GTO: Selling slowly at a dealer near you.
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GTO: Selling slowly at a dealer near you.
From AUTOWEEK
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=05812991 On the plus side, should mean deals and incetives for those of you sitting on the fence.
-Adam
http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=05812991
(08:32 May 24, 2004)
Slow Goat: Controversial styling, high price hobble inital sales of new GTO
Pontiac sold 719 GTOs in March and 650 in April.
By K.C. CRAIN | Automotive News
DETROIT - The Pontiac GTO, a pet project of General Motors product czar Robert Lutz, is off to a slow start.
Dealers say the GTO - touted as a halo car for Pontiac - suffers from bland styling, a high sticker price and no incentives.
"The car is more conservative looking than today's customer expects," says dealer Hugh Fiore, owner of Harbor Motors in Old Saybrook, Conn.
So far this year, Pontiac has sold just 2,451 units. Discounting seasonal differences, that amounts to an annualized rate of 7,300 units - well below Pontiac's 16,000-unit target. GM has a 168-day supply of GTOs, well above the 60-day supply that is considered ideal. A December launch slowed sales of the Australian-built car, says Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson. "Winter probably isn't the best time to launch a rear-wheel-drive vehicle," he says. "However, we're already beginning to see sales pick up with the nice weather."
Pontiac sold 719 GTOs in March and 650 in April.
GM launched an advertising campaign for the GTO in November. Pontiac hopes the USA Network cable TV movie The Last Ride will help spread the word. The movie features the GTO.
Lutz, vice chairman for product development, pushed the Australian car to the United States with only minor changes.
GM engineers reworked the Holden Monaro, giving it left-hand drive and a Pontiac front end. The V-8 received 48 more horsepower, for a total of 350 hp. The exterior received a new front fascia and a spoiler.
Lutz praised the car's "brawny, muscular stance." But many enthusiasts say the reborn GTO lacks the in-your-face styling of the original muscle car, fondly nicknamed the Goat.
"When you come back with a name like GTO, you need something more," says one Detroit area sales manager who declined to be named.
Last week at a press event in Detroit, Kip Wasenko, director of design for GM's performance division, said, "You heard me talking about heritage. That's probably one of the things the GTO could probably use a little more of. But other people find it quiet and reserved because not everyone wants in-your-face, look-at-me kind of style."
Some dealers say the market for coupes is limited, and the sticker is high. The GTO starts at $33,495, including the destination charge. The 2004 Ford Mustang with a V-8 starts at $24,300.
The GTO lacks popular extras such as hood scoops, a sunroof and factory chrome wheels, some dealers say. Rumors have circulated that the 2005 model will have different styling and more horsepower, but GM declined to comment.
Uneven allocation to dealerships may be one factor in the slow sales start. One dealer, for example, says the Detroit area is flooded with GTOs. Hopson says the company has changed its allocation, shipping more vehicles to dealerships where the car is selling.
Some dealerships report brisk sales. Dennis Hadd, sales manager of McNamara Pontiac in Orlando, Fla., says, "All but a couple of our allocation are sold. A vast majority were pre-sold." McNamara has sold about 10 GTOs.
Last year the company said it planned to sell 18,000 GTOs. But Holden plans to assemble 16,000 GTOs this year in Australia. The GM subsidiary can produce up to 18,000 GTOs annually in coming years.
As of last week Holden had built 8,500 GTOs. At least 6,000 are in the United States, and another 1,000 are in transit, GM says.
Slow Goat: Controversial styling, high price hobble inital sales of new GTO
Pontiac sold 719 GTOs in March and 650 in April.
By K.C. CRAIN | Automotive News
DETROIT - The Pontiac GTO, a pet project of General Motors product czar Robert Lutz, is off to a slow start.
Dealers say the GTO - touted as a halo car for Pontiac - suffers from bland styling, a high sticker price and no incentives.
"The car is more conservative looking than today's customer expects," says dealer Hugh Fiore, owner of Harbor Motors in Old Saybrook, Conn.
