Funny how the "expert" commenters in the comment section don't know sh*t about the cars, even when claiming to have one back in the day.
Sadly, I remember the day I saw the C&D magazine sitting on the magazine shelf at the local 7-11. I think I wasted money buying it but I still have that rag somewhere in a file cabinet or maybe in the shop somewhere.
I can say this. On the street back then, the 85 GN wasn't to be feared that much. I used to mess with Montes and GN's stop light to stop light back then and it ended up pretty much a wash depending on driver quality I believe. Camaros were more of a problem but could be had if you caught them napping. I do admit, after the intercooler was added to the GNs, look the f*k out though. Those things came alive! Still rode over bumps like crap, though.
The main antagonist in 85, IMO, was that danged Mustang LX 5.0. Those m-fers were bottle rockets on wheels. Never could catch those bastages. YMMV. I do know they got enough under my skin I went and test drove an 85 LX 5.0 manual transmission car just to see what the hubub was about with those things. Jesus that thing was quick for a new car. No weight and much cheesier interior than the Olds, but if you wanted to terrorize, that was the car with some attitude. Even a bunch of the SC State Troopers drove them.
It's kinda sad, looking back at it. While MCSS and GN actually got better as they neared the end, and especially the Firebird T/A and Camaro Z28 versions started to come to life, the 442 got worse. They detuned the transmission and with the roller cam, they were a little torquier down low, but lost their breath on the upper end, not the that H/Os and 85 442 had much lungs to lose anyway.
I used to b*tch about my car's name being R. Zimmerman from "The Wedding Album" (look that up if you're too young to remember). Very good down low, but then on top end, it wheezed. But I've never loved a G-body more.