Quote:
|
I don't consider the '04-'06 GTOs to be part of the same legacy. I always thought they were great cars, great bang for the buck. Just felt they had no direct connection to the '64-'74 GTOs. And the most unfortunate thing was Lutz's dumb move to name them GTO. The Monaro did not need the GTO nameplate and it obviously had a polarizing effect within the Pontiac hobby.
|
As I said earlier, the 04-06 GTOs are the new red headed step child that once was the honor of the 73-74 cars. And even before the 73-74 GTOs were on the scene the 71 and 72 GTOs were not real GTOs. By lowering the C/R and using net horsepower ratings instead of the gross HP ratings used previously by car manufacturers, those cars were not "REAL GTOs in that time period.
Same as the 73-74 GTOs were not readily accepted when new, but were by many later on, the 04-06s are gaining popularity amongst Pontiac fans too. There are no where as many people on this site voicing disdain for the 21st century GTOs as before and insisting they aren't real GTOs. Pontiac does not have a lock on those three letters, Ferrari had them in 62 and Pontiac used them much to the horror of Ferrari fans.
The Gran Turisimo Omologato true meaning is;
Quote:
GTO stood for Gran Turismo Omologato, or, in plain English, Grand Touring Homologated. The word "homologation" was used to describe a race car constructed from a variety of parts in sufficient quantities to be approved for production-class competition by the International Automobile Federation. (FIA)
As it turned out, a limited edition Ferrari was already using the GTO name. But, as the initials could not be copy-righted, it was no problem for Pontiac to adopt them for its newest creation. In the '60s, it was GM policy that no specific model could have more than 10 pounds of total weight per cubic inch of displacement. Since the GTO weighed about 3,500 pounds, it meant that the 389 motor was too large by nearly 40CI. DeLorean's way around this rule was to make the GTO, a Le Mans option, instead of a separate model. That somewhat loose interpretation of corporate edict allowed the beefed-up Pontiac to sneak by top management so long as nobody looked too carefully.
|
I hate to break it to people that haven't done their homework, but Holden was using the GTO badge down under on the same car long before Lutz had the idea to use it on the Pontiac derivative. Yes there are Holden GTOs too, so why shouldn't the Pontiac derivative not be called a GTO? Holden was using the GTO model designation long before Lutz or Pontiac got involved, 2001 was the first year for the Holden HSV GTO Coupe. See below a HSV GTO pressed into police duty, note the GTO emblem on the rear of the ground effect skirt, there was also a GTO grille emblem on the same car on the left lower grille, the same placement that the "REAL" GTOs have....................................
