Bob Lutz announces 2004 GTO Power

just got this info..

In a keynote speech at Kettering University, (formerly the General Motors Institute) in Flint Michigan about a week ago GM Vice-Chairman Robert Lutz announced that the 2004 GTO will have a 360+LS1 in 2004 and a 405 HP plus LS6, among other product notes. The GTO is known to be one of Lutz's pet projects and pretty much anything out his mouth regarding the car is considered gospel. With the cars debut quickly coming up expect more and more info to slowly come out of GM.

Wow. Two engine engine choice for a car only being imported in amounts of 18,000? Way to go Lutz! Does this prove that low volume cars can have engine choices unlike what happened with the Camaro? Or does the GTO have two V8 options because of the higher price of the GTO which offsets the cost of the two engine choices unlike the Camaro Z28 which began at $25,000 and because of the low price couldn't create a profitable case for two V8 engines.

And now with two engine choices, what are they going to call these two different models? Now its not just GTO. You have a 360hp GTO, and a 405hp GTO _(insert term here)_. GTO GXP? GTO Judge (I hope not. The original judge was a stripper)? GTO-S? GTO-R? None of these are appropriate!

Originally posted by Burmite

And now with two engine choices, what are they going to call these two different models? Now its not just GTO. You have a 360hp GTO, and a 405hp GTO _(insert term here)_. GTO GXP? GTO Judge (I hope not. The original judge was a stripper)? GTO-S? GTO-R? None of these are appropriate!

I'd vote for just "GTO"...regardless of engine. The original GTO had engine choices...several of them on certain years..and they were all just called GTO.

Originally posted by Burmite
And now with two engine choices, what are they going to call these two different models? Now its not just GTO. You have a 360hp GTO, and a 405hp GTO _(insert term here)_. GTO GXP? GTO Judge (I hope not. The original judge was a stripper)? GTO-S? GTO-R? None of these are appropriate!

Maybe their going to call it GTO Power?

:D GTO XXX :D

Something else newsworthy is that although 18,000 Holdens are slated to be exported to the US next year, 30,000 is planned the following year.

Whether it's all GTOs or if El Camino or some other car is making the trip as well I don't know....... yet! ;)

Hey, guionM!

When are you gonna drop a small block into:

"78 Monza V6 4sp w/ 4bbl edelbrock Carb & manifold, headers, siamiesed dual exhaust."

and start whipping some REAL a$$???

What's it weigh anyway? 2400 lbs? 2600 lbs.?

I have a 1976 coupe as a project, but it has been put on hold since I started tearing the Nova apart.

Anybody besides me notice that Monzas have the same torque arm, panhard rod, 2 LCA's suspension that F-bodies do?

:D GTO LS1 and GTO LS6 :D :D

Any word on pricing though? We may be looking at $35k LS1, $40k LS6. But I love that it's being offered like this (and in the first year!). January can't get here soon enough!

And yeah, just "GTO" is fine. All you need is an extra "405HP" emblem on the LS6 version ala Z06.

that is pretty sweet ls6 in the gto
maybe lutz will change gm around
but still BRING US OUR CAMARO BACK!:D
put an ls6 in it

Interesting i posted that story on www.newagegto.com today;)

LS6 Vette
LS6 GTO
LS6 CTSv
LS6(ish) Silverado SS Reg. Cab

That lineup would make me a giddy little boy :)

I personally can't wait for GTO GenIV ! ;) See what the new GenIV will be able to do once it goes into the CTSv and the C6!

Originally posted by PacerX
Hey, guionM!

When are you gonna drop a small block into:

"78 Monza V6 4sp w/ 4bbl edelbrock Carb & manifold, headers, siamiesed dual exhaust."

and start whipping some REAL a$$???

What's it weigh anyway? 2400 lbs? 2600 lbs.?

I have a 1976 coupe as a project, but it has been put on hold since I started tearing the Nova apart.

Anybody besides me notice that Monzas have the same torque arm, panhard rod, 2 LCA's suspension that F-bodies do?

That was just a project car, and to a 22 year old (at the time) it seemed pretty quick. ;) It would do about a 90 mph quarter, which was about the speeds of Corvettes at the time (1985), so it was fast enough. Sold it to a guy I was stationed with when I left Guam in 87. That car was a feather weight (it had no options whatsoever...not even a console!). Bought it for $900 and sold it for $1800.

