bye bye GTO

[70Mach1]

I think the mistake that was made with the car was to slap the GTO name on there. Dollar for dollar it is a good car.

Personally I do not like the styling, but that is me. From a purist and enthusiast standpoint, slapping the GTO name on there was the mistake that was made. They should have used the Monaro name, and maybe called it a GT version or something like that.

I know a lot of people on this board are not Mustang enthusiast, but you have to hand it to Ford on this one. Other than the fiasco of the Mustang II, they have continued with success, year after year and yet they have always been one step behind their competitors power-wise, and it still sells 200,000 copies a year.

I think this is what the GTO purists were hoping for, not necessarily retro, but something special other than a powertrain.

 

[turbojimmy]

***

IMO, the ONLY "mistake" of consequence GM made was calling it GTO. Had it been Monaro, none of this would be under discussion. Jim, drive my car for a week and see how you feel then.

strike

You know, putting it that way you're probably right!

So when can I pick it up?

Jim

 

[turbojimmy]

You've obviously researched these quite closely. The GTO's don't have LS6's. They have LS1's and LS2's

FWIW,

I've owned plenty of classic GM A body muscle cars myself. The new GTO is a completely different animal. Since you've never taken the time to test drive one I guess you'll never "Get it".

Neal

Forgive me, I hang out in the Cadillac forums quite a bit. The CTS-Vs got the LS6. Like I said I have little interest in them. I've checked them out at the dealers but declined invitations to take them out.

I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, it's just my opinion of the car and really just my opinion of the name they put on the car. Perhaps some of my comments were harsh so I apologize. I wouldn't want people talking about my GN that way.

Jim

 

[1badGT]

DOOFUS i SAID LOOKS LIKE A CAVALIER! I NEVER SAID IT WAS A BAD PREFORMER.WTF WERE YOU READING?

I know, I was just trying to get you to 'over-look' the uglinest. (which i know they are ...a little) But I still like it.
As much as I hate driving my GN and someone saying 'Nice M/C'.......Now, I hear the same thing in my GTO......lol
I'm not beating you up for your opinion, I'm just trying to make you see past the ugly duckling.
Just remember that ugly girl in middle school who grew up to be a model.......


I don't know what that has to do with it, but it sounded funny !!!

 

[Brer Rabbit]

Imo

I think the best thing about the GTO is the fact that you wont see one waiting for the light to turn green at every corner. Living in Chicago I see a ton of new mustangs, chargers, and all those subuaru traction king cars, everytime I take the kids to Karate or go to the store. A sense of individualism is important to me, which is why I like my White Turbo Regal. I dont see a lot of GNs or T/Types when I'm driving. I think its a lil fruity when a guy pulls up next to u in the same exact car, and then another guy gets out of the exact car in a parking lot across the street. Mustang guys are the biggest Offenders of this crime. I guess I'll just wait for the 06s to have the prices drop off the table like they did to the 04s then Ill buy one. In the meantime Ill just keep stomping mustangs and subarus with the regal.

 

[bishir]

You know, I don't ride a motorcycle and I've never owned a Harley Davidson, but I drive an Harley Davidson Truck, because it's the only way I can get the 5.4 supercharged engine from the factory in a 4 door.

With that being said, I can fully understand why people buy GTOs. LS1/2 in a family car! I wouldn't mind owning an 05 or 06 myself. I also agree the car would have sold better as a Monaro.

 

[GNVYUS 1]

Definitely don't want to compare the 60's GTO to the new one, different era etc and I am not saying that these new GTO's are junk or trash, not so at all.

But IMO, when people think of the GTO it's the 68 and 69 models designed by Delorean. Those do look different than the Lemans etc in its own way, and is why that car sold faster than any other sports car during those years, it was cool looking. The new GTO has a lot of great performance attributes, but the LOOK does not scream musclecar IMO.

I also will hand it to Ford, what else comes out of their plants looking like the Mustang? Then add on its always been less powerful and yet it still outsold Camaro and Firebird COMBINED for many years. Aside from the mid to late 70's Mustang, they always knew what the consumer would think was cool.

