I have one question...will they sell all $18,000..even maybe at a premium? You bet your hood scoop loving *** they will. They probaly couls sell twice that. Last time I checked, business wise..if you sell all the product you initially planed than you were sucessful. Stop beating up on the car..for everyone who wants hood scoops and other outrageous styling there is someone who thinks it is tacky and over done. I for one would rather have an understated car, so it appeals to more people..yet the people who wanna mod it and make it look crazy can. Does that make sense?

 

Makes sense to me..

 

I agree with everything. Except the 18,000 figure. I can't remember where I read it, but "up to 30,000" has been mentioned more recently than the 18-20 figure, and it was referring to 2004, not the future. I'm no Nostradamus, but I just have a strong feeling all of 'em will sell as soon as they roll in.

 

Ever wonder why 30,000 GTO's is a success, but 40,000 Camaros on a 10 year old platform was a failure?

The styling is a *little* bland. It could stand to be a little more muscular. (don't confuse muscular with scoops, strakes, stripes and spoilers).

 

I personally was not beating up on the car for anything other than styling. From what I've read, it will be a great car, I just do not like the look of it. Whether or not GM sells 18000 or 200 000 of them, it won't change my opinion that this car's styling is bland. I don't think you need hood scoops or outrageous spoilers or any of that kind of stuff to make a car look nice. The G6 concept is a good example of a nice looking car that doesn't look like it's decked out in cheap cladding/scoops/etc. The current monte carlo and grand prix are other good examples.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

 

.....why so many of us call the styling, "bland", "vanilla", etc........you need to understand that we are f-body owners and we have come to expect style with the horsepower to back it up.

If you're gonna' slap a nameplate on it that conjures up 60's pop songs...people are going to expect more...I really wish they'd called it what it is.....a Monaro.

Let's be honest, there's nothing about the Monaro that we haven't seen on American streets for over five years now....it really will get lost in a parking lot......oh sure you can argue subtleties, but if that's all you have to offer then expect some of us to be slightly bored with it before it even hits the streets. You can see many, many current American cars in it's styling. Now none of this is necessarily a bad thing, we've just seen it all before....GM does deserve credit for getting it over here so soon after Ronny's booting....Just gotta' wait for the next gen for some styling changes and more power.

As I've posted before, after it hits the streets and has a chance to live up to the hype.....I think it will change a lot of peoples minds about it too.....kinda' like the boxy, 4 door Subaru WRX...it'll have a cult following.

Some of you have stated that you like subtle, understated cars with the "sleeper" approach and that's OK....I think it will be whole heartedly be accepted by the target market for this car....as I also know, we aren't it.

My real concern is IF we'll ever get another affordable....read "mid $20k, V8, RWD, 2+2, sports car" ever again.

 

man, some topics die hard.

 

Honda Civic stock - bland
Honda Civic modded - not so bland (depends who you ask if they are goodlooking or not; I think not)

The Honda Civic sells a ****load, as does the Accord and Toyota Camery.

For some reason or another, bland seems to always sell a lot more than exciting. So the GTO is "bland"? Maybe that will help it sell. And if I want to put a hood or wheels on it, I am sure there will be some big time aftermarket help there.

 

How much better (other than interior) will this car be than a GTP?

I dont care what anyone tells me I should be thankful for, that car is a semi riced out Grand Prix. They should of just rebadged it the Grand Prix. Its styling cues cant be argued in their similarities. So they could pitch it as....

"The all new Grand Prix....Nicer interior, a much bigger engine and better drivetrain.....a tad more perfromance."

 

Have I missed something? Isn't the Grand Prix a FWD 200hp V6?

How can on compare it to the new GTO? About the only thing it shares with the Grand Prix is its relatively subdued styling, one of the best thing going for the Grand Prix . And when did a Corvette LS1 only provide a "tad more performance"?

 

Probably due to cost per unit - Monaro/GTO shares a lot of components with other models in the Holden line up, so the economies of scale can work better - remember, Holden only needed to to 5,000 units a year to make Monaro recover it's costs ... Even if 40,000 seems like a lot compared to 18,000, if you're losing money on those 40,000, then something needs to be done ...

 

Obviously you have. Since its the GTP that I referred to.

Which has 280 ft/lbs of torque and 240 horses. And can claim a quarter mile in around the 14.5 range. And by what GM is saying the GTO will break it in around the 14 range.

So now that we've established that fact that their performance is going to be about the same...Ill ask again. Why wasn't this car the New GTP?

 

Honda Civics sell a large amount each year. Business wise, it is a very sucessful car. Maybe we should stop beating up on those cars.

SUV's sell an unbelievable amount each year. Maybe I should start liking SUV's more.

If anyone wants to spend $35,000 for a car that looks like an over-sized Cavalier with a Grand Prix front-end, they can do so. It'll be a bit slower than the F-bodies due to that extra 200 lbs of weight. But hey, at least they'll be getting a luxury interior, or at least that's what I hear. I would hope the interior is better, since the price is about $8000 more than a base Z28.

Do you really think the GTO is a step in the right direction, or a step backwards?

 

It all depend on what you are comparing it to. Are you comparing it to a WS6 Firebird? Cost wise they will be comparable.
Performance wise they should also be comparable. I expect the GTO's torquier LS1 to more than make up the difference in weight.
I also expect the GTO to outhandle a WS6 F-body.

So I guess it all comes down to styling. A WS6 Trans Am is certainly more expressive...but does that make it better looking? I guess that's a matter of taste.

But probably the car that GTO can most be compared to is the departed Grand Prix GTP coupe. Personally, I'd rather have a RWD, 340hp, V8 with IRS and a nice interior.

Maybe some people would like flashier styling...but anyway you look at it....having a powerful V8, RWD GTO fall into our lap out of thin air, is certainly is NOT a step backwards.

 

Whoa, who said anything about a WS6? You just picked the most expensive F-body, and then started comparing. The WS6 has a ton of options and accessories. Even still, they cost about $32000.
The new GTO will most likely start at around $35000, still a $3000 difference.

But I wasn't talking about the WS6, I was talking about a base model LS1 F-body. With some options, a Z28 would come in at around $27000, significantly less than the GTO. The GTO might outhandle an F-body, but with 200 lbs more weight, and IRS, I certainly don't see the GTO beating an LS1 F-body at the drag strip.

Sure, you may get a nicer interior with the GTO, but you are paying for it. BTW, a stripper Z28 would sell for just under $24000 brand new.