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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  My first American car and I love it - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By npayton08 - September 23 - 10:46 am

  I returned from a deployment and I was looking for a car with 3 things speed space and style. SUVs was more what I was looking for concerning the last two and very very few cars where on the list, but once I hopped in the Butte it was curtains for everything else, space was the only knock but I cant think of any car that can get close to SUV in that department. But, as you can read, speed is all over the place.

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  Danes Review on the new GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Dane E. - August 29 - 10:00 am

  This is one amazing vehicle. I have owned the car for a little more than 4 months and have around 5,500 miles on her. I still get excited every time I get behind the wheel. I love it when I am stopped at a light and people ask me to roll my window down so they can ask questions about it. And to see people driving by doing double takes is great too. One of the most comfortable vehicles I have ever been in. This car comes highly recommended by me.

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  My GTO - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By ridgecrestgto - August 29 - 10:00 am

  I went from a 2004 Chrysler 300M Special to the GTo and all I can say is wow. This car is definitely more "me". Black on black, and yes, its an auto, but that just makes her a quick performer. I took her on a 1200mi road trip to Tucson and back, averaged just shy of 22mpg, and let me tell you, I wasnt going "slow" by any stretch of the imagination. In this car, thats impossible. When you turn the car on and hear that rumble, its simply intoxicating. When you rev the engine, people look. And Autozone employees LOVE to fawn over it. But so do I.

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  A car to buy ...Trust me - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Danrivas - August 24 - 10:00 am

  This is the kind of vehicle that you enjoy to drive on the road. It demands attention and respect in eveyones eyes. At first peopel will look and then look even harder to see what it is. This machine in my mind is the equivilent to any overseas vehicle that would like to tango. For the price it is the best you can ask for, pure muscle and respect. I think the only downfall is the sound system could have done better. But if you are thinking of getting a performance car forget the foriegn and go american--------- I have the kills to prove it.

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  True Muscle - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By GaxiSS - July 17 - 10:00 am

  This is a car that deserves the GTO badge. I may only be 23, but I have been in cars a long time and have driven a lot of them. When I heard that GM was comming back out with the old Goat I thought that I would see if it would compare with the old classics. And I was suprised by the power and agility that GM has put in this car.

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  Practically Awesome - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Gavinneal - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Practical and an awesome amount of fun. I cant get over how much torque is always available anytime you need it. And that exhaust note - really cool. Extremely fun to drive and a very comfortable cruiser on the highway. Best seats I have tried. Fit and finish very, very good especially the interior.

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  2006 gto - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By mike - July 13 - 4:20 am

  very nice car and great performance. i was surprised that gas mileage i did get on a recent trip was almost 24 mpg with 6 speed manual. i have 2005 bmw 330i and only get 27 mpg on the highway. i was worried about insurance rates but my insurance dropped about $600 for the year. cant figure that out and did not ask any questions.

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  Dezaios goat - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By dezaio - July 12 - 10:00 am

  i love the car i wish u can tell me more about it and wat to do performence wise and where to find parts such as exausts and mufflers.

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  Changed my life - 2004 Pontiac GTO
  By Ray - June 30 - 9:36 pm

  This car is great, and for the price unbeatable. The ls1 and tremac 6 speed combo is a great combination. Wonderful power and sounds mean when you put the pedal down. But, it also has the ability to be quite when leaving the neighborhood at 6 am. This is not a car for the Eco conscious or one looking for the cheapest route from point A to B. This is a car where you will enjoy the commute. Right now, I am measuring the car in smiles per gallon, and believe me, that number is quite large.

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  A true sports car (its the torque not hp - 2006 Pontiac GTO
  By renesis - June 30 - 5:36 am

  Bang for the dollar, best under 30k,A true sports car is RWD and with 400tq, you can kill 90% of the cars out there stock. I tell you why I bought this and not anything else. Also considered EVO/STI-good AWD but unless you live in snow, modify and then you ll get power. 350Z - very low tq and slow at topend , not comfortable Cobra-Fast car , about the same as GTO but interior is worse than a corolla. M3-best handling, but I am not going to the circuit, I want something comfortable and fast as a daily driver. Also the LS2 is very reliable stock and If you want 550Hp coming outof this beast ,slap a 5k supercharger. Love the whine. seats more comfortable than a C class mercedes,