chevy needs to bring back the beretta name. make it a rear wheel drive platform to compete with those toyobarus. keep the 4 banger. one can be all natural and turbo the shit out of the other. imagine it a Beretta SS
Doughbodyboy Not going to happen, since GM would have issues, (have to pay) the gun maker of the Beretta gun to use the name. Besides, GM screwed the Beretta name up so bad, many would not even consider one, sort of what Ford did to the Escort.
Had one of these when new, I tried to love it, looked awesome and had the power to pass no problem. Put it in 3rd on the road and hammer it and it took off. Sadly the POS broke down so much I had to bail on it. RIP Beretta GTZ, you really fucked me in the end.
The Quad4 was an amazing engine despite all of it's problems - which were many. The W41 version in the Olds' cars made 190HP and redlined at 7400rpm... it was like an American, late 80's version of the Integra Type-R.
Brings back good memories ... my first new car was a red '89 Beretta GT. My new Mazdaspeed3 reminds me a lot of my old GT, but with about an extra 130 HP. Still gets 30+ on the highway too! My next new car will probably be a Chevy Volt.
man, i thought i knew a thing or two about Chevys but i have never heard of the Beretta before until now, i just found this randomly and i gotta say the car looks sharp and its credentials sound promising, me having wanted to own an American car like forever but being in germany a usual big engine American car is almost impossible to afford (running costs) but these rather "small engines" (by American standards) would certainly be worth looking into. i certainly will do my research on them.
It had all the looks, but too bad it never drove the way it looked. Still, one of the better American cars you could but in the late 80s and early 90s. They all started to lose their edge by then...
25 years ago, my uncle had purchased a 1990 Tonka Yellow Chevrolet Beretta Indy since it was fresh off a Chevrolet dealer lot and he still have the Beretta Indy. I loved that car because of its Corvette-esque engine & the digital instrument panel setup. I noticed some fit-and-finish issues along with some cosmetic problems such as loose exterior window trim moldings, a severely cracked dashboard that's about to come off, a chipped air dam, slightly discolored "Beretta Indy" decals due to lackluster paint finish, and a spoiler that's cracked by an ice storm in 2014. I can't stop saying "thank you" to my uncle for keeping his Beretta Indy alive & well.
I have owned 4 of these 90 gtz's and I have been in love with them since they first come out. I had replaced numerous quad 4 engines but it was all worth it to see the dumb founded look on the rice burner owners face after i passed him like he was sitting still. If you have actually driven one, your opinion would change!!
Owned 4 of them? You love them like I do. The 1990 was my favorite as well. I only owned 1 but to this day it's my favorite car, wish I had it back. Aside from the head gasket, my Quad 4 ran & held up beautifully.
After that, the 2.4l Twin Cam was discontinued in late 2001 because GM announced the end of Oldsmobile as a company in 2000.(which ended up bankrupting them 9 years later.) And they made room for the ecotech, which i believe was designed by some saab and GM engineers. And they used the basic design of the Quad 4 with some tweaks to make it more fuel efficient and to meet government regulations.
GM quit making the Quad 4 to make room for the 2.4l Twin cam, because people were complaining that it was noisy. That and OBD2 made its entrance in 1996 into most GM and Ford cars and trucks. The twin cam came with balanced shafts, a different PS pump setup, and a new intake system to damper the noise. That is the reason they stopped making them. Its called NVH, and it happened to your honda as well.
it may not be your favorite, but the Quad 4 offered much more power in a smaller package. less weight, more horsepower, and even more torque. The car had it all. and as it turns out, the GTZ was the ultimate Beretta after all. The Grand Am also recieved this engine, and the Oldsmobile Achieva SCX recieved a much more potent 195hp W41 Quad 4. these cars were the fastest of their time. just a shame that GM phased them out with olds to bring that boring ecotec motor here.
@Airox2009 Correction... how many can do it with WITHOUT direct injection and variable valve timing and be stock? Not many! The Quad4 was far ahead of its' time.
thats a car that served as basic transportation, got the job done. then when they all or most of them went to the scrappers they were easily forgotten about.
I had a Grand Am with this engine. I was impressed that 180 hp could be generated out of a 2.3 from the 80's but not impressed with the cracked cylinder head at 90,000 miles! Not to mention all the other problems I had before that! Most unreliable engine I could think of next to the Cadillac HT4100! This is why I drive Toyota now and have been happy ever since without a visit to a mechanic since!
I seem to have gotten one of the few Quad 4's that wasn't junk. I had the head gasket replaced under a quiet "recall" they had & never had another problem. It performed great all the way until the guy I sold it to used it as a get away car in a robbery & flipped it several times. Sadly I saw it, mangled, on the evening news. They said "high speed chase" so it sounds like my Quad 4 ran strong until the end-
I had a 91 Beretta GT...loved that car. I'd love to have that car back, traded it in for $400 with 250,000 miles on it and running strong. The wheels alone were worth more than $400. I was a weekly watcher of Motor Week too, featuring Goss' Garage.