So far this year, Pontiac has sold just 2,451 units. Discounting seasonal differences, that amounts to an annualized rate of 7,300 units - well below Pontiac's 16,000-unit target. GM has a 168-day supply of GTOs, well above the 60-day supply that is considered ideal. A December launch slowed sales of the Australian-built car, says Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson. "Winter probably isn't the best time to launch a rear-wheel-drive vehicle," he says. "However, we're already beginning to see sales pick up with the nice weather."
Pontiac sold 719 GTOs in March and 650 in April.
GM launched an advertising campaign for the GTO in November. Pontiac hopes the USA Network cable TV movie The Last Ride will help spread the word. The movie features the GTO.
Lutz, vice chairman for product development, pushed the Australian car to the United States with only minor changes.
GM engineers reworked the Holden Monaro, giving it left-hand drive and a Pontiac front end. The V-8 received 48 more horsepower, for a total of 350 hp. The exterior received a new front fascia and a spoiler.
Lutz praised the car's "brawny, muscular stance." But many enthusiasts say the reborn GTO lacks the in-your-face styling of the original muscle car, fondly nicknamed the Goat.
"When you come back with a name like GTO, you need something more," says one Detroit area sales manager who declined to be named.
Last week at a press event in Detroit, Kip Wasenko, director of design for GM's performance division, said, "You heard me talking about heritage. That's probably one of the things the GTO could probably use a little more of. But other people find it quiet and reserved because not everyone wants in-your-face, look-at-me kind of style."
Some dealers say the market for coupes is limited, and the sticker is high. The GTO starts at $33,495, including the destination charge. The 2004 Ford Mustang with a V-8 starts at $24,300.
The GTO lacks popular extras such as hood scoops, a sunroof and factory chrome wheels, some dealers say. Rumors have circulated that the 2005 model will have different styling and more horsepower, but GM declined to comment.
Uneven allocation to dealerships may be one factor in the slow sales start. One dealer, for example, says the Detroit area is flooded with GTOs. Hopson says the company has changed its allocation, shipping more vehicles to dealerships where the car is selling.
Some dealerships report brisk sales. Dennis Hadd, sales manager of McNamara Pontiac in Orlando, Fla., says, "All but a couple of our allocation are sold. A vast majority were pre-sold." McNamara has sold about 10 GTOs.
Last year the company said it planned to sell 18,000 GTOs. But Holden plans to assemble 16,000 GTOs this year in Australia. The GM subsidiary can produce up to 18,000 GTOs annually in coming years.
As of last week Holden had built 8,500 GTOs. At least 6,000 are in the United States, and another 1,000 are in transit, GM says.
-Adam
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Every Pontiac dealer in Houston has a couple of those just sitting around. You can pretty much find one of any color also. I think the ugly wheels and sedate styling has hurt the sales the most. They should have made it more like the Holden GTO, with 18s, side skirts, etc....
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Originally Posted by WECIV
Knock it down to 25,000, GM!!! This should be a lesson for them when the new camaro's come out, make it cheap!!!
The Monaro itself starts at $41,876.09 US. GM omitted features to make the price friendlier for the US market. Any savings is going to come at the dealer's expense. That said, the car is comparable to other coupes in $30k range (all foreign) I consider the price to be right.
As for sales, I don't consider it a big deal. The Monaro itself sells only a few thousand copies at home per year and the investment to make it the Pontiac GTO was a paltry $125 million or so.
The Buick GN only sold 4,000 copies when it hit the streets in 1984, and people whined that it wasn't a V8. But as GM sweetened the car, and awareness was built as to what it was capable of, sales hit 25,000 by 1987. The new GTO is really a fantastic car. Like the GN GM will sweeten it as time passes, and awareness will be built, and like the GN there's no huge investment (being a tweaked existing product) or pressure for it to sell in the millions to pay for itself.
They really need to push the car and allocate it a bit better than they have been so far. Hopefully it will do in the ballpark of 10,000 per year or so.
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There seems to be a little more to this story as well,
http://www.newagegto.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1905
http://www.newagegto.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1905
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I don't mean to add insult to injury, but at the opposite end, Chrysler seems to be moving its new 300 very well. While the 300 and the Goat are two different animals, I'm very glad to see at least one new RWD V8 powered beast moving off the lots. Then again I've seen a much more aggressive marketing scheme on the part of Chrysler and as I've said, two different animals. I'm sure the extra legroom, lower pricetag and 2 extra doors don't hinder the 300 in the sales department. People also seem to be a fan of the 300s in your face styling.
