Part 5: Pontiac GTO History - 2004-2006
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- Опубликовано: 26 сен 2024
- This is the last installment of our History of the Pontiac GTO series. After a three decade absence the Pontiac GTO returned for the 2004 model year. Unfortunately its return was short-lived, by the end of the 2006 model year GTO production would end. Was the 2004-2006 Pontiac GTO worthy of the GTO name? Watch the video find out.
Pontiac GTO History Video Series:
Part 1 - 1964-1967: • Part 1: Pontiac GTO Hi...
Part 2 - 1968-1969: • Part 2: Pontiac GTO H...
Part 3 - 1970-1972: • Part 3: Pontiac GTO Hi...
Part 4 - 1973-1974: • Part 4: Pontiac GTO Hi...
Part 5 - 2004-2006: • Part 5: Pontiac GTO Hi...
I don’t think I’ll ever sell my 2006 6 speed. It’s one of the very last built , a May 2006 build. It’s been great. It just turned 30,000. It’s comfortable, it’s fast, reliable, stops and turns, etc etc. I have owned several performance cars, including Porsches, prior and stopped once I purchased this. It’s a sleeper, it’s subtle, it was inexpensive and just looks really good to my eyes.
The GTO is such a sleeper that even cops look past it. There was countless time I flew by cops with out them so much as glancing at me. I loved my '04 GTO, a '06 is on my short list of cars to collect. 30k miles you say? is it black? J/K
Robert D.
Definitely hold on to it.. they will be worth ALOOTTTTT of money down the road
'04 GTO aesthetics definitely aging nicely ...GM got it right.
I came here to say the same thing. Holding on to mine forever!
Americans prefer style over substance. Aussie muscle cars are some of the best. Pity GM killed Holden off just like they did to Pontiac.
Aussie muscle cars were derived from basic family hacks and turned into monsters ...coz' Bathhurst. ...lol.
Bought my silver 6-speed ‘04 GTO new in Aug 2004 and have had it ever since. When I was shopping around at the time it was a league above in terms of handling and with dealers starting to offer incentives, it was great value. Tires don’t last long, but batteries, oil changes, and wiper blades are all I’ve had to do in 14 years and 55,000 miles. Hands down the best car I’ve ever owned.
I nearly bought a purple 6 speed '04 around Oct/Nov of '04 and have regretted it ever since. My sister recently bought a low mileage purple 6-speed '04. I'm jealous.
I liked the look of these modern GTO's but they were just too far outside my budget. I remember test driving a 2006 model and I was seriously impressed not only at how fast it was, but how precise it handled and the build quality. I couldn't believe they fit such a large V8 in this tiny car, and it was a genuine rear-wheel-drive automobile to boot. I liked it because it didn't really look all that fast but could whip almost anything on the road at the time - and still today. This truly seemed like a great car and it apparently was.
Its a great car, but the rushed development definitely left it with odd quirks (I can't count how many times the door locks/alarm has freaked out). Also certain electronics have proven somewhat unreliable (CD changer, ignition switch, Body Control Module) and other parts are very difficult to source if they need replacement... this is why there are so many salvage title GTOs out there... minor damage can't be fixed economically due to parts availability.
sounds like a GM to me
Drive a 2002 z28 camaro same power plant oh and parts are everywhere
The hood scoops actually are real, but they're not hooked to the intake. They just cool the engine bay.
Kudos to creator of this video, whom delivers the history of the GTO, with neutral precision . The best commentary of the 2004-2006 GTO I've heard and I've been listening since 2003. Fantastic.
This was very well done, and even though I always loved the GTO styling: clean, sleek, not overdone (the Monaro received absolute raves when introduced), the opposing viewpoint was fairly stated. When I stopped at a Pontiac dealer in 2004, they literally would not permit me to even look at the car without a salesman standing with me, much less test drive it. Goodbye, I said. Two years later in December 2006, different dealer, I was surprised when the salesman hollered over if I would like a test drive. And that test drive was it, I was in love. As TopGear UK said, "It's magical." I still have it, still love it, and the people who had one and bought back in, or would like to, is like no other car I have ever seen (read below). Pontiac could certainly have marketed better. Just like below, where someone indicated Holden did not put "Pontiac" anywhere on the car in 2004, I have read that certain elements in GM US wanted the car to not succeed, because it was not theirs. I also think it would have been brilliant to offer an LS7 as a Judge version in 2006. Also the GTS-R, an AU one-off, slightly wider haunches, not over the top like the RA6 body kit, would have been a huge hit. But no other car appeals to me like the GTO. I have heard that Chrysler is coming out with a Cuda in 2021; if they do, and actually make it look like the 1970-1973, not too-tall like the current Challenger, that would be the only car that could tempt me. I kinda hope they make it something that does not appeal to me. :) Great video. Subscribed.
You've done a good job on the GTO series. I've always considered it a hit and miss type car between 2004 through 2006. The hit was the performance and I miss was the marketing and the price. And I think they were trying to fill the void left by the Firebird Trans-Am.
