bye bye GTO

[toofastforyou]

I like the new GTO...

I've never driven a new GTO because unfortunately, they're not sold here in Canada, but I totally agree with ''1badGT''...Although the first GTO's were great ( and still are!), the newer will out-handle, out-accelerate, and be more comfortable than all of the older '60's and '70's. Don't get me wrong though...I said that I like the new ones better, but that doesn't stop me from appreciating the early ones...It's just that if I had to choose between an older one or a brand-new one, I'd take the new one without hesitating a second!
I'm 54 y/o now, and prefer more comfort and power than what the earlier ones had... As for collectibility, I couldn't care less! I'm not a car collector but rather an ''enjoyer''...! I prefer to drive and enjoy my cars rather than storing them and never have fun with them...You only live once, so go ahead and enjoy life...If you don't, you'll be the only one sorry when it'll be too late!

Claude

 

[lieu910]

The GTO was/is a great car from a performance/fun to drive standpoint. I think the major argument is that is was not a complete package that had styling reflective of it's performance. I don't fault GM for the design, it's a Holden/GM car that they imported. Maybe Australians liked the design more than us, I don't know.

I do know that GM's styling department is very weak, and they do not do enough bold/new designs. To me, if a cars looks don't get the "love it or hate it" reaction, it misses the mark for me.

 

[SloGN]

I own one and Love it. You're GN looks like every other black G body (MonteCarlo,Cutlass,GrandPrix)...SO WHAT !!!
Ford did the 'retro' thing with the Mustang, but Pontiac did not want to try to retro an old GTO, so they made it faster,quicker,handle better,stop better,more top end & better on gas.
The GTO will out-perform any stock GN, T-Type, T or 20th Ann T/A in any test stock against stock.
You've obviously never driven one or you would relize its much more of a car than a Cavalier, I agree its not gonna win a beauty contest.....But either did the 70 Daytonas or Superbirds.
Now I feel better......

actually that would be a 69 charger daytona and a 70 plymouth superbird.

 

[dgreen1069]

I don't think GM's styling department is weak, but there is a problem somewhere in the pipeline. GM did produce the radically designed HHR. Who would have thought that style would appeal to buyers......it looks nothing like the PT Cruiser What about the Aztek? I don't fault the designers for coming up with ideas like that.....I fault everyone else who didn't step up and say, "That thing is freakin ugly". The SSR looks pretty cool, but GM made the same mistake Ford made with the T-Bird....they priced it out of reach for most Americans. GM is so far out of touch it is rediculous. They don't produce a single car that interests me. I like their trucks, but trucks won't keep a company like GM in business forever.

 

[Raymond Bunch]

Love my bone stock, Barbados Blue, '04 M6, 1 of 271. Will probably buy out the lease this coming December and send it to Lingenfelter for a H/C package. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but 99.999999% of the haters never drove one. A great car in most every way you care to consider...

strike

I also have one of the "Barbados Blue ones" Very rare color and to me looked better than any of the colors that came out. At first I didn't like the the GTO, but man....after riding in it, I was sold. Exterior appearance improvements can be had pretty easily, so this is now NOT an issue. Hats off to all 04-06 GTO owners! Good choice :wink:

 

[SilverSleeper]

First of all we are talking about a Pontiac.
How about something a Buick board can identify with...GSX anyone? GNX?

How would you feel if they took the LaCrosse, and made a special limited edition GNX version that had more hp, some visual enhancements, and a vehicle specific numbered dash?
I remember the whole Buick GNX concept they were rumors of, tacking on extras to the now extinct Regal. Everyone here was red that GM would even think of using the GNX name on something new.
I guess its all in a name.
When someone asks what you drive, and you say GNX, you want them to picture the 87 all Black Darth Vader inspired musclecar. Not some rebadged newer car that shoulda been named something else.
Kinda like the mid 80s shelby GHLS Dodge Omni, I bet the Shelby Cobra and Shelby Mustang owners were fit to be tied when they came out. Sure they were a decent car in their own right, but the purists didnt want that car remotely associated with their own.

 

[strikeeagle]

All comments/criticisms noted.

Really, some nice day when you have a little time to burn get down to a Pontiac dealer and drive one. It'll put a smile on your face for sure. You owe it to yourself!

strike.

