984mula

first off, the car will weigh in at 3700 pounds, have 350HP 365 lb/ft. Everyone who has driven it loves it, even the die hard "I hate the new gto" enthusiasts. read the article at gtoaa.com. everybody saying the gto is nothing but a rear wheel drive cavalier with the LS1 is obviously ignorant. read up on the Monaro and it's racing legacy it has created in just 2 years. also, holden sells every monaro they make.

i have an fbody and love it, but bottom line, it wasnt making money. the GTO will. its a far more refined car with a trunk, seat for 4 real people, beautiful interior, the same straightline performance as an fbody, with the handling to match the best from europe. anybody talking out of your a** do your research on the monaro, and on what the GTO will be. and then wait to drive one, i promise the negatives will turn into positives. its gonna be an amazing car. its gonna set the standard for Pontiac and it's performance. just wait and see 2004 GTO

Dr. Evil

I'm dissapointed on the styling as well. I'm looking to replace my f-body in a couple years, but I'd rather go with a good used C5, or hold my breath for a possible new f-body in '06?

Some show was interviewing the creator of the original GTO recently (forgive me that I don't know/remember his name, I've never been a huge GTO fan), and they asked him if he felt all the harsh criticism was justified. I can't remember his exact words, I think he was a little down on the styling, but I remember that he said something like it was "drunk with torque", and "not at all like the other LS1's he had driven", for whatever thats worth...

Also, they addressed why the GTO didn't have the expected hood scoop(s) on it, and they said that if they redesigned the hood, they'd have to go through more required testing, I guess to determine effects on mileage etc? but the point is that it would delay the release significantly.

I just hope having the LS1 in another body will continue to drive the aftermarket parts biz to keep coming up with newer/cheaper/better perf. parts!

tbyrne

iTrader: (15)

I think they were very conservative with the 14 @ 100 estimate. The stock LT1 f-body was rated at 275hp. The 6 speed cars ran the same ET. We'll probably see low to mid 13s with a stock GTO.

Tom
www.ls1gtoperformance.com

js3

I agree...although it's not a true GTO, I still like it. I kind of figured that the body wouldn't match with the name...they did the same thing with the Impala SS. The 93-96 were cool, but then they screwed it up when they brought it back with body of a lumina. The new GTO, I'll consider buying...the new impala ss...never.

1ScrudeDude

I am not a crazed nut about the older muscle cars, so you can't say I don't like this new GTO because it has no traits of the old one.

It's styling is too conservative for me. I will respect it, but I will not like it. I will spend my $ on future mods for my F before I plunk down new money for this design. I like the current F-Body because it is kinda dysfunctional; I don't need no trunk, 4 doors, or a capacity to seat 4 adults.

I want something that is aero, sloped, raked, aggressive, and made for performance. Oh lookie, an F-Bod LS1 still in my driveway!!!

Great picture taking however!

WhitePheonix

This is in fact false, it has been proven time and time again that sales werent the reason for the death of the f-bod. The car was making money, maybe not mustang money, but cash none the less. It was completely political

2HOTZ28

I think the new GTO is a sharp looking car. Pontiac got knocked for using too much body cladding before. Now, that they stick with a cleaner look, people trash that. Cant please everyone I guess.

LPE SS

iTrader: (3)

I've recently and sadistically started a thread in the 'other' forum highlighting where this topic is headed. Styling. Though I appreciate the 'thought' of an LS1 powered GM product, I can't figure out why they took a 'conservative' direction in its appearance. I recently saw one the other day here in Detroit. I SWORE it was an Olds Alero from the back . From the front...new GrandPrix. If GM's ***** weren't being clinched by the money-men, I wonder what it would have looked like.

z289899

I want one! Yeah it may look like a cross between a grand am and a grand prix, but with a few aftermarket parts like the exhaust and hood, this will be a very fun car to drive. I can about guarantee it will handle better than our cars now and you can pull along some little ricer and smile while you are eating him for desert!