He left out how Holden design team left the word PONTIAC off the car (save for the instrument start up screen) because they hated exporting the car under another name, not 1 part is American made including the Holden only PDC tune, also, Holden was not owned by GM at the time, GM had a majority voting stock in Holden, but not ownership majority stock, that makes this car 100% non GM.. its a slap int he face to PMD (chevy engine) PONTIAC, and all it's loyal.
ramairgto72 I wish to Pontiac GTO at that time was made in America and was pure American but at that time they were pushing front-wheel drive Grand prix's. And the LS6 liter motor is no slouch
I'm with you on that, I am.
My personal life has never been based on deception or greed.. this is deception and greed.
While a medium preforming car, remarkable design, it's a slap in face to Holden and Pontiac, one with pride as a car maker, they other with it's legacy.
When I drive my GTO.. I have a Pontiac engine with a body made by FISHER and styling by Pontiac's design studio.
Some people ..they just want to be fast or look good, they don't care "how" or who they take from. Bob Lutz, who is responsible for this, is one, and the reason people like him caused so many bad cars from GM.
@@ramairgto72 The old school GTOs will always look better and more beautiful than these rebadged Holdens.
They failed to do what the remade Dodge Challenger did - look like an actual muscle car.
Man do I miss Pontiac. When I was a kid my grandma bought a 1975 Grand Prix in cash and my dream car is a 1970 Grand Prix. I love the fact that you love taking a trip down memory lane on what you know and that is cars. I enjoy every video you produce and just want to say Thank You and keep up the great work.
This is not a PMD car, it's not even owned by GM despite what he said.
ramairgto72 how is it not owned by GM? It was literally called General Motors Holden. It was badged a Pontiac, sold through Pontiac, is a Pontiac
@@helicoprion7475 But it's not a real Pontiac, it's a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia.
I love my 05. Wouldn't trade if for any "me-too" Camaro, Mustang or Challenger.
DCleveland
My 05 had lots of problems, and I traded it in for a challenger. So much regret... I miss it every day. I will soon sell my challenger and get another GTO!
Amen to that!
Gustav Kreuter what kind of problems were you dealing with? Currently in the market for an 06 6 speed
@@KappaCowProblems found in these cars are bushings for sure. Fuel line under the fuel rail covers rubbing and possibly causing a fire, very easy fix and very rare. Body parts are expensive and interior stitching tends to pull apart. Other than that it's a very solid car that continues to gain value as it gets older. The LS2 engine and transmission is a very solid paltform.
Same here on my 06
As far as looks go, people forget the original GTO was basically a tempest, so it looked like a regular Pontiac. All of the GTO's looked like regular Pontiac's of the era, save some scoops and/or stripes etc. So when the '04-06 GTO came out people complained that it looked plain, like a grand prix or grand am. Well duh............
Totally agree with you. The GTO doesn't look like a Grand Am, it doesn't look like a Grand Prix, it looks like a Pontiac. The flagship Pontiac.
It doesn't look like a Grand AM in fact it's nothing but a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia.
Personally, I loved the appearance of these modern GTO's and I remember wanting one so much but they were just too far beyond my budget. Unlike some people, if I can't afford it I refuse to "make it work" because that always ends up a financial disaster but I know some people who did and later regretted it. Oh they LOVED the vehicle but man were they sorry they signed the dotted line for a car they couldn't really afford. The 2006 GTO was super-fast and I liked that it didn't really look as fast as it was, and it sure fooled a lot of people :>)
A very underrated and under-appreciated vehicle. Far better than the Mustang it was competing against at the time, and yes, I'm talking about both the 2004 Mustang as well as the redesigned retro-style 2005 model. While the GTO's conservative styling may be subjective, the GTO was far more powerful, far more luxurious, and offered a much better driving experience than the Mustang. The GTO offered a six speed manual transmission in 2004 as well as standard independent rear suspension, both of which the Mustang did not have until 2011 and 2015, respectively. I never understood why it didnt quite catch on here in the U.S., but like with anything else, you don't know what you have until its gone. This car was ahead of it's time.
i love both, but wow! i learned a lot.
Would take an 04-06 GTO over an 05-06 retro style Mustang GT any day. Mustangs are like assholes, everybody has one
I think if they made it more special it would of taken off the mustang was slow but man they gave people what they wanted had this gto had sharper lines and not from Australia lol
Poor Productions Inc. .Videos
5 reasons why the gto failed over a Mustang !!!!
1) price comprared to a Mustang GT was like
10k-15 more
2) Looks -the Mustang looks like a Mustang
While the gto looks like a 96 honda accord
3) options- convertible, a base model v6, higher performance versions
4) weight - like 500lbs heavier
5) like you guys mentioned it almost everyone has one or has had one meaning that parts are cheap cus its so easy to find used parts as replacements also aftermarket support and much more affordable prices.
