Mind you, my experience was slightly tainted by the fact that I was immediately tossed into the top-trim GT with its 26-horse

The GT's CD/Mp3 stereo comes with a Pioneer Bass kicker in the trunk, ideally suited to the sporting image Pontiac has been trying to build for years. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)

upgrade and bonus 8 lb-ft of torque compared to the base four-cylinder with 145-hp and 155 lb-ft of torque. Throw in a CD/Mp3 stereo with a Pioneer Bass kicker in the trunk, 17-inch alloy wheels with performance tires and the car suits the economical yet sporting image Pontiac has been trying to build for years to a 'P', and may even start to lure in lost tuners that just can't stomach the new-look Civic blob, or for that matter can't handle the price of the GTI.

In this case I was more than happy to be tainted because I really felt the Pontiac mojo coming through on this one. With a total of 171-horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque, the Pursuit managed to bypass the brand's legendary torque-steer issues with only the slight occasional tug during spirited acceleration, so I guess you'll have to buck up for the old Bonny GTP in order to wrestle with that demon. By the way, I can shamelessly say, despite much derision from my colleagues,

With a total of 171-horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque, the Pursuit managed to bypass the brand's legendary torque-steer issues with only the slight occasional tug during spirited acceleration. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press)

that I love a little dose of torque-steer when peeling away from stoplights and during random bursts up to highway speeds. In city driving, where excitement rarely exceeds 80 km/h, a good mule-kick can sure keep things entertaining.

What was magical about the Pursuit Coupe's power delivery, mind you, was the engine's variable valve timing, which meant endless fun with the needle buried at 6,000+ rpm. Actually, the fun began as low as 2,000 rpm, but when the engine hit the high 4s I couldn't deny the extra pull, not to mention the engine sang like Axl Rose in his prime, screamin' high and loud (yeah it's not opera, but how many people actually listen to opera if it's not in a beer commercial?) I would often find myself sticking with an unnaturally low gear just to listen to the engine scream.