CamaroCain

iTrader: (1)

where are the other two doors then :p

The only things so far I have found that I think look kind of ricer is the gauges and the option to have the same color interior as the car. But that is something I would over look and if I had the money and GM said for sure they are not bringing the Camaro back then I would probably order one.

Nasty N8

iTrader: (33)

They are on there way I have pics of a newspaper of them all sitting on the doc waiting to be loaded.

Nate

wigglit

Regarding the lack of items that make it similar to the original GTO, I've read that SLP will be stepping up to the plate, so there will most likely be scoops, hoods, hood scoops, and whatnot available through SLP.

DANSLS1GTO

You do realize that the ONLY reason this car is being sold in the US as is is because GM was able to take an existing car and build the GTO on the same line at the same time. And I for one and very glad they didn't make it some retro-styled POS. None of them made so far have been interesting to me in the least, and I probably would be buying an Audi if they had...
Dan D.

mcgrice

Hi Guys,

I have been reading all your posts in reference to the Pontiac GTO,
more commonly know to us Aussies as a Holden Monaro. This will be the first Australian GM product to go to the USA.

I believe you do get another of our products, Mitsubishi "Diamante" (I think), we call them Magna. Not really popular with Aussies as they are front wheel drive. We really prefer rear wheel drive, hence all our home grown Ford and Holden vehicles are rear wheel drive.

When Bob Lutz was down under, he drove the whole range of Aussie GM vehicles, and really wanted to import others as well. It appears that the USA Automobile Union put a stop to that. The union dictated a figure of 18,000 max Pontiac GTO's and stopped the import on other models.

The others Bob wanted was the Statesman/Caprice.
http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring...s/wkstater.htm

and our Ute, which you guys call pickup or Camino.
http://www.sounddomain.com/id/melbguy67

For a bit of reading on the road tests have a look at:
http://www.mynrma.com.au/motoring/ca...n_monaro.shtml

The CV8 is similar to your Pontiac, and if you are interested in the Holden's competition, check out the Ford Falcon.
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_1613/...popularArticle

The Holden is dervided from the floor pan of an Opel and the Ford Falcon is designed and made in Australia only.

Hope this has been of some interest for you all.

Cheers,

Ron McGrice
Brisbane
Australia

NIRVANA

Thanks for the interesting articles. It sucks that the unions have this much say in what vehicles can be imported. I'd love to see the V8 Caprice here again if it looked like that...and that Ford Falcon could easily replace the fabled Taurus.

Tom@SpeedInc

iTrader: (5)

That SS looks retarded, GTO all the way. SS is almost a carbon copy of a mazda RX8 but looks twice as retarded.

monaroCountry

Have a look at the new ss (VY), it looks great

Tom@SpeedInc

iTrader: (5)

I didn't mean the commodore SS (thats my favorite car
the SS chevy concept car, people here like it but it looks so retareded.
My dad had a VT Commodore SS 195i last year of the Holden V8, thoes 304s had so much low end torque. Was better to drive then a LS1 dunnydore. Americans just can't figure out a 4 door being a fast and handling car.

cvp33

This is the SS. Good direction, terrible execution. Reminds me of the first GTO concept, overdone.

Steve1969LS1

iTrader: (1)

Just for the record, ive read a LOT of your posts on this and you seem pretty hostile.. just remember that not EVERYONE is going to like the GTO.. just like mustang guy say the camaro is ugly.. its the internet for gods sake and your going to get a certain percentage of jerks

I like EVERYTHING about the car except the lackluster exterior.. but im hopefull some aftermarket stuff will come out to adress that (induction hood??)

I would kill for the interior and I would love to have a set of them seats.. a vast majority of people on the board would not mind owning a new GTO so go with the flow and relax

You GTO guys need to post in more of the other forums.. I hope when you get them you post up in the appearance section (new rims??)