Seeing as the first thread has gotten way off track and hi jacked; I figured we need to start a second thread that is GTO specific. So, here we go.......any new information to contribute to this thread? (not 5th gen related)

Eric

 

Ok here goes.....

If the VZ GTO can't pass '07 US frontal impact standards, '06 will be the last year for the GTO.

 

Yanking the fellow's chain, huh??


Eric,
GM knew which crash standards the GTO would conform to the day they approved it. All automakers compile data, do studies and file compliance reports to the government at least a couple of years in advance. That's one of my back door ways of finding out what's going into production soon. The VZ is structurally identical to the current VY. The current GTO (with it's fuel tank moved to the trunk) is perfectly OK for 2007 standards.

It's all up to GM-NA if they want to extend production till the next version is ready. To date every account I've gotten from Holden is the GTO is expected to continue at least an additional year beyond the original termination (2006).

I would say we'll know something by January, but some decisions regarding GM-NA's RWD program apparently were made last week, so I'm guessing we'll hear something this fall sometime.

 

Publicly, rlsedition, who worked on GTO and Zeta, until he recently retired from GM has stated it. I believe yesterday he posted that GTO production will end in Aug. '06.

 

Yep. Unless Lynn Myers' gang & Bob Lutz convinces the rest of the Product Planning guys to keep it going another year.

 

Didn't Lynn Myers retire last year?

 

My bad. Myers retired in April this year, 4 months ago. John Larson runs Buick-Pontiac-GMC now.

Anyway, Pontiac is making the case for it. Bob Lutz is in on it. Since it won't cost GM any additional money, is doing well, and is seen as vital to Pontiac's performance image, it's expected to easily be approved.

 

The rumblings I hear (not that they are on the level of some others here) are that GTO can be carried over for MY2007... and likely will... the strong sales of this year are a pretty big part of that, as well as preventing any gap in production from this model to the new GTO if at all possible.

 

Just a sampling of some of rlsedition's recent quotes. I'll quote him because he has publicly posted this info:


There are more too.

Privately, other sources back these statements up.

 

Much as I respect the inputs and opinions of rlsedition, I thought I read on clubgp.com where he said he had retired. I'd be a little skeptical of any current info on GM's plans, in light of recent sales successes of the Mustang, 300C and Charger (just to name a few).

 

Posted today by rls, responding to a post which brought up the same question:

 

I beg to differ. The GTO will not be compliant with the standards come Sept. of next year. For 1, the vehicle does not have the occupant suppression system for the PSIR. The vehicle does not have advanced air bags.

 

If this is the case... perhaps the plan is to buildout a quick and early run of GTO's prior to that date for MY2007?

Is that even possible?

With Monaro production ending... the capacity should be avaiable.... ???

 

There will be an 07 GTO. I'm told Next GEN GTO to be shown at NAIAS. Take if for what it's worth.

 

Off the top of my head, I can't remember the exact Monaro production numbers....but I think it was only several hundred.