Ditto, There was an 02 WS6 w/20,xxx miles in the showroom beside the GTO we got. We have a 4 yr old. The WS6 is sweet, but the GTO is more suited to us. Smooth, Strong,Sporty, but can comfortably seat people in the back.
The GTO is exactly what we were looking for...Eats Mustangs for lunch too!

 

Folks, we have a winner.

 

I agree with you on the fan base. It does seem like GM is targeting the older crowd with this car. My father owed a 1969 Judge GTO when he was in high school. And he will tell you most people driving them where older men. Don't get me wrong I like the GTO and my dad does to. But like he says I wonder if they would have brought that car over here with the same name it has in Austraila would it still be all this confusion.

 

Confusion?

It's pretty simple really, it takes the Firebird's spot as a halo vehicle, but it's not exactly in the same vein as the Firebird. Pontiac will have two when the Solstice arrives.

 

on the topic of styling,
the same GM guy who styled the Aztek, did the 2005 vette!

 

Actually that car got panned when if first made the show circuit in 1999. Even the diehard Pontiac guys hated it. Way over the top cartoon like vehicle.

I own a 04 GTO 6 speed, and love it. Great performance coupe with clean styling and plenty of power. Enough to push my 04 to a 13.3@104 at the strip. If I want to get noticed, I drive around my 11 sec prostreet 67 GTO.

 

There are plenty of body parts being made for the car as well.

People will dress them up just as they've been dressing up F-bodies, and pretty much anything else you can think of.

 

This is just FYI, but the fella who designed the Aztek (yes, with a 'k') also designed the C6. There is a 01 Formula and a 04 GTO in the driveway right now (I don't want this to sound like I'm bragging by anymeans) and after driving the GTO around for just 20 minutes, it made the Formula feel as if it were made of cardboard. I know quality is not of main issue here, but it's a point that should be made. Also people comment that the GTO looks like the Grand Prix. Well, duh, styling que's throughout GM's lines (Pontiac, GMC, Chevy) are all similair to each other in their respected divisions and if you look at a 66 GTO and 66 Grand Prix, for example, you wont find much difference in styling.

I know the GTO isn't as extreme as a WS6 or SS, or any F-Body for that matter. But was it supposed to be? It wasn't when it first came out 40 years ago. It's its heritage. When I'm driving around town, everyone looks at the car, everyone that knows cars knows what it is. The car doesn't need to look fast to be fast (is that a Honda Civic statement or what?). I would highly encourage anyone to test drive these cars. They are a dream to drive, and have room, yes back seats included, for 4 adults 6ft plus.

Ed

 

we love our GTO(wife says it is hers) ,great performance,excellent ride and comfort.she wanted something sporty that had enough room for us and a 5 year old,if we need more room than that we will drive the avalanche...........

 

LOL, so I can't spell I find this remarkable that the guy that designed the C6 also designed the Aztek If this is true that guy must be schizophrenic! BlackFormula01 please check my spelling of schizophrenic - I just guess at the spelling! LOL...

The C6 is a beautiful car, but the Aztek is the dorkiest looking POS I have ever layed eyes on. They should have called it the Pontiac Edsel!!!!

 

I agree on your take with the Aztek - but I'm of the opinion that the C6 is a step backwards. why change a good thing? The C5 is the best appearing 'vette' ever, period - especially the FRC - damn that's a sexy beast. Put the GTO buckets in the front and arrange the interior a bit better so us short people can see and you've got the absolute 'ultimate driving machine'. I honestly think the C6 is a huge step backwards. I personally would buy a GTO and strip it weight wise and do a bunch of upgrades over buying the C6 if I was in the money for an ultimate speed machine (and what else is a corvette, really).
Dan

 

dorkier than a honda element?

 

insurance companies and high speed rednecks killing themselves brought the camaro to its end

 

I'm assuming a sarcastic tone to this, we know why the fbody was killed off by GM, SUVs were more profitable at that time.

 

Some GTO facts published in Automotive News and the Chicago Tribune.

Funny someone would mention the Aztec. The first four months of this year Pontiac has sold 7,416 Aztecs but only 2,451 GTO's.

Pontiac had forcasted 16,000 to 18,000 GTO's sold this year. They are on target to sell only 7,400.

I'm not trying to flame GTO owners but rather make it clear that once again GM has failed in the big picture. We're enthusiasts and only a small segment of the car buying world. Overall the GTO is a huge flop which doesn't fare well for any future muscle cars from GM.

 

It doesn't fare well for Americans in general. It's sad that people don't want a fantastic car like this and that it would likely do better if it was decked out with scoops and vents. Very sad indeed and it doesn't speak well of the car buying American public one bit, that we prefer flash over substance. Pontiac dealers have to carry part of the blame though, it was embarassing to watch the dealers around here make fools of themselves and pass up sales of the cars just waiting to rape a person caught up in the hype. Problem is that there was no hype and they never got popular.

Just watch, next year's car will likely be hideous with a bunch of fake crap on it and it will sell great.

For me the bottom line is that I love my GTO, I like 99% everything about it too. And I don't see them on every street corner and that's a plus for me.

 

IF there's a next year. At this rate I wouldn't count much on it. I think Automotive News used the term "turkey" for the GTO. If this is the impression that the automotive media has, I can only imagine what the general public thinks. Also sounds like GM is putting a lot of hope in that the movie "The Last Ride" sparks interest in the car.

1COOLPC, I think you made a great point but remember you're dealing with a society that favors reality TV to television with substance. Look at the popularity of "spinner" rims (aka dubbs) and that they are actually selling hubcaps that look like spinner wannabes.

Just when I thought V8 RWD was making a strong come-back, GM seems to have found a way to screw it up. Seriously, if they offered the Monaro with much more profound styling, more so in the manner of the GXP or WS6 TA, and didn't rely on an old moniker, they would have met their sales mark and the automotive world would finally be shifting back to RWD platforms. But as long as the god-aweful Aztec outsells the GTO 2.5 - 1, it won't happen.

 

I agree about GM putting allot into the Movie to help.

I also beleive GM screwed up 'Big Time' with the promotion of the vehicle. If it was introduced as a Monaro takeoff I think it would have peaked the interest in other customers and especially those outside of GMs brand loyal customers. But, they tried to use the "GTO" badge to pull on the heart strings of those that love the GTO car of yesteryears and it failed, probably due to it being an Australian car and the styling ques have not impressed as many as hoped. IMO

 

But the only reason it ticks off some of the older GTO generation (And a lot of the Mustang and F-Body guys of which I am an ex owner of a 2002 Z28.) is that it isn't laden with add on scoops, ductwork and fender flares, or whatever. Anything tacky, doesn't matter if it really works or not. All aspects of performance are right where they should be and superior to the original car. And, from what I found to read the key players in the original GTO all said that this car is a worthy successor and that they liked it. The GTO performs better than any European import that cost $20,000 beyond what this one does. The interior is as nice as any car I've ever been in and the fit and finish is terrific, as good as any. Yes, it's missing a dead pedal, the shifter is a little funky at times but big deal, every car has growing pains and this is a superb first year release. An absolutely stunning automobile to anybody who knows it.

Sorry to say but my opinion is that the fault of this car failing is not on GM but on American car buyers not having taste. (And the Pontiac dealerships being foolish.) There is nothing wrong with the GTO exactly as it is today. When it comes to quality vehicles the majority of Americans don't have a clue. I'm an American and I love my country and its people but sometimes this aspect is depressing. It's sad to me that a car like the GTO is doing so poorly for such mundane reasons.

 

Yeah, what he said...