Overview & Reviews

The Pontiac GTO may have been the first true muscle car, but that distinction has never been enough to assure it an uninterrupted production run. Already, the GTO has used up two lives. Originally produced from 1964-'74, the GTO was resurrected for the 2004 model year after a 30-year hiatus. There was no convertible body style this time, but the car was at least a proper rear-drive two-door coupe, courtesy of Holden, General Motors' Australian division. The new GTO (née Holden Monaro) was a definite sleeper style-wise, but in keeping with its muscle car heritage, it brought some serious under-hood heat. Unloved by consumers during its production run due to interior quirks and anonymous styling, this modern GTO now constitutes something of a performance bargain on the used-car market.

Most Recent Pontiac GTO

The original Pontiac GTO was nicknamed "the Goat" as much for its defiant, stripped-to-the-basics personality as for the letters in its name. The 2004-'06 incarnation was so much more refined and upscale that to call it a Goat would almost have been an insult. Many of the old car's charms had also been lost in translation, including its affordable price tag. The new coupe started in the low $30Ks -- hardly an attainable sum for young, cash-strapped enthusiasts. Bland exterior styling was another weak point.

Power initially came from a 5.7-liter V8, but Pontiac swapped in a larger 6.0-liter V8 the following year. The bigger engine took the GTO up to a cool 400 horsepower, but between the 2+2 coupe's high price and dull styling, Pontiac simply couldn't sell enough of them. As a result, the Pontiac GTO was discontinued after the 2006 model year.

Still, when it came to acceleration, there was no denying the reborn GTO's status as a full-on muscle car. Equipped with the LS1 V8 rated for 350 hp and 365 pound-feet of torque, 2004 models could get to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and blaze through a quarter-mile in 14 seconds flat -- quicker than any of the original GTOs. More impressive were the 2005 and '06 models, which had the 6.0-liter V8. Rated for 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, these models shaved more than half a second off that quarter-mile time.

Although the Pontiac GTO was plenty comfortable for highway cruising, its soft suspension really wasn't tuned to handle this much power. With its sluggish reflexes, excessive body roll and weak brakes, its dynamics were no match for the sharper-handling competitors in this price range. Had the car been priced $5,000 or so less, these faults might have been forgivable. Depreciation has mitigated this criticism, however, as used GTOs can be found for a fraction of the MSRP when new.

Past Pontiac GTO models

Introduced in 1964, the original GTO went through six generations before dying off after the 1974 model year. Always a rear-wheel-drive car, it was sold as both a two-door hardtop and a convertible with an assortment of big V8s. Legend has it that Pontiac stole the GTO name from the equally legendary Ferrari 250 GTO, a car whose name was an acronym for "Gran Turismo Omologato."

Save for the "detuned" 1973 and '74 models, just about any Pontiac GTO from the original era is considered collectible and will bring a high price at auction, provided it's in good condition and has a matching numbers engine (meaning the car still has the original factory engine). Convertibles are rarer than hardtops. The ostentatious GTO Judge model, sold in both body styles, is also less common. Among 1960s GTOs, models with one of the Ram Air packages are most prized, while the 1970 year saw the GTO's performance peak with the availability of a massive 455-cubic-inch V8 good for 500 lb-ft of torque.

User Reviews:

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  Youll be impressed! - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Trowbridge - October 26 - 6:50 am

  The greatest thing is power. First test drive hooked in less than one on ramp to the interstate. Excellent gas mpg 18/23 and with the power youve got this thing is sick. I changed out the stock suspension with the Pedders Street II and the ride quality is about the same but the way it handles through the curves is crazy fun. I cannot tell you how many times Ive had looks from people - every stoplight it seems, and even from Lamborghini drivers. If you havent bought one, and youre still undecided, you better try to find one that has less then 10K on it because once these babies are gone, theyll be talked about years from now, as the car that got away. Ive had it for 19 months, 0 shop time.

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  Buy a Ford - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By EJT - October 10 - 1:36 pm

  Fun to drive good performance for the money. This is my second GM product and would buy a Ford next time. Have had a half dozen Fords and never saw the service department. This my second GM and new the service guy at both dealers on a first name basis. 5- weeks of ownership and already have my 3rd service appointment. Similar experience when I purchased a Cadillac Deville. No major problems but lots of small stuff. It s not the problems so much as the inconvenience. All the trips back and forth to the dealer, being late to work cause you have drop of the car and then having to leave early to pick it up.

