Gone 'Til 2009: Last GTO Rolls off the Line in Australia

[mikeyb]

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2006/0707/pontiac.gto.500.jpg

ADELAIDE, Australia — General Motors' Holden subsidiary has built and shipped the final Pontiac GTO (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/ViewModelDetail/make=Pontiac/model=GTO) — the last one, that is, until GM resurrects the badge, probably in model-year 2009.

Based on the two-door Holden Monaro, the GTO had a surprisingly short life span in the U.S. Holden built just over 40,000 GTOs, and GM announced earlier this year that it was phasing out the nameplate because of dwindling interest by consumers.

The Adelaide plant saw the last GTO roll off the line in mid-June; it was shipped to the U.S. a week later, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Production totaled 40,808 vehicles.

The newspaper reports that Holden's performance division, Holden Special Vehicles, is planning a special edition of the Monaro: a limited run of 50-100 individually numbered HSV cars badged as the Holden GTO.

Holden also has confirmed it will market a second-generation Monaro coupe for the Australia market, based on the new Commodore sedan. Here's the twist: The 2009 Chevrolet Camaro (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/FVDP/Preview/styleId=100687353) will share the same rear-wheel-drive architecture (known internally as Zeta) as the Commodore/Monaro, which could be assembled in North America and then shipped back to Australia.


source:http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=116031#2

[stdntDrvr]

they weren't the prettiest cars, but they were fast.

[Roywhitep5]

i really liked that car:(

[Captain KRM P5]

i did too

[weirdzen]

I wasn't a fan of the hood that Pontiac chose to put on it, but there is no denying that it was a fast car off the lot. In other trims, it actually looked really good as well. Has anyone seen the VXR versions that vauxhall put out in the UK?

The one thing that I thought was a little lacking was the skinny wheels on the back. It could have used a little more rubber.

[Leppy]

a friend of mine has a GTO 5.7l with cams, beefed tranny and gears, LSedit and a couple other goodies. He dyno'd at 449 HP and 503 ft/lb with using nitrous...

[Sveivo]

The only Pontiac I would look at.

[RaiderMP5]

don't worry, I am sure they sell hood scoops for Grand Ams you can bolt on.

[StealthWyvern]

The only Pontiac I would look at.
I'm glad im wasn't the only one with the same mindset towards Pontiac.

[tyusha]

yeah, i also liked that car. The only pontiac that was not overdesigned and had very classy lines, but what do you know, aparantly consumers wanted some aztec looking monstrosities.....

i don't know, it's a cool car, and i would own one

I guess GM should not have given it the all mighty GTO name tag. I think they should have just called it Pontiac Monaro, why the hell not?

[InFlames]

Has anyone seen the VXR versions that vauxhall put out in the UK?



A bit more aggressive but not too different than the current GTO.
http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/i1017/101799_00mg.jpg

[Donas64]

The GTO will be sorely missed by those who recognized it for what it was: A relativley cheap, well built, comfortable, FAST AS ALL GET OUT, plain jane muscle car. Screw the haters who wanted retro stying and more aggressiveness. I WILL OWN one of these one day! I'm sure you'll be able to pic these up a few years down the road for cheap. Then when the guy in the "retro Styled" Mustang GT pulls up next to you, you can just smile and blow him into the weeds!

[StealthWyvern]

http://us1.webpublications.com.au/static/images/articles/i1017/101799_00mg.jpg

I dont know whybut that front end screams dodge avenger to me not really the bumper, but the rest of it does.

[Sveivo]

I'm glad im wasn't the only one with the same mindset towards Pontiac.
Cool!


yeah, i also liked that car. The only pontiac that was not overdesigned and had very classy lines, but what do you know, aparantly consumers wanted some aztec looking monstrosities.....

i don't know, it's a cool car, and i would own one

I guess GM should not have given it the all mighty GTO name tag. I think they should have just called it Pontiac Monaro, why the hell not?

Yeah, I thought it was a decent car. It might not be the best "bang for the buck" or whatever, but the ones I've seen around here are very appealing. The stock exhaust sounds sweet. And winding that thing out with the 6 MT would be a pleasure :D.

[redrims]

The only Pontiac I would look at.

I feel the same. All their other vehicles are poop to me.

[Donas64]

Cool!



Yeah, I thought it was a decent car. It might not be the best "bang for the buck" or whatever, but the ones I've seen around here are very appealing. The stock exhaust sounds sweet. And winding that thing out with the 6 MT would be a pleasure :D.


It's an AWESOME bang for the buck. Especially the 04's and 05's! 350 ponies for the same price as a 350Z and you get backseats and a bigger trunk!!!

[RaiderMP5]

I know everyone misses this ride...

http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/brandnewday/Pontiac-Aztek-2002.jpg

[redrims]

NOT!!! lmao...

[Sveivo]

I know everyone misses this ride...

http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/brandnewday/Pontiac-Aztek-2002.jpg

Just wow. What dildo thought up that design?

[tyusha]

haha here comes the aquarium on wheels

[Lord_Zath]

I have a friend who bought an Aztek. No idea what he was thinking. On the inside, it's not soo bad. But people love ugly cars. Look at the Honda Element. Yuck!

[RaiderMP5]

Just wow. What dildo thought up that design?

the same douche who designed my GMC Sonoma seats that repeatedly slid into the dash when I stopped (similiar problem faced by hundreds of S10/Sonoma extra cab owners), resulting at 17 times at the dealer, and accumuulating 30+ warranty trips to the dealer, and the same number of complaints to GM.

it is also the guy who invented this back in the 1980's

http://springfieldnews.wheelsforyou.com/vimages/201405/b6d5296f8f51515.JPG

[Sveivo]

the same douche who designed my GMC Sonoma seats that repeatedly slid into the dash when I stopped (similiar problem faced by hundreds of S10/Sonoma extra cab owners), resulting at 17 times at the dealer, and accumuulating 30+ warranty trips to the dealer, and the same number of complaints to GM.

it is also the guy who invented this back in the 1980's


Haha. Good find.

Actually, I read about that problem with these trucks on http://carsurvey.org when I was in the market for a car. Did you post there? Maybe it's just that people have very similar experiences with these trucks?

[RaiderMP5]

I did not post there, but I did on nhtsa.gov. It was a very common problem. They redesigned the seat in 2003 for that reason. When they refused to fix it for free anymore when the warranty expired, I traded it in October 2002 for 2 Mazdas, and will never, ever own a GM vehicle again, unless it is from the 1950's...