I later inherited a Spyder V8 in excellent condition except for the engine which I swapped out the 305 2 barrel for a 1977 4 barrel LM1 (this was in Cali, so I had to keep it reasonably stock), replaced the stock 2 1/4 inch exhaust system with a 3" pipe & a Cat from a Monte SS (honeycomb vs beads & larger diameter openings), and had to use an air cleaner from an 79 Olds Cutlass (the only cleaner that would fit the 4 barrel and drop low enough to clear the hood). If you are using an Auto, watch out for that Turbo 250. It's not exactly the best at handling extra power.

Sold it 2 years later at a loss because I didn't want to deal with getting CARB to clear it when the smog check became due again. Besides, I had a 5.0 Mustang by then that at the time was pretty ferocious.....and it had a stick. :D

Bought a 2nd Spyder V8 automatic a couple years later when a guy was getting stationed in Japan & was desparate to sell it. It was loaded except for power windows. Bought it for $950 and put it in the Auto Trader for $2200. I was shocked when I got that for it a week later. :eek:

When I was a Marine, the fastest street car on the base at 29 Palms was a beater, primered, hack-n-slash 350 cu. in. Monza coupe owned by a "good old boy" from somewhere south of the Mason/Dixon... used to have a vinyl quarter top and the whole 9 yards...

Anyway, he kept up a pretty could banter with the 5.0 liter guys (it was around 1990), and would actually get one to race every once in a while.

He would then tear 'em a new a$$hole.

Beat up a T/A and a 340 Cuda too.

A well built dual quad 1966 327 Nova gave him a good run once.

Early Monzas tipped the scales at around 2400 lbs., V8's usually came in at just over 2600.

They desperately needed a rear end swap, the mounting points for the rear suspension needed to be beefed up, the Turbo 250 needed to be replaced, wheels and tires were an issue on the 4-lug wheels, and the unibodys were EXCEPTIONALLY flexible (nothing a roll cage can't fix).

But, at the end of the day, if all that stuff was done - they were killers.

Originally posted by PacerX
Hey, guionM!


Anybody besides me notice that Monzas have the same torque arm, panhard rod, 2 LCA's suspension that F-bodies do?

Absolutely!

No doubt! The Monza I had in Guam was pretty close to the quickest on base, & it was only a V6 with just a carb & exhaust change! (though admittedly a big carb & a cat-free dual exhaust ;) )

The Spyder with the 350 probally put out no more than 180-190 horsepower, about what late 80s Z28s were making (though I had a better breathing exhaust, I had to stick with stock manifolds...the only ones that fit), and it pretty much handled anything made in the 80s that was stock (including a friends HO 85 Z28 and the occasional pre-85 Mustang).

It's a shame that not alot of people know how fun those cars were & how little it took to make those things fly. They handled like go carts too. Not a common occurance back in the 70s.....or any car with 13" rims :D

I wish you guys would stop it. You've got me looking thru classifieds for Monzas again.:D

How about this one.

www.lineguide.com/dekon

Click on the images...I can't get the image link to work.

GTO and the GTO SS :D

everyone can call it goata$$

Originally posted by formula79
Interesting i posted that story on www.newagegto.com today;)

Another shameless plug by branden :D ;)

http://www.zianet.com/v8monza/album/monza-spyder.htm

My 350 was identical to the yellow one (but looked alot better).

An LS6 GTO? Holy ****ing ****! Man, I wonder how much that option will cost?

Man, I am getting so excited about the GTO!! I can't wait to see what it will look like at concept car shows (not that Pontiac pic) and in production trim!

Oh yeah, keep it GTO. Making it a "GTO-R" just sounds too import.

I'm waiting to hear word on the C6.

Definetly impressive. B.L. is good for GM and IMO an all powerfull incredible Camaro is possible with him in there. I hope after this car and a few others are released, the F-Body is next on his list.

Perfect! Just Perfect:mad:
You guys get more power and more chioces for the GTO and we get squat! Too bad he didn't announce it was coming to Canada:(

bad he didn't announce it was coming to Canada

How difficult would it be to buy it in the US then drive it back across the border?