I took my Beretta GTZ to the drag strip with a friend, he had a 5.0 mustang He beat me both times we raced but only by about 1 1/2 car lengths. My GTZ was either a 1991 or 1992, i forget which year and his 5.0 was about the same year, an early 90's 5.0. Another friend of mine had a 6 cylinder Camaro, he thought it was quicker than my GTZ, he was wrong, about 3 car lengths wrong. I was able to get my GTZ into the high 15 seconds in a 1/4 mile, 15.8 or 15.9 1/4 mile at our local drag strip. When I bought it, I had no idea it would be as quick as what it was, it would even chirp the front tires when I shifted into second gear, it was a 5 speed manual.. It had a dual over head cam 16 valve 4 cylinder with, from what I was told when I bought it, an aftermarket computer chip, not sure if that was true or not but man it was a beauty. It had a custom black paint job with a couple silver strips that went over that car and very nice Enkei rims with very low profile tires. It was a blast to drive. It was the first car I bought with my own money. Before my GTZ, I had a Sunbird that my parents bought me when I got my drivers license when I was 16. Edit: Didn't know it was a Muncie 5 speed. Muncie is where I was born and raised and where I drove my GTZ around, I still live in Muncie. Pretty cool hearing that fact.
+matthew von Throw a turbo onto the quad 4, 2.3 and then talk to me. That's exactly what I thought. The Beretta GTZ quad 4 was arguably the fastest and most powerful N/A 4 cylinder of its time without the use of steroids (FI). Trust me; I've ridden in one that goes 150+ mph with only an aftermarket exhaust. BTW, they actually are capable of doing the quarter mile at around 15.2 @ 91.5-92.5 mph (bone stock) with the right driver mod. I’ll admit that a bone stock gsx was quicker from 0-60 due to it being AWD. However, a Beretta GTZ would pull on them from a rolling start. These cars to this day will break more necks than an eclipse GSX of the same year or any recent model eclipse. They are exclusive, something that the eclipse never was and never will be.
My friend had a 90 gtz and tried to pass me from behind. Turning right from a stop sign to a country road I pulled out and he a little behind me. I got to about 35 and see him changing lanes to pass me in my 68 Impala 327 th400. He had wound out first grabbed 2nd by then. I grabbed 1st, barked 2nd and he didn’t make it next to me and had to get back in his lane lol. Both of us had girls in the car..
Too bad American cars never got the dynamics down, I mean they ARE getting better now. A GTI of the time provided excellent handling, but also a subtle ride.. comfortable AND communicative. Steering spot on. Feel top notch. I know, I have a 92 16v GTI. I cannot find any old school road tests for it. In this test the car is having isses with the clutch engaging, poor brakes, harsh ride.. just poorly engineered. I recall a friend wiith one, it broke down constantly, had a low buck interior, cheap seats, just bad.
I'm not sure where you live but in Toronto I see tons and tons of 80s and 90s domestics. The 80s japanese cars all rusted out years ago, but I still see at least 5 Chevy Celebrities driving around everyday and they stopped making those in 1989. But do i ever see a '89 toyota, very rarely and it usually has huge rust holes, bumper is held on with ducktape and the engine is knocking. I own two '91 Taurus in immaculate condition, our GTZ also perfect, but our neighbor's '95 civic is all rusted
I respect all cars and trucks equally. You can drive a souped up muscle car, a drag car, track car, show car, or even a station wagon with a v8 in it and still look cool and gain respect from everyone. But do you want to know why honda will never be respected by the car community? because people like you exist and make those cars a joke, even more so than they already were to begin with.
To put it simply, yes, the Quad 4/Twin Cam series motors were superior. There are hp facts, track facts, and at least 3(if not 20 or so more) major IMSA/SCCA trophies in the Quad 4 stadium. I see nothing notable ever accomplished from the v-tec series of engines. other than entertaining swaggots, stupid kids, and idiots who don't know what a real car is, honda and its engines serve no better purpose than to become grandma's sunday driver.
Even though you own one, you have no idea of the track record hondas have. they are priced well below the $1,000 mark. They are nothing but commuter cars that you beat the shit out of until they fall apart. That is what a honda is: a beater car. Nothing more. Yet Stupid kids like you beat the shit out of those cars, and race them around thinking you look cool, when in reality you look like a tool.And you all end up dead on the side of the road waiting for a tow.It happens everywhere around here.
Hrmm, must have had shitty gearing but I figured that with 190hp and less weight than my B16 specV, it'd do much better than 15.9. Cool car though, but I always remembered hearing about these quad 4s having some pretty bad issues.
i swear these things are CURSED!! I bought one used 11 yrs ago and broke down over and over when i was out of town.. my friend bought one and did the same thing, another friend bought one and was killed on impact both est. at 45 mph..