6) last is loyalty - GM fans aren't loyal to a specific car just like mopar guys
The company makes so many different cars
Just slightly changes the names & parts
Like camaro/firebird challenger/charger
They compete with them selves instead of focusing in one car and on the average buyer.
lots of things not true, among them 3725-3488= 237 not 500.
04 06 GTO Never made it to Canada I had a Grand Prix GTP at the time wishing I could get my hands on a GTO lol. I miss Pontiac so much :( especially the T/A
Those GTOs were nothing but rebadged Holden Monaros from Australia 🇦🇺 anyway.
Bought my GTO in 2004 brand new. Best car I have own. The last 16 years and 68000 miles have been worry free driving. Holden did a wonderful job. As the car aged, younger adults at my workplace love the look, respect the performance. Most people know me as the owner of the goat. I will keep this car for my son.
It's a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺 though.
@@CJColvin And a fine car indeed...no matter the name or location built.
Kevin - boy am I stupid! After asking myself ‘what’s OLD about 2004-2006?!’, I found this one of your most fascinating and instructive episodes. On top of all the info. you provided, I thought retaining the proper handbrake would also be much appreciated both then and now.
He left out some of the most damming information about this car.
CNN might hire him.
ramairgto72 - that’s interesting. I’d like to know more. Part of my view is formed from Jeremy Clarkson & BBC Top Gear mocking the Holden Monaro at the time, but soon changing their tune when properly put thro’ its paces, especially compared with the Chrysler 300 amongst others...
Jeffrey Reynolds - when this car came out, people really thought it was something from what was left of PONTIAC's design team, as thats all they were after the MD or PMD (Motor Division) was gone. When in fact it was not. Holden's people went to CAR & DRIVER to complain, they left the word "Pontiac" off the car, save for the digital "Pontiac" on the instrument cluster on start up . They hated how it was being exported as an American car, I say that because at the time GM was not allowed to have a Majority Ownership Stock in Holden, via Aussie law, they COULD have a Majority Voting Stock tho.
After that story came out, people noticed the lack of PONTIAC badges and "GTO-ish" stuff on the car, thus a redesign cam in the latter end of it's run, with older Holden GTO's being able to get Dealer install "appearance" packages as this video shows.
It took me 5 months to get this information back in the day, back when Geocities was a thing, I even posted it to my geo page and got lots of hate and even a DOX to the wrong person, I even got the G.O.N.E. (holden gto club) after me, including the resident priest after me (Red Holden GTO).
It started as be looking to find out "what and who" this car was, they backlash only made me push back harder.
ramairgto72 - thanks very much for all this info. - I’ll be adding this to my Pontiac file I’ve built up after I first became interested in F-body Firebird (OK, I fell in love with a ‘79 TransAm!) and them bought some history books on John DeLorean and Pontiac. And I’m sorry that I teased you a little in my last...
I grew up with a 1974 T/A , as a kid, it was a super car.
My friend had a 1979 T/A, it was almost identical inside, fun car to have, I do hope you get to own one.
:-)
The hood scoops are functional. They direct air over the heads of the engine. That's a remarkable oversight on such a well invested video
Finally!!! been waiting on this video for the longest! my first muscle car i bought myself was a 6 speed 05 GTO. That thing was a beast and so easy to modify. Definitely will be getting another one in the future
Dominic Daley - having let my ‘79 TransAm go, you and Kevin @ OCM have just identified it’s replacement...!
It's not a Pontiac, not GM, not American and not a GTO.
ramairgto72 - I accept that. But when you look at the American car makers Ford, GM, etc. and their history (good!) of car-making in Australia, I’d hoped this might be reflected in the 2004-2006 GTO. In the same way that the ‘70’s F-bodies were criticised against absolute muscle car standards, but when you compared it with all else available at the time...
@Jeff - The Holden design i'm not knocking, tho I think it was trying too hard to be more than it was, and master of none. Yes, not much to pick from in those days, but i'm not the type of person to toss my Steelers garb and dawn a Browns hat when they start winning (like that would happen).
The Pontiac GTO started the Muscle car era, to have it be a rebaged chevy powered non American import... thats kinda low. GM should have rebaged it something else, or even just sold it for what it was with Left hand drive here in the USA.
ramairgto72 - I’m old enough and understand enough of the original GTO’s place in American history and not just that of cars to understand and accept all that you say. Thanks for all your comments on this post. So I really ought to be going back to my initial reaction to this episode, but for quite different and informed reasons...?!
The 04-06 gto reminds me so much of my old 02 grand prix from the side and front view I plan on picking a low mileage gto up in a few months once my tax returns get in, I've been saving up for years so I'm real excited
My brother and his friends took his 2006 GTO and made a "Judge" package themselves. They added a supercharger and custom Judge decals. With over 500hp at the rear wheels it was a blast to drive.
I really enjoy my 2005 GTO, and I'm making a repair video catalog of sorts as I repair or modify it. Definitely a blast to drive, and the only thing that really feels dated about it is the radio unit.
