The brakes probably felt stronger because of the weight difference. Same with the throttle. I notice this big time when i am forced to drive my mom'* GA (be quiet, Boo) Of course being an on loan car it'* probably already had the crap beaten out of it :P
I'm going to go take my car in and demand a GXP now Was it the steering you had looked @?

They found the rattle in the steering (it was a metal sticker that was on the back side of the air bag that had pulled off and was rattling against something metal), but they did not find the clunk noise when backing out of a driveway going over the curb.

The new GXP has 275 horsepower, and is no faster than the Series 2 L67. I think it was a bad move, just to decrease gas mileage, and see no increase in performance. They should have made a 340hp 4.6L Northstar, seeing as all the other companies can get 300+ out of there 4.2-4.3L. The older GTP'* are ALOT of fun, the new ones I do not like as much. As for that sensitive throttle, my dads Sierra had the same, and I HATED it. He always said he never noticed a difference but I did. My driving school instructor drives a Ford Escape, and its the same on that. The old regal has such a smooth throttle, that you can hold it anywhere without any tiring. Problem is, id you have a heavy foot like me, you tend to lay into it more, and in the winter time, hehe, not good :P

wonder how long the tranny will last in the new GTP'* with the paddle shift...that cant be good for it!

Thats a good question, I felt the same way as I dont compression down shift to save brakes ( pads are cheap trannys are not) Plus I'd be tempted to shift up up up then down down down over and over untill something broke?

My other car is a stick, and I know how I drive it ...using a slushbox the same way would be fun, but I can see a whole lot of heat building up in that thing! Keeping that 260 hp boiling in the hot zone would be a rush...but at what expense?

My aunts old GP accelorator was hard as well and it was a 99 GT.

Yeah, you can really tell mostly by looking at the wheels as well. Do you remember if the wheels had rims or wheel covers?