Pontiac GTO
Robert Farago tests the US version of Holden's Monaro
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The original GTO started life in 1964 as option 382 on a Pontiac Tempest LeMans. Two-hundred and ninety-five dollars bought a bigger engine (389 cubic inches) and air scoops (non-functional). The new GTO is an Australian coupe, slightly modified for the US market, with a 5.7-liter V8. In other words, if you’re a heritage freak looking for a connection between the old “goat” and the new, don’t bother. Unlike its illustrious predecessor, the new GTO has no kinship with any other Pontiac automobile made, ever.
Does that really matter? Shouldn’t we cut the new GTO some slack, and simply thank God (a.k.a. Bob Lutz) that Pontiac sells a performance car that actually performs? Ask the guy who works down at my local deli counter. He used to own a black GTO. “Is that the new goat? It looks like a rental car.”
Slack gone. At the very least, Pontiac should have made the Monaro a rental car on steroids. You know: fat rubber, 20” wheels, blistered arches, fake scoops, quad exhausts, Hovercraft rear wing, decals, racing stripe, something, anything to give the new car some of the old car’s charisma. In fact, all that the antipodean GTO offers GM’s coveted YAMs (“Young Affluent Males”) is a few discreet badges and the distinctive rumble, burble, snarl, pop, thud and roar of a full-on V8.
Quick
Close your eyes, give the goat some gas and you can easily imagine you’re pedal-to-the-metal in a ‘69 GTO Judge. [NB: Don’t try this away from home.] Saying that, the Judge’s ram-air V8 cranked-out 370hp, while the modern GTO’s engine stumps-up “only” 350 horses. Saying that, the new GTO’s aluminum LS1 powerplant weighs 110lbs dripping wet and boasts a torque curve flatter than Kansas.
Zero to 60mph occupies only 5.3 seconds of your time, while the quarter mile comes up in 13.8. That’s just a few ticks behind a stock ‘Vette, and more than fast enough to give the GTO’s fully independent suspension and 17” tires something to do around corners. And a fine job they do too, providing adequate comfort at low speed and superb control at velocities that would frighten a 60’s street racer to death.
If you think I’m going to continue singing the praises of this latter day muscle car and conclude that it’s a victory of modern racing technology over sixties chic, if that’s what you want to hear, stop reading now. For the rest of the GTO’s package is rude, crude and kinda lame, Dude.
Not for me though
The GTO’s climate control knobs set the standard; the cheap rotary dials look like they were designed the same year the first GTO bowed-out (1974). The Tremec T-56 six-speed gearbox is so notchy I began to suspect that the “skip shift” function-- recommended by the flashing digital dash-- is more about maintaining forward movement than saving fuel.
Once you eventually find a gear and spool-up the GTO’s V8, slowing down can be something of a challenge. The vacuum-assisted stoppers lack bite and feel, and seem distinctly rubbery at full stomp. The steering is equally over-assisted and spongy. Thanks to its robust construction (i.e. weight), helming the GTO into a corner produces a fair amount of body roll. And the pushrod V8 feels rough from low revs to red line. You’d no sooner fully wring the GTO’s neck than, um, a Manchurian ring-necked pheasant.
But hey, you would if you had to. I mean, if you were hungry enough. And that’s the ultimate equation facing potential GTO buyers. Are you hungry enough for rear-wheel-drive horsepower that you’ll give up any possibility of style points for sheer, unadulterated grunt and a user-friendly chassis? Thirty-two large also buys you a VW R32, or an awful lot of Japanese sport compact…
GM executives aren’t worried. Thanks to US labor unions, the General is only importing 18,000 Aussie-built bruisers. That many people would fork out $32k for a Chevrolet Aveo (don’t ask) if it sounded as horny as the new GTO. And there’s no question: the GTO is a bit of a hoot. Still, where’s the sizzle? Unlike the old GTO, the new version will have to rely on the aftermarket for the visual statement goat owners expect. And deserve.
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About the inside, and knobs aside, this is the best, I mean THE BEST quality dash to sit behind a Ponty badge ...ever. It's a quantum leap.
Sizzle.....interesting point. My spotless 17 year old primrose yellow Firebird would have difficulty seeing off an Accord in a straight line. But, burble through a small town in the middle of Illinois and I will be followed by 2 squad cars. That is sizzle. To me real performance with anonymity is an attractive idea - you have to have something on your side to keep your driving license. As it is my Firebird has got me arrested and nearly put in jail twice!
Johnny
Chicago
From what I have read the ride/handling balance is perhaps well balanced compared to the other cars on the USA market?
BTW Ford Australia has a car to compete in the XR6 Turbo...but it is 4 door
It's a Commodore Coupe. It is to the Commodore what the 330Ci is to the 330i. It is not a retro-mobile like some daft arse New Beetle.
It should be judged as an individual model.
Dan
Dan said:
The skip-shift transmission GM puts on its performance cars is truly one of the most annoying things ever to grace a car. It's the only thing my dad regrets about buying a Z06.
Funny you said that, Dan. I just read a letter from a 2004 Z06 Corvette owner in the May, 2004 issue of "Road & Track" who said that if he had known that the car had that skip-shift deal, he wouldn't have bought it. You might have to do a little research on this to help your dad, but I remember when these cars came out, people said that the skip-shift was very easy to defeat. It only involved the disconnecting of a wire (or group of wires) to the transmission. I'm sure you can find some Corvette or Camaro/Firebird group or specialist with people who can give you more specific information so that your dad can have a more enjoyable Z06 experience.
Oh and nice car, your Lotus. BTW, who makes the Lotus? ;-) Sorry, couldn't resist after reading that post about the comments people make about Esprits. Don't worry, I've been a car buff (definitely including Lotus) for as long as I can remember.
Miguel
robert farago said:
Saying that, the Judge’s ram-air V8 cranked-out 370hp, while the modern GTO’s engine stumps-up “only” 350 horses.
American cars up to 1971 had power and torque figures rated by SAE gross standards. Starting in 1972, this was changed to SAE net standards, which give smaller power and torque numbers, being equivalent to the DIN standards of the engine as installed in the car with accessories, full factory exhaust, a correction factor for higher air intake temperature duplicating the conditions under the hood, etc. For some reason, to this day, journalists often refer to the two as if they were directly comparable. The truth is that the "only 350 horses" (net) of the modern GTO is actually more power than the 370 (gross) horsepower of the old one. If I had to guess, I'd say that the 370 (gross) hp engine put out about 300 net hp.
robert farago said:
Saying that, the new GTO’s aluminum LS1 powerplant weighs 110lbs dripping wet and boasts a torque curve flatter than Kansas.
While I'm with you on the "flatter than Kansas" torque curve, you missed the weight by over 400 lbs. This engine with accessories weighs over 500 lbs., though I don't know the exact number.
Miguel
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