Ponitac GTO info

[crYnOid]

The Holden Monaro series 2 has just been released in Australia and will go on sale in Jan next year. This is the exact car the GTO will be based on The only difference should be the front bumper and some minor changes to the rear bumper to allow a dual exhaust, everything else inside and out should be the same. Also the GTO will only get a 360hp LS1 for the 2004 model and the 400+ hp GTO of 2005 will be the 6.0 V8, not the 5.7. There is also suppost to be some changes to the 2005 GTO's exterior, so scoops or spoilers are possibilities.The GTO will be launched on Jan 3 next year at the LA auto show.

Here are the pics of what the GTO should look very similar to on the outside:
front
rear

And interior, this should be almost identical to the GTO I believe:
dash
interior
Interior reversed (for you americans)

The press release.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Hmmmmm - not sure what to say to this. The interior is quite handsome, actually, though there are an awful lot of small buttons on the stereo and HVAC controls. The exterior is a bit dowdy and overly plain given the car's performance, and what worries me is that I expect Pontiac may get carried away with trying to dress the car up - I find some of the basic shapes of modern Pontiacs attractive, but they always seem to mess them up with too-bold detailing. At least they have stopped using plastic cladding (per Bob Lutz).

 

[CraigRT]

Love it... first nice looking car they will have since the mid 90's.
everything has been getting uglier and uglier... there is some hope still with this car.

Holdens have always impressed me... very sweet lookin'.

 

[Doggiedog]

Looks very nice. Inside and out.

 

[Jason Clark]

Finally, a GM interior that doesn't have Mattel stamped on the dash. Not a bad looking car, but just you wait, GM will get out the plastic facia bin and glue plastic "GO FAST" panels on it. Should move along nicley with that displacement under the hood.

Here's hoping North American GM doesn't ruin a decent car.

 

[Analog]

I prefer a '67 ram-air 400 with 3 two barrel carbs and posi. Now that was and always shall be a GTO. These plastic 'toys' they make today are a joke of a name that was once sacred for Pontiac. How can I say this? Because I worked for GM!

 

[crYnOid]

Originally posted by: Zuni
Finally, a GM interior that doesn't have Mattel stamped on the dash. Not a bad looking car, but just you wait, GM will get out the plastic facia bin and glue plastic "GO FAST" panels on it. Should move along nicley with that displacement under the hood.

Here's hoping North American GM doesn't ruin a decent car.

Apparently GM NA and Pontiac have had very limited input into how the GTO will look as the bumpers are being designed in Australia by Holden.

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
I prefer a '67 ram-air 400 with 3 two barrel carbs and posi. Now that was and always shall be a GTO. These plastic 'toys' they make today are a joke of a name that was once sacred for Pontiac. How can I say this? Because I worked for GM!

This car isn't a joke.. cars like the Chevy Nova from the 80's made by Toyota were a joke.. even the new Impala is kinda a joke if you ask me.. it's nothing like old.. at least the new GTO has as much power if not MORE than it used to!!

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Yield

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
I prefer a '67 ram-air 400 with 3 two barrel carbs and posi. Now that was and always shall be a GTO. These plastic 'toys' they make today are a joke of a name that was once sacred for Pontiac. How can I say this? Because I worked for GM!

This car isn't a joke.. cars like the Chevy Nova from the 80's made by Toyota were a joke.. even the new Impala is kinda a joke if you ask me.. it's nothing like old.. at least the new GTO has as much power if not MORE than it used to!!

Agreed. To me the modern Impala and Monte Carlo water down these two product identities the same way the dreadful Cimarron weakened Cadillac's identity. The new GTO appears to have the stuff to more than live up to its heritage, definitely much more so than the Fiero (regardless of color!).

 

[FrustratedUser]

A slick looking car.

I like it

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: Yield

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
I prefer a '67 ram-air 400 with 3 two barrel carbs and posi. Now that was and always shall be a GTO. These plastic 'toys' they make today are a joke of a name that was once sacred for Pontiac. How can I say this? Because I worked for GM!

This car isn't a joke.. cars like the Chevy Nova from the 80's made by Toyota were a joke.. even the new Impala is kinda a joke if you ask me.. it's nothing like old.. at least the new GTO has as much power if not MORE than it used to!!

Agreed. To me the modern Impala and Monte Carlo water down these two product identities the same way the dreadful Cimarron weakened Cadillac's identity. The new GTO appears to have the stuff to more than live up to its heritage, definitely much more so than the Fiero (regardless of color!).

hey, don't cut down the Fiero, at least they didn't try to re-make that one yet!!!

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: yellowfiero

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: Yield

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
I prefer a '67 ram-air 400 with 3 two barrel carbs and posi. Now that was and always shall be a GTO. These plastic 'toys' they make today are a joke of a name that was once sacred for Pontiac. How can I say this? Because I worked for GM!

This car isn't a joke.. cars like the Chevy Nova from the 80's made by Toyota were a joke.. even the new Impala is kinda a joke if you ask me.. it's nothing like old.. at least the new GTO has as much power if not MORE than it used to!!

Agreed. To me the modern Impala and Monte Carlo water down these two product identities the same way the dreadful Cimarron weakened Cadillac's identity. The new GTO appears to have the stuff to more than live up to its heritage, definitely much more so than the Fiero (regardless of color!).

hey, don't cut down the Fiero, at least they didn't try to re-make that one yet!!!

If they did would they put a Northstar V8 in it??

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: Yield

Originally posted by: yellowfiero

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: Yield

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
I prefer a '67 ram-air 400 with 3 two barrel carbs and posi. Now that was and always shall be a GTO. These plastic 'toys' they make today are a joke of a name that was once sacred for Pontiac. How can I say this? Because I worked for GM!

