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:

• 

  My GTO - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By mike. queens NY - December 1 - 9:53 pm

  I bought my gto about a year ago, I passed the dealership and saw her parked out front so I stopped and decided to look a little closer. As Im looking at her the salesperson comes out and asked me if I ever drove one. I said no, few minutes later he took a copy of my lic, gave me a dealer plate and tells me come back in like an hour or so. After about 20 mins of driving it I knew I was keeping her. Im 6 ft3 I thought the car was very roomy for a coupe. And not to mention the power and torque, I missed having a v8. The next day I picked up my new car.

• 

  Dennys 05 GTO - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By dburger66 - November 22 - 7:20 pm

  I have had the car for a little under 2 months now and have had no major problems. There is on fit/finish issue with the interior and the controls for the A/C seem really cheap for a car costing almost $35,000. The only other complaint would be ingress/egress to the rear seats, once your back there it is really comfortable, the hard part is getting into the back to begin with. Also, the power seats work great but they move REALLY slow. Also a compass/temp display in the rearview mirror would be nice, I had an 03 Vue that had one and it cost $10,000. less than my GTO.

• 

  GTO IS BACK - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By simon - November 21 - 10:00 am

  JUST A FUN FAST AND FURIOUS VEHICLE. ACCELERATION TO 60 WITHIN SECONDS , PASSING SOMEONE BLINDFOLDED BEFORE YOU KNOW IT YOUR IN THE CLEAR. STEERING VERY RESPONSIVE AND TRACTION CONTROL IS INCREDIBLE . I FEEL VERY CONFIDESNT BEHIND THE WHEEL

• 

  My Gto - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By kc - November 20 - 6:53 pm

  I absolutely love this car. The exterior design grows on you, and the interior is beautiful. Drive this car after you drive any mustang, and you will beg for the extra 5 grand you need to buy it. What a value, a 400 hp crovette engine, in a sleeper 4 person coupe for just over 30 grand... or just under if you play your cards right!

• 

  Still Love it - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Lloyd - November 15 - 6:53 pm

  Its been a year and a half. Had only one problem,pass side door lock stopped working. Car is a blast to drive. Dont care for the blaupunkt. Should have bose system. Otherwise very happy with car.

• 

  Wow - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By TALL PAUL - November 5 - 11:10 am

  Not since my 1968 GTO & 1970 muscle cars has driving an affordably priced vehicle been so much fun. Only enhancement wish would be if it were available as a convertible. Stereo speakers/amplifiers could use an upgrade but otherwise this car is so comfortable, even for a tall & big guy that the only other dream wish would be to drive my new "muscle car" on Germanys Autoban.

• 

  lovin it - 2005 Pontiac GTO
  By tyler - October 30 - 11:06 am

  I bought mine about 4 months ago and i love it. i had it supercharged about a month ago so now i have 560 hp and 530 ft lbs of torque. I was blowing the doors off of mustangs right out of the box, but now... i like virtually everything about the car except the shifter as everyone has said and the handling is just a little bit too soft. other than that its an awesome muscle car that can be tuned to beat anything for very little money. you need to get one... quick

• 

  Nice car, but could be a great car - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By Jeramy - October 23 - 4:06 pm

  I have had this car for over a year and love driving it. Even with the problems I have had I would still buy the car again. The passenger door locks do not work occasionally, of course the dealership cannot duplicate. Additionally, there is a constant noise from the drivetrain. The dealership says it is functioning properly. I have owned an E36 M3 and this car almost competes, even considering the problems the dealership cannot fix. For the money, no better car in this market. I considered a low mileage E46 M3 and decided on the GTO due to the price differential.

• 

  Wow...What a car! - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Netgoblin - October 14 - 10:00 am

  This car will make you giddy. The power is intoxicating, and the ride is fantastic for a car of this nature. The seats hug you and everything inside just fits so perfectly. The seats are the best I have ever sat on and the interior is well laid out. Feel like a kid again and GET THIS CAR!!!!

• 

  GTO new but Better? - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By GTO MAN - October 8 - 10:00 am

  The car is fun, fast, and sleek... only thing is people all think it a grand am, grand prix. Should have a better design, rear is cool, front lights and grill are basic! If you teast drive, the car it will feel like a race car! 2nd gear kicks hard, and 60mphs come super fast! Only thing I wish it had was more of that old bad a$$ look!