08 GTO is Dead

[Pontiac Ninja]

"GM announced last year it was axing plans to use the Australian designed and deceloped Zeta rear-drive platform for a range of new cars, most notably the next generation Pontiac GTO. But it now appears rear-drive is back on the agena.The difference is GM will use key elements of the Zeta platform to decelop specific cars for the U.S. makert,rather than take the platform wholesale from its Australian subsidiary Holden. The other big change to the plan? The next-generation GTO is definitely dead. You'll note the GTO didnt show at this years Auto Show- Motortrend-Pg 18


Just wondering if you all had seen this, it is in the latest Motor Trend. THis leaves the door open to the firebird, now.

[G-man422]

but WILL there be a firebird?,......

[rzkz8k]

Motor Trend, they don't hold a lot of credibility with most car enthusiast. On the many auto related boards I visit, MT is always getting kicked, and kick hard.

Will there be a 2008 GTO, who knows but as it stands today, yes. It may be canceled tomorrow but as of today yes. It will be built on the sigma lite platform and powered by the new LS3 engine (6.1L).

Holden will be doing all of the new rear wheel drive platform development work since US sources are currently stressed with other development programs.

The 2008 GTO and a yet to be ID’ed Chevy on the same platform will be introduced at next year’s car show.

As I said before, this could change tomorrow.

[IrishMan12]

hopefully, a new chevelle

[bearinns08]

well w/e is the next retro muscle car to come back alive, i hope the head of styling is brought over from ford. the mustang and thunderbird have much better retro styling than the gto and camaro prototypes. im not a big ford fan, but i wish gm would put some better retro concepts into these cars.

[Pontiac Ninja]

Originally Posted by bearinns08

well w/e is the next retro muscle car to come back alive, i hope the head of styling is brought over from ford. the mustang and thunderbird have much better retro styling than the gto and camaro prototypes. im not a big ford fan, but i wish gm would put some better retro concepts into these cars.

Don't worry the FIREBIRD is coming, just be patient.

[rzkz8k]

Originally Posted by bearinns08

well w/e is the next retro muscle car to come back alive, i hope the head of styling is brought over from ford. the mustang and thunderbird have much better retro styling than the gto and camaro prototypes. im not a big ford fan, but i wish gm would put some better retro concepts into these cars.

What is a W/E, sorry but I’m just not up on all the car acronyms.

The Mustang retro does look nice. I think the initial design of the Mustang lent it self well to a retro look. The Thunderbird was a total failure for Ford and I wasn’t wild about it’s retro look, but that is subjective.

The GTO was not a retro design and from what I’m hearing, the new model will not be a retro either. The heritage of the GTO is to cram a big powertrain in to a mid size rear wheel drive platform. That is what they did and what they will do, well, at least that is the plan today.

Retro concepts are very subjective and as I surf the various boards on the internet, I see a wide swing of comments regarding all of the retro designs. A design just isn’t going to please all.

I’m just glad we once again have the ability to buy and drive a muscle car. Enjoy now cause soon the insurance companies will catch up with us and the cost of gas will kill us.

[bearinns08]

the w/e is just for whatever, as in whatever the next muscle car is...sorry for the confusion

maybe i could just offer another alternative solution, (although born in '85) could we just time travel back to the 60's and 70's when muscle cars roamed wildly, or at least that is my impression.--->the movie "Dazed and Confused" comes to mind.

[rzkz8k]

You made me take a walk down memory lane.

I was in high school from 1967 to 1970 and the school parking lot was full of muscle cars. I didn’t have one but most of my friends did and I drove everyone of them, many times. At that age and at that time those cars were awesome. It must have been something, I just wish I was old enough back then to have appreciated this era.

If I could go back, I’d pick up a few Hemi Cudas and a few GTO Judges and a GS Stage III and maybe a few Z28’s, oh ya, one 442 W30 too. Put them in storage and head back to today, sell them and retire.

Back to reality.

What I think is really cool is that the new generation of muscle cars are so much quicker, handle so much better, and get so many more miles per gallon than their predecessors.

If you ever have some spare time, surf around:

http://www.musclecarclub.com/main.shtml

They have all the specifics of each of the muscle cars.

[bearinns08]

yeah man, that is awesome. my dad said when he was in h.s., 2 of his buddies both had 65 or 67 gto's. both white and he said they both totaled em. i think he would have done anything to have those cars back in the day. lucky enough, he picked up a 67 about a year and a half ago. man that thing is awesome to drive. but yes, they are definately not anything in handling compared to my gp. but i just love the sound and the way all that power just shakes the whole car when you rev it up. thats awesome.

[SuperRoo]

Word in OZ is it may happen. Holden in OZ which make the current GTO, had a big hand in the latest Camaro concept car. It uses the latest worldwide GM platform. This platform is being used by Holden make its "Commodore" 4 door sedan (Which the Monaro/GTO) were derived from. The new Commordore will be released mid year. Once production is bedded down, then the design team will look at a new Monaro in 2007.

You can bet your bottom dollar, if there is a new GTO it will be based on the Monaro again. It will be made in OZ. However, it will be designed from the ground up and purpose built, and not some sort of hybrid from the Commodore.

GM have bigger problems than to worry about the GTO, such as cars from the land of the rising sun. At least Holden is part of the GM family. Note: not all Holdens are made in Australia, like not all GM's are made in the states. It's the way it is nowadays.

[mellemel022]

The GTO will be back in 2008 just with the design they originally had for it. Thats, what motor trend meant.

[IrishMan12]

yep it's dead

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...9/1003&refsect=