I bought my 04 in 06. I love the car... it has it's quirks but it is a solid car. You can tell by the quality that it's foreign. Some quirks to note: I had to fix my ignition key lock. The stereo buttons on the steering wheel get mixed up sometimes. That's about it! She runs like a touring car... Great on the highway. If you baby it, you can get 25mpg on the hwy. That's awesome!
I graduated high school in 05 so this car had a special place in my heart. I always wanted a early 2000s Ls powered car but never could afford one. Then last year i saved enough money and found a 05 manual gto for 6500 in very good shape highly modified 70k miles but the engine was missing. After replacing the coil pack the car was running like new. I think i was meant to have this car i love it.
I graduated in '02 and felt the same way about the Firebird T/A. Recently obtained one of that year and am loving it. Glad to see you found your dream car, enjoy it, and stay safe out there. Long live Pontiacs!!!
R.I.P Holden. They stopped making cars in October 2017.
No more Chevy SS which nobody cares. I find it was awesome car ! Like the GTO.
:'(
Maybe now we will get more attention in America then just bringing cars over and slapping great American names on them
@@utahcountypicazospage5412 Quit being entitled, you guys already have two muscle cars while here down under we've now got nothing at all from GM, and besides the SS/ Commodore was a much better car than the corvette and camaro combined, just as the ford falcon was a far better car than the mustang.
If GM does decides it needs another muscle car it will be designed by holden anyway.
Aman You got utes though we dont
GTO'S are wanted more now than when they came out.
6.0 & a 6spd in a car the size of a Grand Am!! What a Monster!!
Well done . I own a 05 with an LSA. Budweiser colors, red and metallic grey dual stripes. It’s an amazing car to drive. A true GTO by definition. I will never sell it. I will own several.
It's a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺.
Nice video, thanks. Still diggin' the 2006 I bought new that year. Sold it in 2014 to cover some debt, bought it back 3 years later with 6,000 miles over what I sold it with. Weird deal for sure but the seller had installed a set of Kooks headers.
Love these cars. Never got to drive one but sat in a few and thought they had the best seats around at the time. Fast, comfortable and enjoyable. That's a real musclecar right there!
Great series. I watched all 5 parts!!!
Quick story about my 2004 GTO. On a Saturday morning in 2005, was driving on a quiet stretch of highway and got pulled over by a state trooper. He said he clocked me at 128mph, but instead of a ticket, he gave me a written warning. He asked me to pop the hood, and we talked about the LS1 for 10 minutes, and he sent me on my way. Like a fool I later traded the GTO in for a Civic.
Great video, I’ve had mine for 6 years and plan to keep it until I die. The car is so unique looking I had to have one.
This is one of those cars you either hate it or love it I loved my 06 I had still have my 05 sitting pretty in the garage.
Even if though it's nothing but a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺.
I bought my 2006 red/black GTO on june 2007. It was one of the last new GTO.s on dealer. After warranty i loaded it with EBC brakes, BC racing coil overs, Kooks full exhaust and TVS1900 supercharger. 2014 i moved from US back to Finland and took the GTO with me. I still have it and it has 38t miles on it. Love it and never will sell it. It is so fun to race against new M2,3,4 etc and eat them alive!
Many people didn't like the exterior design but I think it was way better than the "newer" 2005 Mustang. It aged very well and still looks like a modern car. Check 4:20 for a comparison.
I'm a Mustang guy, and I totally agree with you. I was not a fan of the retro design on the 2005 Mustang at all. To this day I still don't like the 2005-2009 Mustangs. Ford did do a better job on the 2010-2014 IMO. Anyways, I would take 2005 GTO over a Mustang anyday. The GTO is a much better looking and performing car.
@@OG_FIVEO Even though it's a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺
@@CJColvin And here you are again, bashing the Monaro/GTO, AKA the quickest and fastest GTO's ever built. Poor baby get smoked at the track by one? Embarrassed in a roll race? Give it a rest, you're hatred of a non-American built car (that had the best fit and finish, along with the best seats ever) that was rebadged is an obsession with you. Check out he Aussie V8's series. Great Ford/Holden(GM) rivalry.
@martyfarrell9459 Yes I know Australian cars mate, I know Holden made the Monaros, Commodores, and Maloons, also Ford of Australia made the Falcon and Chrysler of Australia made the Valiant Charger.
I had a 2004 model. Nicest GM interior available at the time in my opinion. Wish I had kept it.
GM didn't make the car, Holden wasn't "majority stock" owned by GM, (not GM) so you should thank Holden for the interior.
I can't think of one real GM car of the time that had "good" interior.
Yep, they're much better quality than the Mustang at the time and 2002 Camaros. The seats are great too.
ramairgto72 only reason I like the gto. Didn’t have a rattle box interior like 99% of GM cars at the time
It's a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺 though.
