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So what is everyone's opinion on the various transport options available to the GSC? I have always been partial to the chimera AND I am not really sold on the look of the new transport....tactically what are the pros/cons?

Chimera is the most durable for the points, meshes well with any lasgun carrying unit (i.e. Neophytes) and can actually ferry Purestrains, even the Patriarch! Not ideal for assault units though as it isn't an assault transport/open-topped and has minimal fire-points while also not having the same mobility-protecting rules that the Goliaths possess.

Goliath Truck is open-topped and thus works either as a "gunboat" for all your dudes to fire out of (Neophytes) or, ideally, as a transport for assault units like Acolytes or Metamorphs. Being open-topped does mean that the units inside are even more vulnerable to template weapons than they already are and it also does the Goliath no favours with the vehicle damage chart.

The Rockgrinder can only carry Acolytes, Metamorphs, I think Aberrants and the various non-Patriarch characters, but it has front AV12, superior guns (Heavy Seismic Cannon) and an awesome Ramming/Tank Shock bonus. It can reliable penetrate AV12/13 vehicles when it Rams and actually has a 1/6 chance of causing an Explodes result, or a 1/3 chance against Open Topped vehicles! It's also expensive, isn't an assault transport and thus doesn't mesh well with most units in the codex.

They are all respectable in their own rights, the Rockgrinder seems like it would be the most amusing option and brings the pain, but it's probably the worst as far as actual transportation is concerned. The Chimera is hardier than the standard Goliath but worse in most other ways unless you actively don't want the downsides of the open-topped rule. The Goliath Truck is your go-to transport for assault units, nothing more needs to be said there.

I would argue that the Rockgrinder is as/more durable than the Chimera for the points. It is only 10 points more, but comes with two great abilities for durability - the auto-pass for dangerous terrain test from the drilldozer blade, and the chance to ignore shaken/stunned/immobilised results on a 4+, which keeps it moving/shooting longer, and helps protect it from Grav spam.

The Chimera definitely wins in transport capacity though.

I think the rockgrinder isn't worth mentioning as a transport.

It can't carry neophytes at all (capacity 6, minimum squad size 10) and it isn't open-topped, so there's no use putting acolytes in it. May as well send them in thru cult ambush or in a goliath truck which they can charge out of.

I'd say it's between the truck and the chimera...for me, if you're hauling neophytes, it's the chimera, and if you've got acolytes in a transport it may as well be a truck.

Only time I'd field the grinder is in a Demolition Claw with Demo Charge Acolytes.

The Rockgrinder could make an interesting "drive-by" vehicle loaded with 6 Acolytes w/ Hand Flamers, or 4 w/ Hand Flamers and 2 w/ Demolition Charges. Fairly cheap for the devastation it can cause.

Chimeras and Goliaths get to Infiltrate in the Cult Insurrection, the former giving you Tank Shock and a Heavy Flamer, the latter giving you a TL Autocannon. Both have their uses; one could even argue for taking Dozer Blades for Chimeras.

Rockgrinders sadly don't get to Infiltrate since they're not Dedicated Transports. The fact they're also not Fast vehicles means I really am not sold on them using Heavy Seismic Cannons, and I'm also not sold on them keeping the stock Heavy Mining Laser, as a single BS 3 shot impresses nobody for that point cost (especially when a Neophyte team with 2 Mining Lasers costs only 5 points more and can Infiltrate/Cult Ambush/Return to the Shadows). The Demo-Claw would help them Ram a little better, but ultimately the main reason I could see for taking Rockgrinders is they're the cheapest mobile torrent in the game as of now, plus their Formation doesn't force you to embark the Acolytes upon them, leaving them free to buy their own (potentially Infiltrating/Outflanking) regular Goliaths with Tank Hunter TL Autocannons, giving you a "Tank Destroyer" equivalent to work with.

I'm not too much of a fan of "Drive By" passengers, simply because moving at Cruising Speed still forces them to Snap-Shoot.

Whilst it's a very nice model, I'm unfortunately not convinced that either Goliath variant is going to be that great. The rockgrinder suffers from being, actually, pretty slow, so it has issues getting where it wants to be with its two most useful weapons (Heavy Mining laser is not worth it for a single shot imo). If it could accomodate neophyte squads, we could use it to sit back and deliver pseudo-lascannon rounds at the enemy. If it was assault, then there'd be a lot more point putting acolytes in it. Either way, it seems to just not quite fit the niche it could be going for.

The Goliath transport can fit neophytes, and can serve as an assault vehicle for acolytes. However, it's pretty damn squishy, again not that fast, and whilst it can infiltrate, you can't charge out of it if you do. Given that the entire army gets cult ambush, I really don't see the need for an assault transport.

So by process of elimination, you might have guessed I think Chimeras are actually the best transport. Neophytes only get 2 Heavy weapons, and they can both fire out of its top hatch, so no loss there. They can infiltrate/outflank and access a heavy flamer, whilst also having decent armour.

I'd like to be proven wrong and Goliaths actually be really good though!