Just want to say to all that this is one of the most lively, spirtied, interesting, yet still amazingly civil posts I've ever seen here!

 

Hmmm. I guess our point is, it just seems like a cop-out to throw a Grand Prix front end on the thing and call it a day. Give the GTO its own identity styling-wise....no scoops or other gimmics necessary. The car deserves to be distinguished from the W-body, because it is most certainly NOT a W-body. If this is going to be Pontiac's flagship then just set it apart somewhat.

------------------
Mark

94 Z28, Red, A4, 3:23
Lone Mods--LPE CAI, !Lapeer Dragway.
(Hey, I'm a college boy I can't afford gobs of bolt-ons!)

Best time: 14.658 @ 95.1
with SES light on and Driver off! (First and only time at track)

The F-body will NEVER die.

 

I think it looks alright. I'm not really a fan of the whole Pontiac design theme altogether. Never really liked the Grand Prix or the Firebird. Just over the top and outragious without real charm. Sort of like that empty feeling you get after eating a bowl of empty calory icecream.

On the other hand, I liked the Monaro in the first place and this looks like a decent grafting of the better recent Pontiac design themes onto the original machine. I think that GM (and probably Lutz) did this on purpose. Here's why. If you haven't tuned into all the jazz surrounding the GTO/Monaro for the past some months and simply saw one on the street you'd think, "hmm, I can tell its definitely a Pontiac, but it looks like its got more posture and backbone than I've noticed in other Pontiacs. Maybe I'll check it out!"

Finally, this is pretty much what I've expected. I am a huge fan of understated performance and elegance. Perhaps some people were expecting some kind of ground breaking design and feel let down. To that I say, the GTO is not the right car to do that. GM is going through a lot of trouble to bring this car here as a saving face monuver, they aren't going to mess with a proven formula under such terms.

One last thing. Its only one photoshoped/touched up picture at a scewed angle. Perhaps more pictures will reveal its charm. Example, I think there is potential for a more agressive look than what appears there. Its really hard to see the car's stance, or tell its proportions...

 

To all of you that don't like the new GTO, click on the below link, scan down a few posts, and take a look at the photoshopped pic. Is that what you're after?

http://www.hoodscoop.com/ubb/ultimat...c;f=2;t=006307

poncho,
I agree whole heartedly. These die-hard Pontiac fans want an antiquated iron block & head engine between the fenders or they're not happy. Compared to today's engines, the old Pontiac design is really not very good. Everytime you spun 'em past 5 grand you had to hold your breath in fear something was gonna shoot out the base, unless TONS of money was put into the engine. The old stuff is heavy and inefficient.
And I wish these guys would quit saying that Pontiac is ruining the car by putting a Chevy engine in it. I'm so sick of that. The LS1 is NOT a Chevy engine. It is a GM Corporate engine. It shares no parts or design with ANY of the previous versions of the small block Chevy. I don't know how many times I have to repeat this.
And then they compare the car to the current Impala & Malibu. How can you compare those? GM bastardized those names onto ugly FWD, V-6, 4 door sedan cars. The new GTO is staying true to it's heritage.
I'm afraid people just don't understand or are too narrow minded.

 

AAaahhhh, there's where you're wrong, it has the same BORE SPACING! But hey, I LOVE my "chevy" engine


------------------
2001 Formula
307RWHP/331RWTQ

Direct-Flo w/ Holley
!MAF screen
FRA
Flowmaster
Kirban Kwik Six
SLP STB and SFC's

 

Its great to see GM resurrect the GTO, but I believe more restyling should be done on the front end. My first car was a 67 tempest, I thought the front grill on it was an excellent design with cat eye grill and stacked headlights.
Those huge parking lights looked bad on Solstice and dont belong here. This front end says grand prix or grand am too much. It doesnt look like alot of effort was put into the restyle. They should take some of the old gto's more popular design elements (like ford did with the Thunderbird) and incorporate them into the new gto.
Also why cant GM make a copy of Holden's tooling and build these here in the us or canada instead? Many people are going to be ticked off when they go to buy the gto or ssr and find huge dealer markups. With no 2 door gp soon, there is no reason the market couldnt absorb 50,000 gto's. It is the goal of every manufacturer to maximize sales, wonder when gm will learn this?