Thank you for making this channel. It is my favorite. Suggested video: History of the overhead valve. From invention to now. Who adopted it? Who avoided it? What was its contribution to the auto industry? Thanks again.
Got a 06 last year. So far so good with this car!
Cool car, I always loved this model. It was also sold in Great Britain as the Vauxhall Monaro VXR and in Australia they had a pickup version, the Holden UTE. Pontiac should have re-badge the pickup as well, I bet they would sell thousands of them in the American market.
They did and it almost arrived to US market. Look up Pontiac G8 ST concept.
@@Konformation07 They should have. That looks 10x better than the Chevy SSR.
Still, that's not the GTO version he was talking about. G8 is cool too though.
@@CoDisafishy I never said the generation of the GTO ute was the concept. I was just randomly mentioning that Pontiac did have a Ute concept.
"Pontiac should have re-badged the pickup,...."
Technically they did just a later generation.
There was also a 4 door sedan and station wagon version as well. The pick up was available in two or 4 doors and both of these were available with a tub or cab chassis configuration ready for a service body. To top it all off there was also a long wheelbase 4door sedan with extra leg room in the back for those that like to be driven instead of driving and a panel truck version as well. Holden toyed with 2 door convertible but this never made it to production any photos you may find are of Prototype/concept versions but none the less Pontiac could have imported a hole fleet of spin offs if it wanted to.
Wow...400 HP in the 2006 GTO...did not know that.
Steve Fowler the GTO is overlooked by a lot of people, it’s very powerful and still fast by today’s standards, the lack of knowledge on them made them sleepers lol
@@thefunnydude6668 Fully independent rear end while most American muscle cars where still using outdated live rear axles.
Mael-Strom yeah, but it’s version of independent rear suspension was still an outdated form. The live axles were able to handle the power more reliably and without threat of breaking with more than a 3k rpm launch...
@@thefunnydude6668 Yeah, live axle launch straight into a wall/tree/spectators...
Mael-Strom are we talking all American muscle cars or just mustangs? XD I never understood why those people would never seem to try to steer into the fishtail
Love my 04. 383 stroker build. Runs those mustang's down.
I had a red/black 2006 6-speed GTO. It was a rare left over 2006 when the 2007 vehicles were out. I found it online in my city. Loved everything about it with the exception of having to move the front seat back every time you exited and having to move it back when you reentered. The A pillar was so racked back that it was impossible to get in or out without moving the seat and there wasn't a memory seat to attenuate the bother. Moving the seat every time got tiresome and I drove it less and less. Due to the seat issue I sold it 2 years after buying. Absolutely loved the car, more that my 68 Camaro SS and 71 442, and would have it today if it was more ergodynamic to enter and exit.
This was one for the people that could see a good product. Wonderful car, a blast to drive, extremely comfortable and looked the business, especially with the optional body-kit (& trunk spoiler wing delete). I dig the Mustang from the era, but the GTO was a better car. The Mustang's retro styling won hearts, but the thinking person would've gone the GTO.
Crazy when i was barely 4 years old they brought back the gto then 14 yrs later i get to own one my self i cant wait to modify it 👌🏾
I wish you all the best, bro. Can’t wait to buy one myself.
Great video! Her name has always been Francesca, a black beauty, red/blk interior, 6 spd, purchased new. When Pontiac introduced this car I was working at a Pontiac dealership and understood what it was. As the video stated, sales weren't that great, then it happened, awesome incentives/rebates came out and I pounced. I still have her, hardly drove last year, maybe more this spring, we'll see. Yes, I've done a few things, cai, headers, exhaust, underdrive pulley, ZO6 clutch, sway bar, Geonelli wheels, STEREO. GTOooooooo
Even though it's a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺.
Holden did actually take a couple of styling cues from the this version of the GTO. The hood scoops (bonnet scoops down under) were added to the Monaro's model upgrade from V2 to VZ while the rear deck spoiler was also added to the Holden's.
I always liked the body style of the 04-06 !! Now I love it . 6.0 LS2 is a gem . My 05 has an automatic and has only lost a stoplight to stoplight race once in dozens of challenges...only at by a couple of car lengths to a 2021 Hellcat Challenger. Holden over engineered these things , they were designed for rough ,damaged Australian roads ! Possibly the best GM car ever built in my humble opinion.
These cars never got the appreciation they deserved !
My favorite intro of all the RUclips channels
The GTO could not have sold as well as the Mustang, as Holden couldn't handle the volume, which was capped at 18K units a year. Granted, GM could have moved production to North America... which would have also reduced the cost... but this is GM we're talking about.
The video also does not mention how the dealerships jacked the prices up on the early GTOs... my local dealership installed some aftermarket junk on their handful of cars (including some awful wheels) and was asking over $50K for them... and they just sat there, rusting on the lot.