If Ponti could of made the GTO more of an individual, I bet it would of done even better. And if they do the retro thing, all bets are off as this car could step up to the Vette in demand .

 

[The Blob]

The new GTO is none of that. It doesn't even have any of the visual cues that made the original great (other than the tacked on, too-little-too-late things like the hood scoops).

What visual cues did the original GTO have? (Other than the tacked on hood scoops, of course.)

I saw a '66 four door LeMans yesterday on the way home from work. From the front it looked just like a GTO except it didn't have hood scoops. Tack on hood scoops and, from the front, a four door 1966 LeMans looks just like a GTO.

How is that different from the current GTO?

 

[The Blob]

But IMO, when people think of the GTO it's the 68 and 69 models designed by Delorean. Those do look different than the Lemans etc in its own way, and is why that car sold faster than any other sports car during those years, it was cool looking. The new GTO has a lot of great performance attributes, but the LOOK does not scream musclecar IMO.

If you transported an '06 GTO back to 1969, set it next to a then-current GTO, and asked people which look screamed musclecar, 9 out of 10 would say the '06.

Maybe 10 out of 10.

 

[denn454]

i guess i'm one of the few people that really like the look of them, its clean looking, not over done at all, i really wish i could afford one. i'd take them over an ls1 camaro (its a tossup between the gto and a trans am through)

i don't know if anyone mentioned this already or not but in 07 the camaro is coming back (thats the rumor from all the big car magazines and also gm i belive)so a firebird could come out with it, or maybe the next year. with the gto going away id bet the firebird will come out in 07, no one wants to lose out on sales.

i'm hoping i can afford an 08 SS when they come out, from what i've heard the 07's (camaros anyways) are only going to have a striped down ls2 probably making numbers about the same as the ls1, and 08 its expected they z28 will get the 400hp ls2 and the ss should be getting an ls7. who knows but i'm saving up anyways.

 

[GNVYUS 1]

Blob, do you own a new generation GTO?

Do a pole, Mint 69 GTO vs Mint 06 GTO, both are worth $40k, which would you rather have?

Did the 68,69 GTO have a hard time selling, even at a tad over $4000?
How about the sales of the new GTO?

I personally would rather take a 69 Chevelle SS, Nova SS, Camaro SS on and on over the new GTO. If you look at sales % in 69 of all those cars above vs 05 GTO, likewise probably would most of the sports car buyers back in the 60's.

The new GTO does have better features, gas mileage, brakes, cornering etc, but those are not hard selling points, it's unfortunately looks first, price second. This is where the new GTO is soft.

 

[darkred87T]

What visual cues did the original GTO have? (Other than the tacked on hood scoops, of course.)

I saw a '66 four door LeMans yesterday on the way home from work. From the front it looked just like a GTO except it didn't have hood scoops. Tack on hood scoops and, from the front, a four door 1966 LeMans looks just like a GTO.

How is that different from the current GTO?

They did'nt "tack on" the hood scoops on the old GTO's. Like our Buicks, they were molded into the design of the hood.

 

[turbojimmy]

What visual cues did the original GTO have? (Other than the tacked on hood scoops, of course.)

I saw a '66 four door LeMans yesterday on the way home from work. From the front it looked just like a GTO except it didn't have hood scoops. Tack on hood scoops and, from the front, a four door 1966 LeMans looks just like a GTO.

How is that different from the current GTO?

The tail lights were different, grille was different, rocker molding, badging, wheels and little stuff on the inside. All very subtle and all based on the Tempest. The point is that the current GTO isn't based on anything familiar. It's a vehicle designed for a completely different market. It vaguely resembles a Grand Prix, but the original took a 'regular' Tempest and made it a GTO, just like the Regal/GN thing. That's what, in my opinion, made them cool.

There's no doubt that the new GTO is a great automobile, I'm just offended by the name.

Jim

 

[The Blob]

Blob, do you own a new generation GTO?

No

Do a pole, Mint 69 GTO vs Mint 06 GTO, both are worth $40k, which would you rather have?

