Considered as the first true muscle car, the Pontiac GTO is truly a groundbreaker. Most collectors of classic muscle cars see the GTO as a true gem, a real sexy and sweet beauty. And understandably so: not only is the Pontiac GTO a genre-defining car, it actually boasts of a sweet look and is capable of a powerful performance.
The Birth of a Legend
Back in the early ?60s, General Motors banned divisions from participating in auto racing. This was a heavy hit to Pontiac, since their marketing campaign was based heavily on car racing. The result is a legend: by modifying the Pontiac Tempest into a road-friendly, yet high-performance car. And it became a monster hit.
The name was after the Ferrari 250 GTO, in which GTO stood for Gran Turismo Omologato. For those who couldn’t speak Italian, it simply means homologated (or approved) for inclusion in the GT class.
First Generation
The first generation Pontiac GTO was released in 1964. It was only an option for the Pontiac LeMans. It had a 398-cubic inch V8 engine, which has a speed of 325hp at 4800rpm, with a 3-speed manual transmission. It came in three styles: hardtop coupe, two-door sedan, or convertible. It cost around $290–a real bargain today, but not back then!
A few changes were made the following year, including extending the length of the car by 7.9cm. Perhaps the most popular of the first-generation GTOs is the ’66 edition with the “Coke-bottle look.” Not does the ’66 GTO completely define what classic muscle cars would look like, it also heralded the start of the GTO series as an independent model (and not as an option). It was so popular that sales shot up to 90,000.
Second Generation
Around 1970s, the second generation of GTOs was up and about. There were some cosmetic changes, such as the ‘hidden headlights’ feature for the ’68 and ’69 Pontiac GTO. But function-wise, the GTO remained the same. It had the same V8 engine, albeit optimized so it would peak at 400hp.
By this time, the GTO faced a fierce battle with other newly-emerged muscle cars. There was the Oldsmobile 442, the Plymouth Road Runner, and the Chevrolet Chevelle, among others. Sales were dwindling, and the GTO was having a hard time keeping itself on top.
By 1972, sales of this classic car drastically dropped to 5,811. This was the result of several things. Aside from the tough competition, the GTO also lacked promotion. Add to that the move to make gasoline free of lead, which lead Pontiac to make this classic muscle car have less muscle–without the Ram-air option for engines, its performance was compromised. Add to that the dwindling appeal of muscle cars (because of market saturation and the emerging energy crisis), and the ?death’ of the Pontiac GTO becomes no mystery.
The Pontiac GTO is a cool and sexy classic muscle car. Its history is somehow a tragic one: it started the whole craze about muscle performance cars, but ended with not a single bang. Yet, because of this history, the Pontiac GTO is ever more valuable today as a classic car. Since not so many people have it in their garage, a restored one will surely peak at way more than ten grand–that’s a long way from $290.…
Recent Posts
- Total visitors : 5,578
- Total page views: 10,435
Categories
- Auction Cars
- Auction Cars
- Auto
- Auto
- Auto Deal
- Auto Deal
- Auto Discount
- Auto Discount
- Auto Mobile
- Auto Mobile
- Auto24 De
- Auto24 De
- Automobile
- Automobile De Germany
- Automobile De Germany
- Automobile Deutschland
- Automobile Deutschland
- Bargain Cars
- Bargain Cars
- Car Auctions In Maryland
- Car Auctions In Maryland
- Car Auctions UK
- Car Auctions UK
- Car Book Value
- Car Book Value
- Car Specials
- Car Specials
- Cars
- Cheap
- Cheap Car Leasing
- Cheap Car Leasing
- Cheap Cars
- Cheap Cars
- Convertible
- Convertible
- General Article
- Inexpensive Cars
- Inexpensive Cars
- Military Auctions
- Military Auctions
- Mobile
- Mobile Auto
- Mobile Auto
- Wholesale Cars
- Wholesale Cars
Archives
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
Domain Category
Marketing
Finance
Sales
Management
Strategy
Innovation
Gambling
Gaming
Roulette
Blackjack
Poker
Slots
Style
Trend
Design
Clothing
Apparel
Couture
Cleaning
Plumbing
Electrical
Carpentry
Painting
Gardening
Wellness
Fitness
Nutrition
Exercise
Diet
Hygiene
House
Home
Residence
Abode
Dwelling
Domicile
Habitat
Homestead
Coverage
Policy
Premium
Deductible
Claim
Insured
Adventure
Wanderlust
Explore
Journey
Destination
Trip
Claim