I'm pretty sure that says GTO on the rear!
 

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/g.../GTOtease1.jpg


Unfortunately or fortunatley, depending how you look at it, it's just a photochop!

HMMMMMMM!?!?!?!?!?!:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

was told that they are getting rid of the new gto anyway.pontiac is bringing back the trans am to replace it.Its ALOT better looking that the new cockroach shape things now adays.Do a search in google for new trans am.Looks cool.And best of all its MADE by pontiac.

I've seen the same picture on GMInsidenews, and if you read the thread for a few pages, they admit the picture is their own photoshop job, just put out as a teaser. Not a picture from GM at all. Some posters on their forum were hopping mad when they found out they were duped.

Sorry, I'd like to know when a new GTO is coming out, too. Still trying to figure out how to justify a 2006 before they're gone. I really need another year minimum before I can add another car payment, but that leaves me in the "lull" waiting for the next one. I believe Lutz has already said publicly that another GTO will probably happen if the Camaro is a go, and he also has repeatedly said there will be no new Firebird. Of course, denial up front has never stopped those guys in the past...

John

Oh, and matt...

Unfortunately, nothing is really made by Pontiac anymore. I worked at Pontiac when the division's engineering, marketing, purchasing, etc. departments were "assimilated" into the rest of corporate GM around 1984. I grew up in a family of Pontiac employees, so believe me when I say that it just doesn't exist at all anymore. There is absolutely nothing but badging and "brand management" now within GM. In fact, there are only a few people in the whole corporation now with the name "Pontiac" on their business cards, and they're essentially only figure heads.

I assumed you meant that a new car may be made in America instead of Australia, but I just wanted to point that out because some people on this board keep hoping to someday see a "real Pontiac engine" in a new car again. Impossible. Tooling was scrapped, and there is no Pontiac engineering department anymore.

However, even knowing that, I'd still rather be seen in a car with a Pontiac nameplate on it than a Chebby :)

John

I know that the engine and drivetrain are all corporate now but,I just wish that GM used Pontiac to think something up.Lets face it Fords mustang is perfect and what does GM have??????And let me ad in the Mustangs price.

The '04-'06 GTO was a planned all along as three-year run, and the Firebird/Trans Am is dead and not coming back. The next GTO will supposedly be built on the same platform as the new Camaro.

How is a slow Mustang perfect? Bwahahaha...

The Mustang is so far from perfect that it is left far behind by the GTO.

When comparably equipped (well if you consider being 100 HP less powerful comparably equipped - not to mention several other deficiencies) the Mustang really isn't that much different in price than the GTO as far as sticker price goes. Street price, the GTO may even be less.

Just admit that you happen to like the looks of the Mustang and don't care about performance. If that's the case, fine.

But don't try and tell us that the Mustang is "perfect" or that it is less expensive on an apples to apples comparison.

Mustang is far from perfect
 

I agree with The Champ. I actually like the looks of the mustang from the outside, but it's far from perfect.

A few weeks ago, we had Ford vehicles on display where I work (one of the major automotive component suppliers). I looked the mustang over pretty closely, and found a lot of flaws that just said "cheezy" to me, like:

- The entire interior is covered with hard, shiny plastic. I mean really hard. Like my dad's '76 chevette had. It would have looked OK on a car that's under $20K, but not on a car over $35K. Looked and felt really cheap.

- This particular example was a convertible. With the top down, there was a huge piece of exposed hard foam (with a beaded surface like a styrofoam cooler) in the convertible top area that was visible when standing anywhere along the side of the car. They couldn't cover this up? Maybe there's a boot that was missing, but it really looked bad.

- I looked under the hood, and the torsional damper was the first thing that caught my eye. Seems to me, that's the last thing that should catch my eye. To lower cost, it looks like Ford left it unpainted, machined iron, and it was glowing orange with rust. This car had less than 1000 summer miles on it. The valve covers look like die cast magnesium, which is OK, except they look unpainted, and they already had white corrosion forming all over them which made them look splotchy. I pointed these items out to a few of my co-workers, and they all said pretty much the same thing: 'That really sucks on a car over $35K'.

As a supplier to all of the auto companies, I get to see a lot of different cars close up, sometimes torn apart or on a hoist. When I looked over the mustang, all I could think of to describe it was "cost reduced" (which isn't a compliment in the auto industry).

John

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...behindsofa.gif Somehow this has turned into a good old-fashioned GTO vs. Mustang thread. My vote...GTO > * > Mustang.

Getting back to the topic...
 

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...04354Large.jpg

Will we see this prior to the next gen GTO?

true,but the mustang looks like a mustang.Still preforms like a mustang and the GTO can still outrun it.Same as has always been.Saw something yesterday though that made me happy.2008 gto made by PONTIAC here,400 in it,and its a wide track.now thats sweet.

Then it will be built in Oshawa, Ontario - Canada, along side the Camaro.

Looks just like a G6 sedan.

If I was to pick from a new TA and a GTO I would go with the GTO all the way

I don't consider the GTO and the Mustang competition at all.