This car isn't a joke.. cars like the Chevy Nova from the 80's made by Toyota were a joke.. even the new Impala is kinda a joke if you ask me.. it's nothing like old.. at least the new GTO has as much power if not MORE than it used to!!

Agreed. To me the modern Impala and Monte Carlo water down these two product identities the same way the dreadful Cimarron weakened Cadillac's identity. The new GTO appears to have the stuff to more than live up to its heritage, definitely much more so than the Fiero (regardless of color!).

hey, don't cut down the Fiero, at least they didn't try to re-make that one yet!!!

If they did would they put a Northstar V8 in it??

you know - I've seen a couple of these Northstar conversions at Fiero shows. But the best conversion was the Buick 3800 supercharged v6 Fiero. I thought that this conversion looked like a better natural 'fit' for the Fiero.

 

[geno]

hey, don't cut down the Fiero, at least they didn't try to re-make that one yet!!!

Yeah, there's a reason for that. People actually want the new GTO

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: yellowfiero

Originally posted by: Yield

Originally posted by: yellowfiero

Originally posted by: Don_Vito

Originally posted by: Yield

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
I prefer a '67 ram-air 400 with 3 two barrel carbs and posi. Now that was and always shall be a GTO. These plastic 'toys' they make today are a joke of a name that was once sacred for Pontiac. How can I say this? Because I worked for GM!

This car isn't a joke.. cars like the Chevy Nova from the 80's made by Toyota were a joke.. even the new Impala is kinda a joke if you ask me.. it's nothing like old.. at least the new GTO has as much power if not MORE than it used to!!

Agreed. To me the modern Impala and Monte Carlo water down these two product identities the same way the dreadful Cimarron weakened Cadillac's identity. The new GTO appears to have the stuff to more than live up to its heritage, definitely much more so than the Fiero (regardless of color!).

hey, don't cut down the Fiero, at least they didn't try to re-make that one yet!!!

If they did would they put a Northstar V8 in it??

you know - I've seen a couple of these Northstar conversions at Fiero shows. But the best conversion was the Buick 3800 supercharged v6 Fiero. I thought that this conversion looked like a better natural 'fit' for the Fiero.

That's cool.. I have heard of that before too.Probably just about as fast too.

 

[KokomoGST]

Yeah... I've always liked how Holden has styled their Monaros as well... thankfully I think Lutz is smart enough to make sure that we stick fairly close to the Aussie design since he almost gave the indication that the US GM designers/engineers couldn't even crap right. Oh wait, all they did was crap...

The higher output performance versions of the Monaro always seem to have a few ground effects (lip spoiler and flowing sideskirts) as well as a biggish rear wing to hint at it's V8 supercar racing heritage. An LS1 should be just fine with it... since the aftermarket is so gigantic for it and Aussies have been tuning the crap out of the racing versions, 400+ crankhp seems easily reachable. I wouldn't think it would be too hard with some good ol' American tweaking to fit a nice blower or turbo system on it to make some insane numbers.

 

[LAUST]

Also the GTO will only get a 360hp LS1 for the 2004 model and the 400+ hp GTO of 2005 will be the 6.0 V8, not the 5.7

Wonder what the deal is with the 6.0... maybe an aluminum version?

 

[vi edit]

Anyone know what sort of suspension they are running in the rear? Is it a live axle, or independent?

 

[Drekce]

Is this the Pontiac grand Am GTO that you guys are talking about? If so I sat in one yesterday at an auto show here in Orlando. Pretty nice car. I might have taken pictures of it...if I did I will post them later.

 

[crYnOid]

Originally posted by: LAUST
Also the GTO will only get a 360hp LS1 for the 2004 model and the 400+ hp GTO of 2005 will be the 6.0 V8, not the 5.7

Wonder what the deal is with the 6.0... maybe an aluminum version?

the 5.7 is aluminum, maybe the gen4 engine?

Anyone know what sort of suspension they are running in the rear? Is it a live axle, or independent?

independent, should be the same the as the caddy c?? ..... i can't remember the name but it is the same basic suspension, but I would say Holden hass it working pretty well by now.

 

[Analog]

Originally posted by: geno

hey, don't cut down the Fiero, at least they didn't try to re-make that one yet!!!

Yeah, there's a reason for that. People actually want the new GTO

heh heh, good one!

 

[Cfour]

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=38&threadid=923223&highlight_key=y&keyword1=GTO

The 405 HP version of the GTO will be the LS6 (From the Vette Z06). As far as the interior.. it will be very similar to what is pictured and will not have pontiac's trademark red/orangish color.. instead it will go with the various color formats the Monaro has in Australia.

I can't wait until Jan. 3 =)

 

[Cfour]

Originally posted by: Drekce
Is this the Pontiac grand Am GTO that you guys are talking about? If so I sat in one yesterday at an auto show here in Orlando. Pretty nice car. I might have taken pictures of it...if I did I will post them later.

No, what you are thinking of is the Grand Am SC/T show car that was supercharged... I believe Motor Trend dubbed it the "next GTO"... which it was never intended to be.

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Anyone know what sort of suspension they are running in the rear? Is it a live axle, or independent?

I believe it is some sort of independent suspension from the way Autospeed is talking about it bottoming out fairly quickly.
Check out this Autospeed's review of the Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) GTO/GTS Coupe. Since the new Holden just seems like a facelift more than anything else.

It looks like this may be veryvery similar to what we'll get. The GTS is making about 300kW... just a tad over 400hp... the GTO is making 255kW... a tad under the 360hp we were promised. I like the understated yet still aggressive looking skirts and spoilers and wing.

 

[BDawg]

Is that a stick shift I see inside? I'm sure Pontiac will see fit to get rid of it.