2005 GTO

[Buick From Hell]

Not if you were in 1966.

YES, in 1966. They were as unique then as the new ones AREN'T now.

 

[Raven]

Originally posted by Buick From Hell
YES, in 1966. They were as unique then as the new ones AREN'T now.

I had a white '66 GTO, 389 4 speed car. From a half mile away and in your rearview mirror, it looked like any other Lemans of the day unless you looked real close and squinted your eyes good to pick out the hood scoop.

But a glance in the mirror and all you really saw was a white Poncho with stacked headlights. I can vouch for this because I let my brother in law drive it home for me when I bought it so I got to look at it from all the angles while going down the road.

It looked damn good, I can tell you that. But from a half mile away, it was hard to tell it apart from the same body style non-GTO Pontiacs.

Now, a GTO Judge (late '60's, early 70's) was another story all together. THEY stood out!

However, I must say I've never had trouble ID'ing a GN or TR if it was black. Now, if it is any other color, yeah, it's hard to be sure it's a TR.

But not if it's black.

 

[GNFURY]

I don't care what emblem Pontiac slaps on that car. It is nothing more than a re-designed GRAND AM with a sweet engine in it.
drivetrain=good
car design=bad........real bad, a disgrace to the legendary GTO.

 

[matt87]

contrary to what someone said above about turbo regals being considered bland, i have to disagree. the 86-87 turbo regals were very well thought of, and a popular seller. the gto on the other hand has been a sales FLOP. they are sitting on lots all over my area. according to what i have read pontiac hasnt sold half the projected 12,000 units for 04.

 

[WakkoSS]

My old roommate has an '04....it's sweeeeeeet.

 

[strikeeagle]

Awesome driveline.

What if GM shoved that driveline into a black Buick Regal and called it GN. Would it be hated, too. Or welcomed, for drawing attention to TRs, which in many ways seem to be a red-headed stepchild?

 

[gn4u2c]

I think the car is a good idea but they missed it this way. It should have been an 04 tempest or lemans. 05 then added the ram air hood, dual pipes, better wheels, and better ls2 call it a gto. That would have been the smart way and true to the heritage.
let me know what you think........

 

[gn85]

Originally posted by strikeeagle
Awesome driveline.

What if GM shoved that driveline into a black Buick Regal and called it GN. Would it be hated, too. Or welcomed, for drawing attention to TRs, which in many ways seem to be a red-headed stepchild?

Nah.. then it would have too many cylinders to be a GN.

 

[BuickPower3800]

But there is a Monaro with the L67. GM could easily bring it here.

 

[87grandnat]

gn4u2c......good idea, what they should do is bring back the GN, now that would be awsome, i tell you right now i would buy one

 

[GNFURY]

I think that should definetely NOT make another GN, that is unless the progress was closely monitered by US! I'm almost positive that if GM remade the GN, they would F it up big time (with the decisions they have been making lately - eg. no more fbody, the.....GTO) I Can't even think of a good platform for a new GN. Although, now that I think about it.............................................. Maybe if they stripped down a cadillac CTS, made it all black.......anyway, if they ever did make another GN, if it didn't have a turbo 6 in it, I would throw up.

 

[GNVYUS 1]

I am with you GNFURY.

Now coming from someone with a 69 Convertible GTO, the new GTO was pointless to bring back. Its just a slight evolution of the GTP and Grand Prix. I know the older ones where also shared with other cars but the GTO was the best selling Hot Rod in the 60's. It deserved to be on its own platform like the Vette or to even share it.
If they would of stuck with this retro design they had in a magazine years before it came out, I would of been all over this car and praised every detail. And guess who's new retro sports car is going to level the field ( Mustang ). To bad for Pontiac.

Getting back to the thread, the new additions do help out. And having pretty much 400/400 is pretty kick ass for $35k. The front looks better and its nice to see that the GTO will get better brakes.

Now if they can just redesign the whole outside of the car.
And yes, I have seen one in person and raced one in my 91 Talon. Not impressed at all.

 

[seeyabye]

I am glad that GM is giving us something with RWD, but the new GTO is bland and uninspiring. Just like every other legendary nameplate, GM has cheapened the GTO. Just think of all the famous icons that have been dragged through the mud (Impala, Nova, Malibu, GTO, 442, etc.) Once the General used to have some of the coolest cars out there, but now they all look like rental cars. I wish that they would get some new people in the designing department and give us some retro cars that are just as awesome as the badges they wear. Just look at some of the cars that Ford and Chrysler are putting out. Although I could never bring myself to buy a brand new car that would'nt start, I really love some of the designs and concepts of these carmakers. From the little pocket rocket 4cyl turbo Neons to the luxury haulers like the 300C and the ponycars like the 04 SC Cobras and the new 05 Mustangs, GM is being outdone in every aspect. Even the sport trucks have left us in the dust. From Dodges 500hp RT Ram to Fords Supercharged Lightning, all we can say is that we used to have the Syclone. We dont even dare mention the dreaded Super Slow. Sorry for the rant, but I am dying for GM to wake up and give me a reason to go to the showrooms!!

 

[Raven]

Originally posted by seeyabye
I am glad that GM is giving us something with RWD, but the new GTO is bland and uninspiring. Just like every other legendary nameplate, GM has cheapened the GTO. Just think of all the famous icons that have been dragged through the mud (Impala, Nova, Malibu, GTO, 442, etc.) Once the General used to have some of the coolest cars out there, but now they all look like rental cars. I wish that they would get some new people in the designing department and give us some retro cars that are just as awesome as the badges they wear. Just look at some of the cars that Ford and Chrysler are putting out. Although I could never bring myself to buy a brand new car that would'nt start, I really love some of the designs and concepts of these carmakers. From the little pocket rocket 4cyl turbo Neons to the luxury haulers like the 300C and the ponycars like the 04 SC Cobras and the new 05 Mustangs, GM is being outdone in every aspect. Even the sport trucks have left us in the dust. From Dodges 500hp RT Ram to Fords Supercharged Lightning, all we can say is that we used to have the Syclone. We dont even dare mention the dreaded Super Slow. Sorry for the rant, but I am dying for GM to wake up and give me a reason to go to the showrooms!!

Absolutely true. While I do think the '05 GTO is a good car for what it does, it still lacks a lot of 'soul'. However, it is still better than nothing (barely). I do like it a lot more than the '04 so that was the inspriration for this poll.

However, in my view it still isn't a true descendant of the fire breathing, hairy chested GTO's of the musclecar generation.

THOSE were GTO's.

 

[87GN_ponykillr]

Not my favorite car, I love the power train but the looks don't do anything for me...........

 

[bishir]

Redesign looks good. Almost looks a little like a Mustang!