Beefier GTO scoops up some styling muscle

Chicago Tribune ^ | Published May 29, 2005 | Jim Mateja

[Chi-townChief]

For years when Pontiac unveiled new models to the media, the general manager would go into minute detail about how each and every nuance on the cars played into the "excitement" theme for General Motors' performance division.

And as soon as the speech was over and the media rushed the podium, the first question would be:

"When it comes to excitement, when are you bringing back the GTO?"

The response:

"Someday."

After decades of promising the muscle-car nameplate last offered in 1974 would return, Pontiac unveiled a concept GTO in 1999 and a production model for the 2004 model year.

That, however, raised another question:

"Where's the excitement?"

The '04 GTO generally disappointed. It came with a high-performance, 5.7-liter, 350-horsepower Corvette V-8 to quicken the heartbeat of enthusiasts. But the bland sheet metal left them nearly comatose.

Hood scoops, for example, had been part of the GTO DNA when muscle cars were born and were on the concept in 1999. The production model was scoopless. Designers taking a snooze?

Still, GM made a big to-do over GTO, noting that unlike the Japanese, Pontiac had a performance heritage to fall back on when it came to resurrecting a famous nameplate.

Scoops notwithstanding, Pontiac suggested GTO would generate 20,000 to 30,000 sales annually among those who admired one as a kid and now were of an age and income level to afford the car.

Ah, great expectations. In the first four months of last year, GTO posted sales of 2,451 units, a rate that would take close to three years to reach the 20,000 mark, not just one.

For '05 Pontiac set out to right the wrong. Not only did it bring out a more potent, 6-liter, 400-h.p. V-8, but it also woke up the design team and ordered hood scoops .....

[Chi-townChief]

"The Dodge will have a couple advantages over the GTO. For one, Charger will be a more sensible four-door performance sedan and for another, it's a derivative of the Chrysler 300C/Dodge Magnum family that's been so wildly popular with enthusiasts. Based on the success of 300C/Magnum, Charger will start out with credibility that GTO didn't have at the outset."

4-door performance sedan?? Now, that's a scary thought!!! The 300C looks like a sideways icebox coming down the street and the new Charger is just plain ugly. It's a shame the new Goat doesn't take a few design cues from the CTS rather than looking like just another egg-shaped "sports" car.

[E Rocc]

One thing even more obvious than the hood scoops was missing from the 2004 GTO. They didn't offer a convertible.

-Eric

[savedbygrace]

2005 GTO (Zzzzzzzzzzz . . . )

[Chi-townChief]

The only Goat I really thought was great was the '66/'67 model. The '64 and '65 were pretty nondescript and the "space-age" design starting in '68 was pretty lackluster.

[Reactionary]

Hey, it's a Mustang - only more boring.

[babyface00]

They didn't offer a convertible.

On the other end of the scale, they didn't offer the ability to strip it down.

The base price is $34k. Leather power seats are standard. They charge extra for a stick.

How about getting rid of the power seats, power windows, keyless entry, leather seats, maybe even A/C and allow an enthusiast to get back to the roots of what a GTO was (and cut some of the fat out of the price)?

Also, by contrast, a base Mustang GT coupe (which still has plenty of creature comforts) is almost 10k less. With a couple thousand in aftermarket performance parts, you make that Mustang come awfully close to toasting a stock GTO and still have money left over.

I'm a GM guy, but I'd have a hard time shelling out the $$ for the current GTO the way its offered now.

[savedbygrace]

There'll never be another 1966 GTO, or a car to compete with it style-plus-performance wise. Oh yeah, there are plenty of cars that outperform it, but the combo of style AND performance is unbeatable. That's my opinion.

[B Knotts]

They charge extra for a stick.

Oh, man.

Only in the twisted world that is GM.

[BoBToMatoE]

its still not a Goat. They reall needed to make it look like an older goat. Right now it just looks like a glorified grand am.

[babyface00]

$695 extra, according to Pontiac.com

Again, as a contrast, Ford charges extra for the automatic on the Mustang.

[mercy]

ZZZzzzzzzzzz is right. My pickup looks hotter.

[mercy]

Not EVEN a grand am .... more like a mazda.

[Vaduz]

Looks like any other potatoe car.

[Chi-townChief]

Quite frankly, I think the Grand Am looks better - the GTO looks like one of these bland egg-shaped cars that the Asians make so well.

[Seruzawa]

Oh jeez, you guys don't get it, do you? The NEW DODGE CHARGER is HOT and STYLISH because all the ad copy says so. It's the greatest REVOLUTION in AUTOMOBILE PERFORMANCE in the entire history of the ENTIRE WORLD!!!!!

[GreenHornet]

For '05 Pontiac set out to right the wrong. Not only did it bring out a more potent, 6-liter, 400-h.p. V-8, but it also woke up the design team and ordered hood scoops, dual, chrome-tipped exhausts and a deck-lid spoiler.

Importing the Holden Monaro and sticking a GTO badge on it does not make this car a GTO.

A pet peeve on mine: why do the car makers have to put a spoiler on everything? IMHO, "spoiler" is the perfect name, because in most cases, it completely spoils the look of an otherwise nice looking car. Take a look at the "GTO" in post # 3 and tell me it wouldn't look better without the spoiler.

[DTogo]

Ditto. Does anybody wonder why GM is going down the tubes? Toyota must be laughing their arses off - waiting for the stock to slip lower before they pounce and take over.

[C-Note]

"Hey, it's a Mustang - only more boring."

Also, more perfomance and unfortunately, more money.

C

[Chi-townChief]

The Crossfire is kind of goofy looking too - the front view looks great but the back looks like it's oddly cut off.

[Chi-townChief]

Toyota's styling isn't much to write home about either - they've also fallen under the spell of the egg.