And GM thought the 2004 GTO was a slow seller, just try making a four door sedan with the name GTO.

I'm sorry, but no matter how good the car (full four door sedan GTO) could be, it will never deserve the name GTO. What a slap in the face that would be to its storied history.

And yes, I feel this way about the Charger too.

Even a quad coupe would be on the edge, yet acceptable, to me. But never a full four door sedan.

 

Haha....Charlie....the Pontiac guys have to have some fun also. The Camaro is on the big side anyway...so I think the GTO would be a good fit. Especially when you consider how close the concept is to the GTO concept of a few years back. I think having both Chevy and Pontiac in on the Zeta coupe program strengthens the program as a whole because two brands are invested in it. Having the Camaro and Monaro as the only two coupes of that Zeta body style is assenine when you have your excitment division begging for such a car.


Shariing platforms does not necessarily mean clone either. How many "normal" people would guess an Impala and Grand Prix were the same car?

 

As long as it's stretched version with 2+3 seating (like the Challenger), with completely different sheetmetal.

 

Ahem...

 

You would be able to sell 4 door GTOs. It may make some people unhappy, but you could sell them, and they would probably do pretty well.

 

Just for the sake of argument - a sporty sedan with expressive styling, lots of power, available stick, great suspension, big brakes, roomy back seat, fair price.....and called GTO....would...I betcha.....sell better than the current GTO.

I have no doubt.

 

I would much rather see that than a Camaro clone GTO.

 

Care to elaborate further on this one?

 

Maybe, maybe not.

I know what you mean by just shear numbers sake due to the practicality of a sedan with a lower price, but if the price was the same or more than the current offering at $33-34k, I'd say it would be closer in sales to the current model than you think.

Conquest sales would have to be many, because the traditional GTO purchasing fans would have an uproar. Myself included.

GTO belongs on a coupe, IMO, no matter how many traits this sedan matches to the original.

The Charger can be added to this list also.

Pontiac should use something new for a name such as Pirana or Stinger like their concepts of the past decade or two. But GTO on a sedan? That's just diluting the name as far as I'm concerned, and I am concerned.

 

Leave it dead then.

 

Off topic....it seems your vote for the 5th Gen is solidly in the 2008 MY vice the 2009 MY.

Just an observation...sorry for the hijack.

Bob

 

I agree totally.

I have NO PROBLEM with them making a car like this... in fact, I'd welcome it with open arms.

Just use a new name on it.

 

Why?

Because of two extra doors? Sport sedans have replaced intermediate coupes....the GTO was an intermediate coupe. Are you saying that the GTO should never deviate from being a Holden based, 2+2, coupe?

I don't care what anyone says, the current GTO is a sales flop. You can blame it on a bunch of different reasons, cost/styling/dealer greed/etc......but nevertheless, it's an undeniable flop. And that's a shame...but also the truth.

"Leave it dead then" is the kind of thinking that will leave Pontiac dead.

 

I'm saying any car that wears the GTO moniker should remain a 2-door coupe. It's as simple as that for me. Do you agree that if the Charger were a 2-door coupe it would be selling better than it is? I submit to you that it would. A 4 door GTO would be even more of a flop as you claim, than it is now.

 

Charger sells somewhere around 6,000 units per month. Softer than it's 300 sibling, but IMO, a fullsized coupe wouldn't sell anywhere near that.

Also, I'm not saying that Pontiac should develop a RWD sedan, just to make a GTO. I'm saying that a GTO should be part of the business plan for a Pontiac RWD sedan, ie., the max performance version, just like the SRT-8 version of the Charger. If Pontiac is even gonna get that, they'll have to pull all the business plan stops.

I respect what you're saying though Niki. And the next part is not aimed at you, but I have a certain amount of frustration at a certain "Pontiac enthusiast" element. The same people who screamed to bring the Monaro over as a GTO. When it got here, although it looked like a modern Pontiac, they cried because it didn't look like a 1965 (or,'64,'66,'68,'71,'73...pick one), Pontiac...which they would have pissed on it if it did as too retro.
Then, how could they buy a GTO if it had no fake hoodscoops. So GM gives them their damned fake hoodscoops and sales slip another 15%. Are these the people that GM should listen to if they want to save Pontiac?