GTO:
Imported.
Not a well accepted body style.
Very limited options/trim levels.
Limited annual production over a short number of years.

Mustang:
Built in US.
Successful retro styling.
Everything from a 6 banger to a GT500.
Putting tons of them out to rental *including an H350.
Aftermarket parts galore already available

If GM were smart, the NEW GTO would give the Mustang a run. We'll see.

T/A RULES!
 

T/A looks WAY cooler. Ram Air, WS6, N.O.S, Supercharger, Traction bars: 10.0s:D ;) :) :drive: :Peace: :biggerGri :beerchug: ! And I'm a GTO Guy!:eek:

OK, OK... I was exagerrating(sp.)!

Funny thing about this is is that the you are attempting to knock the GTo here but I'd guess at least 90% of the new GTO owners would say most all of those points are NEGATIVE towards the Mustang! LOL.

Totally misinterpeted my post. Happens all the time in emails and on BB's.

My point was this:

Ford and GM have taken a TOTALLY different aproach to the conception, and release of these two models. And in my opinion, the two cars are not competitors.

From what I've read the GTO is a blast to drive and has a fantastic interior. Ford is very succesfull with the Mustang and will probably continue to be for a while. The GTO is not wanted and has gone bye bye.

So my point is that Ford made smarter business decisions and is reaping the benefits.

GM.....your in the batters box....got anything?

Ford has just continued to build Mustangs the same way they always have - mostly small engined cars that are cheap, and sold to the masses.

Pontiac stayed true to the original GTO concept - a limited production vehicle that always had a V8 and RWD.

The GTO is wanted by intelligent car people that actually enjoy driving the cars. The Mustang is wanted by people that are infatuated with "trendy" looks and don't care about performance.

The GTO is on temporary hiatus, and will return in the near future. Go buy yourself a new 6 cylinder Mustang if you like the thing so much.

Thank you for supporting my statement. It's the masses that allow a car company to stay in business. Mustang = an excellent business decision on the part of Ford.

Pontiac is no longer. I'm sorry that you cannot accept that. GM (NOT Pontiac) imported an existing model from AU. At the end of the day, I'll bet GM's investment in the Holden GTO was a poor one. Nice try but a wiff nonetheless.

It's too bad there aren't enough of those "intelligent car people" to support the GM legacy.

When (if) the GM-GTO returns, how will it differ from the Cramaro? It won't because Pontiac is no longer. If it returns, it will share the same "platform", drivetrain etc. Thru the tailpipes, it will sound the same as the Cramaro.

As much as we'd like to see the hey day of true brand differential and distinction, those days are gone. The coffee is brewing, now go smell it.

Dan

Ford sold a lot of Pinto's too, but that didn't make it a great car.

Pontiac does still exist, despite your claims, but things have changed in our new global economy. Ford is a global company too, if you haven't noticed.

FWIW, I don't drink coffee at all, so suffer no ill effects from the substance. Perhaps you've had too much of the vial beverage.

I guess I'm talking to a brick wall.

1) Nowhere in my posts did I claim Mustang is a great car....you totally missed the point. GM BLEW IT AGAIN DUDE.......MUSTANG IS A SUCCESS!!
Sorry for yelling....sometimes it's necessary.

2) Pontiac is GONE....there is no Pontiac. Pontiac is a badge held on a GM vehicle with double sided tape.

Your right about the TA.I dont like the looks of the 2004-06 GTO's either but there super fast.Pontiac would of sold more GTO's if they thought it threw more on the body styling of the car.Even though I'm not a big Mustang fan Ford did an excellant job on the looks of the new mustang.This is what pontiac should of done with the GTO ie:make it look like the older GTO with todays technology.

See, I know what i'm talking about!:D

I was excited when I heard that Pontiac was bringing back the GTO but when I saw pictures of the car I was disapointed.As soon as Pontiac changes the style of the GTO to fit the older style GTO then I'll buy one but other wise NO.

First, we MUST keep things in perspective. The GTO was NOT intended to replicate the OLD GTO. The current GTO was a "fill in" until a new ground-up edition could be readied. It is the car Bob felt could appease us for the time being. If we consider the car for what it is and its intended purpose, no way can it be considered a failure. Before the car ever hit our shores its lifespan was known. It was a known fact that it would not sell in huge numbers, and that many would not accept it. But it was a good enough car to at least give Pontiac a V8 RWD performance offering since they had no RWD V8 platforms to offer.

Your opinion is YOUR opinion. Just keep the facts straight. Just like any other business, Pontiac must improvise ad lib to remain competitive and will eventually thrive again. Maintaining a dooms-day attitude will not contribute to a positive future.

Dan, please try to find a clue ok?

Howdy neighbor,

Please elaborate so that I may provide an intelligent response.

1. Mustang, according to the US Gov't, is an IMPORT. It has less than the percentage of US made parts to consider it a domestic.

2. Mustang is sucessful but it hasn't helped Ford's business plan in the least. Ford is in tough shape right now...much tougher than GM.

3. GTO was a 3 year contract with Holden for them to supply cars. The car going on hiatus for a few years has NOTHING to do with the sales numbers of the car.

