One example of a better car would be a 2002 STI, which made 265 crank with only 4 cylinders, handled better and was all wheel drive. Think about the cobalt SS, srt4, etc that made as much power with less displacement.
V6 is an awkward medium, that's why there's nothing to compare the GTP to. I'd say the eaton powered v6 thunderbirds are the closest comparison and Ford was smart enough to drop those by 97. The difference of course being that the Thunderbird had an advantage by being rear wheel drive.