The GTO is dead. Another one bites the dust

[clawhammer]

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../60221009/1041

DETROIT -- General Motors has told Pontiac dealers that it will discontinue the GTO coupe at the end of this model year. GM will make the last deliveries of the vehicle to dealers by the end of September, sources close to Pontiac say.

GM will produce 10,000 to 12,000 more GTOs before dropping the nameplate, one source close to the situation says. Last year, Pontiac sold 11,590 GTOs compared to 2004 when it sold 13,569. That's a 14.6 percent drop.

When Pontiac launched the GTO in 2003, it projected 18,000 annual sales. The vehicle was criticized for bland styling, and some fans of the original GTO complained that it lacked nostalgic styling cues.

A Pontiac spokesman confirms the GTO will be discontinued after the 2006 model year.

“There are some changes in the federal regulatory standards. One is an airbag deployment standard that would require some very expensive re-engineering of the car,” says Jim Hopson, Pontiac spokesman. “Since the architecture of this car is being phased out around the world it’s not economically feasible to continue this car.”

Pontiac will continue to build the GTO through the end of May, Hopson says. The last “boatload will hit the ground in June”, he adds.

The GTO first came to dealerships in December 2003 as a 2004 model, Hopson says.

The GTO is built on a rear-wheel drive architecture from GM's Holden division in Australia. The present model is going out of production as GM constructs the new Zeta RWD architecture, says the source.

There is no replacement coupe planned at this time and because of the strong Australian and weak U.S. dollar, the GTO had to be priced thousands over where GM originally wanted it -- in the mid-twenties, the source says. "It never did as much volume as we had hoped," the source says.

Pontiac is considering a replacement in the lineup for a RWD performance vehicle, but does not have anything to announce yet, Hopson says.

The GTO suggested retail price starts at $31,990, including shipping. One GM source says, "the 2005 and 2006 were pretty well sold out, and sales were especially strong in areas of GM weakness, like Southern California. It's a shame it has to go -- for now."

[TheStang00]

Originally Posted by clawhammer

The vehicle was criticized for bland styling, and some fans of the original GTO complained that it lacked nostalgic styling cues.

IMO thats what did it in, thats what ive said about it from the beginning.

[GForce957]

Not too many people want to buy a 30k grand am. I wish it was getting restyled I really do, at least they aren't saying it will never be back

[-Jayson-]

Originally Posted by GForce957

Not too many people want to buy a 30k grand am. I wish it was getting restyled I really do, at least they aren't saying it will never be back

what??!?!!?!

i loved the GTO, it was exactly what i wanted for my next car and probabily still will be my next car, just a used version. I know the styling is bland and doesnt fit with modern trends, but it was still a sexy beast IMO. The GTO they made was exactly what a modern day version of it should be, except they built it in a time when modern day car styling was ending for muscle cars and retro styling was begining.

[CassiesMan]

What they really mean is that becuase they are bringin back the 'Maro and possibly Firebird, they don't want their name plate car being outsold by an oversized Cavalier.

[DinanM3_S2]

The engine was really all it had going for it. I saw this coming as soon as the 05' Mustang came out.

[Igovert500]

Originally Posted by DinanM3_S2

The engine was really all it had going for it.

[turtlecrxsi]

I liked it. RWD coupe with a 6 liter v-8 seems kind of hard to come by these days. Hope the new Camaro is a nice coupe design like all these concepts keep projecting.

[TatII]

thats one of the main reasons why i liked the GTO. it wasn't a gay copy of the original. who da hell wants to buy a new car that looked like it came from the late 60's? that is pure BS that the new mustang is doing so well. i hate that car with a passion. the designers are just so damn lazy, same with the new challenger concept. honestly everytime i see a new mustang, it makes me want to spit on it. ( not that i ever did )

the only car that i can't keep my eyes off is the new camaro concept, or how about the 350z with the 240z? if you look close enough you can see a resemblence but its not a carbon copy, thats how other companys should do things. only take cues but not be a complete bite off. i should work at ford or chrysler since it takes so little talent to design cars there.

