Z284ever

Automotive News.com reports that during an interview with Bob Lutz, that the new GTO will have a $3,000 dollar "gas guzzler" tax.

It won't be expected to surpass the 22.5 mpg gas guzzler bogey, because it's being tuned for more power and torque.

Expect about 350 hp.

Jason96T/A

Interesting read, albeit cryptic

Even the high output Z06 Corvette doesn't suffer the guzzler tax, so what's the mystery problem? weight? no skip-shift???

Thanks for the head's up Z284ever

http://www.autonews.com/news.cms?newsId=2548

Z284ever

It is pretty cryptic.
Bob Lutz is always talking about "rocket sled" and "burning rubber" performance off the line for the GTO.

Maybe it'll have 5.13 gears. (sarcasm)

IZ28

LOL.

I think it'll be just fine.

Jason96T/A

heh,

I'm with ya IZ28, it's just something to keep us busy until it's arrival...

At which time, I'm sure the GTO will be;

"Just fine"

Decromin

no monaro or commodore has this skip shift thing ... I doubt the GTO will have it either ...

kizz

SO I guess our speculative window sticker estimates go up by $3000? Or does GM absorb the hit? (strongly doubt the latter)
GT

HuJass

The article says that the VIPER has a $3,000 guzzler tax, not the GTO. And it also says that the tarriff is based on how far under the target the car is. The further under (or the worse the mileage) the higher the tax. So it may be taxed, but it may not be much.

WERM

I hope that if they're stupid enough to make it require the gas guzzler tax they are at least smart enough to do it with the LS6 and some real power.

Black bow tie

I don't buy that for a minute ($3000. guzler tax). That would be suicide for the GTO. I'm sure they are smart enough to make the car pass the requirements and offer a slew of "off road" parts for guys like us.

MunchE

To make the knowledge a bit more first hand..

http://www.autonews.com/news.cms?newsId=2548

I imagine it will be a bit lower than the Camaro, so somewhere around 20mpg. I doubt it'll be a huge tax.

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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>

jrp4uc

Isn't this good news? That they are risking all of the bad publicity for the sake of performance? I don't see this tax being $3000, but as someone else explained, derived from how much it under achieves the required average. I can't see it being too far off--certainly not Viper-poor. News that it's going to be in the neighborhood of 350hp is good too--imagine what a higher performance GMPD version will have! 'Bout time GM took some risks to satisfy the enthusiast.

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-JERRY-

[This message has been edited by jrp4uc (edited June 18, 2002).]

ol'93formula

Here is a government web site with a chart showing how the gas guzzler tax is computed.

In order to get the $3000 tax the Viper must get between 16.5 and 17.5 mpg.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/info.shtml

[This message has been edited by ol'93formula (edited June 18, 2002).]

guionM

If deleating the skip feature on the 6 speed is the reason (though I heard it had more to do with noise regulations) then I would imagine it would affect the city rating, and bring the mileage down slightly meaning a $1000 tax.

But this also raises 2 new questions. First will the automatic GTO actually get better fuel economy than the 6 speed & miss the tax that the 6 speed would hit, & Second, will there even be an automatic GTO.

I haven't looked up the figures yet, but Mustang GT & Cobra sales (GTO's likely to be priced between them) would indicate that 20,000 GTOs would likely sell out in a matter of months, even without the hype. But with only a manual transmission offered, it would be a little easier to streach out sales over the course of a year (though it would still sell out). Also, it would cost less to certify 1 transmission than 2.

Small detail, but it makes one wonder.

kizz

hmm so if the new GTO is subject to a $3000 tax then it too must be averaging between 16.5 and 17.5 MPG ... and since that's calculated using 55% city and 45% highway, the GTO must be getting about 13 MPG city and about 20 MPG highway... that sounds really inefficient for the LS1. The extra weight over a vette must account for some of that but even at 3700 lbs, those efficiency ratings still seem way low ..?

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1982 Recaro Trans Am (Y84), LU5/WS6/CC1/G80/J65/etc. 3,070 orig. miles (6/20/2002) - http://ohok.com/82recaro
1985 Base Firebird, F41/LB8/GU5/etc. CB radio, 142kmiles. http://ohok.com/82recaro/kizzsfb.jpg
1984 Firebird S/E, WS6/LL1/MD8/etc. All original, 102kmiles. Sold 5/02 http://ohok.com/82recaro/kizzsse.jpg