 

[NEARING]

The fact that it wasn't special made it special. But the new GTOs were too special which made them not so special. Get it?

It's one of those if-you-have-to-ask-you-wouldn't-understand things. I had a '67 GTO and am totally horrified at what they're slapping the GTO badge on these days. I'm glad it's over.

Jim

I have owned a 66,67 and a R/A III 69. Doesn't bother me. I didn't buy it because it was called a GTO. I bought it because it is a kick ass car!

For every -comment I get about it I get 10+ comments about the car. Especially the interrior. Or at the track lots of " I didn't think those cars were that fast."

To each his own.

 

[joemama]

The GTO will out-perform any stock GN, T-Type, T or 20th Ann T/A in any test stock against stock.
You've obviously never driven one or you would relize its much more of a car than a Cavalier, I agree its not gonna win a beauty contest.....But either did the 70 Daytonas or Superbirds.
Now I feel better......

The GTO better perform better than 20 year old technology

 

[turbojimmy]

The GTO better perform better than 20 year old technology

Hell yeah - it's been almost 40 years, BTW. I used to miss my exit off of Rt. 80 all the time in my '67 because the 4-wheel drum, manual brakes wouldn't slow it down from highway speeds enough for me to make the turn. I developed a keen sense of when to abort and take the next exit. It would go fast in a straight line, though.

I am going to head to the Pontiac dealer and test drive one very soon. I want to see what all the hub bub is about. Maybe I'll try to push my Cadillac DTS off on one of them, who knows? I'd have to find a dumb one tho.

Jim

 

[darkred87T]

Hell yeah - it's been almost 40 years, BTW.

Jim

I think he was refering to the new GTO VS. the GN technology.

 

[vicious6]

I love the GTO and would love to have one. Awesome car, I really don't care what anyone says.

 

[corsair231]

You have to give the new GTO it's props for what it is. For me though, GM just missed the mark. I must not be the only one either if the sales are not enough to keep it around. I think it looks too much like the Sunbird-Cavalier platform. I think it would have done better on a slightly larger platform, maybe along the Monte Carlo size. I think it would have had a wider range of potential buyers. I know the car is basically a rebadged Monaro and I think that played into it as well. GM was after the "quick buck". They brought in a car and slapped some badges on it along with a healthy price and expected it to sell well.

The Mustang has always sold well because it basically kept to the same motif. The buyers have always know what a Mustang is supposed to be and pretty much got what they expected. The name GTO evokes memories in the older crowd that is just not quite understood by younger generations. When the crowd that knew GTO hears GTO they expect it to be what a GTO was. A true mid-sized car, same as the family grocery getter, but with a big engine. It may not be loaded with creature comforts but it goes like stink. It's set apart with scoops and badges. It's was a muscle car, not a sports car plus it was basically only the cost of the engine and dress-up items more than the family car was.

What GM gave us was a ricer-esque version that except for the big, burly v-8 and rear wheel drive could just as easily have been made by Honda. Is it years ahead of the original in the terms of comfort and performance? Yes, but it just does not fit the image that the name evokes. They created a niche-car. Instead of it being something that the average guy needing a family car could pay just a little extra for the performance mods and have his cake and eat it too, it is a dedicated model. You have to pretty much want one to even consider buying one and as far as the "I just want a cool car" buyer, they will go with the cheaper Honda that handles almost as well and looks similar instead. And the guys that are old enough to have fond memories of the new, old GTO would buy a larger Cadillac they could get into easier instead of the smaller bodied GTO. Plus, GM overprices it's cars. That is what killed the F-body. It was a better car than a Mustang but it wasn't cheaper.

Figure out how to put that performance into a decent looking, true midsize rwd-platform and bring it in under 20 grand. Even if it doesn't have independent rear suspension, abs, and leather seats and I bet it would sell no matter what GM called it.

P.S. The Superbirds and Daytonas are still ugly.

 

[The Blob]

Instead of it being something that the average guy needing a family car could pay just a little extra for the performance mods and have his cake and eat it too, it is a dedicated model.

It had to be a dedicated model... GM has no mid-sized RWD platforms. So simply making the GTO an option on an existing car was not possible.

As for price... where can you get 400HP cheaper than in the GTO?