The power ratings sound nice, but the fact that the car will be offered with a LS6 just makes me think about how much more out of my price range the GTO will be when it comes out. I have a feeling a fully loaded one will come close to 40k! It seems like its basically gonna be a "Pontiac Corvette." If I get a Pontiac in the future, you'll probably find me at the used car lot picking up a old LS1 WS6.

I think the better GTO should be still called just GTO, but should have LS6 badges on it. Oh yeah, and the 19" Rims the HSV GTS has.

I wish he would say something about a Camaro, or at least some new Chevy besides a truck. Congrats to you Pontiac guys on getting what seems to be a killer car. I hope we can afford it!

Originally posted by AnthonyHSV
How difficult would it be to buy it in the US then drive it back across the border?

Cause they wouldn't let it in. Doens't meet Canadian bumper requirements

Bumper requirements?

Seems a pretty small thing to keep it out

The new GTO sounds better everyday. 360hp and some nice high gearing should give it 4th gen f-body performance in a much, much, MUCH better package. More room, excellent build quality, and great handling and performance; sounds great to me. The car maybe a little pricey for some people now (including my college student self), but its nothing that I won't be able to afford a few years out of school.

will it take cues from the HRT427 ? ( the hrt 427 externally isnt much different to a base monaro except for air intakes and dual exhaust...) hmmm i wonder...


pic1 (http://www.micro-op.com.au/execls1/hrt427a.jpg)
pic2 (http://www.micro-op.com.au/execls1/hrt427b.jpg)
pic3 (http://www.micro-op.com.au/execls1/hrt427c.jpg)
pic4 (http://www.micro-op.com.au/execls1/hrt427d.jpg)

Originally posted by 305fan
Cause they wouldn't let it in. Doens't meet Canadian bumper requirements

I'm sure they would be "let in", customs has a lot more to worry about these days than cars conforming to some silly crash standards. The problem for Canadian citizens would be keeping the car there as a registered vehicle.

I really doubt that--the law is the law. There is alist of cars that cannot be brought across.
Even if you could I doubt a Canadian company would insure it (insurance is mandatory in Canada)- it wouldn't even be in there database.
You cannot bring ANY car from USA to Canada and
Canada to USA.

Just try to bring a Lada into the US--ain't gonna happen. What's that little Lotus...Eslie? You could import them to the US but it's not getting on a public road---although it could race on a private track.

Originally posted by Ude-lose
will it take cues from the HRT427 ? ( the hrt 427 externally isnt much different to a base monaro except for air intakes and dual exhaust...) hmmm i wonder...


pic1 (http://www.micro-op.com.au/execls1/hrt427a.jpg)
pic2 (http://www.micro-op.com.au/execls1/hrt427b.jpg)
pic3 (http://www.micro-op.com.au/execls1/hrt427c.jpg)
pic4 (http://www.micro-op.com.au/execls1/hrt427d.jpg)


I'd bet those dual exhaust pipes are GTO. If GTO doesn't come with that induction system, I sure hope HSV sells it separately.

The original GTO Judges were not stripper cars, in fact it was the opposite.Most came loaded. By 1969 all GM and Ford muscle cars were becoming weighed down. Chrysler still had the real racers (ones w/ no money);)

As a salesperson, it'll be fun to see how many of these bad boys I get to stock the first year. I got all the Firebirds I wanted this year because no other dealer wanted them!!! I'm a tiny little dealer, and I had no problem getting 35 Firebirds for stock this year...6 still left.

If I get 1-2, I'll be thrilled :bow:

20,000 cars and how many dealers??? I would think you would get a few more than just 2, unless of course you have no orders for them. I think 20k cars is alot, especially if they are $35 to $40k each. If you can get em for $30k there will bea huge demand, but i'd say $35k sticker, and the suckers will pay a mark up in the first 4 months...Just look at Cobra sales. Thats one hell of a bag for the buck and you can get them for below sticker now.

Ah yes, but consider this....

I am a smaller dealer. The big guys in the big cities will get the lion's share, I think. I mean hell, there were dealer in Florida when I went on Spring Break in March who had 5 Vibes in stock, and I hadn't even seen one in person yet!!! Just because you put the order in first does NOT mean you'll get the damn thing :(