 

I think it is more important for it to have a nice spoiler than a hood, if it keeps the hood in the sketch and gets the spoiler from the pic below I will be happy.

http://www.depaulachevrolet.com/main.jpg

 

In my opinion, this car is being marketed towards the over 25 crowd, and I think most of this crowd does not want lots of spoilers, ground effects, non-functional slots and scoops etc. I think pontiac has been doing an awful job lately with their styling, all that body cladding and over the top hood scoops and spoilers look terrible. I am so glad to hear that Bob Lutz is taking pontiac styling towards the clean look. I love the look of the gto drawing, and the solstice concept, and the next grand am is supposed to be one heck of a car with a nice clean design. Good things are coming from pontiac I think.

 

its good looking car.you have to understand that the gto's first year back GM isnt going to go crazy with the styling.i wouldnt worry about the scoops and tach i bet you in a year or two after it has been out they will have special edition judges that have the legendary GTO trim pieces.(you guys should just imagine the after market)can you just imagine all the things you could buy for it hoods,rims,spoilers,badges,tachs.its going to be aweosome.like the PT cruiser it has smooth lines and a lot can be done with it.its like a painters canvas.so i think that pontiac made a smart choice by not blowing it out of proportions.all the stuff you guys want will come later.you have to admit that its better than making the grand am the next gto with the supercharged 3.4 6 banger they were going to build a year or two back.THE RWD V8 IS BACK!!!!!!!

 

It won't sell, i'm sorry. Even former Pontiac guru Herb Adams said he highly doubts it will do well. He said he hopes he's wrong.
Think about it people. Don't you think anyone wanting a rear wheel drive, V-8 powered Pontiac wouldn't they have bought a Trans/Am?

2000 Ram Air T/A
92 Firebird
79 Z/28

------------------
THE Z-MAN

 

That question sent a chill down my spine...
Knee jerk reaction aside - even the previous 4th Gen styling (Like my trusty, reliable 96 T/A) is a bit polarizing in a love/hate kinda way. I sure hope people go for this more 'body neutral' design so we still have that familiar Pontiac rear wheel drive 2 door V8 formula available to us...

[This message has been edited by Jason96T/A (edited June 22, 2002).]

 

But I agree with Darth, since only 20,000 units are going to be made I doubt we'll see an abundance of aftermarket parts for this car. Not at first anyway. Aftermarket companies have to make their money too and they won't, unless they charge a couple grand for a hood tach.

And about if people wanted a RWD Pontiac they would've bought the Firebird...not necessarily. Many didn't want the impracticality and (overly?) aggressive styling of the Bird. RWD and V8 power is where the similarities end. This car will be a "success" either way, because it WILL sell all 20k copies.

------------------
Mark

94 Z28, Red, A4, 3:23
Lone Mods--LPE CAI, !Lapeer Dragway.
(Hey, I'm a college boy I can't afford gobs of bolt-ons!)

Best time: 14.658 @ 95.1
with SES light on and Driver off! (First and only time at track)

The F-body will NEVER die.

[This message has been edited by Z28Wilson (edited June 22, 2002).]

 

I'm going to be in the market for a used LS1 once I pay off my LT1 Z28. And I sometimes think I'd want a WS6, except for the god awful styling on it. No offense, but the T/As are way overdone, turns off a lot of the market over the age of 25 to them.

They could sell this car to a mature market, it's a nice looking car in the vein of a BMW or a Lexus or any of those brands. It's smooth, clean, and nice looking. Most people don't care if it's a Pontiac or whatever, they like what they like. The Trans Am and the new GTO aren't the same car, not even close to the same market.

If someone wanted a nice clean looking RWD V8 in the mid 30s, they could go for the GTO, or a lux brand import. They could not look at the Trans Am. This car definintely has a segment, but the question is wether or not they can lure people away from Lexus/BMW/etc. I think the limited run, the GTO name and the extra oomph will sell out the original 20k. But I guess only time will tell.

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Jason

<A HREF="http://camaroz28.cardomain.com/id/munche" TARGET=_blank>1997 A4 Z28 "Mongoose"
</A>

<A HREF="http://www.iz-us.com/images/cars/cougar/" TARGET=_blank>New Project: 1969 Mercury Cougar 351W
</A>

 

&lt;FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#307500"&gt;WHAT ABOUT RED TIRES?

 

They will undoubtedly sell out 20k units...probably faster than they can build them.

And I agree with the previous post about Trans Ams being overdone. The only people I ever hear talking about how great they look, are people too young to afford them and their insurance.

The great irony with the 4th gens in general was that those could afford them...didn't want them and those who wanted them couldn't afford them.


.....I don't think the GTO will have that problem.