Monaro better than GT40

[rjk74]

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...421-1dp8o.html
Was reading the Melbourne Age and come across this one from Holden journo Toby Hagen, he rated the Monaro a 9/10 and the GT40 5/10. Then goes on to rate the later model Falcon GTs 6/10, are these blokes so blatantly pro-Holden or is it me being petty. Historically the Monaro doesnt really rate against the GT40 having won 4 Le Mans 24hrs in a row.

[TheZHLANE]

pro-holden for sure

[asusdragon]

Bit of an odd comparison really Monaro is a muscle car. GT40 is a supercar! oh well must be holden bias.

[DJR-351]

You guys do realise there is a difference between "Rating" and "Comparing" something......

All it looks like to me is he's rated the Monaro as a Muscle car, and rated the GT40 as a Supercar, not compared them to each other.....

[HULK EF]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

You guys do realise there is a difference between "Rating" and "Comparing" something......

All it looks like to me is he's rated the Monaro as a Muscle car, and rated the GT40 as a Supercar, not compared them to each other.....

but will then general public think like that? hhmm....

[ray38l]

Originally Posted by HULK EF

but will then general public think like that? hhmm....

I've got news for you, you are the general public!

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by HULK EF

but will then general public think like that? hhmm....

Does it really matter? It's just one person's opinion. Oh noes the Monaro is rated higher than the GT40 in some article that'll likely be forgotten in the next few weeks.

[Windsor220]

I dont usually care about articles much these days but that is terrible.

Falcon GT 6/10. Noise aint everything.

Yeah dont forget the fact the new one would hand a HSV its ****. Certainly not just noise.

As for the Ford GT the score of 5/10 is equally baffling.

The thing looked perfect and went like a supercar should busting out a high 10 quarter mile. Was only 100k US too. Even Jeremy Clarkson bought one.

[shedcoupe]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

As for the Ford GT the score of 5/10 is equally baffling.

The thing looked perfect and went like a supercar should busting out a high 10 quarter mile. Was only 100k US too. Even Jeremy Clarkson bought one.

But wasnt JC's always breaking down ? - looked good, but trouble in high heels.

[CAT600]

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

But wasnt JC's always breaking down ? - looked good, but trouble in high heels.

The only trouble that JC had was that when the 300 Ford GT's were exported to the UK, they had to have an additional immobiliser fitted for anti-theft purposes, that "add-on" system is what kept stuffing up on Jeremy's (and others) cars.

The GT itself has proven to be a very reliable car, with some examples already passing 60,000 miles of use (everyday driver it would seem - bastards!) The main issue was a recall/improved front suspension upright that got some of the '05 builds.

Daniel

[ltd]

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

But wasnt JC's always breaking down ? - looked good, but trouble in high heels.

Nope, I think you'll find that it was his alarm system which had live monitoring - an after market addition to his car.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

The thing looked perfect and went like a supercar should busting out a high 10 quarter mile. Was only 100k US too. Even Jeremy Clarkson bought one.

Then asked for his money back...

[GT450]

Toby Hagen say no more . Knows just as much as his dad Will Hagen another journo about cars which is one fifth of bugger all, so i wouldn't be too impressed with anything he said which ever marque he was talking about.
GT450

[mcnews]

Of course people here have more experience with the whole gamut of cars than Will or Toby :-)

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by GT450

Toby Hagen say no more . Knows just as much as his dad Will Hagen another journo about cars which is one fifth of bugger all, so i wouldn't be too impressed with anything he said which ever marque he was talking about.
GT450

The Hagon clan , if brains and knowledge of cars were dynamite this pair wouldn't have enough to mess up what little hair they have .

[burnz]

did anybody actuly read the story??
or are you lot just blowing hot air for the fun of it...

GT40(1968) vs GT40(2010)
monaro(1967) vs monaro(2002)
VW beetle(1964) vs VW beetle(2010)

old school(original) vs modern(retro)

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by burnz

did anybody actuly read the story??
or are you lot just blowing hot air for the fun of it...

GT40(1968) vs GT40(2010)
monaro(1967) vs monaro(2002)
VW beetle(1964) vs VW beetle(2010)

old school(original) vs modern(retro)

Yeah i actually read the story hence my Falcon coupe comment, putting cars in the story that dont even have a modern iteration throws any credibility out the window for me.

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by burnz

did anybody actuly read the story??
or are you lot just blowing hot air for the fun of it...

GT40(1968) vs GT40(2010)
monaro(1967) vs monaro(2002)
VW beetle(1964) vs VW beetle(2010)

old school(original) vs modern(retro)

Exactly. So how did the GT only score a 5 when it was almost identical (but modern) to the original?

Theres was nothing overly special about the monaro. Actually a lot of owners said they were too tame. But a 9/10 it gets.

[mcnews]

I have driven the modern iteration of the GT40, still have the rear tyres I burned off it up the shed as a memento of our few days together. I even took Andrew from Etheridge Ford a quick burn in it to make his day. The car was crude, brutal and competely impractical. Compared to the 911 GT3 I had previously where the 911 would have been 10, the GT would have been 5. Looked horn though :-)

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by mcnews

I have driven the modern iteration of the GT40, still have the rear tyres I burned off it up the shed as a memento of our few days together. I even took Andrew from Etheridge Ford a quick burn in it to make his day. The car was crude, brutal and competely impractical. Compared to the 911 GT3 I had previously where the 911 would have been 10, the GT would have been 5. Looked horn though :-)

Pics or it didnt happen

[SteveJH]

What DJM83 said! I've heard you mention that drive before, but never seen pics!!