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  worth the wait - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By LYN - October 9 - 10:00 am

  great handling and performance, gets lots of looks and attention. couldt be more pleased so far. however, it does like to frequent gas stations.

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  not your average 32k car - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Just a Workin Man - October 1 - 1:16 am

  I took over a lease in october 2005. It was a great deal or I would not have considered it. The lackluster styling of the car is a real fooler. Once I took it out for a drive, I was hooked! I owned a 1964 GTO, 4 barrel with auto transmission in 1968 & 1969 with fond memories, but WOW what a difference. all I can say is if you dont drive a new GTO you have no idea what you are missing. The plain Jane styling is somewhat of a blessing since the cops dont seem to notice the car at all, so far so good, no tickets yet! I did have it up to 135 MPH & there was alot left to go, but that was fast enough for me.

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  04 GTO A Blast to Drive/Owner - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By cavu - September 28 - 4:56 pm

  Wife loves car. Nimble and responsive. Comfortable. Totally differnt experience than the BMW 3 and 5 series cars in our neighborhood. More of a stand-out bad-boy. The local kids know its different too... Corvette Powered! Some glitches w/ Gauges on deliever.

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  Dont believe factory stats - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By philman - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for just over a week now. I have bought a K&N filter and a Beltroics Vector Accelerometer from Jegs. The factory stats on the 6sp is 0-60 in 5.3 and the 1/4 mile in 13.8 @ 105. After alot of practice on the starts, my best time WITH a witness in the car is 0-60 in 4.70 flat and the 1/4 mile in 13.35 at 106. I knew from magazine articles that the car was faster than advertised by Pontiac. I had seen sub 5 second 0-60 runs and a 13.53 1/4 by muscle car mag. By the way, if you want to look it up or dont believe me, the Beltronics Vector FX2 has an out of the box accuracy of 1/100 of a millisecond. Super high quality GM that handles good

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  The real goat ! - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By timbercd32 - September 25 - 8:53 pm

  I have had a many muscle cars in my years even some of the real bad boys. I sold my Vette to buy it and love it. This car is amazing! Floor it and watch the tach rev up and when it changes gears the rear end twitches to the left..Raw HP !! What other cars on the market can you buy stock..that will do that. In the old days the cars screamed the tires after you installed a shift kit..06 GTO does it stock! Its an awesome car and rides great on long trips. No road noise and great looks. You dont see them everywhere like you do so many other cars. Sadly I just sold it because of two reasons..I need a 4 door and better gas mileage.

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  The All New Pontaic GTO - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By WARREN DAVIS - September 8 - 5:30 pm

  This new car has great speed and cornering. It has a new race car look. Perfect to show youself off in. I love my new toy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  If you didnt get one, you lost out - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By rag - August 15 - 5:23 pm

  I love my 06 GTO. I currently also have a 67 GTO which I have owned over 30 years. I use the new one as a daily driver and find it to be extremely comfortable. My average gas mileage is about 15 which I dont think is too bad. It goes up a lot on the highway. I love the looks of this car. The people who were turned off because it didnt have the "retro" look lost out. I was thrilled by its looks. Who wants to spend this kind of money to have a car that looks like its 30 years old. The drivetrain is spectacular. Getting in the back seat is difficult but I have had myself and 3 others in the car on several occasions. I am leasing it and am planning on buying it at the end of the lease.

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  A reliable Muscle Car built to last - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By Goat-a-roo - August 7 - 7:56 am

  Ive had my Goat (or ROO since it was built in Australia!) for 20 months now. In that time I have put 40,000 miles on it. (I know! Its a LOT but Im in sales & I like to travel). Its amazingly easy to rack on miles in this car because it is SO much fun to drive! The car is built SO STRONG!! Not a single rattle or anything at 53K. And she kicks the tires just as she did the day I brought er home. It is important to note that the reliability of the GTO is fantastic. I have had ZERO[0] problems. It always starts even in the coldest of winter. I cant recommend this car enough. Pure muscle & torque. And I average 25 MPG on the highway in a muscle car!!!! (long trips). Dead serious!