TriShield

More horsepower, scoops move GTOs



What do you do when your resurrected muscle car turns out to be a weakling in the marketplace? Add a pair of sleek hood scoops and some horsepower.

Sales of the 400-hp Pontiac GTO -- 50 more than the 2004 model -- are up 76.9 percent through May, and dealers are short of the Australia-made coupes.

Early sales had been disappointing since the December 2003 launch. For the first five months of 2004, GTOs sold at a rate that translated to just 7,300 a year -- well below GM's target of 16,000. This year, Pontiac says, it expects to sell 12,000 to 14,000.

Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson says Los Angeles is the country's hottest GTO market -- an unusual feat for a General Motors car.

Critics griped about the 2004 model, which didn't have hood scoops or true dual exhausts. Says Hopson: "We listened."



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General Motors. The world's largest automaker, under the gun from every possible angle, blew the lid off of the U.S. market in June with its "Employee Discount for Everyone" promotion, selling an incredible 558,092 new cars and trucks - up a staggering 46.9 percent compared to year-ago numbers. It was GM’s best sales month since September 1986.

GM's crushing sales performance included an all-time industry record for truck sales (382,601), which were up 68 percent. GM also led the industry in full-size pickup deliveries, with its Chevrolet Silverado up 102 percent. GM's car sales (175,491) were up 4 percent, with several new vehicles - including Cadillac STS, Chevrolet Cobalt and Aveo, Pontiac G6 and Buick LaCrosse - posting record sales results. GM's monster June sales performance spiked its share of the U.S. market to 33 percent, up dramatically from its 25.8 percent share in May.

Following this performance, GM announced late yesterday that it will extend the incentive program until Aug. 1, continuing to offer employee pricing levels on most 2005 vehicles, except for the all-of-a-sudden hot-selling Pontiac GTO (which we've repeatedly called the high-performance value of the year), Chevrolet Corvette and the Mastadon-like Hummer H1. The GM program was so popular that it caught its chief domestic competitors off guard - and Chrysler and Ford have now announced plans to offer similar discounts this month. GM insiders view this promotion as a last gasp-type of incentive program, a precursor to the company eventually going to a one-price "value proposition" selling strategy. GM has already announced lowered prices for the 2006 model year to get deals closer to the actual transaction prices, in an effort to position itself for the new, more competitive products coming in their portfolio.

The one key result from this latest GM program that's not getting enough play? Owners of competitive makes and imports are visiting GM showrooms in droves - the first time in, oh, maybe 25 years that this has happened. If GM does eventually get to a one-price selling strategy - where the components of the deal include GM offering vehicles featuring competitive quality, value, performance and design - with enough profit for its dealers - they may be on to something. If, however, this latest marketing idea is just the latest gimmick in a long line of sales gimmicks, GM will get closer to the point of no return - with nowhere else to go but down.

www.autoextremist.com

jdustu

iTrader: (2)

Quote:

More horsepower, scoops move GTOs

i wonder how many people think the hood scoops are where that 50 hp comes from

the dual exhaust tips look better too, i think

MadIceV8

iTrader: (12)

I always thought the GTO is was badass. Glad to finally see sales up for a quality car from GM .

zamboxl

iTrader: (1)

dude i dont care what anyone says the gto is awesome, the only problem we fbods had with it was that our f-bods wherent build as nice. Where our cars have cheap looking plastic the gto has nice looking red leather, where our cars have cheap looking leather they got swade man swade, for the love of all that is good and holy they got swade man SWADE ok i just said that like 10 times i hope thats the correct spelling if not pls correct my speakness lol putting on flame suit.

actually let me make a correction the gto has one shortfall and that is that it is one heavy bastard it would be nice if it was lighter but thats all.

jdustu

iTrader: (2)

"suede"

zamboxl

iTrader: (1)

yea yea that

98_Formula

iTrader: (15)

yea, they made some needed improvements, like dual exhaust.. i'm sorry but the exhaust goin out the one side (tho my buddy with his 04 GTO swears its still dual exhaust just out one side) looked like crap... the interior was really nice, i'm told the hood skoops aren't functional?? but still looks good... also the 400 hp ls2 was definitly needed, as the GTO's are tanks...

JS

iTrader: (4)

The hood,LS2 and better brakes are badass..

The rear dual exhauts looks horrible.
That gray cladding looks cheesy and the tips like ricer

abadss

iTrader: (4)

glad to see sales picking up for GM, hopefully this will get them pointed in the right direction. maybe they can come up with a answer to all the new mustang sales

bruddah_man_matt

You're just salty because you bought an 04.

However I am curious to know what exactly makes an exhaust tip "ricer?"

bruddah_man_matt

The 04s did in fact have dual exhausts but as you can tell both pipes were routed to the left side of the rear valance. Most all Holdens have had their pipes exit on one side only for quite some time now. I believe Aussie Fords are the same way only they exit on the right hand side IIRC. Aussies don't seem to be obsessed with having holes on both ends of the their vehicles rear. I agree with the masses though. I prefer split duals at the rear and like the new look. My biggest gripe with the GTO is the fact that the fuel tank had to be relocated to the trunk. That severely limits space back there.

MetallicBluews6

iTrader: (2)

I am considering an 05 GTO.

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

I'll buy a leftover 04 if the price is right.

TriShield

There's still around 200 left unsold.

dgformula2k

iTrader: (2)

I hear ya there! That space is tiny for the size trunk that it is. Damn crash regs! I'm glad to see the GTO's sales pick up, it was getting embarrassing that GM would put out such a good car and no one buy it.

ss rally red

iTrader: (8)

Bet that makes your day

1970judge

iTrader: (12)

but with the cancellation of zeta the gto will be gone around 09 or so....so then what?..all wlel have is teh vette which by that time will prolly be even more outrageous..from a sales standpoint they are making good ground but what will tehy do then?..all is left is suvs vans trucks and a cobalt..think they will bring teh zeta back if sales continue?

demonspeed

iTrader: (7)

I still can't decide if I could get one over a Cobra though... I need something faster than anything else I've had and I know the GTO won't be. I would like a red A4 GTO though for a DD. Who knows... maybe I'll get a promotion or something

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

Glad to hear they're selling well! Just saw an '04 Goat win a burnout contest at IRP last night.

qwikz28

iTrader: (12)

i bet the 04 didnt sell well cause word got out that the 05 would yield improvements