That's not really fair. Anybody in their right mind would take the '69 if for no other reason than the value of the '69 will continue to go up while it will be 20 years before the current GTO's start to become valuable. But that does not mean the '06 does not deserve to be called a GTO. The '06 is a better car in every measurable category. And it is true to the original musclecar blueprint... stick a big, powerful engine in a non-descript mid-size car.

Did the 68,69 GTO have a hard time selling, even at a tad over $4000?
How about the sales of the new GTO?

Again, that's not fair. They sold millions of Taurus's... does that mean they could be called Torino GT's?

I personally would rather take a 69 Chevelle SS, Nova SS, Camaro SS on and on over the new GTO. If you look at sales % in 69 of all those cars above vs 05 GTO, likewise probably would most of the sports car buyers back in the 60's.

Me, too. Unless it had to be a daily driver. Old muscle cars suck to drive... big time.

The new GTO does have better features, gas mileage, brakes, cornering etc, but those are not hard selling points, it's unfortunately looks first, price second. This is where the new GTO is soft.

Looks are subjective. I happen to like the way it looks... a lot. I know I am in the minority but remember, back in the day people thought the Superbird looked completely retarded and they couldn't give them away... so that says a lot about that.

I think the GTO is a wonderful car and it will probably not be fully appreciated for some time. There will come a day, though, when people will look at it, shake their heads, and say "Remember when they couldn't give those away?"

 

[turbofish38]

I had a '67 GTO and am totally horrified at what they're slapping the GTO badge on these days.

Jim

Gee, I bet thats what the Ferrari guys were saying back in '64.

You diehards forget who had the GTO first!

Its just a name. This same arguement comes up everytime the General rebadges something or stops making something. Some classic names have come and gone. Century,Special,Roadmaster,Riviera,Regal,LeSabre,GranSport or GrandSport,Skylark,Skyhawk,Electra,ParkAve, and these are just the Buicks.

You know what is really funny. How you GTO lovers didn't even bat an eye when Pontiac put the LeMans name on that crappy Korean POS they were selling in the early 90's.

Be thankfull that GM did slap the GTO name on something worthy. Its better than the example I gave above. Unlike the Mustang there was only one engine option, meaning no wimpy V-6's! The new GTO is difinetly not a poser!

 

[The Blob]

... but the original took a 'regular' Tempest and made it a GTO, just like the Regal/GN thing. That's what, in my opinion, made them cool.

There's no doubt that the new GTO is a great automobile, I'm just offended by the name.

Now I understand where you are coming from. I disagree, but I know what you are saying.

 

[1badGT]

i guess i'm one of the few people that really like the look of them... .

I liked the look of them enough to shell out about $25,000 to own one. :biggrin:
But, Yes , I do agree they could have been a little more appealing in the looks dept.......but none-the-less, there is 1 in my garage with my name on the title. (and the banks)

 

[turbojimmy]

You know what is really funny. How you GTO lovers didn't even bat an eye when Pontiac put the LeMans name on that crappy Korean POS they were selling in the early 90's.

I was horrified then, too. My first car was a '67 LeMans. I eventually graduated to a '67 GTO. I don't consider myself a diehard or a purist. Those '67 cars are older than I am. I just don't think the new one captures the spirit of the original.

And of course the new ones out perform the old ones in every way. A lot of minivans do, too.

Jim

 

[750H.P.V6]

I think Eric hit the nail on the head. God knows how many usless grocery getters have been adorned with the GS logo since the last muscle cars rolled off the Buick assembly line 30 + years ago.

As far as the styling goes, I like it. I've always been a "less is more" kind of guy which is part of my decision to buy a T-type instead of a GN and an '04 Quicksilver GTO rather than a Torrid Red '05.

It's a great car in it's own right. If you haven't driven one do youself a favor and do it. It might change any pre-concieved notions you have about the car.

Neal

Be thankfull that GM did slap the GTO name on something worthy. Its better than the example I gave above. Unlike the Mustang there was only one engine option, meaning no wimpy V-6's! The new GTO is difinetly not a poser!

 

[darkred87T]

I agree, I like the subtlety of a muscle car. That's what attracted me to buy my Turbo-T. I turned my nose up at the GN that was sitting in the same spot in my uncles salvage yard a few years back. No offense Jim. Your car will always be the mother ship.