Dodge Spirit R/T vs. Lumina Z34 vs Taurus SHO

jetsetter · August 8th, 2008, 3:56 PM

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3082/2740533366_129efed6f7_o.jpg

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BlaRo · August 9th, 2008, 8:44 AM

Battle of the obscure beaters! images/smilies/biggrin.gif

jetsetter · August 9th, 2008, 8:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlaRo

Battle of the obscure beaters! images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Sexy beaters. images/smilies/wink.gif

Ezbok58a · August 9th, 2008, 10:03 PM

I'd love a Taurus SHO 5spd images/smilies/drool.gif

Prost264 · August 9th, 2008, 10:13 PM

^ Absolutely. The SHO will always have a special place in my heart.

Labcoatguy · August 9th, 2008, 10:32 PM

...and the year after this article came out, the newly updated Nissan Maxima beat the SHO in a head-to-head comparison. Oh well, you can't win them all or forever images/smilies/biggrin.gif

otispunkmeyer · August 9th, 2008, 10:38 PM

wow cool, despite looking like a soap box, that dodge is awesome...... small unit, lots of grunt, just like VAG's current engines.

thedguy · August 9th, 2008, 10:38 PM

There is a nasty little rumor abound that the Z34's 3.4L DOHC v6 was originally pumping out 300hp from the factory but GM higher ups wanted it to work with their automatic. Due to the auto-transaxles general weakness under power it was detuned. images/smilies/sad.gif

NecroJoe · August 9th, 2008, 11:41 PM

I love that the writer references The Fat Boys.

_HighVoltage_ · August 10th, 2008, 12:26 AM

Thank You very much for the article!
I want any of these 3 cars (I wish they would've tested the Pontiac Grand Prix STE with 3.1 Turbo 205bhp)

If I can slightly change a Jeremy Clarkson quote: "Automatic transmissions are for the feeble!"

_HighVoltage_ · August 21st, 2008, 1:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedguy

There is a nasty little rumor abound that the Z34's 3.4L DOHC v6 was originally pumping out 300hp from the factory but GM higher ups wanted it to work with their automatic. Due to the auto-transaxles general weakness under power it was detuned. images/smilies/sad.gif

I actually know about this.
The first 3.4 Twin Dual Cam that GM produced made exactly 281hp and they were very pleased with it. They wanted to sell it as 275hp.
But the GM Hydramatic (transmission) division dropped the ball big time - they didn't have the time (or the wits) to make a FWD auto-transmission that could handle 275hp. So what they did is they beefed up their current TH440 transmission that was used in the regular 3.1 cars, but even after that it could only cope with 200hp. So GM had to limit the engine at the flywheel at 200hp.
Sad story...
Although, I'm not sure how successful a 275hp FWD car would've been.

Crazyjeeper · August 22nd, 2008, 6:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _HighVoltage_

I actually know about this.
The first 3.4 Twin Dual Cam that GM produced made exactly 281hp and they were very pleased with it. They wanted to sell it as 275hp.
But the GM Hydramatic (transmission) division dropped the ball big time - they didn't have the time (or the wits) to make a FWD auto-transmission that could handle 275hp. So what they did is they beefed up their current TH440 transmission that was used in the regular 3.1 cars, but even after that it could only cope with 200hp. So GM had to limit the engine at the flywheel at 200hp.
Sad story...
Although, I'm not sure how successful a 275hp FWD car would've been.

A 275hp FWD car can be very successful, look at the Mazdaspeed3.

thedguy · August 24th, 2008, 7:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazyjeeper

A 275hp FWD car can be very successful, look at the Mazdaspeed3.

This is GM we are talking about... Early 90's GM at that. Mazda is willing to invest money to make it work, and there still are complaints of torque-steer from actual owners.

Still would have been interesting to see how things might have turned out if GM had actually sold the engine with the power it should have had. Of course they did do exactly that with the Quad 4 HO and they get no respect for that engine, and the 3.4 twin cam v6 IIRC had head gasket problems (same as the Q4ho).

Spectre · August 24th, 2008, 8:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _HighVoltage_

Although, I'm not sure how successful a 275hp FWD car would've been.

Not very:

http://images.securedwebform.com/reviews/images/96seville.jpg

jetsetter · August 24th, 2008, 5:26 PM

Seems like they sold quite a few of those.

jayhawk · August 27th, 2008, 2:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedguy

This is GM we are talking about... Early 90's GM at that. Mazda is willing to invest money to make it work, and there still are complaints of torque-steer from actual owners.

Truth. The W bodies (Lumina for example) were very revolutionary for GM when they came out in 1988, but GM was still hung up on FWD performance from the 1970's....

And where are you finding these articles?!? I used to scour all the auto mags back in the 1990's, it is weird to see articles that I read from fifteen years ago.

jetsetter · August 27th, 2008, 2:48 AM

Quote:

And where are you finding these articles?!? I used to scour all the auto mags back in the 1990's, it is weird to see articles that I read from fifteen years ago.

A few guys on http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?id=1 post them.

go4damo · July 29th, 2009, 7:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by _HighVoltage_

I actually know about this.
The first 3.4 Twin Dual Cam that GM produced made exactly 281hp and they were very pleased with it. They wanted to sell it as 275hp.
But the GM Hydramatic (transmission) division dropped the ball big time - they didn't have the time (or the wits) to make a FWD auto-transmission that could handle 275hp. So what they did is they beefed up their current TH440 transmission that was used in the regular 3.1 cars, but even after that it could only cope with 200hp. So GM had to limit the engine at the flywheel at 200hp.
Sad story...
Although, I'm not sure how successful a 275hp FWD car would've been.