 

[strikeeagle]

Hell yeah - it's been almost 40 years, BTW. I used to miss my exit off of Rt. 80 all the time in my '67 because the 4-wheel drum, manual brakes wouldn't slow it down from highway speeds enough for me to make the turn. I developed a keen sense of when to abort and take the next exit. It would go fast in a straight line, though.

I am going to head to the Pontiac dealer and test drive one very soon. I want to see what all the hub bub is about. Maybe I'll try to push my Cadillac DTS off on one of them, who knows? I'd have to find a dumb one tho.

Jim

Do report back and give us your thoughts. The car's controls are quirky and the styling is me too and I wouldn't say it's the most practical thing on wheels, but oh that LS/Tremec/Dana, and that interior, esp. seats!

strike

 

[turbojimmy]

Do report back and give us your thoughts. The car's controls are quirky and the styling is me too and I wouldn't say it's the most practical thing on wheels, but oh that LS/Tremec/Dana, and that interior, esp. seats!

strike

I will. A friend of mine has been making noise about getting one. It will KILL him if I get one first.....hmmmm......

Jim

 

[1badGT]

The Superbirds and Daytonas are still ugly.

I think they're a beautiful work of art and if i could afford one , i'de have one already.

 

[ThePhreaker]

Looks like it might be making a return in 08/09.

http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/business/1141205744140360.xml?bxbiz&coll=2

New GTO coming around the bend
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Joshua Dowling
Special to The Plain Dealer

Geneva, Switzerland- The Pontiac GTO isn't dead after all, says a top General Motors Corp. executive, who also hinted there might be a new ultra-fast Corvette coming.

The current GTO will be phased out at the end of this year, but an all-new model is expected to return at the end of 2008 as a 2009 model, said Bob Lutz, who heads GM's global vehicle development.

In an interview at the international auto show in Geneva, Switzerland, Lutz also suggested an even more powerful version of the Corvette might be on the way.

Industry insiders have talked about a "Blue Devil" Corvette that would be more powerful than the 505-horsepower Z06 that is currently the fastest Corvette.

Lutz stopped short of confirming that, saying: "There will be something special for the Corvette soon." When "Blue Devil" was mentioned, he simply smiled.

The GTO, however, is definitely on the way.

Last year, it appeared that GM had canceled any future GTOs as part of its efforts to reduce costs. And a Pontiac spokesman confirmed this year that the last GTOs would be sold this summer because the model wouldn't meet a new airbag standard taking effect in the fall. The spokesman said that the automaker would like to have another GTO but that there was nothing to announce.

But in the interview Tuesday, Lutz said the GTO plans were just off the shelf for a few months and he always wanted a new version.

The new GTO might be built in North America, particularly if the Chevrolet Camaro concept gets the go-ahead for production, he said.

Both the Pontiac GTO and Camaro could be based on GM's Zeta mechanical underpinnings, which are being developed by the company's Australian outpost, Holden, Lutz said.

With the current strength of the Australian dollar and the recent free-trade agreement between Australia and the United States, it would be more feasible to build the GTO in North America and export a version called the Holden Monaro to Australia, he said.

The GTO, which is based on the Monaro, has been built in Australia and shipped to America.

Dowling is motoring editor of the Sydney Morning Herald.

 

[Evans Ward]

don't knock it until you've driven one!

My neighbor has an '05 black automatic. After they bought the car last year, I told her I wanted a ride in it. She comes by one afternoon when I'm off work tinkering in the shop and says "are you ready to drive it"? I jump at the chance and she tells me not to baby it but to see how it runs. I oblige on my favorite strip of backroad and the car performs well! I don't think it will take my TR but for stock it is exceptional. As mentioned, the interior is the best I've seen and been in as far as GM and that took Australia to do that! It is a nice package and every TR owner who has driven one would concur I'm sure. I'd opt for one if I was in the market for a new performance car but I don't want or need the car payments so will pass there. I like the styling which is a tad bland and not "in your face" like many. Seems like I remember our cars are like that too. Again, don't knock this car until you've driven one. It is a good car!!

 

[turbojimmy]

I'm definitely going to get out and drive one, but I'm not in the market for one right now either. Once I get bored of my Caddy I'll probably start looking around. By that time there may be the new-new GTO, Camaro and Challenger to choose from.

Jim