say it sells well the first year but then dies the second? you know, the novalty wears off and the diehard GTO fans refuse to buy for whatever reason? if the GTO sales suck would there be a possibility of the Firebird returning? i mean if people refuse to buy it Gm HAS to do something...

 

I seriously don;t think GM is trying to target the "diehard GTO fans" with the new GTO. There's been too much time separating the 2 generations that "diehard GTO fans" will not see "GTO" in the new GTO...

Going forward with this, if IMO, it's targeted at the "general public", then it's success, as a fast, 2+2, RWD coupe, will have some significance to the return of the C-coupe.

This is only my take....my $0.0000002 cents worth...

 

I totally agree... I don't think that if "deihard GTO" fans, in general, protest the car that it will be a failure... add to that the fact that it is limited production to 18,000 units, and it is almost impossible for it to fail.

 

If GTO flops... A firebird is the last thing you'll see. I believe that a new Camaro hinges on the GTO doing well.

 

thats a real good point, didnt think of it like that.

as far as the diehard comment, i thought about taking it out but ended up leaving it. i think the above post answers my question tho.

 

If the GTO flops, don't expect GM to do anymore RWD V8 2+2 coupes.

 

I don't think I'd go that far..
Most people probably can't afford to have a "single-duty 2-seater" in the driveway AND buy another "family vehicle", so the 2+2 Sports Coupe niche will continue to be a neccessity...But a lower priced, "working man" oriented 2+2 coupe like the "C*****" would probably be sped up...if possible, to fill said niche...

 

i could see that also. this really could go either way now that i really think about it...

 

I would agree with that. True the GTO is more expensive then the 5th gen will be (i hope), but still if 1 RWD 2+2 V8 car doesnt sell for GM, i dont think 2 (Camaro and GTO) will do the trick for the bean counters.

 

For the last year or so, since we learned the GTO would come here, I didn't beleive it would be possible that a real deal V8 RWD supercoupe could possibly fail. It's what Americans want. Yet it's looking now that that could actually happen. The GTO could actually flop.

The good but not awesome performance is one problem. The lack of a trunk. The really bland looks aka GP. The dealer gouging. There seems to be an advertising problem. It's adding up to failure.

Solution: Get the redesign in ASAP with a fully usable trunk and aggressive styling. Drop in the 400hp vette LS2. Make more to flood the market, so they really sell at MSRP. Advertise the crap out of them, with all ads showing one beating the '05 GT like a red headed stepchild.

Don't know when all this can happen by, but till then, the GTO's got a problem. Red may have been right all along. The new safety regs may make importing the Holden unfeasable.

 

they are having N0 problems selling the new GT0. The only problems are keeping them in stock, and getting approved for a test drive while one is temporarily on the lot (some dealers want $$$$ up front, others an approved deal on file before giving a test drive). The new GT0 is doing Very well!!!

 

It would also be helpful if dealers didn't put huge markups on the GTO. Once a GTO sits on there lot for a few months at sticker + $10k maybe they will then sell it at sticker .

 

That's contrary to what many others have seen, including myself. I'd rather it sold well, but with the dealer markups and not letting people test drive them...it could very well become a flop unless GM does something quick.

 

If the second year GTO is a flop maybe they will remove all the hood scoops they are adding.

 

I think that could do it as much as anything. The local dealership here wants nearly $40k for the yellow one they have, and they wouldn't even let me test drive a used WS6 that was sitting behind some trucks, let alone the shiny new GTO in the middle of the showroom.

Maybe I'm out of line here, but if I'm going to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a car, I want to drive it before I even begin to consider buying it.