...the new one would be as much of a let down? I mean if it wasnt on a hiatus for the past 30 years, do you think the 2004 would have been as disapointing styling wise. I know this can be a somewhat unanswerable question, but what do you think?

Personally I do think that the 2004 Holden based GTO was a let down, it should have been more aggressive looking. Its a nice car, but not a GTO. But, what if they had slowly evolved it into this? It may not have been that bad...

 

That's the risk with reaching back to the past to name a car. People's perceptions distort & realities about a car's name, or what it actually was, becomes distorted ( sometimes extremely so....check out the Chevelle thread about a new member's view of what the Nova & Duster was, of all things!!! ).

If GTO had continued, it would still be a quick and fairly costly version of an existing Pontiac mid-size car with fake hood scoops. That means Grand Am GT (with the fake ram air hood).

Suddenly that 360hp, 160+mph, 105 quarter miler, Monaro based GTO doesn't seem so bad, does it?

 

style-wise,IMO,it wouldn't have been a let down if it had been released in the early '90s.but style is subjective,it's a let down because it's a rebadged foreign car,if it had been in production for the last 30 years,who knows what would have happened,would it be front drive?would it be neglected like it was in its last years,maybe a '70s paper tiger powered by decals?i think it would be a let down,because in its current state,it's a rush job-make-due-with-what-you-got kind of deal,but if it had been in continous production,it would have been more thought out and planned ahead and "designed" to be a GTO,and if the '04 was what came out,i think people would be let down,it just seems dated,i see mid-90s monte carlo or dodge avenger when i look at it.the interior is nice,you can always say that when people say your car is bland.

 

what GM needs now is shock tactics !!!! see that 105mph trap speed, well wouldn't it be lovely if the first of the magazine testers get a huge surprise as to what the GTO can do and reel in 110mph-115 mph trap speeds... they are changing the cam profile for the GTO , why? why ? why? this can only mean one thing .... POWER !!!!

and if the price can stay below that magical 35K mark.... then there will be no doubt as to who is back in town....

 

As I said before, if it comes in at $33,000 or less, consider it SOLD!

 

no question the GTO would have gone FWD it they kept making it.

They would probably just named the GTP the GTO. or built a 3800 grand am with scoops and called it GTO.

The new GTO will be the best GTO ever built, 360HP V8, RWD, M6, that is exactly what the GTO should be.

If anyone wants a more aggressive 2004 GTO then they will be able to get the Ram Air SLP GTO.

 

This car is all they/we have to work at the moment. But I tell you, that cars NEEDS the hood scoops and the dual side exhaust BEFORE it comes out this year. You'd hear alot of critisizm going away and its just the right thing to do, it does say GTO on the car and I wish at GM they would remember that, do it right the 1st time and keep making it better.

 

performance wise the '04 gto will not be a dissapointment. however, the fact it looks like a grand prix and its a rebadged car from australia dissappoints me...sure u could get the slp package, but there will still be grand prix looking gto's out there...i guess i could be bias though since i have a '70 in my garage

 

I think it will be performancewise. It is supposed to run real low 14's-maybe real high 13's, and its heavy.

 

I think it will run low 13s, maybe even 13 flat with a good driver.