MASTERFUL AND COMMANDING; Gimmicks aside, this Pontiac moves.(Auto File)(Grand Prix)(Product/Service Evaluation)

In French, Grand Prix means grand prize, and our AutoFile results on Pontiac's sports sedan mostly bear that out. To those Grand Prix owners who responded to our survey, the car is a winner, having captured their hearts and minds over such lofty contenders as the BMW 5 Series, Cadillac CTS, Nissan Maxima and Chrysler 300M. We like the Grand Prix, too, and if we're a little less enthusiastic than its owners seem to be, well, it certainly moves us more than its predecessor did.

We are impressed with the extent to which GM has taken this car from a wannabe to one that has some real sporting cues and a serious performance bent. Are there gimmicks? Sure. The Grand Prix's instrument panel is busy, and sticking up from the steering wheel are silly little "ears'' for the transmission shift buttons, a feature we've seen better integrated in other cars. These paddles may look racy, but they are poorly positioned, especially for aggressive driving. The head-up display has not proven to be that gotta-have gizmo, and it creates a distracting shadow on the windshield when turned off. Odd textures and mismatched plastic abound.

But the power from Pontiac's venerable supercharged 3800 engine is not to be questioned. The 260-hp V6 packs a potent punch, especially off the line. Turning in a 7.15-second 0-to-60-mph time, the Grand Prix tops the Acura TSX (7.38), Mazda 6 (7.25), Toyota Camry (8.5) and Dodge Stratus R/T (7.36). Faster cars to 60 mph include the Maxima (6.28) and Honda Accord Coupe (6.12).

Notwithstanding the awkward placement of the Tapshift paddles, the four-speed transmission shifts smoothly. The Grand Prix is well balanced on the road, its performance-oriented suspension making for a good, firm ride.

It felt good on the skidpad, too, where it was easy to steer using just the throttle. The car's stability control is one of the most unobtrusive systems we've ...