I like em more than Cruze, but I felt they're just too mainstream?, its like they needed a side model?? I'm not an expert but in the 90s was the Cavy and the Beretta so different?, i mean i always liked the Beretta more.
why the hell is GM making that shitty Cruze and not something like this. the beretta is a very handsome car with a good mindset. a sporty compact without being a straight up sports car.
i thought this gtz would have a 3.4 v6, never knew there was a high output 4 under the hood. im not hating on beretta's but a gsx eclipse would run circles around this heavy car.
i remember all my friends trying to glue the dash back down cause they always peeled up below the windshield that aside Beretta's were damn good looking cars
I have to say as much as he came across as an ass, the GS-R does beat this car in straight line acceleration and most likely in slalom as well. The GS-R test that motorweek did was able to get a 14.9 1/4 mile time. Regardless, I LOVE The GTZ and the GS-R both. I'm not as much concerned about these things anymore, but finding special models like the GTZ and seeing how bad-ass they were for the day (And still quick by today's standards) is nothing short of spectacular!
Its so funny you mention probe gt's. My brother was obesessed with those cars and still is. He had a probe gt at the same time I had my gtz's. We never actually raced although we talked about it alot. It would have been pretty close I would imagine. Im not going to put down probes, because in fairness I think they are nice cars, but I still would take a gtz anyday over one of them.
...What about how the engine sounds? How the car drives? NVH!? Peak chassis resonances? Torsional rigidity? Impact safety? Build quality? Interior cut lines? Exterior cut lines? Materials quality? Suspension design? The list of places where GM decided to cut investment costs for more profit and watch as the competition created superior product is outlandish. I should know, I'm an engineer. The decline of the American automobile was my final Thesis.
I'd have to agree with 91Taurus. I NEVER see '80s imports on the roads, where as American cars of that era are a dime a dozen. However, on the newer cars, it's more evenly distributed. By the way, 180hp out of a 2.2L I4 is pretty impressive even by today's standards, let alone by those of '90, so GM did do SOME impressive engineering. My first car was an '86 Pontiac 6000 STE. Bought it with 164k miles on the clock, & got rid of it with 225k (original motor & trans). Still lit up the wheels.
MOST of Detroit is engineering comparable vehicles now, but the statement I made was fact. You haven't noticed the lack of 80s and even 90s domestic metal on the roads? But many Honda's, Toyota's, Mercedes-Benz, and VW products of that era are still being driven daily... Thats because the informed owners of cars like this Chevy got pissed at the garbage build-quality and there next vehicle purchase was an import! Thats why the "Big Three" are in the red now.
If I was going to buy a conventional compact coupe, a V6 Beretta in good condition would be high on the list. Test drove an 88 w/ 2.8L many years ago and loved it, but the deal didn't work out. I'm generally not fond of FWD, and don't really like the quad4, but the Chevy 60degree V6 is one of my favorite small-car engines ever. A 2.8 or 3.1 Beretta is a sweet car.
@Airox2009 Acura Integra Type-R (6.1), Acura Integra GS-R (7.8), Mazda 3s (7.6), Acura RSX Type-S (6.7), Subaru Impreza RS (7.8), Honda S2000 (6.4), Mazda Miata (7.5), Honda Civic Si (99-00: 7.2, 02-05: 7.6, 06-10: 6.3)... The GTZ is a great car, but there are a TON of NA 4 cylinders that will do 0-60 as fast or faster.
yah I have had a beretta for 6 years now and just turned over 215,000 on it. It has been a really good car, mine has the SFI V6 though unlike the one in this vid. i got it with 140,000 and havent had any problems accept for general maintenance, and with the V6 and light body it's snappy and quick, and can run or outrun even new cars. overall very good car.
anyway,those sy/ty`s got very good brake system!btw,ive just found out that there´s a typhoon here in spain(we dont have any american car!).i really would like to travel to the US for buying a GN..here those cars cause a lot of impression,almost everybody likes them!i dont need a gnx,a "normal" gn is enough hehehe.what was their price some years ago?
anyway,those sy/ty`s got very good brake system!btw,ive just found out that there´s a typhoon here in spain(we dont have any american car!).i really would like to travel to the US for buying a GN..here those cars cause a lot of impression,almost everybody likes them!i dont need a gnx,a "normal" gn is enough hehehe.what was their price some years ago?
ive had a 1990 beretta GTZ and a 1984 lazer, and the lazer will smoke the GTZ. But when my beretta drivin by a drunk friend hit a pole and cased the rear bumper, it fixed it self, the dent was popped out without a scratch before we got home :) but compared to the 2 i had, the beratta out handles the lazer by far.
To marvel at how much GM has improved since accounting was booted from vehicle development control. In the switch back to an engineering led product development team, GM has begun making world-class product again after an almost 40 year absence from quality engineering. This isn't a bad car, the competition was just much better.
this engine was later replaced by the 3.1 v6 in allot of applications a few years later. 3.1 v6's are highly reliable even today many of them still run great after doing some minor repairs... can the same be said 22 years later for the toyota that you are driving now??? i doubt it.
