[David Jones]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

The HSV division of Holden is the limited production, highly optioned, high performance, portion of the Holden line, how is that entry level? The term entry level is no where near that car and does not apply, even remotely. Limited production means they did not make many of them and maybe that's why there are so few of them, Ya think? Oh and BTW, they are considered collector cars down under because of the LIMITED PRODUCTION such as maybe say Shelby Mustangs.

"Entry level" is the bottom rung of the ladder in any job, car, etc. it's lowest on the totem pole. A Vega would be an entry level car. A first car, cheapest priced, few options and slow. Neither the HSV GTO nor the Pontiac GTO is a spartan, equipped, low priced car.

If no one in the US knew anything about a HSV GTO coupe, how is it that I know about it?

The people that say that it should have never been called a GTO, as yourself and John V, don't know anything about Holden or their cars and simply put the car was limited production a top of the line performance coupe both here and in Australia bearing the GTO model designation. The car fits the definition fine. What seems to be foggy to you is that it was a GTO in the Holden lineup and it continued to be a GTO when it was imported by GM, which incidentally owns Holden. Maybe I'm the only one in the US that knows that also, but I doubt it.

One other thing the detractors always say is that they never sold well here and there are many more late Mustangs around. Guess what, the car was also a Limited Production car in the US too. Holden said they could never expect to build more than 18,000 units a year before even one car for the US was made. GM also had an agreement with the US unions that they would not import more than 18,000 cars a year. Also the sticker price was North of 32,000 dollars so not many young adults had the means to buy one. Mustangs were a bunch cheaper.

The HSV GTO is equipped much the same as the imported GTO sold here, except for right hand drive, coincidence? I think not. You need to read up some more about Holden because you seem to have a distorted knowledge from what you've posted. While your at it look up entry level too.

I'll put entry level in terms you can relate to. An 18 YO kid comes in your store and wants to buy his GF a ring, He wants one with a diamond in it but only has $300, Hes going to buy an entry level diamond, not a 1 carat marquis cut, right?

John V, yep I bought one because of the name, and I actually drove one too. Believe me there are no disappointments when driving one of these cars. I have 92,000 on mine at this point and am quite pleased with the car over 8 years now and it's been every bit as good of a car as any of the other 8-10 GTOs I've owned, it's actually been a better car than the "Real" GTOs were.

So a car that's loaded out can't be entry level. BS. Every brand/line has entry level. Since the more expensive car was the GTS, that makes the GTO the entry level model. Fairly simple, you should understand. Entry level means different things to different people. Entry level to somebody with money is different than to somebody with less money. There is always somebody with more and somebody with less. Each has to decide and in the car buyers case mother Holden gave the shopper a cheaper and a more expensive option. The GTO was the cheaper. Entry level.

Yes, I dare say less than .001% of the US population knew about a Holden GTO. My assumption holds as much water as yours.

Great discussion about Mustangs and how many "GTO"'s they planned to sell. Fits.

bold.....wanted to bold something

The Holden "GTO" and the imported Pontiac "GTO" being equipped similarly means nothing.

Look up the sales numbers for the Holden. In the few years they made it production totaled practically nothing. Makes sense to me that Pontiac would import something that Holden made few of, that nobody here had ever heard of. But then again with the "GTO"s success here, if that was the plan, it worked.