[-The Stig-]

I still like 'em lots.

I'd drive one for sure.. big comfy interiors with some pep. Good cruisers.

[clawhammer]

Originally Posted by TatII

thats one of the main reasons why i liked the GTO. it wasn't a gay copy of the original. who da hell wants to buy a new car that looked like it came from the late 60's? that is pure BS that the new mustang is doing so well. i hate that car with a passion. the designers are just so damn lazy, same with the new challenger concept. honestly everytime i see a new mustang, it makes me want to spit on it. ( not that i ever did )

the only car that i can't keep my eyes off is the new camaro concept, or how about the 350z with the 240z? if you look close enough you can see a resemblence but its not a carbon copy, thats how other companys should do things. only take cues but not be a complete bite off. i should work at ford or chrysler since it takes so little talent to design cars there.

IMO the only reason that the new Mustang seems to be selling decently is female buyers who buy the v6 automatic, and if they have a bit more cash, they get the convertible model. However, I don't see this demographic going for the Camaro. Without female buyers, the same thing will happen to the new Camaro as the old one: it will NOT sell and will get the axe again. The hardcore Camaro fans will go out and buy one for $5k over MSRP in the first couple of months, then a few average guys will buy one just because they get a deal for $5k under MSRP, and then it will get cut 2-3 years later because it's not selling. That just my opinion however.

I saw the GTO as a GT car. I'd consider one if I did a lot of highway driving and I could afford the gas. But the handling is crap on them.

[CBFryman]

Originally Posted by DinanM3_S2

The engine was really all it had going for it. I saw this coming as soon as the 05' Mustang came out.

I would drive a GTO to 500,000 miles having to replace something new ever 1,000 miles after 200,000 before i would drive and ugly retro wanna be mustang.

Every mustang body had its own disticnt style and trait untill everyone thougt it was cool to live in the 70's agian...and im not just talking about cars...look at the "retro" clothing that is popular with the goody goody's now-a-days...makes me wanna vomit.

New GTO + Supercharger = one hell of a ride.

[-The Stig-]

Originally Posted by clawhammer

I saw the GTO as a GT car. I'd consider one if I did a lot of highway driving and I could afford the gas. But the handling is crap on them.

Based on what?

They can pull .85g's on the skidpad. For a 'GT' style car, that's not bad place to start with.

Get rid of the factory tires, and add some decent rubber. Maybe a few suspension tweaks and you could increase it to maybe .90g's.

It'll never be a AutoX beast with it's 3750lb curb weight, but that's not why you buy them. It handles better than any stock Fbody that's for sure. Never driven a GTO, but I can tell that it'll hand my Z28 its ass on any road with turns.

Not to mention the LS2's power. Yummy. Just a Cam and exhaust away from 400-425whp.

[2000LS1Z28]

It'll be interesting to see what Danno posts. I think the GTO is extremely refined. Danno let me drive his GTO, and man, that engine pulls, and is exceedingly quiet.

The styling, I won't lie, i'm not sold on. The Charger SRT-8 is just alot meaner looking. Slapping on a ram air hood, that isn't functional, isn't grounds for making a pedestrian looking car look more aggressive.

Hope they don't remake the Trans Am. I want my car to go up in value

[-The Stig-]

Originally Posted by ModernRacer.com

For a bit of trivia, the Australian Holden Monaro, on which the Pontiac GTO is based, is actually built on Holden's Commodore sedan chassis, which in turn is a stretched version of the German Opel Omega chassis. The rear-wheel-drive Opel Omega chassis dates back to the early 90s. And if you remember, the Cadillac Catera was a rebadged Omega with Cadiilac styling cues. If you look hard enough, you will see Catera design cues on the GTO. This is information Pontiac would like to keep quiet about.

Always found that interesting.

http://www.forbes.com/2002/07/01/0701vow_print.html

Cadillac Catera


Pontiac GTO






Despite all that rebadging... tweaking of 10 year old chassis and not so 'modern muscle car' styling. I still like it.