I can't argue your personal experience, and I think we should all drive whatever makes us happy. Your vehicle is a personal expression of your tastes and desires. But, the rest (more than 50%) of America seems to agree with me, judging by their purchasing habits for the last ten years...
Glad to see this car & engine is a thing of the past . Rubbery shifter & mushy clutch coupled with an unreliable engine ....Chevy fanboys wish they could be as good as Honda , subaru or mitsubushi. , ill even take a Hyundai over this .
I had one of these and it was a piece of shit. The rack and pinion went out and the motor sludged. Terribly built, but was decent quick for its day. Got my ass kicked by an eclipse when they first came out and I was humbled. ...I was only 19 so.
im driving one now and its crap, maybe would be alright if the guy who gave it to me took better care of it it would of been alright, but its not.. just going to keep driving it till it dies or i get a new job
yeah i know what you mean.and yes,there were cool cars in the 80s-90s,like your beretta gtz or a lumina z34,grand prix turbo,etc..but the syclones/typhoons and grand nationals...simply were at a higher level!!
I'm fairly confident that 0-60 in 7.5 seconds is very acceptable for a naturally aspirated 4 banger. Even by today's standards. This Beretta would probably run circles around the 2004 Dodge Stratus coupe I once owned.
honda civic si's are a joke. a brand new 2010 si is only 1/10th faster to 60 and 1/2 a second faster in the 1/4mi. throw some modern tires on this Beretta and i bet you would see much closer results.
Corsica and Beretta got drivers airbag for the 1991 model year and ABS in the 1992 model year. The car in this clip was probably built in 1989 as my 1990 build Corsica has an airbag.
of course id also love to have any of them two,or the GN(because of the looks!)but the beretta clearly handles better because of weight,height..,althought the sy/ty´s brake better
I wooped so many cars whit this car428 scj no prob 454 no prob ls1 no prob brand new gto no prob but i had a big kit 200 hp get some replacment 4 displacment nitrus
Face the fact youtube keyboard jockeys...80s and early 90s GM cars were pretty much junk except for a few models. How many Berettas do you still see on the road? Not many.
@RuggerMango The Beretta was hella fast, faster than a Honda Civic Si of the same year. I guess the Si would be behind to the RV's rear bumper the whole time. :)
I had one once, that exact same color. Couldn't be any less reliable. Did a lot of work to it, and it handled great. Great gas milage, but so unreliable.
Holy crap! 180hp from an N/A 4 banger in 1990?? Not bad! Not bad at all.
chevy needs to bring back the beretta name. make it a rear wheel drive platform to compete with those toyobarus. keep the 4 banger. one can be all natural and turbo the shit out of the other. imagine it a Beretta SS
The idea is nice, and I'd like to see that. But it'll be a flop just like how the Chevy SS is today.
Doughbodyboy Not going to happen, since GM would have issues, (have to pay) the gun maker of the Beretta gun to use the name. Besides, GM screwed the Beretta name up so bad, many would not even consider one, sort of what Ford did to the Escort.
@@inuyasha2092 that is true the SS seden sold from 2014-2017 gm pull it because it didn’t sell that well
Had one of these when new, I tried to love it, looked awesome and had the power to pass no problem. Put it in 3rd on the road and hammer it and it took off. Sadly the POS broke down so much I had to bail on it. RIP Beretta GTZ, you really fucked me in the end.
laughed pretty good at this. I always felt the power was respectable.
dwoodog Did you get another GM?
LMAO
The Quad4 was an amazing engine despite all of it's problems - which were many. The W41 version in the Olds' cars made 190HP and redlined at 7400rpm... it was like an American, late 80's version of the Integra Type-R.
Is that what you heard ? 👂
Lol 🤣
180HP 4 cyl still holds up nicely now.
John, that's GT ZED!!!! What are you American?
Brings back good memories ... my first new car was a red '89 Beretta GT. My new Mazdaspeed3 reminds me a lot of my old GT, but with about an extra 130 HP. Still gets 30+ on the highway too! My next new car will probably be a Chevy Volt.
man, i thought i knew a thing or two about Chevys but i have never heard of the Beretta before until now, i just found this randomly and i gotta say the car looks sharp and its credentials sound promising, me having wanted to own an American car like forever but being in germany a usual big engine American car is almost impossible to afford (running costs) but these rather "small engines" (by American standards) would certainly be worth looking into. i certainly will do my research on them.
MotorWeek- 1990 Chevy Beretta GTZ Review
It had all the looks, but too bad it never drove the way it looked.
Still, one of the better American cars you could but in the late 80s and early 90s. They all started to lose their edge by then...
FrightfulAccountant Especially by the mid 90s
Review of the 1990 Chevrolet Beretta GTZ.
All of that body cladding for a 7.5s 0-60 time...got to love the late 1980s and early 1990s!