I've read this same thing. Does that make the 3.4 engine a responsive engine to soup up?

argatoga · July 29th, 2009, 7:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ezbok58a

I'd love a Taurus SHO 5spd images/smilies/drool.gif

It's nice until the Escort sourced clutch gives out. images/smilies/tongue.gif

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spectre

Not very:

Well in their defense they did pull it off with some success before.

public · July 29th, 2009, 7:17 PM

A great read. And yeah, I'd go for the Dodge.

August 8th, 2008, 3:56 PM	#1
jetsetter Joined: Dec 11th, 2005 Last Online: 6:19 AM Location: Most Serene Republic of California Posts: 5,742 Car: 1992 Toyota Pickup Rep Power: 76	Dodge Spirit R/T vs. Lumina Z34 vs Taurus SHO __________________ "I saw myself founding a new religion, marching into Asia riding an elephant, a turban on my head and in my hands the new Koran I would have written to suit my needs." - Napoléon Bonaparte

August 9th, 2008, 8:44 AM	#2
BlaRo Lady GaGa's #1 Fan Joined: Aug 18th, 2005 Last Online: 12:35 AM Location: Assachusetts Age: 21 Posts: 11,259 Car: 1997 Yamaha Seca II, 1976 Honda CB550F Rep Power: 372	Battle of the obscure beaters! __________________ "It is impossible to describe this kind of performance to the uninitiated. Telling a traffic officer or a safety crusader like Ralph Nader that 100 mph can be safe is like reading the Constitution to a Maoist; it is a strange and hostile concept." -Brock Yates. The body was accidentally unearthed from a shallow grave by construction workers. Because of Parkinson's.

August 9th, 2008, 10:38 PM	#8
thedguy ^ will bore you to death Joined: Jun 18th, 2004 Last Online: 8:12 AM Location: Under the Counter at McD's Posts: 7,435 Car: 1990 Mazda MX-5 & 91 318i. Rep Power: 148	There is a nasty little rumor abound that the Z34's 3.4L DOHC v6 was originally pumping out 300hp from the factory but GM higher ups wanted it to work with their automatic. Due to the auto-transaxles general weakness under power it was detuned. __________________

August 24th, 2008, 5:26 PM	#15
jetsetter Joined: Dec 11th, 2005 Last Online: 6:19 AM Location: Most Serene Republic of California Posts: 5,742 Car: 1992 Toyota Pickup Rep Power: 76	Seems like they sold quite a few of those. __________________ "I saw myself founding a new religion, marching into Asia riding an elephant, a turban on my head and in my hands the new Koran I would have written to suit my needs." - Napoléon Bonaparte

July 29th, 2009, 7:17 PM	#20
public Joined: Nov 26th, 2007 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Finland Age: 25 Posts: 2,408 Car: 1991 Mazda 323F Rep Power: 128	A great read. And yeah, I'd go for the Dodge. __________________ "-I just spotted a copper Micra from 1984 with 44 000 km. I kinda want." "-Between this and the twisted love for old awful French cars you now have officially the weirdest taste in cars. Ever."

August 9th, 2008, 10:03 PM	#4
Ezbok58a Banned Joined: Nov 26th, 2006 Last Online: September 15th, 2009 Location: Iselin, NJ Posts: 669 Car: Crown Victoria LX Sport Rep Power: 0	I'd love a Taurus SHO 5spd

August 9th, 2008, 10:13 PM	#5
Prost264 Joined: Jun 30th, 2006 Last Online: 8:12 AM Location: Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia Age: 21 Posts: 2,617 Car: Mach 5 Rep Power: 42	^ Absolutely. The SHO will always have a special place in my heart.

August 9th, 2008, 10:32 PM	#6
Labcoatguy Joined: Mar 27th, 2005 Last Online: 8:15 AM Location: Boston, MA Age: 26 Posts: 4,428 Car: A Jaaaaaaaag. Rep Power: 236	...and the year after this article came out, the newly updated Nissan Maxima beat the SHO in a head-to-head comparison. Oh well, you can't win them all or forever

August 9th, 2008, 10:38 PM	#7
otispunkmeyer Joined: May 15th, 2006 Last Online: Yesterday Location: Loughborough UK Age: 23 Posts: 3,359 Car: '03 Skoda Superb (Comfort) 160HP Rep Power: 39	wow cool, despite looking like a soap box, that dodge is awesome...... small unit, lots of grunt, just like VAG's current engines.

August 9th, 2008, 11:41 PM	#9
NecroJoe Joined: Apr 12th, 2005 Last Online: 9:24 AM Location: San Francisco area, CA, USA Age: 30 Posts: 4,887 Car: 2001 Mercury Cougar V6 Rep Power: 226	I love that the writer references The Fat Boys.

August 10th, 2008, 12:26 AM	#10
_HighVoltage_ Joined: Aug 5th, 2006 Last Online: 5:41 AM Location: Bulgaria/Athens,WV Age: 22 Posts: 2,668 Car: 1994 Volvo 854 Rep Power: 53	Thank You very much for the article! I want any of these 3 cars (I wish they would've tested the Pontiac Grand Prix STE with 3.1 Turbo 205bhp) If I can slightly change a Jeremy Clarkson quote: "Automatic transmissions are for the feeble!"

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