GTO survey/age poll -RESULTS-

CLEAN · 06-25-2002, 02:00 AM

All in all, it looks like a winner. 71.4% liked the car, 11.4% didn't like it, and 17.1% were indifferent. The age breakdowns are as follows...

avg. age
Liked..............27.4
Disliked...........31.3
said it was "ok"...34.6

Interesting that the people who disliked it or were indifferent to it were the older voters, whom this car is supposed to target (DELL kid says "hmmmmmm")

And since we knew we'd have some people throwing in comments about hypothetical fantasy cars/mods that don't exist, I listed them too. Of the 20% of respondents that suggested mods, the average age of the voter looking for more aggressive styling was....ta da, an expected young age of 23.3! This was true until 53 year old "dmaastr" crashed the party calling for more aggressive styling, bringing the age right up to par w/ the rest of them at 27.5.

So what we have in this wholly unscientific poll, is that the age group most likely to be able to afford this car is also the age group most likely to dislike, or be indifferent to it. Hmmmmmmmm indeed.

Sixer-Bird · 06-25-2002, 02:51 AM

Being 19 and appreciating the stealthy appearance of the car probably skewed the results some too.

------------------
-Joshua
1997 Bright Red T/A WS6 M6
I was thinking dagger. -Steve Nash

ProudPony · 06-25-2002, 09:55 AM

CLEAN,
Thanks for the time you took to do this little experiment.

Youdaman.

I think your results may be very insightful. Maybe you can begin to associate your results with the fact that older guys can remeber when the original GTO's were still on the streets everyday taking a thrashing from the driver.

IMHO, older guys/enthusiasts who appreciate muscle cars for what they are, don't really care about the "refinements" of this new car. Not that they don't appreciate them, but just not necessarily under the GTO name. If we just want to go fast in $40k luxo-style, we'll buy the CTS Caddy or the LS Linc. or Beemer or Benz, etc.

If I "wanted" a new GTO today, I would want the unique styling, front end, Ram-Air hood, wheels similar in appearance to the originals, and business-like performance inside and out. That's the way I remember the GTO's that were 10/15-year-old thrashers that high school buddies and drag night pals drove around when I was in High School. No fine leather seats, On-Star, and DVD players. Please.

Again, if I want new technology, unique styling unlike anything historical, a hi-tech V8, IRS, leather, power everything, and full electronics, I would look for a Linc or Caddy.

BUT - since there are a lot of folks out there with a lot of money that don't know squat about cars - new or old -, I predict that these cars will sell out the 20K units by default. Well-to-do people often want to buy exclusivity, and with the pricing and the limited numbers, this car offers it to them. But I bet most real-world buyers of this car couldn't point out a '71 GTO to you in a car book if you got them to the right page.

Just my .02. Peace.

Z284ever · 06-26-2002, 01:40 AM

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ProudPony:
CLEAN,

IMHO, older guys/enthusiasts who appreciate muscle cars for what they are, don't really care about the "refinements" of this new car.

:</font>

I don't know about that Proud. As one of the official "old farts" on this board (I'm 41), I've noticed how my tastes have changed as the years roll by.

When I was 18....SPEED was all that mattered. I really didn't care if a car was a "box 'o rocks"...as long as it was fast.

When I was 15...my uncle let me drive his Ram Air III '68 GTO...it was GREAT...but I couldn't live with such a crude car today, on a daily basis.

I also want refinement now. Not necessarily gizmos..like OnStar...but a well engineered, designed and manufactured car.

Years ago, I heard Reeves Callaway say that as you get older you wind up wanting it all in a car. Power, handling, refinement.

....he was right!

ProudPony · 06-26-2002, 09:24 AM

Quote:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Z284ever:
I don't know about that Proud. As one of the official "old farts" on this board (I'm 41), I've noticed how my tastes have changed as the years roll by.

When I was 18....SPEED was all that mattered. I really didn't care if a car was a "box 'o rocks"...as long as it was fast.

When I was 15...my uncle let me drive his Ram Air III '68 GTO...it was GREAT...but I couldn't live with such a crude car today, on a daily basis.

I also want refinement now. Not necessarily gizmos..like OnStar...but a well engineered, designed and manufactured car.

Years ago, I heard Reeves Callaway say that as you get older you wind up wanting it all in a car. Power, handling, refinement.

....he was right!

</font>

OK - point well made. I see where you are coming from.

I tried to qualify my statement as much as possible with the "older guys", "enthusiasts", and "muscle cars" terms all bunched up.

Personally, I would buy a Cobra, GTO, or other car of that nature for occasional driving

and severe garage duty!

I have common cars/trucks for everyday driving like 89 LX 5.0, Eddie Bauer Explorer, and F-250's. I look at limited run cars as investments as much as (if not more than) utility, so the leather, CD changer, and other creature comforts just wouldn't be used or appreciated as in a daily driver. I'd be more after the performance. But that's me.

I can understand that some folks want to buy this car to "use it" and drive it 7 days a week, but enjoy the "recognition" of it while owning/driving it as well.