25 years ago, my uncle had purchased a 1990 Tonka Yellow Chevrolet Beretta Indy since it was fresh off a Chevrolet dealer lot and he still have the Beretta Indy. I loved that car because of its Corvette-esque engine & the digital instrument panel setup. I noticed some fit-and-finish issues along with some cosmetic problems such as loose exterior window trim moldings, a severely cracked dashboard that's about to come off, a chipped air dam, slightly discolored "Beretta Indy" decals due to lackluster paint finish, and a spoiler that's cracked by an ice storm in 2014. I can't stop saying "thank you" to my uncle for keeping his Beretta Indy alive & well.
Paint issues are standard for cars in that era, if it really bothers you Get it redone from the ground up Professionally is my advice.
I have owned 4 of these 90 gtz's and I have been in love with them since they first come out. I had replaced numerous quad 4 engines but it was all worth it to see the dumb founded look on the rice burner owners face after i passed him like he was sitting still. If you have actually driven one, your opinion would change!!
Owned 4 of them? You love them like I do. The 1990 was my favorite as well. I only owned 1 but to this day it's my favorite car, wish I had it back. Aside from the head gasket, my Quad 4 ran & held up beautifully.
Such clear image quality. What is this, off of a laser disc?
After that, the 2.4l Twin Cam was discontinued in late 2001 because GM announced the end of Oldsmobile as a company in 2000.(which ended up bankrupting them 9 years later.) And they made room for the ecotech, which i believe was designed by some saab and GM engineers. And they used the basic design of the Quad 4 with some tweaks to make it more fuel efficient and to meet government regulations.
GM quit making the Quad 4 to make room for the 2.4l Twin cam, because people were complaining that it was noisy. That and OBD2 made its entrance in 1996 into most GM and Ford cars and trucks. The twin cam came with balanced shafts, a different PS pump setup, and a new intake system to damper the noise. That is the reason they stopped making them. Its called NVH, and it happened to your honda as well.
it may not be your favorite, but the Quad 4 offered much more power in a smaller package. less weight, more horsepower, and even more torque. The car had it all. and as it turns out, the GTZ was the ultimate Beretta after all. The Grand Am also recieved this engine, and the Oldsmobile Achieva SCX recieved a much more potent 195hp W41 Quad 4. these cars were the fastest of their time. just a shame that GM phased them out with olds to bring that boring ecotec motor here.
@Airox2009
Correction... how many can do it with WITHOUT direct injection and variable valve timing and be stock? Not many! The Quad4 was far ahead of its' time.
5:04 That was Tomorrow by Tevin Campbell on the stereo. God! I haven't heard that song in over 20 years.
Funny how far we've come; 7.5 0-60 was considered impressive in the early 90's. Now it is common for a car to do 6 seconds 0-60.
That lumbar seat adjuster hand pump looks like it comes straight out of a hospital or a doctor's office! LOL!
Kevron Harris Right! I felt my blood pressure going up. XD
it feels strange listening to a MotorWeek review without background music
Why didn't GM continue with the HO quad 4?
I always liked the way the GTZ looked.
God I miss the early '90s! 180hp 4cyl, 0-60 in 7.5sec, and 31mpg hwy! Sweeeeet.
i love my 91 beretta 3.1 base its got balls and it looks great! lol
Hand Pump Lumbar Support..LMAO I'm sorry that made me lose it
thats a car that served as basic transportation, got the job done. then when they all or most of them went to the scrappers they were easily forgotten about.
Thanks for the throwback! I've watched this show since the 80's. Still comes on.
180 horses in 1990 without a turbo is huge power
I had a Grand Am with this engine. I was impressed that 180 hp could be generated out of a 2.3 from the 80's but not impressed with the cracked cylinder head at 90,000 miles! Not to mention all the other problems I had before that! Most unreliable engine I could think of next to the Cadillac HT4100! This is why I drive Toyota now and have been happy ever since without a visit to a mechanic since!
I seem to have gotten one of the few Quad 4's that wasn't junk. I had the head gasket replaced under a quiet "recall" they had & never had another problem. It performed great all the way until the guy I sold it to used it as a get away car in a robbery & flipped it several times. Sadly I saw it, mangled, on the evening news. They said "high speed chase" so it sounds like my Quad 4 ran strong until the end-
Amazing quality! Thanks to you uploader!
I had a 91 Beretta GT...loved that car. I'd love to have that car back, traded it in for $400 with 250,000 miles on it and running strong. The wheels alone were worth more than $400. I was a weekly watcher of Motor Week too, featuring Goss' Garage.
I love this Chevy Beretta is great and nice car
awesome video about the gtz thanks for adding it
wow, I dont even know where to begin...
