GTO (aussie monaro) on the streets?

I have yet to see a signle one of these cars in-the-flesh.

Or maybe the styling sux so bad I am mistaking them from the front for cadillac cateras and from the back as pontiac sunfires.

 

This car is an utter disaster.

Ugly, fat, and saddled with a nameplate that has an image that this car cannot uphold, coupled with a ridiculous price.

They expected to sell 16-18,000 of them here. As of July, they managed to move 4,584 of em.

Knock 7k off the price, and more will move, for sure. But at 32k, this car is an a whole different market segment then its build quality and styling suggests.

 

Don't get me wrong, the car itself isn't bad, and it is light years ahead of that awful Camaro/Firebird pile of crap.

But, it isn't a GTO, and it shouldn't have been marketed as such, especially at $32k.

 

Big, butch, and badass.

 

After a ton of laps on a couple of race tracks, I have say the GTO has the precision of a sledgehammer.

Love the little user-selectable speed warning chime, too...

 

That's a good way of putting it... it's quick but seemed a bit like a cow in the turns. But that would describe quite a few American cars if you dropped a Vette engine in.

The only time ever seen them was at a driving thing put on by GM.

 

I work at a Pontaic dealership. We can't seem to GIVE these things away! AFIK, we have actually sold 3. The first one was sold sight unseen at a sweet $7K OVER sticker!!!!!!!!!!!! What a Dumba$$!! We currently have about 5 or 6 (I haven't walked the lot lately) that have been sitting here for 4 + months. The desire just doesn't seem to be there for a pumped up Cavalier/Sunfire. Especially for $32K. Our dealership even had a GTO car show a few months back where 10-12 "real" GTO's from '64-'71 showed up. It was supposed to draw attention to the new Goat. (As if anybody even faintly knowledgeable about musclecars didn't already know it was here). It was pertty much a laughing stock. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the trend to big HP and going back to RWD, but GM really dropped the ball on this one. To revive the GTO, they should have put a little more R&D into it and rolled out something a little more retro inspired. Case in point, the '05 Mustang. (As a red-blooded GM guy that REALLLY hurt! LOL!) Our sister ford dealership can't keep those on the lot. They get dropped off of the truck, PDI'd, then delivered to the customer! Maybe next design evolution......

Dave

 

BINGO. Hit the nail right on the head.

 

A buddy of mine picked up a blue GTO with blue leather interior with a six speed manual. He got it because it was so cheap to lease. He had a GM discount and is only paying $350 a month. The interior is definitely better than other pontiacs(& better than most other GM cars IMO-although that isn't saying much) and the seats were very comfortable too. It could definitely use a short shifting manual. It has great acceleration though and is a bit of sleeper because of its cavalier-like looks. GM definitely messed up with the styling of the car. But if you can find one for $350 or less a month I don't think it is bad deal.

Getting back to the subject of this thread though...

Like others have said the GTO has been a huge disappointment and like the Pontiac salesman said they just aren't selling. It will be interesting to see if the 400hp GTO will help GM sell the car. If they could price the 400hp between $30-32K I bet they would sell. I bet the MSRP will be close to $40K though but we will have to see.

 

My best friend growing up has a '67 GTO that is his pride and joy. As for the new car, what a disgrace.

Case in point, when that droopy eyed POS Mustang concept was released, the boo's were heard far and wide. Lo and behold, what is in the showrooms now? Too bad GM turned a blind eye to the consumers AND the enthusiasts.

Sunny

 

NOTHING will ever replace those muscle car days and the driving experience that that era had. No emissions laws, no speed cameras, no radar behind every tree, etc,. etc. The car makers are trying to market new cars with well known names but the generation that grew up with those names know just what those names stand for. They can rebadge all they want but if I want a 60-70's style muscle car -- I will go buy just that. Not some rebadged plastic look alike that is just a copy of another line of cars. The Big Three are losing it more and more as they can't seem to understand that "pushrod" engines no matter how much new technology they put on it are still that pushrod engines that in today's world should have been retired years ago. There is only so much you can do with them. The newest "redesigns" are nothing more than window dressing.

 

My personal favorite is the SS-UTE. DO y'all still have those over there?

And FWIW, employees at our dealership(most of us in the shop are musclecar guys, I still own my Nova SS as well as the Ferrari.) were offered a lease at $287 a month and still nobody bit. I'm holding off till Jan-Feb and am going to pick up a CTS-V instead. I think the current GTO will be a flop until the next redesign in '06-'07.

Dave
And BTW, shouldn't that pic of the HQ have a light bar and "PURSUIT" plastered on it?! ......the NIGHT.....RIDER......(LOVE that movie!)

 

If they boosted output to 550-600 hp and maintained current look (or even more subtle), I'd like to have one. That said, current car w/supercharged C5R motor and an Enterprise license plate frame might be fun, too.

 

Uuuuhhh ******** WE DO!!!

Love the Aussie V8 Utes!!!!
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SUHWEEEEET!!!!!!!!
Are they popular down there? Here in the states we had the ElCamino. Those were pretty much a love it or hate it. They haven't been around since the early '80s. When I first heard of the GTO/Monaro connection I did some searching and fell in lust with those hotrod car/trucks!!!!!

Dave

 

Now that's something that I haven't tried! There's always next time...

 

O.K. today I seen one at the pontiac dealer, you know from a distance they are kinda plain, but up close I really liked it. The interior is fabulous. Lots of power, I do like it. BUT it would be cool for $22k NOT $32k my god to much.

Another thing that was strange was gas mileage, the auto tranny was rated 16 city 21 highway
But the Manual was rated 17 city 29 highway. 29 mpg highway, WOW thats great, but why only 21 with a auto.?

 

Yeah they are very popular with the buliders down here. You can buy a version called the HSV "Maloo", with packs nearly 280KW at the wheels. I drove my friends auto one the other day. Wheels were still spinning in 3rd.
Crazy power with no weight in the rear.....
Check em out at www.hsv.com.au

 

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