Pontiac GTO gets the Axe
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Pontiac GTO gets the Axe
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../1003&refsect=
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Pontiac will drop the GTO this year
Jamie LaReau
Automotive News / February 21, 2006 - 10:08 am
DETROIT -- General Motors has told Pontiac dealers that it will discontinue the GTO coupe at the end of this model year. GM will make the last deliveries of the vehicle to dealers by the end of September, sources close to Pontiac say.
GM will produce 10,000 to 12,000 more GTOs before dropping the nameplate, one source close to the situation says. Last year, Pontiac sold 11,590 GTOs compared to 2004 when it sold 13,569. That's a 14.6 percent drop.
When Pontiac launched the GTO in 2003, it projected 18,000 annual sales. The vehicle was criticized for bland styling, and some fans of the original GTO complained that it lacked nostalgic styling cues.
A Pontiac spokesman confirms the GTO will be discontinued after the 2006 model year.
“There are some changes in the federal regulatory standards. One is an airbag deployment standard that would require some very expensive re-engineering of the car,” says Jim Hopson, Pontiac spokesman. “Since the architecture of this car is being phased out around the world it’s not economically feasible to continue this car.”
Pontiac will continue to build the GTO through the end of May, Hopson says. The last “boatload will hit the ground in June”, he adds.
The GTO first came to dealerships in December 2003 as a 2004 model, Hopson says.
The GTO is built on a rear-wheel drive architecture from GM's Holden division in Australia. The present model is going out of production as GM constructs the new Zeta RWD architecture, says the source.
There is no replacement coupe planned at this time and because of the strong Australian and weak U.S. dollar, the GTO had to be priced thousands over where GM originally wanted it -- in the mid-twenties, the source says. "It never did as much volume as we had hoped," the source says.
Pontiac is considering a replacement in the lineup for a RWD performance vehicle, but does not have anything to announce yet, Hopson says.
The GTO suggested retail price starts at $31,990, including shipping. One GM source says, "the 2005 and 2006 were pretty well sold out, and sales were especially strong in areas of GM weakness, like Southern California. It's a shame it has to go -- for now."
Jamie LaReau
Automotive News / February 21, 2006 - 10:08 am
DETROIT -- General Motors has told Pontiac dealers that it will discontinue the GTO coupe at the end of this model year. GM will make the last deliveries of the vehicle to dealers by the end of September, sources close to Pontiac say.
GM will produce 10,000 to 12,000 more GTOs before dropping the nameplate, one source close to the situation says. Last year, Pontiac sold 11,590 GTOs compared to 2004 when it sold 13,569. That's a 14.6 percent drop.
When Pontiac launched the GTO in 2003, it projected 18,000 annual sales. The vehicle was criticized for bland styling, and some fans of the original GTO complained that it lacked nostalgic styling cues.
A Pontiac spokesman confirms the GTO will be discontinued after the 2006 model year.
“There are some changes in the federal regulatory standards. One is an airbag deployment standard that would require some very expensive re-engineering of the car,” says Jim Hopson, Pontiac spokesman. “Since the architecture of this car is being phased out around the world it’s not economically feasible to continue this car.”
Pontiac will continue to build the GTO through the end of May, Hopson says. The last “boatload will hit the ground in June”, he adds.
The GTO first came to dealerships in December 2003 as a 2004 model, Hopson says.
The GTO is built on a rear-wheel drive architecture from GM's Holden division in Australia. The present model is going out of production as GM constructs the new Zeta RWD architecture, says the source.
There is no replacement coupe planned at this time and because of the strong Australian and weak U.S. dollar, the GTO had to be priced thousands over where GM originally wanted it -- in the mid-twenties, the source says. "It never did as much volume as we had hoped," the source says.
Pontiac is considering a replacement in the lineup for a RWD performance vehicle, but does not have anything to announce yet, Hopson says.
The GTO suggested retail price starts at $31,990, including shipping. One GM source says, "the 2005 and 2006 were pretty well sold out, and sales were especially strong in areas of GM weakness, like Southern California. It's a shame it has to go -- for now."
Shift_for yourself
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They could have done a better job on the exterior styling. And if they could have priced it more in mid-high $20g's, they probably could have sold more.
I kind of liked it, and still have interest in finding a used one in a few years.
I kind of liked it, and still have interest in finding a used one in a few years.
Apathy Kills
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From: The Left Lane
:bye:
I test-flogged a used '04 5.7 litre 6spd over the holidays. I have to say I was impressed both with the chassis and the drivetrain. When the 6.0 litre cars depreciate into the mid-teens, I might just take the plunge. Coming from a Honda, there's something rather alluring about crusing at 85 mph with around 2K on the tach.
h:
Of course, we all "know" that some version of the Camaro concept car will be coming to market soon. GM won't stay out of this resurgent niche market for long; the new Challenger and Mustang GT need competition.
I test-flogged a used '04 5.7 litre 6spd over the holidays. I have to say I was impressed both with the chassis and the drivetrain. When the 6.0 litre cars depreciate into the mid-teens, I might just take the plunge. Coming from a Honda, there's something rather alluring about crusing at 85 mph with around 2K on the tach.
h:Of course, we all "know" that some version of the Camaro concept car will be coming to market soon. GM won't stay out of this resurgent niche market for long; the new Challenger and Mustang GT need competition.
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Last edited by TheOtherDave™; Feb 21, 2006 at 02:00 PM.
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The Current Holden Monaro based GTO production ends this summer. It was only originally meant to be sold in the USA for 3 years. Pontiac had a 3 year deal with Holden. Plus the 2006 GTO doesn't meet the new 2007 air-bag standard and would need to have that system re-engineered and then recertified which isn't worth it to sell the car for just one more year.
The Next GTO was anounced by Bob Lutz at GM last week and will be out in 2008 at about the same time as the new Camaro. Grand Prix is going RWD too around the same time.
The Next GTO was anounced by Bob Lutz at GM last week and will be out in 2008 at about the same time as the new Camaro. Grand Prix is going RWD too around the same time.
Midwest Acurati
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Originally Posted by K28
The Next GTO was anounced by Bob Lutz at GM last week and will be out in 2008 at about the same time as the new Camaro. Grand Prix is going RWD too around the same time.
Apathy Kills
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From: The Left Lane
Originally Posted by AF
Didn't I just hear they were keeping it? I'm so confused. :crazyr:
The Australian-market Holden Monaro, on which the current GTO is built, is being retired at the end of 2007.
However due in part to new crashworthiness requirements in the US market, the current GTO is being retired before the end of 2006. This is being done because it would cost too much to bring the old chassis into compliance with the new federal mandates.
The GTO model will presumably return in 2008 on the new Zeta RWD platform. Since it seems that a new Camaro is likely, it would seem fit to reason that Pontiac will recieve their own RWD coupe as well.
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While the GTO is a very solidly built car and a vast improvement over the Fbods in terms of engineering and build quality, I never could get past the boring and dated styling inside and out. For the price, there are simply more appealing cars on the market. A shame, because the drivetrain is excellent. The LS engine is extremely reliable and relatively fuel efficient for the power it puts out. Of all the GM cars I've owned, the TA has been the most dependable...which strikes me as funny for some reason.