I took my Beretta GTZ to the drag strip with a friend, he had a 5.0 mustang He beat me both times we raced but only by about 1 1/2 car lengths. My GTZ was either a 1991 or 1992, i forget which year and his 5.0 was about the same year, an early 90's 5.0. Another friend of mine had a 6 cylinder Camaro, he thought it was quicker than my GTZ, he was wrong, about 3 car lengths wrong. I was able to get my GTZ into the high 15 seconds in a 1/4 mile, 15.8 or 15.9 1/4 mile at our local drag strip. When I bought it, I had no idea it would be as quick as what it was, it would even chirp the front tires when I shifted into second gear, it was a 5 speed manual.. It had a dual over head cam 16 valve 4 cylinder with, from what I was told when I bought it, an aftermarket computer chip, not sure if that was true or not but man it was a beauty. It had a custom black paint job with a couple silver strips that went over that car and very nice Enkei rims with very low profile tires. It was a blast to drive. It was the first car I bought with my own money. Before my GTZ, I had a Sunbird that my parents bought me when I got my drivers license when I was 16.
Edit: Didn't know it was a Muncie 5 speed. Muncie is where I was born and raised and where I drove my GTZ around, I still live in Muncie. Pretty cool hearing that fact.
the Eclipse GSX raped this people still build them to this day
+matthew von Throw a turbo onto the quad 4, 2.3 and then talk to me.
That's exactly what I thought. The Beretta GTZ quad 4
was arguably the fastest and most powerful N/A 4 cylinder of its
time without the use of steroids (FI). Trust me; I've ridden in one that goes
150+ mph with only an aftermarket exhaust. BTW, they actually are capable of
doing the quarter mile at around 15.2 @ 91.5-92.5 mph (bone stock) with
the right driver mod. I’ll admit that a bone stock gsx was quicker from 0-60
due to it being AWD. However, a Beretta GTZ would pull on them from a rolling
start. These cars to this day will break more necks than an eclipse GSX of the
same year or any recent model eclipse. They are exclusive, something that
the eclipse never was and never will be.
+Jalen Archer
The Olds Aerotech went 200+ with a turbo quad4. So it's true the quad 4 was no slouch. It was the best 4 banger of it's time.
+Jalen Archer no , quad 4 suffered from reliability issues.
My friend had a 90 gtz and tried to pass me from behind. Turning right from a stop sign to a country road I pulled out and he a little behind me. I got to about 35 and see him changing lanes to pass me in my 68 Impala 327 th400. He had wound out first grabbed 2nd by then. I grabbed 1st, barked 2nd and he didn’t make it next to me and had to get back in his lane lol. Both of us had girls in the car..
lol @ hand pump lumbar!
Mines a 92 and it has 31k! :)!
Too bad American cars never got the dynamics down, I mean they ARE getting better now. A GTI of the time provided excellent handling, but also a subtle ride.. comfortable AND communicative. Steering spot on. Feel top notch. I know, I have a 92 16v GTI. I cannot find any old school road tests for it. In this test the car is having isses with the clutch engaging, poor brakes, harsh ride.. just poorly engineered. I recall a friend wiith one, it broke down constantly, had a low buck interior, cheap seats, just bad.
I'm not sure where you live but in Toronto I see tons and tons of 80s and 90s domestics. The 80s japanese cars all rusted out years ago, but I still see at least 5 Chevy Celebrities driving around everyday and they stopped making those in 1989.
But do i ever see a '89 toyota, very rarely and it usually has huge rust holes, bumper is held on with ducktape and the engine is knocking. I own two '91 Taurus in immaculate condition, our GTZ also perfect, but our neighbor's '95 civic is all rusted
Thankfully that color only was around for 90, my first new car was a 92 GTZ which had a new blue color for 92 and waited 6 weeks to get it
I respect all cars and trucks equally. You can drive a souped up muscle car, a drag car, track car, show car, or even a station wagon with a v8 in it and still look cool and gain respect from everyone. But do you want to know why honda will never be respected by the car community? because people like you exist and make those cars a joke, even more so than they already were to begin with.
To put it simply, yes, the Quad 4/Twin Cam series motors were superior. There are hp facts, track facts, and at least 3(if not 20 or so more) major IMSA/SCCA trophies in the Quad 4 stadium. I see nothing notable ever accomplished from the v-tec series of engines. other than entertaining swaggots, stupid kids, and idiots who don't know what a real car is, honda and its engines serve no better purpose than to become grandma's sunday driver.
Even though you own one, you have no idea of the track record hondas have. they are priced well below the $1,000 mark. They are nothing but commuter cars that you beat the shit out of until they fall apart. That is what a honda is: a beater car. Nothing more. Yet Stupid kids like you beat the shit out of those cars, and race them around thinking you look cool, when in reality you look like a tool.And you all end up dead on the side of the road waiting for a tow.It happens everywhere around here.
John, what is this zeeeee you speak of? I think you mean zed. Anyway, carryon.
Hrmm, must have had shitty gearing but I figured that with 190hp and less weight than my B16 specV, it'd do much better than 15.9. Cool car though, but I always remembered hearing about these quad 4s having some pretty bad issues.
i swear these things are CURSED!! I bought one used 11 yrs ago and broke down over and over when i was out of town.. my friend bought one and did the same thing, another friend bought one and was killed on impact both est. at 45 mph..
