of belt give during 'ride down' crash conditions. Front inboard safety belt buckles move with the seat during position adjustments.

Dual-stage frontal air bags provide supplemental protection for front seat passengers. The air bag system's control unit determines whether the severity of a crash warrants air bag deployment and if just the primary stage or the primary and secondary stages are necessary. This smart system helps reduce the risk of air bag-induced injuries. Front safety belt pretensioners deploy at the same time as the frontal air bags to take up slack in the safety belt webbing. Pretensioners minimize occupant movement during a crash.

Head curtain side air bags are also available for additional protection. They unfold from the roof rail between the A-pillar and side window header. The side air bags deploy in an angle toward the window to help provide protection for front and rear outboard passengers.

Grand Prix is equipped with child security locks and LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system anchors for child safety seats. Two lower anchors and a top tether anchor secure the child seat to the vehicle seat structure for proper installation of compatible child safety seats.

OnStar is now a standard feature on Grand Prix, and features dual-mode (analog-digital) equipment. OnStar's digital equipment also includes enhanced hands-free voice recognition capabilities including more intuitive continuous digit dialing and improved voice recognition accuracy. Úsing the GPS satellite network and wireless technology, OnStar features core safety services and OnStar Hands-Free Calling, which allows drivers to make and receive voice-activated phone calls using an externally mounted antenna for greater reception.

The OnStar service standard on the 2007 Grand Prix includes the General Motors Advanced Automatic Crash Notification (AACN) system, making crash data available to the participating 911 centers to help them dispatch the appropriate life-saving personnel and equipment to crash scenes faster.

OnStar's uplevel Turn-by-Turn Navigation is also available on Grand Prix models. The new service allows OnStar customers to talk to a live advisor, who in turn sends complete step-by-step directions to customers' vehicles through their OnStar system. Audio directions are then automatically played through the vehicle's stereo as they are needed, triggered by the OnStar system's GPS capabilities. This will allow drivers to be led to their destination while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Grand Prix's convenience and safety features underscore its appeal for customers who enjoy driving and desire precision handling in a family-friendly package. True to its roots, Grand Prix remains a driver's car. Four-wheel independent suspension, with MacPherson struts, form the basis of the Grand Prix handling package. The rear independent suspension uses a tri-link coil-over-strut design with anti-roll bars specifically tuned to each model.

GXP details

The Grand Prix GXP has unique suspension tuning befitting its role as the ultimate Grand Prix. A more aggressive look results from a re-tuned suspension that lowers the GXP approximately 9 mm. Bilstein gas-charged struts, higher-rate springs, and a larger hollow rear stabilizer bar are also used. The stabilizer bar reduces body roll.

GXP-specific body enhancements complement the car's aggressive stance, with front and rear fascias along with rocker extensions accentuating the low look. Prominent exhaust outlets in the rear fascia combine with GXP badges to foretell the car's performance capability.

The Grand Prix GXP has an upgraded brake system designed to match the car's enhanced awesome performance capability. Oversized four-wheel vented disc brakes with Bosch four-channel ABS provide superior braking.

The Grand Prix GXP also offers a unique feature of the different-width 18-inch polished forged aluminum wheels. The front wheels are eight inches wide, while and the rear wheels are seven inches wide. Tire sizes are P255/45R18 and P225/50R18 respectively. The tires are W speed-rated. Wider front wheels help the GXP achieve a more neutral cornering stance and optimize the inherent handling characteristics of a front-wheel drive vehicle. StabiliTrak, GM's electronic stability control system, and Magnasteer II are standard equipment.

StabiliTrak greatly improves vehicle control with a series of sophisticated sensors that maintain vehicle direction by independently applying brake force at the appropriate corners of the car. StabiliTrak monitors differences between the driver's desired path and the vehicle's actual path and then takes preventive measures to maintain the desired path. StabiliTrak greatly reduces the possibility of oversteer or understeer. StabiliTrak is integrated with the vehicle's ABS and traction control systems.

5.3L V-8 up close


AFM technology enables fuel economy gains by reducing the number of cylinders engaged in the combustion process. A sophisticated engine controller determines when to deactivate cylinders, allowing the engine to maintain vehicle speed in lighter-load conditions such as highway cruising. When the cylinders are deactivated, the engine effectively operates as a V-4, with alternate cylinders on each cylinder bank disabled. The engine returns to V-8 mode the instant the controller determines the vehicle speed or load requires additional power. The process is seamless and virtually imperceptible.

The 5.3L V-8 is mounted traversely to accommodate the Grand Prix's front-wheel drive chassis. Key features of the 5.3L V-8 include:

Aluminum engine block with cross-bolted main bearing caps
High-flow aluminum cylinder heads
10:1 compression ratio for fuel-efficient performance
Full-floating pistons
Lightweight composite intake manifold
Electronic throttle control
GM Oil Life System to minimize required oil changes
100,000 mile iridium-tipped spark plugs
Únique camshaft designed to accommodate AFM technology
A high-performance Hydra-Matic 4T65 electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission was strengthened to handle the prodigious torque of the 5.3L V-8. TAPshift (Touch Activated Power) is standard with the GXP and combines the fun and control of a manual transmission, but with the convenience of an automatic transmission. (posted on conceptcarz.com)

Source - GM