As soon as the CAR & Driver leaked how the Aussies hated rebadging it, as well people noticing the missing "PONTIAC" on the car, sales slumped. Thats when they restyled the car with PONTIAC on it and other "Go fast" looks. Dealers were selling styling packages to help sales. The Baby Boomers got this car, and ended up selling them for something else or giving them to grand-kids. No, they were not selling like Hot cakes.
This^^^. GM keeps trying the import idea (Allante, GTO, G8, and SS) and each time it fails. What GM needed to do was import the tooling and given the fact that the Morano they were basing it off of was being replaced that was an option. It would have kept Holden happy not having to rebage a car for export and would have allowed GM to cut costs by making it state side and being able to keep up with demand. GM seems to think it's still 1972 and people will still wait 4-6 weeks for a car as apposed to just walking over to the Ford or Chrysler lot across the street and by a car off the lot their.
sales were limited and priced high to get the unions happy and start gm management to build it in the us rather than oz
I think the 18000 production cap was to do with import restrictions
@@sutherlandA1 no import restrictions on cars imported from Australia.
The 18 K cap was based on the ability of Holden to produce them.
I own two, a Monaro-conversion kit w/6.0 2005, and a dangerous beast 500-HP LS-7 Conversion 2006, and have owned a "69. They may lack the panache' of the classics of the 60's and 70's, but they leave them in the dust and always start!
What do you think it would have looked like if it had had a chance to evolve instead of jumping from the 70s to the 2000s? Probably a lot like the Grand Prix. Then purists would not have been so negative to the new look.
If they would have introduced this car with the "throw-back" look that Ford did with the stang in 05, they would have owned the market...kings!
Exactly mate
I've been wanting one of these almost more than anything for a couple years now. Love the semi sleeper aspect of it and the rarity. Just waiting until I can afford a 2006 manual with less than 75,000 miles. Not in a good position to buy something I consider a fun car... Plus, prices in Illinois are crazy for these...
7:34 This is why I love this gen GTO more than "the golden era" gens
Even though it's a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺.
I loved the lokks of the modern GTO
Great video! I was wondering if the last performance sedan, the Pontiac G8, I know it was a rebadged Holden commodore, but would be great to see if it would still compare or be a continued spirit of the muscle car era.
How can it be ? When it was new it wasn’t accepted as a continuation of GTO ? Challenger’s success proves what could have been - the Cadillac V cars show the performance potential - we see what success looks like. It’s an orphan - a footnote - GM didn’t try hard enough to save Pontiac. - didn’t seem to care. They DID the Camaro as a variation of the the ‘69 - so that the DNA family resemblance was strong.
The styling HAD to do that - the ‘66 GTO styling probably was the right one to aim for - they just didn’t. That was Pontiac’s “Huckleberry”. ( nail in coffin )
I must be getting old since I don't think cars from the 2000's are even old.
I remember when I was in highschool hearing other car kids talk about the "New GTO" coming out. Everybody hated it. And if you liked it. You got made fun of. Did I admit to liking it? No. Was it stupid? Yeah, but it was highschool and the kids were ruthless back then.
Cripe! I’m a pretty informed car guy from way, way back and I NEVER heard of this model. Maybe they weren’t offered up here in Canada , but don’t for the life of me remember any car magazines reviewing this beautiful car. Shame it just faded, as many other low number model productions did. 😢
I remember selling these at the Pontiac dealer in Regina back then. Nice cars, but nobody wanted them at the time. The Solstice would still easier than these would. Then again, most things that aren't a truck or SUV are hard to sell in Saskatchewan...
Do you remember the Pontiac G8 GT built for only 2 years 2008/2009?
It had a 6 liter 360 horsepower V8.
Automatic standard but optional 6 speed standard shift available.
Available in a sedan only.
Optional Blaupunc 400w 11 speaker sound system with dual subwoofers on the rear shelf.
Also came with an in trunk air compressor.
If they were available in Canada 🇨🇦 then they would've been called the Acadian Beaumont.
Don't worry, it's nothing but a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia anyway.
Your so informative 👍
I think the 6spd manual was standard and a 4 spd auto is an option. This was my favorite muscle car at the time. Even today I still like it.
I like the 2004 -2006 Pontiac GTO.
Just bought me a 06 I love it
10.5 years with my Monaro. Bought it used with 48k on it and now has 150k+ on it. No regrets. Still toying with an HSV bodykit swap.
realy nice video thanks for the informations
Same thing happened here in Australia with the AU Ford Falcon ...The AU at the time was disliked purely on looks alone in 1998 . Totally ignored was the technical advances it had over it's competitors including the VT/VX Commodore . Way better suspension , better 6 cylinder engines and comparable V8's and transmissions considerably better than most . The 4.0 litre inline 6 SOHC Intech and VCT were bulletproof ..nearly impossible to destroy them . The AU's actually have become one of Ford Australia's best Falcons that existed between 1960 and 2016 being continuously built over about 25 model runs in that time ..There are still big numbers for their age on our roads and the newest ones are now 19 years old (AU lll last built in 2002) ..They have also been considered as standing the test of time and looked contemporary for quite a long time..The TS /TE and TL Tickford versions are also stunners to look at and drive...even now.. Bad reputation from different looks apply here too . By the way I have one ..A 2001 Series 2 Futura that drives perfectly to this day , Had it 18 years so far . Also a 2008 FG Series XR6 ...Falcons are awesome cars ...