I like em more than Cruze, but I felt they're just too mainstream?, its like they needed a side model??
I'm not an expert but in the 90s was the Cavy and the Beretta so different?, i mean i always liked the Beretta more.
why the hell is GM making that shitty Cruze and not something like this. the beretta is a very handsome car with a good mindset. a sporty compact without being a straight up sports car.
i thought this gtz would have a 3.4 v6, never knew there was a high output 4 under the hood. im not hating on beretta's but a gsx eclipse would run circles around this heavy car.
the 1987-1996 Chevrolet Beretta was assembled in
Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Linden, New Jersey, United States
i remember all my friends trying to glue the dash back down cause they always peeled up below the windshield that aside Beretta's were damn good looking cars
@Airox2009
Correction... how many can do with WITHOUT direct injection and variable valve timing? Not many! The Quad4 was far ahead of its' time.
Time for you to find a new job or get a more economical car if filling up cost more then a paycheck =)
Loved this thing back in the day. A white one was basically a dream car for a poor HS kid.
Yeah, you dont say, back in the day's this car was the sh!t, now , well a respectable sports car 0-60 will be in 5's second.
I have to say as much as he came across as an ass, the GS-R does beat this car in straight line acceleration and most likely in slalom as well. The GS-R test that motorweek did was able to get a 14.9 1/4 mile time. Regardless, I LOVE The GTZ and the GS-R both. I'm not as much concerned about these things anymore, but finding special models like the GTZ and seeing how bad-ass they were for the day (And still quick by today's standards) is nothing short of spectacular!
Its so funny you mention probe gt's. My brother was obesessed with those cars and still is. He had a probe gt at the same time I had my gtz's. We never actually raced although we talked about it alot. It would have been pretty close I would imagine. Im not going to put down probes, because in fairness I think they are nice cars, but I still would take a gtz anyday over one of them.
...What about how the engine sounds? How the car drives? NVH!? Peak chassis resonances? Torsional rigidity? Impact safety? Build quality? Interior cut lines? Exterior cut lines? Materials quality? Suspension design?
The list of places where GM decided to cut investment costs for more profit and watch as the competition created superior product is outlandish. I should know, I'm an engineer. The decline of the American automobile was my final Thesis.
I'd have to agree with 91Taurus. I NEVER see '80s imports on the roads, where as American cars of that era are a dime a dozen. However, on the newer cars, it's more evenly distributed. By the way, 180hp out of a 2.2L I4 is pretty impressive even by today's standards, let alone by those of '90, so GM did do SOME impressive engineering. My first car was an '86 Pontiac 6000 STE. Bought it with 164k miles on the clock, & got rid of it with 225k (original motor & trans). Still lit up the wheels.
MOST of Detroit is engineering comparable vehicles now, but the statement I made was fact. You haven't noticed the lack of 80s and even 90s domestic metal on the roads? But many Honda's, Toyota's, Mercedes-Benz, and VW products of that era are still being driven daily... Thats because the informed owners of cars like this Chevy got pissed at the garbage build-quality and there next vehicle purchase was an import! Thats why the "Big Three" are in the red now.
I used to have a Corsica (first car) and was upset it wasnt a Beretta. The intro to the show seems older than 90. haha
If I was going to buy a conventional compact coupe, a V6 Beretta in good condition would be high on the list. Test drove an 88 w/ 2.8L many years ago and loved it, but the deal didn't work out.
I'm generally not fond of FWD, and don't really like the quad4, but the Chevy 60degree V6 is one of my favorite small-car engines ever. A 2.8 or 3.1 Beretta is a sweet car.
@Airox2009 Acura Integra Type-R (6.1), Acura Integra GS-R (7.8), Mazda 3s (7.6), Acura RSX Type-S (6.7), Subaru Impreza RS (7.8), Honda S2000 (6.4), Mazda Miata (7.5), Honda Civic Si (99-00: 7.2, 02-05: 7.6, 06-10: 6.3)...
The GTZ is a great car, but there are a TON of NA 4 cylinders that will do 0-60 as fast or faster.
yah I have had a beretta for 6 years now and just turned over 215,000 on it. It has been a really good car, mine has the SFI
V6 though unlike the one in this vid. i got it with 140,000 and havent had any problems accept for general maintenance, and with the V6 and light body it's snappy and quick, and can run or outrun even new cars. overall very good car.
anyway,those sy/ty`s got very good brake system!btw,ive just found out that there´s a typhoon here in spain(we dont have any american car!).i really would like to travel to the US for buying a GN..here those cars cause a lot of impression,almost everybody likes them!i dont need a gnx,a "normal" gn is enough hehehe.what was their price some years ago?
anyway,those sy/ty`s got very good brake system!btw,ive just found out that there´s a typhoon here in spain(we dont have any american car!).i really would like to travel to the US for buying a GN..here those cars cause a lot of impression,almost everybody likes them!i dont need a gnx,a "normal" gn is enough hehehe.what was their price some years ago?
ive had a 1990 beretta GTZ and a 1984 lazer, and the lazer will smoke the GTZ. But when my beretta drivin by a drunk friend hit a pole and cased the rear bumper, it fixed it self, the dent was popped out without a scratch before we got home :) but compared to the 2 i had, the beratta out handles the lazer by far.
