Let me first say that I'm an ardent defender of the new GTO - we have one in the driveway.

Having gotten that out of the way, I was driving through my neighborhood today, and saw someone cruising in a 1969 GTO. Now I'm 19, so they aren't my "era" and thus I am not being "sentimental." Let me tell you, this car was simply beautiful. That's the only way to describe it. I'm used to seeing them on car show stands with the hood open and the tires glossed. This was totally different. Seeing this thing next to mere mortal cars on the road made me fully appreciate just how incredible this design was. The most amazing thing is that it doesn't really look old. I mean, it's obviously not something that was built today, but it just doesn't look dated. The best comparison I can think of is that of Beatles' music. "Come Together" sounds just as fresh today as it did in 1969 - and so did this Goat.

The point of all this is that GM somehow needs to get this design verve back. I'm not saying they should go retro. In fact, I think they would only pervert this design if they tried to rehash it in the same way that the "I Am Sam" soundtrack of Beatles' covers is painful to listen to. Rather, what I realized from seeing this thing in the flesh and in a natural setting is that GM needs to get back to distinctive, innovative design that truly looks like it was done by an artist, not just someone who works for a car company.

 

 

seen one lately too, lives in my neighborhood
nice red one, don't know the year

 

The ironic thing is that "back in the day" when the 69 GTO came out, GTO fans basically hated it. They didn't like the styling...

"The more things change, the more they stay the same..."

 

Really? Is that why 72287 69 GTO's were sold, because no one liked them?

 

There were a lot of magazine reviews and such that called it "fat" and it "didn't look like a GTO" and such......... In fact, there was even a GTO spot on a 69 Judge on a TV show about a month or two ago that said the same thing.

Also, many64-68 owners complained about the same things at the time... "It doesn't look like a GTO"...

Don't get your panties all wadded up, I like 69 GTO's...

 

I would kill for a fast back GTO. Simply one of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen.

 

Considering the 68 and 69 GTO's were practically identical, I find that interesting. The body style made a major change from 67 to 68. So I could see some "diehards" not liking the new sleeker design. The 68 GTO was picked as Motor Trends Car of the Year.

 

The 69 GTO looks too much like a 69 Grand Prix

 

I think they are ugly

 

I know your joking.. That's funny.

 

I typo'd on that one... should have been 67 not 68... sorry 'bout that.


That is what I was getting at... trying to pull a comparision of the "diehard" reaction to the new GTO back in 68/69 , and the "diehard" reaction to the 04/05...

 

ah.. That's makes more sense.

 

I used to own a 70 GTO vert. Red on Red on Red. I wish I never gotten rid of it, was an amazing car. I even had the Judge fin on the back.

I am not fond of the new GTO's styling, but the performance is there. I hope if GM continues with the GTO, they totally go in a different direction styling wise.

 

No you're wrong, back then the GTO was a completely unique car and there were no other Pontiacs that looked anything like it, unlike today's GTO which is LITERALLY just a rebadged Grand Prix/Am.