VRRocket

This car kills me - V8, torque/HP out the wazoo, 400 HP, Australian built ( better than NA? just a question). However, looks like a cavalier/Grand AM combo with a nice interior. Pretty exclusive (not many where i am). I'd kinda like to have one for what's between my feet and the fender, but the styling is a bit bland. Pontiac did at least add some obnoxios hood scoops in '05 to make it look more aggessive, but I'm sure it's going to take. Opinions, anyone?

MIGoat

Well my opinion is biased but here it is. Build quality is probably the best of GM. I personally prefer the toned down sleeper look, which is why I like my '04. I'm sure they'll sell about what there planning to produce. It seems as if GM is going ahead with the development of a new generation for release in '07. And the exclusivity is nice.....

dos

The GTO does look a bit bland for my taste. You can't deny the straight line performance though. If your thinking of buying one you can buy a new one for not too much with all the discounts they are offering on them, and on ebay the used ones are extremely cheap.

HottRx8Girl

I was so excited when it came out, but I went to look at one before I bought my 8...and it looked like a car my grandfather would drive. I tried to like it because of the great performance, but I just couldn't do it.

N8theGr8

I love the interior, and after driving it some (crew cars at my work) I had to get a new car. The car ended up an RX-8:-) but the GTO was my inspiration. But like others have said, the exterior styling is too bland for my taste. Makes sense though. The baby boomer generation is getting older now. The car packs a hell of a punch in a not so outrageous package. The blue-haired car of the future:-)

SE3PO

I drove one on the track about 8 times. It was really well done in my opinion. This was the 04 model with 350 hp though. But let me tell you it feels as heavy as it is. That 400 hp beast would be unreal if it were to be put on diet. The goat and the 8 are my 2 favs, within reason of course.

Oh ya..... i loved the interior.

Rhawb

I REALLY like the new GTOs. I was looking at them (along with a 325Ci) before I got my 8. GTO got killed promptly by insurance - $1800/6mos. D'oh. Exterior styling is very much my style - low key and stealthy. :p I think I'm actually glad I ended up with the 8 though because I've noticed that I would never really use the straight line performance as much as I use the sharp handling of the 8. I never race anyone and I just use my cars to try and teach myself racing lines and to play around in twisties. If they'd give the GTO a slightly more aggressive suspension and dropped a few pounds, I think it would become a whole lot harder to resist.

Aratinga

I was one of the many who complained about the GTO's plain jane looks. The Goat is totally the opposite of the RX-8 when it comes to being noticed on the road -- it's so generic as to be nearly invisible.

Until you HEAR one. That LS1 (or LS2, in the'05) V-8 has that unmistakable, "OMG what's THAT?" rumbling exhaust note that is absolutely music to the ears. The 350HP and gobs of torque are addictive, and the car shoves you back into your very comfortable leather seat every time you barely breathe on the throttle. Once I drove one (on a whim, at the GM Auto Show in Motion), I was giddy, and my boyfriend was so impressed he bought one a week later.

The dealers were having a terrible time moving the '04s, and we picked "Sylvia" up for about $8000 off her $33K sticker price. We've had her (Phantom Black '04 6MT) for nearly a month now, and she never fails to make me grin. Comparison? RX-8 is to GTO as Scalpel is to Sledgehammer. Completely different, but both completely a blast to drive.

MIGoat

$1800 for six months....
Mine is about a third of that, who was that quote from?

jsh1120

Well, that explains my reaction to it.

SE3PO

ya my insurance is a third of that as well. the insurance would be a problem indeed.