Great video as usual: really thorough
My 05 manual transmission yellow GTO has 40k miles. It's perfectly preserved and I'll be keeping it indefinitely.
I've owned my 2006 brazen orange for 14 years and love it wouldn't trade it or sell it for anything
Bought my '05 GTO new and it's the best car that I've ever owned! Mustangs are a dime a dozen. I drive the GOAT!
Despite being a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺
I was in Australia visiting family when I learned the Monaro was coming to the states as a GTO. My cousin and I visted the local Holden to what the car was about. Love at first sight! The one we looked at was a GTS with 19" hyper black wheels and 300kw HSV tweaked engine. I tried to get one in '05 but I had to buy my wife a minivan instead. I them waited 9 years before I could buy an '04. The car was everything I ever wanted in a modern muscle car. I drove it for 18 months before I had to sell it. I'll get another one to add to my collect, when time allows.
Very well done video.
This Is the start of the second golden age of American muscle
Miss those days...
My Dad bought a brand new GTO in 1968 and then again in 2004. He was happy with his 04, used to run it at the track.
Even though the new GTO is nothing but a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺.
I still kick myself today for not buying one when I had the chance. I test drove one at the local dealer it was either a 2005 or 2006 model because it had the 6.0 litre LS2. It was the impulse blue metallic I think it was called with blue leather interior and 6 speed manual transmission. I do remember there was a $1,000 charge gas guzzler tax if you got the automatic transmission version. For what you got the price wasn't bad at the time. I believe the sticker was about $32,000 or $33,000 tops. I know they really didn't look like older GTO's but I personally liked their looks myself. Like they voice said in the video the backseat had surprisingly decent room for a performance car. I've been told by many that they were actually very good performing cars overall for that era. Definitely should have bought it.
I had a 2004 Pontiac GTO and I use to smoke 2005 Mustang GTs at the light in that car. It was a great car to start-up in a parking lot because the LS-1 V8 barked so loud it would startle everyone in the parking lot.
I spent two months in the Victoria area of Australia in late 2002 around the same time and same area people from Car and Driver were there to test drive the Monaro the GTO was based on. The Monaro version was better looking than the US GTO. I got two Monaro brochures and brought them home to Minnesota. No I’m not selling them. If you are a car nut you would have more things to enjoy while traveling there. Aussies love muscle cars too. The Australian Government is strangling their businesses, and thus have killed domestic automobile production.
Did you know??
While the LS1 equipped GTO was rated at 350 bhp, the Holden Monaro with exactly the same engine was only rated at 302-328 bhp.
Slight design differences to the exhaust's, as well as different emissions laws between Australia and the US saw to it that the GTO's did have slightly more horsepower. Torque figures for the 5.7L V8 were also in favor of the GTO which had 365 lb⋅ft (495 N⋅m) @ 4000 rpm while the Monaro's had 343 lb⋅ft (465 N⋅m) @ 4400 rpm.
I still have that car and driver where they give the win to Mustang. Even thou the GTO smash it in every performance category. Now in 2019 the GTOs look pretty cool where that 2005 Mustang looks like garbage.
GM failed this car, not the other way around. GM rushed it, and didn't know how to promote it. I worked at a Pontiac dealership back then and I remember seeing the pictures/literature for it parked next to a mid-60's era model which it looked nothing like. When they should have parked it next to a 1970 model which it (at least) looked like it could have derived from. Also, the colors they used were all wrong. Impulse Blue and Galaxy Purple!?!? - No, they should have given it REAL GTO colors like Verdoro Green, Carousel Red and Orbit Orange. They should have kept the 5.7 as a standard GTO engine, and used the 6.0 with the SAP group (sport appearance package) and added graphics to create a modern day JUDGE. - They would have sold more, PERIOD.
Exactly mate, they should've gave it retro styling as well.
GM should bring back Pontiac, with a very small lineup consisting of high end coupes only, a more upscale Camaro for the Firebird and a proper, larger 4-seat GTO coupe with to rival the Challenger, LT1 standard for both with LT4 power available in the Firebird and LT5 for the GTO.
The SS was that car. Also a short term run. People just didn’t buy it with such a high price point.46k Msrp is just insane,great car but just too expensive.🙁👍🇺🇸
The SS was a 4 door sedan, like a Charger but (like with the GTO) it was the bland styling to blame. And the cost isn't the problem at all, many people (me included) pay 70K+ for the Hellcat twins regularly cause they get 70k+ worth of engine. The problem is that GM didn't go far enough with the GTO and the SS, they always kept the good stuff for the Corvette and the Camaro, no LS7, no LS9, no LSA, no LT1, no LT4, no 8 speed transmission (or 4-5 speeds for the auto GTO)
Jorge Gomez I know what your saying. My G.T.O got destroyed in an accident. Was a 2004. Then replaced it with a 2005 CTS-V 6spd LS6 the same engine off the zo6 at the time then they replaced it with the 6.0 ls2. I then bought my 2013 CTS-V 2 with more then 700hp on my LSA I wouldn’t trade this one for any other car out right now.
