Pontiac GTO Sucks

[skylark64]

This has been bothering me for a while. I thought I might buy a GTO when they came out, but I was very dissapointed.

Power and performance aside, the thing looks like an overgrown Sunfire! I think the designers at Pontiac are phoning it in. In the time of the Mini, Mustang GT(2005), T-Bird, SSR, Ford GT50, Crossfire, hell..even the PT Cruiser!...you'd think they would have come up with something resembling a real GTO!

Car manufacturers have realized we love nostalgia, that is why I was so excited for the GTO. I had been drooling over the Holden for years wishing they would bring it in some fashion to the US.

My ultimate dream is for Buick to use the platform for a new Skylark GS. Maybe they can pull their heads out of their asses and create something that Pontiac can learn from.

I dunno, maybe the need to compete with the imports overroad any original thought? It kinda looks like a bigger 3rd Gen Intergra.

All I am asking is, are you with me? I saw one on the road and it looked allright, but it didn't make me want to buy one.

—Skylark64

[jcp123]

I think the GTO is a nice car (at least, as new cars go), but calling it a Goat was a bad move. It's more of an executive express than a real muscle car. It's more a matter of semantics, they set people's expectations for the car to something it just isn't.

Do I think the GTO is a nice car? Yes. Does it deserve the GTO name? No.

[Slicks]

Originally Posted by jcp123

I think the GTO is a nice car (at least, as new cars go), but calling it a Goat was a bad move. It's more of an executive express than a real muscle car. It's more a matter of semantics, they set people's expectations for the car to something it just isn't.

Do I think the GTO is a nice car? Yes. Does it deserve the GTO name? No.

Totally agree with that. Awesome car, but doesnt really deserve the GTO name.

[taz_rocks_miami]

Originally Posted by Slicks

Totally agree with that. Awesome car, but doesnt really deserve the GTO name.

I don't agree, performance wise it's very worthy of the name. As far as looks go, not all cars have to be retro guys. Example: the new C6 Corvette looks nothing like the original back in 1953 and we have no trouble calling it a Vette. I would agree if the GTO had poor HP and performance.

[PerfAdv]

Do I think the GTO is a nice car? Yes. Does it deserve the GTO name? No.

The original GTO was named after the Ferrari GTO. GTO stands for Gran Turismo Omolagato or a homologation: a road worthy version of a race car. So really even the original GTO didn't deserve its name.

As for it being a nice car...definitely. For '05 it gets the 400hp engine. Looks wise, its a matter of opinion and I like it. Its a sleeper, better understated than.... Maybe a little more aggression would have been nice but it's not a clean slate design, it's a Monaro. I guess the tradition lives on for the Pontiac GTO, it still doesn't deserve its name but it's a great car.

[fpv_gtho]

I think when Bob Lutz first drove the Monaro and first decided to import it as a GTO, it was more of a quick fix solution than anything else, to try and reestablish Pontiac as a performance brand. The styling is probably nowhere near what a GTO should be, but when the Monaro was re-released here in 2001, people were saying it didnt live up to the Monaro name either.....Wait till 2007 for the ALL new model and you might be satisfied

[taz_rocks_miami]

Originally Posted by PerfAdv

The original GTO was named after the Ferrari GTO. GTO stands for Gran Turismo Omolagato or a homologation: a road worthy version of a race car.

Good to see you know your Ferrari history

[Colty]

LOL!!

I think the GTO looks pretty good but nothing like what it should look like, i think it would be better if it had some retro features

[fpv_gtho]

The bonnet vents on the Monaro really look out of place without the dual nose grille, the Monaro's been lsing sales enough without Denny Mooney "americanising" it to cut costs

[taz_rocks_miami]

Originally Posted by Colty

LOL!!

I think the GTO looks pretty good but nothing like what it should look like, i think it would be better if it had some retro features

>Buy new GTO>Take it to Ligenfelter>Have them drop in a 600+ HP 427 big block in it!!>That's the kinda retro Taz likes!!!

[fpv_gtho]

Nah, take it to CAPA so they can fit one of their 560kw 383ci supercharged engines

[jcp123]

Originally Posted by PerfAdv

The original GTO was named after the Ferrari GTO. GTO stands for Gran Turismo Omolagato or a homologation: a road worthy version of a race car. So really even the original GTO didn't deserve its name.

As for it being a nice car...definitely. For '05 it gets the 400hp engine. Looks wise, its a matter of opinion and I like it. Its a sleeper, better understated than.... Maybe a little more aggression would have been nice but it's not a clean slate design, it's a Monaro. I guess the tradition lives on for the Pontiac GTO, it still doesn't deserve its name but it's a great car.

hmm good point, i guess if you wanted to get down to the nitty gritty, youre completely correct. but you know what i'm talking about.

[taz_rocks_miami]

Originally Posted by fpv_gtho

Nah, take it to CAPA so they can fit one of their 560kw 383ci supercharged engines

Ligenfelter will put twin turbos or a supercharger on the 427 if your wallet is deep enough

[fpv_gtho]

what figures are those engines pushing? a company here called APS just released a twin turbo kit on the LS1 that can pump out from 400kw to 700kw

[jcp123]

Straight from the Poncho website:

5.7L V8 SFI aluminum (350 HP [260.7 kW] @ 5200 rpm, 365 lb-ft [492.7 N-m] @4000 rpm)