[Blem]

Originally Posted by mcnews

I have driven the modern iteration of the GT40, still have the rear tyres I burned off it up the shed as a memento of our few days together. I even took Andrew from Etheridge Ford a quick burn in it to make his day. The car was crude, brutal and competely impractical. Compared to the 911 GT3 I had previously where the 911 would have been 10, the GT would have been 5. Looked horn though :-)

Mate
unsure where you are coming from.
You have stated in previous posts that at the track you drive your FGF6 in AUTO mode albeit performance .
I taken my car out to numerous track days at Mallala (SA) & apart from the first day it's been full manual everytime. There are some points/gear changes the ZF can't cope with.
You have said before it happens to quickly for manual mode so.....
I can dig it up if you've forgotten.

[mcnews]

Originally Posted by Blem

Mate
unsure where you are coming from.
You have stated in previous posts that at the track you drive your FGF6 in AUTO mode albeit performance .
I taken my car out to numerous track days at Mallala (SA) & apart from the first day it's been full manual everytime. There are some points/gear changes the ZF can't cope with.
You have said before it happens to quickly for manual mode so.....
I can dig it up if you've forgotten.

I remember, and the BF learned the track quite quickly in auto performance mode. Changed down hard enough for the tight bends to chirp the rears down through the gears etc. all by itself. I am always frustrated at the delay to the shifter from the box, and by later in the day with the box getting its act together I found leaving it to its own devices it did a sterling job and left me to concentrate on tip in points, using every mm of the track etc and braking markers. I was generally fastest at these sort of days thus was not hanging about etc. Although what effect this has on my opinions of these cars is rather moot I would think. Especially as I have also referred to all iterations of Falcon as big fat taxis, but they are the big fat taxis I choose to buy :-)

And I was generally fastest, I think because of the fact I am accustomed to speed more than most car drivers due to lots of time often on all manner of sportsbikes and a fair bit of track time on same, last week for example I would have gone over 250km/h 50 times or more, so car pace on the track with the acceleration etc. does feel a little slow motion thus I am pretty calm and comfortable with the speed more than most. The first FPV drive day I did the instructor said as much, bike riders always go the quickest at these days.

If you ever get to drive a 911 you will have your parameters of what you thought possible redefined. A murderous run up somewhere like Hotham that would have the FPV Brembos on fire, the sides of the tyres worn off and the whole car a smoking wreck, you can do faster in a 911 with one hand on the tiller, get to the top and there be nary a haze from the car, the tyres have perfectly square shoulders etc. And get better fuel economy doing it. There are not enough superlatives to do a Porsche justice. The GT3 was the most awesome sounding visceral driving experience I have ever had. Almost any review will echo my sentiments. And they are practical and comfortable enough to live with day to day and like I mentioned, even return good fuel economy. It's just about motoring perfection.

The modern day GT40 is like an old car in comparison. It is rough, crude, completely impractical, sucks huge amount of fuel, can't deal with anything less than perfect road surfaces and has no driver electronic aids. It breaks into wheelspin over any road imperfection in 3rd and 4th gear. Hugely exciting and gorgeous to look at, but as a piece of big picture engineering compared to something like a 911. Well, there is no comparison.

[Kingsley]

Sorry, but even as a big fan of the 60's to 70's Monaro's, I find it impossible to rate the new one above 5/10. To me it was an over glorified Commodore coupe (yes, I know the irony in that comment) over sensationalised by a Holden loving media. They aren't that good.

[Wretched]

hmm interesting article. Seemed ok to me. There was no direct comparison between a Monaro and a GT. More of a look back at the revival of each car compared to its original.
I don't agree with the rating with the monaro, I do like the new one, it was a lot fun to drive but compared to the original, meh, i'd give it the same rating at the Falcon GT. The current crop of Falcon GTs have nothing on the originals. The originals were born out of racing pedigree, the current is not and it shows.
The ford GT rating seems to be relevant too, again it doesn't have any racing history but as mentioned in the article has been exectuted perfectly.
The only issue I have with the article is the rating of the Monaro other than that it is fine.

[2011G6E]

I think that for intended purposes, the "new" Monaro pretty much equals the "old" Monaro.

i mean, the original Monaro was justa two door kingswood more or less, and i recall looking at one for sale back in the mid-1990's for $3500 that was the absolute poverty pack model...what was jokingly called "one without the lot"...drum brakes, 3 speed column shift, the basic Kingswood dash (long rectangular speedo and no instruments apart from a fuel and temp gauge) and a 161 engine...and bench seat. Stupidly, i turned it down.

Given the choice bewteen a new GT40 and a new Monaro, I think I would choose the Monaro...far more useable and practical in every day life.

[Scooter]

As he is comparing the old models with the new, not Fords vs Holdens etc.
I would like to know how he came up with his ratings?
The one thing that got me was saying that the new FJ Cruiser would just be like a fashion accessory? Surely no one can say they are a nice looking vehicle? Then again, people do buy Rukus and some other horrible looking cars?

[irlewy86]

The original GT40 had a design brief, beat Ferrari.

The new GT was better than the 360 in almost all area's.

10/10.

[SteveJH]

I'd say that making a remake of the GT40 would be a lot more complicated in terms of trying to live up to the expectations and history then it would to do the same for the Monaro.

The Monaro might have been in production longer, but can you honestly say it had anywhere near the same influence/impact on the world stage?

[irish2]

The original monaro was retired from track duties due to the fact it could not compete. The new one is much the same. 9/10 for me.