MIGoat

Yes, the sound of it has the effect of unknowing bystanders going WTF? I think a lot of the problem in moving the '04's at first was due in part due to price gouging by some dealers. As little as two months ago I heard of one dealer with two '04's trying to sell them at 40k, I could maybe see trying this when they first arrived, but not in December. The other thing I think hurt was the almost complete lack of advertising. I've had several people make a comment along the lines of "I didn't know they where making the GTO again."
Yes, the RX-8 and the GTO are different approaches to an automobile, but I'd still prefer them over any other cars in the 26-34k price range.....
:D

Rhawb

The quote was from State Farm - a major part of the problem is probably the fact that I'm 20. Damn kids and their crappy driving. :p We were going to get a hell of a deal on the car though before insurance came along. After all the rebates, it was looking like we were going to be able to get the car for right around $25,000 or a little less (more than $8000 off), so that would have been a pretty tough deal to pass up.

crossbow

Heavy, but fun.
The 04 GTO's are an absolute steal. You can get a new one for 22-26k...if not less. Nobody wants the 350 bhp one...as they fail to realize how many mods are available for that particular engine .

furcomm

I (along with many others) was priviledged as an attendee of the GTOAA Nationals (event established for the original GTO's) held in Pontiac, MI this past July to be hosted by Pontiac and drive around 15 different (AT's and Manual 6 speeds) GTO's for a whole day on a laid out track at the Pontiac Silverdome similiar to a proving grounds test track. We had to sign a liability waiver and wear a helmet but basically could do anything with the car that we wanted short of wrecking it. Also we were given "hot lap" demonstration rides by instructors from Bob Bonderant's Driving School including "drifting". The experience was nothing short of incredible. For a car of this size and weight it corners like it's on rails. I swear it'll take a 90 degree turn going 50 mph with barely any lean. We did manage to do a 360, going about 70 without feeling like it was going to roll over. Two mechanics under a tent on the tarmac were changing tires as fast as they could as the new Goats were reducing the tires to shards in no time especially doing the "drifting". For performance and handling I would rate them a 9 and 8 respectively, the interior (nice!) a 9, but the exterior only a 5 for looking like everyother jelly bean car on the road. And yes, you can't beat the sound of a big throaty V8 with a tuned exhaust system. The '05 with 50 more hp and a few exterior accents/improvements can only have made them better.

therm8

mine was less than on the 8, and the premiums on the 8 are cheap. For an 05 GTO btw.

cas2themoe

In my eyes and what I've seen and heard about them(which I thought anyway's) is its fast as ***** in the straight lines and...................... that's basically it! Car is ugly, too heavy to toss into corners at high speeds and the list of negativity goes on!

cas2themoe

and the only way I ever notice that thing on the street is by its bright yellow that every owner seems to get.

Matt RX8

I'm not really a fan of the GTO. As others said, the styling is too bland. They could have done so much more.

If I was going to buy an American muscle car like that, I'd probably go for the new Mustang or the new Charger.

Still, performance wise, I'm sure the GTO delivers a really good bang for the buck. Never driven one but the numbers look impressive.

MI_FamilyMan

The GTO is not really something you would want to compare to an 8. I would compare it moreso to a Mustang, the upcoming Charger or the 300C. The point of this car is horsepower and bang for the buck. If I was considering a GTO, the Mustang would probably be the only other car I would test drive because there isn't much else that falls into its category. The GTO is just way too heavy and fugly for my tastes though. However, I'm sure the engine makes it fun at stoplights and stuff like that.

irish8

Here's the GTO in Holden clothing....IMO the wheels are nicer than the us spec. Also, the interior on the GTO is fantasic looking!!

- Irish

BlueEyes

The GTO definitely would not handle as well as the 8, but it sure as hell handles well enough for the majority of car enthusiasts out there. I have driven a mustangs at a few Solo I events and there is no arguing that most people think they are fat beasts which handle like garbage and are only good for straight lines. However, we stuck a set of R compound tires on the thing and it more than held its own around the corners and was a blast to drive, it made a remarkable difference. Considering that most people with 8 don't use 8/10's of the handling capabilities of this car, even less than that for people who never visit the track, I really don't buy the argument that the GTO doesn't handle well enough.

To each their own and all that junk, but it just seems a little silly to knock the handling of a car whose limits people would rarely exceed.

That said, I agree they are fat pigs, and I would still rather an 8.

irish8

Interior shot....fantastic!!



- Irish

BlueEyes

It does look good eh? I like the red faced gauages, I would like them more if the were yellow faced! The red carpetting or alacantara is sharp too. I wish more car manufactures would rap the dash and wheel in that stuff, it's classy and racey

MIGoat