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GM drops the GTO


Conesmasher

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Coty asked me = Just curious, what things could GM have included to make the car more worthwhile?

They could have made a functional hood scoop, gave you 400 hp to START with, made a much nicer interior & not the plastic looking stuff all over the dash etc. Advertising on this car was almost non-existent, they just didn't market it correctly or anything. Yet if you talk to Vinny or Blu by U - they love the car, why? I think it's because Pontiac had the right idea, I'm wondering if they got heat by the GM execs? Something went out of whack for sure. Folks like us that want some luxury & speed & rely on GM & their divisions for this type of vehicle just got shortchanged. I think Pontiacs made a blunder in ceasing to make the vehicle too - Just my .02.

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I will just qoute a buddy of mine when he went to test drive it, along with an elise and a bunch of other cars. "I never thought that 400hp could be so slow"

 

LS2 powered GTOs are not slow - true story. They may "feel" slow because they are heavy and have a relatively soft suspension but they are not slow. I would like to know what your friend was comparing the GTO to?

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Just curious, what things could GM have included to make the car more worthwhile?

 

 

It stems from the timid styling, poor marketing campaign, and not giving the people a truly new vehicle. The platform was around for a good long while before it turned into the GTO. I have an old C&D magazine where they compared a Holden HSV-R to the BMW M5(i believe it was '02?). That car was basically a 4 door '05 GTO. It had an LS-1 worked over by Callaway to produce nearly 400hp, and it ran neck and neck with the BMW in nearly all their tests. The car is a great car, but not what people expected, or wanted in a new GTO. That name is held in a much higher regard, and warranted a better effort from GM to give the consumers something more than worthy of the badge. Instead they got a really good car that did many things well, but failed to stand out in any way, and grab the imagination, or tug on any heartstrings of GTO or Pontiac loyalists. It really is a shame, and I wish they had a better platform that they could build on and improve. It was definitely a Q-ship type of car that I would have defintely looked into buying. Especially after watching the video below.

 

http://i.b5z.net/i/u/1473169/f/Video/kennygto989.mpg

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Who gave you your info? The GTO is made in Australia by Holden. GM DOES own Holden. Plus Holden doesn't send cars to Europe. They stay in Austrailia. Check your sources next time.

Check your info...Holden sends cars to Europe as Opel/Vauxhall(sp?), and to the Middle East as Chevy.

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I'm not surprised at all.

 

The GTOs are very nice cars, probably the best built RWD besides C5/C6.

 

Here are my thoughts on why the GTO never really took off:

 

- When they first came out, dealers were rapping people on the price, that alone turned people away

- GM priced it about 3-5K higher than what it should have been

- Lack of options, people like to have choices, you had what 2, color & tranny...

- They are heavy for a small performance car

- With being heavy, 1/4 mile times aren't as good as they could be.

- Most non car people thought of them as a Grand Prix/Grand Am replacement, due to the kinda bland styling.

 

If GM would listen to us performance people, they would know what it takes to sell a car like that, instead they let the bean counters dictate what people like us want...

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Guest BLUE BY U
I will just qoute a buddy of mine when he went to test drive it, along with an elise and a bunch of other cars. "I never thought that 400hp could be so slow"

they feel really slow, when i bought mine i was shit i got the factory turd, but track time tell me differant, and i must say the car is really smooth at 140 my grandma could change lanes at 140 in my car.

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they feel really slow, when i bought mine i was shit i got the factory turd, but track time tell me differant, and i must say the car is really smooth at 140 my grandma could change lanes at 140 in my car.

 

I dont know what car he was comparing it to. But he has been in a pontiac firehawk and helped a kid build a turbo rsx. So im guessing thats what he would compare it to. I know that a turbo car feels faster, atleast for me, but doesnt mean its necesarily faster. Probably because all motor cars have that power from the start, where a turbo has lag. So when the turbo kicks in it just feels like it pulls harder. Atleast on the old butt dyno.

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Guest BLUE BY U
I dont know what car he was comparing it to. But he has been in a pontiac firehawk and helped a kid build a turbo rsx. So im guessing thats what he would compare it to. I know that a turbo car feels faster, atleast for me, but doesnt mean its necesarily faster. Probably because all motor cars have that power from the start, where a turbo has lag. So when the turbo kicks in it just feels like it pulls harder. Atleast on the old butt dyno.

i agree 110% mycar feels good to me on motor when i havnt sprayed it in awhile, but after i spray it it feels slow as fuck on motor.

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I'm not surprised at all.

 

The GTOs are very nice cars, probably the best built RWD besides C5/C6.

 

Here are my thoughts on why the GTO never really took off:

 

- When they first came out, dealers were rapping people on the price, that alone turned people away

- GM priced it about 3-5K higher than what it should have been

- Lack of options, people like to have choices, you had what 2, color & tranny...

- They are heavy for a small performance car

- With being heavy, 1/4 mile times aren't as good as they could be.

- Most non car people thought of them as a Grand Prix/Grand Am replacement, due to the kinda bland styling.

 

If GM would listen to us performance people, they would know what it takes to sell a car like that, instead they let the bean counters dictate what people like us want...

+1

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Nice try, you feel stupid as fuck and you know it....

 

Hell, you Capitolized "HIGHLY".......

 

The proper response would be: "Sorry fellas, I am dumb as fuck because I run my man pleaser about shit I know nothing about."

that just made me laugh uncontrollably! nice work, spaceghost.

 

As for the GTO...like others have said, even through the over-used GTO descriptive word: BLAND, I always loved the looks of it. It kind of reminded me of a BMW in a "bland' way. BMW's, IMO, are bland. But when I know that BMW has 333 hp, bland is very stylish. Same with the GTO...even the 05's with the hood and ground effects, it is still not over-done like the ls1 style firebirds. (don't get me wrong about the firebirds, I think the WS6 is one of the sweetest looking cars I've ever seen but the GTO just looks so much more mature.)

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...

 

Your stupid.

 

1. holden IS owned by GM.

2. the GTO IS made in Austrialia by holden, in the same plant as the Monaro. I was bitching about the monaro needing to come to the states since i could drive! Aussies get the coolest GM/Ford cars . . . i.e. the Falcon.

3. Both cars are ONLY made in Austrailia.

 

 

on another subject, i want an El camino or what is now know as a Holden Ute.

 

what i liked/hated about the GTO:

:) : the engine, the 6 speed, the interior.

:( : Price, wieght. and the Fucking IRS!!!! real muscle cars have solid axles!

 

Other: i liked the body style, BUT, not as a Goat. it needs styling cues from the old goat, i would have liked it as a new comaro vs. a GTO.

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Your stupid.

 

1. holden IS owned by GM.

2. the GTO IS made in Austrialia by holden, in the same plant as the Monaro. I was bitching about the monaro needing to come to the states since i could drive! Aussies get the coolest GM/Ford cars . . . i.e. the Falcon.

3. Both cars are ONLY made in Austrailia.

 

 

on another subject, i want an El camino or what is now know as a Holden Ute.

 

what i liked/hated about the GTO:

:) : the engine, the 6 speed, the interior.

:( : Price, wieght. and the Fucking IRS!!!! real muscle cars have solid axles!

 

Other: i liked the body style, BUT, not as a Goat. it needs styling cues from the old goat, i would have liked it as a new comaro vs. a GTO.

 

Falcon = shit

 

XR6 turbo and XR8 arent too bad tho

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