BTW, just a follow up on DeLorenzo's '09 Firebird prediction.....consider it nothing more than pure, unadulterated, speculation.

 

Not just you. I was ready, cash in hand to get a GTO early on. Consistant dealer greed put me off, and I walked away from the idea. I still love the new GTO, and probally will wait till I get sick of my T-birds to sell them and get a used Goat, there are some things about the car I don't like.

Though the rear seat is a dream, getting there is a nightmare. That slow moving electric seat you need to engage to get back there is flat out annoying. The trunk isn't a big issue with me (I lived with Fox Mustang coupes for over 10 years), but after the huge cargo areas of my T-Bird and Camaros, it's enough to give me an uneasy feeling.

It feels like it has more heft than my T-bird (an illusion of course), but I still like the fact it feels like a car you can easily live with on those long jaunts from San Fran to San Diego or Vegas or Phenoix at really illegal speeds, and way more than enough grunt and stability to put those pesky bored Interstate Grand Prix Racers in their place.

I see faults with the car I ignored when it 1st came out, and I'd no longer pay $30K for it. But knowing how durable these cars are, and seeing that these cars will soon be below $20K used, it's still on my short list (next to a supercharged Cobra, a new Mustang GT, or getting rid of my hardtop automatic B4C for another 6 speed T-topped Z28.... anyone intrested in a trade, contact me ) of my next car.


I think of the GTO as a girlfriend that's perfect in every way and is the best marriage material girl you've ever found, but will never do that "one thing" you like.

 

Can you get a set of golf clubs in the boot of a GTO?

 

The trunk is larger that you may think. My wife and I have no problem packing that trunk up with luggage when we go on trips. Now if you have kids maybe it might be different. My only beef with my GTO is I wish it had actual door lock buttons on the console somewhere.

Other than that It is the best new car I've bought in the last 20 years from GM hands down. I now have 42K mile on mine and not ONE SINGLE PROBLEM with it.

 

Ya, I don't think you'd have any trouble with that.

In fact, like NikiVee was getting at, the space might be considered smallish, but it's very usable space.

I lined up 7 regular sized and filled paper grocery bags from left to right in the trunk of my GTO.

It's no Crown Victoria as far as cubic feet of strage goes, but it really is very usable space.

 

Normally I agree with a lot of your posts... and I know you are a Pontiac and GTO fan as well and you have no intent to bash. But the statement above kind of bugs me nonetheless. First off, the new GTO is hands-down, flat-out, THE best GTO ever made. Quickest, safest, most ergonomic... the list goes on. (I will grant it's not the year of GTO with the biggest trunk! ). I hope GM does come out in the future with another GTO to top my 2005 model (I tend to think they will but that's just me from what I read on these forums). But if they don't... I don't see the current one as some kind of 'slap in the face' to GTO owners everywhere

The current GTO is just about perfectly true to the original theme and soul of the first ones out. (Exceptions - maybe the 2+2 vs the 2+3 seating). All the core attributes are there - a value-oriented coupe gets a big honking V8 and some performance styling, but keeps its midrange price. I couldn't care less that the new Goats were not a screaming success. They were implemented from the start as a niche vehicle to fill a void - and they have done that. Sure, GM has made some mistakes. Ideally - we would right now be drooling over the 07 GTO coming out the way it was perported to have happened prior to GM's recent cost problems. But it's not there right now... and I for one refuse to sweat and gripe about it. I'm busy instead enjoying the CURRENT one I have. It's the best tribute ever made to the original Goats, and with or without a replacement coming... it will keep America talking about the GTO mystique for many years (even decades) to come. And I'm confident that something is brewing at Pontiac, to keep RWD V8 buyers coming back

 

The original GTO was a success because Delorean did something that hadn't been done before. The new GTO while AWESOME, didn't really bring anything new to the table other then being more refined...

I don't think it's a slap in the face to the GTO. I think it's true to the GTO's heritage. But what I do think is that the GTO formula of 1960 whatever will not work in today's marketplace at the price they were asking.

I think the GTO should have brought something new to the table... IE: Quad Coupe. Like it or not the Charger is a hit!

 

No Quad Coupe !!! Bad Idea.

It's better to kill the GTO out right. GTO is a Muscle car -- plain & simple. It needs to be a 2 + 2 coupe(2dr),RWD, and a large V8(6.0 liters is good).
I had rather see it return as a 2dr Coupe version of the Zeta G8/Grand Prix, with a either 5.3L V8 or 6.0L LS2 V8.
But the best idea is a modern Retro styled 2 dr coupe with a 400+hp V8. Keep the car traditional.

By the way, I hate that Dodge made the Charger a 4 door. The messed up a classic muscle car. At least Dodge kept the Challenger a two door.

If the Firebird does return as an '09, then it should be either retro-styled after the late 70's Bandit style(once of the best saleing & famous 'birds ever), or as a modernized evolution of the last '02 firebird.

 

Why?

That's not it's heritage.

 

Explain? Does it require to seat 5 instead of 4 to meet it's heritage?

 

No, no, no...you don't feel LIKE you're going to bump your head onthe A-pillar...no no no. Often enough, if you're like me, you slam your head into it with brute force that makes your eyes water up and you look like you're about to cry like a fat girl who just had her ice cream stolen by the school bully.

This works really well when you're on a ride and drive with a customer, or just showing the car to a customer in the showroom. Personally? Naw...I've never done that

I curse the Aussies about once every 30 days for that feature...

 

Well yeah. The original GTO's were fixtures for me growing up. Goats were everywhere. My uncle would let me drive his '68 RA GTO when I had my learner's permit at age 15. I'd cruise in friend's GTO's. Three teenage boys in a '71 455 GTO convertible, could find room for another three teenage girls in that GTO. My minds eye has a clear picture of what a GTO should be to me.

Suddenly though....all future GTO's should only be 2+2 coupes forever more...because some people's only GTO reference point is the '04-'06 Monaro. Man, that annoys me.

 

Okay, me too Jason. I just wanted someone else to admit it first.

 

As much as I love Pontiac (and I love my '04 too!) there were clearly a few things that could have been done better- but over all I think it is a great performing car. The car should have come out like the '05 originally. I also think as much of the blame has to fall on the dealers for premium pricing at first and not having a car available for people to drive. I'm not saying all dealers did this, but early on I know many in my area did. I really, really hope they bring it back, but I don't expect to see anythign before the new Camaro comes out, and that could be 3-4 years away.

Oh yea (GM listen!); if it comes back with 4 doors (even quad coupe doors) I will never buy another new GM product as long as I live.

 

If I was going to buy a GTO, I don't think I would mind the quad coupe thing since it would make it easier to get in and out of the back, and you wouldn't have to play around with the front seats.

Why can't front power seats in a 4 person coupe have a simple manual operation to let people into the back?