Maybe numbered bullet points will sink in better, good one, LMAO.

Interesting point. For my own education, is there a web site where I can learn which models the govt considers imports vs domestic?

Simple question for simple minds: As a company, would FORD be better off or worse without the Mustang?

I realize this is the 04-06 GTO forum and some of you will go so far as to tattoo the GM division logo on your body. But I'm sorry folks, The 04-06 was merely an attempt on GM's part to throw "something" out there to keep their performace lineup alive. The 04-06 did nothing to help the GM, "the company". If anything, the vast amount of negative press (about the cars body style) hurt GM!!

Holden had planned all along to end-of-life the Monaro - the car the GTO is built from. The Monaro was extremely dated - it traces itself back to the same chassis used on the Caddy Catera, and the platform had serious and untenable safety issues (gas tank location required a re-engineering for US markets - and the result took away half the trunk and changed the CG point).

For those willing to wait a few YEARS, the unconfirmed 2009 "GTO" will be nothing more than a Camaro. No need to cry, it's just the way it is.

I have no idea where to look for it.

Oh I am sure it helps the bottom line but having one car that does well isn't going to help.

And if you think that the next gen GTO is just going to be nothing more than a Camaro then your ignorance is showing yet again.

DOOMS-DAY ATTITUDE??I never said that the car was doomed I just expressed my opinion on the styling of the car.Other than the styling the car is pretty much bullit proof.Theres a guy here in my town that owns a 2004 GTO and that thing haul ass.The 2004-06 was a fill in,thats were Pontiac screwed up.Pontiac should of never brought the GTO model into production untell they were 100% ready to build the car that they wanted.Again my opinion.

God love ya, we've heard it all before...move on...

OK Mr GTO and Mr Arrow Head Tattoo man . The past is the past and we each have our own opinions.

Now, lets talk about the future. And since we're men here, I propose a wager.

-I say the GM GTO will share the same Zeta platform as the Cramaro.
-Same front and rear suspension will be used (makes it easier on the counter guy at NAPA).
-They will both have the same engine, transmission, and rear axle.
-They will both be built in the same plant located in Canada.

Mark your little Outlook calendars boys.

Oh Phooey, I almost forgot the stakes!! Ideas??

of course the GTO and Camaro will be based on ZETA...but you're thinking of platforms in the PAST way....the cars won't have the same wheel base, total length or even the same firewall and probably not even a single piece of sheetmetal.

Yup, same suspension is my guess as well.

Same drivetrain? Maybe...base Camaro won't have the same Engine as the GTO.

Yup, both built in Canada.

WOW.....we're agreeing.

The final wheelbase it still TBD...so is the firewall forward dimension. This I know for fact.

Regardless of what will probably be a slightly different wheelbase (for manufacturing purposes, they can't be too different) and different "skins", I maintain that the two cars will be more similar (in power and handling characterisitics) than they will be different.

Time will tell.

Ugggh.

Just to keep it interesting...

http://picsorban.com/upload/black%20monaro.jpg

WOW... forget the GTO, GM should just bring that car over here...PERIOD.


One more thing to add to the whole "old new GTO" thing. Bob Lutz decided to being the car over here and didnt realize that the car needed so mnay changes for legal sale in the U.S. The car needed all sorts of changes to meed U.S. standards. All of the money that GM would have spent on "GOTizing" the car went into meeting federal emmissions and such. There was no budget left for hood scoupes or any other changes.

While the U.S. version of the Manaro never sold well here is mute. What it did for Pontiac was huge. As quoted by Jim Wangers in October MOtor Trend --- "The problem is that GM has lost two generation of Pontiac Buyers. Almost everyone under 30 grew up with a Honda or a Toyota in the driveway. And to them Pontiac is an Aztek." I am a believer that the GTO helped change Pontiacs image just a bit. With all the aggressive advertising in the begining, there is a new group, all be it small, who went back to a Pontiac showroom again.

One thing the 2004-2006 GTO did was get us all talking about Pontiac and GTO's and waiting on the edge of our seats in anticipation of the 2009 model year. And.... as Jim Wagners would probably say getting the masses thinking and talking isn't a bad thing. :)

So, as a side note, who will be the first one to take a 2009 Camaro and make a TA out of it? Any bets?
I'm a 64-67 GTO guy myself, but I can understand wanting to "update" the styling. If the retro cues GM has hinted at aren't significant you can believe we'll all be here saying I told ya so.

As for the Mustang, I didn't like the car in 65 and I still don't, but Ford at least has a clue. Boy that hurt to say that.

Another thing the '04-'6s did was to make quite a few of us very happy. So I personally stand ready for whatever the next version is, regardless. If the current GTO didn't exist, my newest vehicle would still be a 2003 Tahoe.

I never cared for Mustangs either, but I have to admit the new one looks great. But that's not enough to make me buy one and the same can be said for many of the current offerings from quite a few makes. I love Pontiac and I LOVE GTOS. Not one day has passed in the last thirty years that I haven't owned a Pontiac.

Hope they are talking about the car pictured above...

http://carpoint.com.au/car-review/2120269.aspx