To marvel at how much GM has improved since accounting was booted from vehicle development control. In the switch back to an engineering led product development team, GM has begun making world-class product again after an almost 40 year absence from quality engineering. This isn't a bad car, the competition was just much better.
The NA 4 banger in this car is absolutely amazing but I wish they had the Euro3400 available for it in the GTZ trim.
this engine was later replaced by the 3.1 v6 in allot of applications a few years later. 3.1 v6's are highly reliable even today many of them still run great after doing some minor repairs... can the same be said 22 years later for the toyota that you are driving now??? i doubt it.
I can't argue your personal experience, and I think we should all drive whatever makes us happy. Your vehicle is a personal expression of your tastes and desires. But, the rest (more than 50%) of America seems to agree with me, judging by their purchasing habits for the last ten years...
Glad to see this car & engine is a thing of the past . Rubbery shifter & mushy clutch coupled with an unreliable engine ....Chevy fanboys wish they could be as good as Honda , subaru or mitsubushi. , ill even take a Hyundai over this .
I had one of these and it was a piece of shit. The rack and pinion went out and the motor sludged. Terribly built, but was decent quick for its day. Got my ass kicked by an eclipse when they first came out and I was humbled. ...I was only 19 so.
im driving one now and its crap, maybe would be alright if the guy who gave it to me took better care of it it would of been alright, but its not.. just going to keep driving it till it dies or i get a new job
yeah i know what you mean.and yes,there were cool cars in the 80s-90s,like your beretta gtz or a lumina z34,grand prix turbo,etc..but the syclones/typhoons and grand nationals...simply were at a higher level!!
I'm fairly confident that 0-60 in 7.5 seconds is very acceptable for a naturally aspirated 4 banger. Even by today's standards. This Beretta would probably run circles around the 2004 Dodge Stratus coupe I once owned.
@APBGrrl This intro was introduced in 1988 and ran to 1993. So all film in the intro must be pre-1988.
honda civic si's are a joke. a brand new 2010 si is only 1/10th faster to 60 and 1/2 a second faster in the 1/4mi. throw some modern tires on this Beretta and i bet you would see much closer results.
Corsica and Beretta got drivers airbag for the 1991 model year and ABS in the 1992 model year. The car in this clip was probably built in 1989 as my 1990 build Corsica has an airbag.
of course id also love to have any of them two,or the GN(because of the looks!)but the beretta clearly handles better because of weight,height..,althought the sy/ty´s brake better
your integra couldn't touch a Quad 4 engine. not even the less potent twin cam. keep on dreaming.
I wooped so many cars whit this car428 scj no prob 454 no prob ls1 no prob brand new gto no prob but i had a big kit 200 hp get some replacment 4 displacment nitrus
Face the fact youtube keyboard jockeys...80s and early 90s GM cars were pretty much junk except for a few models. How many Berettas do you still see on the road? Not many.
@RuggerMango The Beretta was hella fast, faster than a Honda Civic Si of the same year. I guess the Si would be behind to the RV's rear bumper the whole time. :)
I had one once, that exact same color. Couldn't be any less reliable. Did a lot of work to it, and it handled great. Great gas milage, but so unreliable.
I had a pair of Reebok pump shoes; you inflated the tongue with a finger pump so they would be tighter. Maybe GM was trying to steal their idea LOL!!
Wow cant belive I found this video. Well theres a Quad4 W41 engine on oldsmobile calais that does 1/4 in 14.5 secs and custom turbo @ 12.9 secs.
It isn't the adjustable lumbar that is so funny, it is how you use it (the pump) that is so archaic! A simple lever or knob would do it!
There playing Tevin Campbell at 5:03
Long Live Tevin Campbell
How many 80s and early 90s cars in general do you still see on the road? Not many.
This car is one of the reasons why Honda and Toyota are number one now!!! And the quad 4 engine was just too expensive to repair.
nice!! do u think that motor will mount to my brother's 89 beretta gt
Ahhhhhhhhhh, a Beautiful classic well in just 5-10 more yrs.PPL dont even Appreciate Berettas style,shape,and can be sleepers.
notice the copious amounts of wheelspin off the line. with a better launch, i wouldn't be surprised to see mid 15's stock.
What difference does it make how your lumbar support gets inflated? at least there are no electrical components to fail.
180HP from a 2.2L 4 banger is impressive (it's so much harder to do today!). But are numbers the only important thing?
i have 96 base model and i have been looking for a 2.0l turbo engine to go in mine. im thinking cobalt ss ecoboost.