Didn't mean to derail this topic, just thought I'd share. As for the GTO, I hope GM does not become discouraged by this initial slump. The GTO is an awesome car and honestly is a vehicle I could see myself slipping into after college (or maybe receiving as a grad present, hehehe). Hopefully sales pick up with better marketing and possible pricing and equipment adjustments.
Didn't mean to derail this topic, just thought I'd share. As for the GTO, I hope GM does not become discouraged by this initial slump. The GTO is an awesome car and honestly is a vehicle I could see myself slipping into after college (or maybe receiving as a grad present, hehehe). Hopefully sales pick up with better marketing and possible pricing and equipment adjustments.
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Originally Posted by TriShield
There seems to be a little more to this story as well,
http://www.newagegto.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1905
http://www.newagegto.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1905
Still, Mark ups or not it hasn't been an out of the ball park success which is a shame. It's a good car for sure but it has it's faults against others inthe Market. The G35 for instance has a more upscale interior and exterior plus consierably better handling and more options. Granted it isn't as fast in a straight line but it's maybe 80% as quick which is fine for most luxury coupe buyers.
If Nissan made a G45 (340hp V8 out of the M45 and Q45) I would pay $40K for a G no problem.
Both the G35 and the GTO have worthless trunk space, though the G35 compounds this with a smaller passenger compartment.
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Originally Posted by Adam Bruce
The G35 for instance has a more upscale interior and exterior plus consierably better handling and more options.
What I'm really afraid of is GM giving up too soon on the GTO project and not selling other Holden models here. They're planning to sell the Ute SS here through Chevrolet, in addition to Statesman/Caprice for Buick, I hope this doesn't hurt those plans because they're both fantastic cars.
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Originally Posted by TriShield
If by "upscale" you mean it has more features, you're right. But they're the same when it comes to materials and finish, with leather quality going to the GTO. Not to mention the Infiniti is smaller inside. For all intents and purposes they're nearly the same in driving experience, both quiet, refined, and plush places to be.
-Adam
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Originally Posted by TriShield
What I'm really afraid of is GM giving up too soon on the GTO project and not selling other Holden models here. They're planning to sell the Ute SS here through Chevrolet, in addition to Statesman/Caprice for Buick, I hope this doesn't hurt those plans because they're both fantastic cars.
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Originally Posted by granitemonkey
I would love to own a new-age El-Camino, These cars would kick ***
I would surprised if anyone had any gripes with the style of this car. It resembles an aggressive Chevrolet and even shares the "angry" headlamp treatment of the Avalanche and Silverado. Peter Hanenburger (former Holden CEO) and Bob Lutz have been quoted by a few different sources as saying this is the likely next car to come to the US. It's also considerably cheaper than the Monaro, meaning it can be sold here cheaper.
I hope the constant hammering people are giving GM and the early GTO sales figures don't ruin the plans for bringing over other foreign GM goodies from Australia.
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Originally Posted by TriShield
Picture it with a bowtie instead of the lion,
I would surprised if anyone had any gripes with the style of this car. It resembles an aggressive Chevrolet and even shares the "angry" headlamp treatment of the Avalanche and Silverado. Peter Hanenburger (former Holden CEO) and Bob Lutz have been quoted by a few different sources as saying this is the likely next car to come to the US. It's also considerably cheaper than the Monaro, meaning it can be sold here cheaper.
I hope the constant hammering people are giving GM and the early GTO sales figures don't ruin the plans for bringing over other foreign GM goodies from Australia.
I would surprised if anyone had any gripes with the style of this car. It resembles an aggressive Chevrolet and even shares the "angry" headlamp treatment of the Avalanche and Silverado. Peter Hanenburger (former Holden CEO) and Bob Lutz have been quoted by a few different sources as saying this is the likely next car to come to the US. It's also considerably cheaper than the Monaro, meaning it can be sold here cheaper.
I hope the constant hammering people are giving GM and the early GTO sales figures don't ruin the plans for bringing over other foreign GM goodies from Australia.