No other name in automotive history says "muscle car" like the letters GTO. When the GTO was introduced in 1964, its performance list included words like "tri-power", "four on the floor" and "389".
Now the GTO is back, thanks to Robert Lutz, General Motors vice chairman of product development. Sometime after joining GM in the fall of 2001 Lutz made a visit to GM's Austrailian subsidiary Holden. While down under Lutz drove a Holden Monaro, an Austrailian-built muscle car, which he believed could be worthy of the GTO nameplate with the right amount of modifications.
Built in Australia alongside the Monaro, the new GTO sports the distinctive Pontiac grille; however, my co-tester and I both see the car's physique as rather bland.
According to Pontiac, the 2004 GTO is a modern-day incarnation of classic street performance. While performance is what this car is all about, there should be some visual evidence of that fact.
The irony (and fun fact) about the ho-hum styling was that drivers of sporty cars were lulled into thinking they could actually whiz by this 350-horsepower sleeper.
Sleeper is a term given to a fast car that looks slow. And GTO is a sleeper. Powered by a 5.7-liter V8 engine mated to either a standard 4-speed automatic or optional 6-speed manual transmission, the GTO delivers impressive acceleration.
Pushing the throttle down forcefully with the traction control turned off will easily break both rear tires loose thanks to 3.46:1 limited slip rear axle.
Our GTO tester was equipped with the optional ($695) 6-speed manual gearbox, which is the only option available in the well-equipped sports coupe.
The 6-speed makes the GTO more of a driver's car, and it also improves the fuel economy to the point of eliminating the $1,000 gas-guzzler tax on GTOs with an automatic. So, actually, the 6-speed brings the $33,495 base price down by $305.
The GTO feels heavy and well-planted to the road. Weighing in at 3,725 pounds, the GTO is about 500 pounds heavier than the Ford Mustang GT. Also when compared to the Mustang, the GTO is about 6-inches longer and sports an 8-inch longer wheelbase.
GTO provides a firm ride, but it's not too harsh. With a four-wheel independent suspension the GTO delivers a comfortable ride but there is a significant amount of lean when taking corners at high speeds.
The GTO is a 2 + 2 coupe, which means it seats four. But those rear seats don't provide much legroom with the front seats in their rear most position.
I had just enough legroom with the seat pushed all the way back. And speaking of legroom, I was surprised that there was no dead pedal to rest my clutch foot on when it wasn't busy.
Also, there seemed to be wasted space at the top of the dash above the center air vents. That space could've been used for a storage bin.
There are plenty of standard features inside GTO like a six-disc CD-changer with premium 10-speaker sound system, cruise control, a multi-function driver information center and keyless entry system.
The 200-watt Blaupunkt system provided plenty of power. But the best power, and the main reason for buying GTO comes from what's under the hood.
When you turn the key and hear the throaty dual exhausts announcing the hearty V8, you'll know you have your hands full.
According to Pontiac, the new GTO will hit 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds and run the quarter mile in under 14 seconds. The age of new modern muscle
2004 Pontiac GTO
Engine: 5.7-liter (350 hp) V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Drive Type: RWD
Fuel Economy: 17 city/29 highway
Base Price: $33,495
As Tested: not available
Website: www.pontiac.com |