Fit and finish matters when u pay 70 plus for a car tho. My V was 80,000 with the options I checked off. The GTO was well made. The SS really wasn’t. Oh I also had a tremendous 6spd on my 2004 GTO.was a great car 🇺🇸👍
@@JorgeGomez-ui5jl So glad they didn't called it the Chevelle or otherwise it would've been a huge slap in the face to the original Chevelles.
I miss mine so much. 05 Torrid red/black int M6
I really like the 04-06 GTO. It is a total sleeper. Same exact driveline as a 04-06 Corvette but looks like a Grand Am or something. In fact I prefer an 04-06 GTO to an 04-06 Vette because I prefer sleepers to cars that have bright colors, graphics, and fancy wheels
It's a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺 though.
The factory exhaust on these thangs are awesome 😎
06 gto and 05 crossfire srt6 are 2 old overlooked cars that can run with modern cars easily
All of the analysis of the GTO production, besides the actual numbers, is wrong. The prescribed productions numbers for the 3 PLANNED model years were already set and the car ended in 2006 as the last VZ Monaro based cars to roll of the assembly line. The Holden badged Monaros were already done and the new 2006 VE Commodores were on the way (Pontiac G8).
The hood scoops were not a 2004 option, they were only standard on 2005 and up Monaros/GTOs. The oddity was that there were a few (~50?) 2005s that were optioned with NO hood scoops utilizing the 2004 hood. The Sport Appearance Package (SAP) was for 2005 and 2006 and was debuted on the 2004 GTO Autocross concept.
The pricing was the result of a significant change in exchange rate between the US Dollar and AUS Dollar. When Lutz announced the car in 2002, the USD was almost 1 for 2 with the AUD. In 2004, it was 1.5 to 1, a significant change that increased the MSRP of the car. It was originally planned as a sub-$30k car but global economics changed that.
Historical analysis with less facts than found in the GTO Wikipedia page is the best kind of historical analysis.
Good show
I love the 04-06 GTO. QUE BELLA
I didn't care for it didn't look like classic ones could done better change
I have an 04 GTO and there's no way I would let it go. I believe that it's the best bang for your buck. I like that you can leave it stock or you have the option to perform modifications from top to bottom.
It's nothing but a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺 though.
I have had my GTO since Dec 2004. Got a 5K discount and with a trade in financed $20k. Now it’s a LS3. 418 stroker. Money well spent.
Never NEVER getting rid of my 05 IBM! ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE CAR, not many left at all! Those who have them, are sitting on gold mines
This version of the GTO was an excellent car as the narrator states here. I know it's been criticized for looking bland compared to GTO's of its heyday, and maybe it was. Better that it looked more like a BMW than a fat, grotesque 'retro' car like the revived 2010 Camaro was; a hideous take on the '69 Camaro, that, thank God, got away from that look with the 2016-present models. They now have a 1st generation "flavor" but no real ties to that car. It has its own, much improved look----except for the window sill to roof proportion. As far as the GTO or any other car saving Pontiac, get real. It was all over, but Pontiac did have a nice swan song with the flip top convertibles and the Solstice two-seater.
I love the looks...Great car.
My father had a 67' GTO, we tried to make a project out of it but it proved too expensive. I promised myself I'd own one after we were forced to sell it. ( Hello 2008-9 crisis) It took me 7 years to get one once out of high school. Now I know it may not look like a muscle car to some, but I think it captures the spirit well. Still keeps up with the modern stuff to.
Even though it's nothing but a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺
ótimo vídeo;;; bem explicativo; 10
I worked at a GM dealership when they came out badass car will own one someday
Don't wait too long. They get rarer, and therefore more expensive, every year now.
I love my Monaro.
The GTO LS1 engine is a genuine 500kw (670hp) from drawing board off the Dyno bench engine ( GM Data - Internal source ) The engine was restricted by its intake, head's, camshaft & exhaust deliberately by GM head office to allow a yearly increase in output for marketing and sales strategy's.
The GTO is Pontiac's version of the Thunderbird. The reason why I think this is unlike the Mustang, Camaro and Firebird rivalries as well as the Corvette and Viper rivalries it wasn't specifically designed to rival any other car meaning the Thunderbird and GTO are not Camaro, Mustang and Firebird competitors or Corvette and Viper competitors or any other coupe. Let me know your thoughts on my thought to the guy talking in the video.
Also the newer GTOs are nothing but rebadged Holden Monaros from Australia 🇦🇺.