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Impressions of the GTO.....from the dark side.

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Old Sep 1, 2003 | 08:07 PM
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Impressions of the GTO.....from the dark side.

http://forums.bradbarnett.net/index.php?showtopic=502
Old Sep 1, 2003 | 08:12 PM
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I wonder how Mr. Mays feels about the course Thunderbird has taken over it's life...

And he has the nerve to say "It's just not a GTO?" LOL.
Old Sep 1, 2003 | 08:32 PM
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I kinda think whats the point..

Its not like J Mays is going to praise the competition, the fact he is commenting at all on the car, makes me think he's worried about it..

"If you follow American car culture from the 1960s, then that's not what a GTO looks like. A GTO is a very different animal altogether. That's sort of a Euro-spec GTO, I guess."
All he's saying here is "Our choice to go retro on the Mustang was the correct idea"

Unless they pump heaps of dollars into Ford Aus, so they can build cheap RWD's similar to what GM are doing with Holden. Ford are going to fall behind in the RWD stakes big time!

Last edited by AnthonyHSV; Sep 1, 2003 at 09:07 PM.
Old Sep 1, 2003 | 09:05 PM
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I don't take anything that Mays says seriously about any car, especially one that is from the competition. All he is doing is trying to discount it by saying "oh, it's not a real GTO" and then he wants people to pass it over and go to Ford for a "real" Mustang. He even used a 60's reference and...........oh....wait.........what is this.............. "his" Mustang looks just like a 60's Mustang. Way to go buddy.

On a side note, seriously, what has ole' Mays designed that is not retro?
Old Sep 1, 2003 | 11:11 PM
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Pontiac GTO= Kettle
J Mays = Pot

He's only a legend in his own mind...here's hoping that GM never hires this guy
Old Sep 1, 2003 | 11:42 PM
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I fail to see why what he said would be considered wrong. It’s just a matter of opinion (something we all have). The new GTO IS A MONARO and its current roots are in Ausi and not America. IT’S A REBADGED AUSI MONARO and nothing more. About the only thing American on that GTO is the Ls-1. That’s a fact. That car is more Holden than Pontiac.

He didn’t necessarily put the car down. He just said “…it’s a very nice Monaro, but it isn’t a GTO”. He’s a stylist and he obviously looks to the cars history for inspiration. Looking at the current GTO and the old one, there is ZERO relation or cues. For a car with such a storied history, it’s a shame the aesthetic connection isn’t there. It looks too tame, and everyone of you knows that is true. The aggressiveness just isn’t there, and in place of that you have the Euro-look that he just described.

I happen to agree with him, and this is coming from a guy that has actually stood up for the new GTO’s conservative styling when many other were dissing it. I don’t care for the aggressiveness as long as the car looks good, and the new GTO does look good inside and outside.

Evidently, many GM guys here were echoing the very same message not too long ago. The GTO guys were going apes, and one prominent GTO site even voiced their distaste with the styling very openly and even going as far as to praise the 2005 Mustang. Obviously, May’s isn’t the only one that feels that way.

Take it easy will ya.
Old Sep 1, 2003 | 11:51 PM
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the original GTO was a common car with a hopped up drive train. The new GTO follows those roots, but is LESS common, even if you want to say it looks like a GP. I see it in the fascia, but the rest of the car is unique. The new GTO is about replicating the old GTO's performance, which it has exceeded. Frankly, I'd be more upset if the car came with fake hood scoops.

The new GTO is a HUGE improvement over the old GTO. Its NOTHING liek what they did to the nova. This car still has its roots....and then some.

Frankly, if the ford guy praised the car, I'd be anticipating his participation in the unemployment line march.
Old Sep 2, 2003 | 12:35 AM
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It just so happens that the Monaro is pretty much to a "T" what a modern day GTO would be anyhow. A midsize coupe with a hot engine/drivetrain. Thats what a GTO is. They always look like other current Pontiacs more then they do previous GTOs.

J. Mays would probably praise the 99 GTO concept.

Last edited by Sixer-Bird; Sep 2, 2003 at 12:55 AM.
Old Sep 2, 2003 | 03:23 AM
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couldn't give a toss what mays, or colleti for that matter has to say.

anyway, was browsing through some forums and stumbled across this post - i don't know how credible the guy that started it is but check it out for yourselves - http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/sho...threadid=95316

Last edited by Ude-lose; Sep 2, 2003 at 03:41 AM.
Old Sep 2, 2003 | 05:22 AM
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So the King Of Retro doesn't approve....big deal....

Ford simply does not offer a car of this caliber, so they have some cause to be concerned.
Old Sep 2, 2003 | 08:18 AM
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Originally posted by Z28Wilson
So the King Of Retro doesn't approve....big deal....

Ford simply does not offer a car of this caliber, so they have some cause to be concerned.
Correction: Ford of America doesn't offer a car of this caliber. But Ford of Aussi does (Ford Falcon).

Hopefully the success of the GTO (and it will be a success) will persuade Ford to give us the Falcon xr-6, xr-8, and GT.
Old Sep 2, 2003 | 10:13 AM
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One thing those stang guys all left out. It will beat every mustang except for the 10k or so Cobras they build, has a better chassis and its not a Ford.
Old Sep 2, 2003 | 11:56 AM
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Seems to me everyone is so caught up in the sheetmetal that they don't see what a truly great car it is. Mays comment that if "they" had done the styling they would have stuck hoodscoops and all sort of junk on the car....that's almost a direct quote and I really find that funny. Just hang a load of junk off it and it'll be better then....
Old Sep 2, 2003 | 10:37 PM
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For all these people who get mad because the GTO has no "GTO cues to it..." I ask you...

How many first gen cues were there on a 4th gen? And how many of us complained?

How many of the well-received '97-'03 Grand Prixs enthusiats (yes, TRUE ENTHUSIASTS bought these cars in droves, especially GTPs) have '60s GP styling cues?

Now I ask you, were these 2 cars held back due to no "heritage?"
I agree with what Lutz said...had this car been around all these years, this IS what a current GTO would look like. Its a cleanly styled, sporty 2+2 coupe. It looks like a Pontiac...a CURRENT Pontiac, just like an original GTO looks like a similar vintage Pontiac...

So what the HELL is wrong with that???????? So it doesn't have tacky hood scoops...big deal guys. Get over it. Tacky hood scoops are what Pontiac does not want, and not what the target market for this car is after...we are talking a classier bunch of buyers here, are we not?

To all the whiners and naysayers...GET OVER IT. It doesn't need hoodscoops to be a "real GTO." I don't car whether Holden or Pontiac makes the damn thing...for $33,000, its gonna be a helluva car...same price as a WS6, and MODERN.

Imagine that...
Old Sep 3, 2003 | 12:50 AM
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I agree. The 4th gen Camaro has very few 1st gen styling links. The GTO will be one heck of a great ride for the money!!



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