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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Fun in 2k5 - 2005 Pontiac GTO
By Dave - June 3 - 11:30 amThe 2005 GTO has finally started to take note of the people hollering about appearance items. I really like the scoops and the split tail pipes. A lot of what they did to the 2005 was available on the 2004 model but as dealer installed options making the cost go up greatly. This year they added these as standard. There are still some dealer available options that really dress up the car, these should be looked into for the fun loving GTO freak in all of us.
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Get back to where you once belonged GM! - 2006 Pontiac GTO
By Warren - June 2 - 11:53 amPrior to owning my 2005 GTO I owned an 04 model, until a jackass in a pickup truck crossed the center line of the road and hit me head on. The fact that I walked away with only minor injuries is a testamonial to the quality of the car and the integrity of the design. The styling doesnt meet with the approval of some people, but I find it very appealing. The GTO gets plenty of respect at the stoplight, especially from Mustang drivers who know better !!!
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After 1 year still more impressed daily! - 2004 Pontiac GTO
By oldgoat - May 12 - 1:33 amThis is one of the most mild natured cars we have owned. It is quiet and smooth riding with an almost luxurious interior. Very civil and predictable putting around town and in the parking lots. But when you head up the entrance ramp to the highway and push down on the throttle, the thrust is unbelieveable. No complaints about anything on the car. The stereo is adequate. The mileage has been between 20-21mpg consistently with the automatic. With 350HP that is pretty good, I think. A 117HP car would need to get 60mph to match its MPG/HP efficientcy.
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You wont regret it! - 2005 Pontiac GTO
By GMinTheDriveway - April 30 - 3:23 pmThis is not your fathers GTO. This is a modern muscle machine - a 2+2 Corvette with an added stealth advantage. Some criticize the so- called "jellybean" styling, but inside and out this is a beautiful car with power to spare. The clutch is pretty heavy for stop&go driving, but the 400 lb/ft of torque allow you to simply ease out the clutch without touching the gas. Go ahead, it wont stall like a gutless high-revving VTEC. This is pure adrenaline in a sophisticated touring package. In the words of Ferris Bueller "it is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend you pick one up"
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GTO is AWESOME! - 2005 Pontiac GTO
By fitty - April 26 - 5:03 pmI was in the market for a new Mustang but could never find a black on black and all of the dealerships I went to were very unfriendly. I then decided to pursue a corvette and ran into the same problem so I got online and searched many different sports cars from $30k-$50 and found that my GTO was the best buy for the performance. $34k is not a bad price for a 400 horse power car.
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best performance car forthe money - 2005 Pontiac GTO
By bluebyu05 - April 23 - 6:30 pmive had my gto since july 05 and drive it on weekends and every time i take it out i get more and more impressed with the performance , handling and comfort. its basically a corvette that you can fit 4 people in comfortably . not to mention with the amount of hp 400 the gas miles is better than the mustang which has 300hp. its really a fun car to drive.
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Smiling Owner - 2004 Pontiac GTO
By New Goatee - April 9 - 10:00 amIve owned my Red Goat for about 3 weeks. It is true that the exterior is a bit subtle. But on the other hand, when you start it up, that is when you turn the heads. It is hard to keep from smiling when you drive it! And like another reviewer said, you find yourself turning down the sound system to listen to the engine!
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GTO...YAAAH...THE REAL DEAL - 2004 Pontiac GTO
By GTOGRRR - April 2 - 10:00 amThe GTO is the real deal....a wonderful car...no problems after 6000 miles...good on gas....comfy...interior cabin quiet....a lot of bang for the buck...styling is subjective...i think its "gorgeous"....
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In Love With My GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
By Lorraine Rosen - March 28 - 10:00 amThe car is back! My son owns a Z-28 and is very impressed that Mom now has a Muscle car too!Its got the performance and handling to get out of its own way fast. Not since the 70s have I enjoyed a cars performance this much!Torrid Red and torrid fast!!!!!!!
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stunner from down under - 2005 Pontiac GTO
By largeadam - March 25 - 5:10 amSo, i am English with a penchant for American Cars; Compared the G35, the charger and the stang...clear winner was my new GTO. the g35 was average, well appointed but did not make me grin. the charger was made a nice noise, but i really wanted a stick (Duh!) the stang was a dissapointment; same money-ish but not a real contender. consider this....my GTO has a super sound system....but i still have not turned it on, i just drop the windows and listen...my wife has never seen me grin like the chesire cat from alice in wonderland....get on !!
