No more GTOs
02-21-2006, 07:07 PM
#1
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No more GTOs
2/20/06
Due to changes in US regulatory standards, the current generation of the GTO will cease production at the end of the 2006 model year. The end of the current generation GTO will occur much sooner than we at Pontiac would like, however the necessary redesign to meet U.S regulatory standards would be cost prohibitive.
Since its re-introduction in 2003, the GTO has helped Pontiac solidify its performance reputation by dominating both on and off the track and has brought many new customers into your dealerships, with up to 50% of its buyers coming from outside GM. This current generation of GTO – as the most powerful GTO ever made and priced at only $31,990 - is simply the best performance value in the market today. While no announcement will be made at this time regarding a replacement product, we are strongly committed to performance and feel that there will always be a special need at Pontiac for an expressive, V-8 powered, rear wheel drive vehicle and we are continuing to explore those options for the future. As a statement of our continued commitment to performance, we are very excited to be introducing the 260 HP Solstice GXP turbo later this year to match up with the current 300 HP Grand Prix GXP V-8, and have more GXP variants in the works.
Please be advised that the last consensus period for the 2006 GTO will be the March cycle. The final dealer order submission is currently planned for April 6, 2006. Final build-out production will occur sometime in June.
As consumers become aware that this current generation of the legendary GTO will no longer be available, we expect increased demand. To that end, please review your inventory needs through the balance of the calendar year as there will be no 2007 model. Pontiac will continue to support GTO through the entire 2006 calendar year with marketing efforts and incentive tactics. And our very successful racing programs are set to continue, where Pontiac performance has continued to surprise – and beat – our import competitors.
Although we are closing this current chapter on the legendary GTO, Pontiac keeps getting healthier overall. As you know, Pontiac is realizing solid sales growth as a result of our new products and marketing efforts, with double-digit retail sales increases in recent months as our new products have begun to take hold. As we further introduce the G6 Convertible this spring and the recently announced G5 Coupe later this fall, we fully expect continued growth in a very competitive market. I know you share my great enthusiasm for Pontiac's potential.
Thanks for your continued support and great selling!
John Larson
Pontiac/Buick/GMC
General Manager
Due to changes in US regulatory standards, the current generation of the GTO will cease production at the end of the 2006 model year. The end of the current generation GTO will occur much sooner than we at Pontiac would like, however the necessary redesign to meet U.S regulatory standards would be cost prohibitive.
Since its re-introduction in 2003, the GTO has helped Pontiac solidify its performance reputation by dominating both on and off the track and has brought many new customers into your dealerships, with up to 50% of its buyers coming from outside GM. This current generation of GTO – as the most powerful GTO ever made and priced at only $31,990 - is simply the best performance value in the market today. While no announcement will be made at this time regarding a replacement product, we are strongly committed to performance and feel that there will always be a special need at Pontiac for an expressive, V-8 powered, rear wheel drive vehicle and we are continuing to explore those options for the future. As a statement of our continued commitment to performance, we are very excited to be introducing the 260 HP Solstice GXP turbo later this year to match up with the current 300 HP Grand Prix GXP V-8, and have more GXP variants in the works.
Please be advised that the last consensus period for the 2006 GTO will be the March cycle. The final dealer order submission is currently planned for April 6, 2006. Final build-out production will occur sometime in June.
As consumers become aware that this current generation of the legendary GTO will no longer be available, we expect increased demand. To that end, please review your inventory needs through the balance of the calendar year as there will be no 2007 model. Pontiac will continue to support GTO through the entire 2006 calendar year with marketing efforts and incentive tactics. And our very successful racing programs are set to continue, where Pontiac performance has continued to surprise – and beat – our import competitors.
Although we are closing this current chapter on the legendary GTO, Pontiac keeps getting healthier overall. As you know, Pontiac is realizing solid sales growth as a result of our new products and marketing efforts, with double-digit retail sales increases in recent months as our new products have begun to take hold. As we further introduce the G6 Convertible this spring and the recently announced G5 Coupe later this fall, we fully expect continued growth in a very competitive market. I know you share my great enthusiasm for Pontiac's potential.
Thanks for your continued support and great selling!
John Larson
Pontiac/Buick/GMC
General Manager
02-21-2006, 08:33 PM
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How many were sold? I have only seen 2 on the road in three years, which is the real problem. I think the car was a near total miss. The new Mustang GT has 100 less horsepower and sells for about the same amount and they can't keep them on the lot. Just my two cents.
02-21-2006, 08:57 PM
#12
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^^ styling.
Also the the GTO is pretty damn heavy... moreso than the Mustang I believe. Which helps the Mustang make up for having less horsepower. Besides... the Mustang is also 100hp less expensive. Base for a GT is $25k not $31k like the GTO.
Also the the GTO is pretty damn heavy... moreso than the Mustang I believe. Which helps the Mustang make up for having less horsepower. Besides... the Mustang is also 100hp less expensive. Base for a GT is $25k not $31k like the GTO.
02-21-2006, 09:26 PM
#15
here it is, pulled directly from Automotive News, I have boldfaced some key points in the article. Enjoy.
-----------------------------------------
Pontiac will drop the GTO this year
Jamie LaReau
Automotive News / February 21, 2006 - 10:08 am
DETROIT -- General Motors has told Pontiac dealers that it will discontinue the GTO coupe at the end of this model year. GM will make the last deliveries of the vehicle to dealers by the end of September, sources close to Pontiac say.
GM will produce 10,000 to 12,000 more GTOs before dropping the nameplate, one source close to the situation says. Last year, Pontiac sold 11,590 GTOs compared to 2004 when it sold 13,569. That's a 14.6 percent drop.
When Pontiac launched the GTO in 2003, it projected 18,000 annual sales. The vehicle was criticized for bland styling, and some fans of the original GTO complained that it lacked nostalgic styling cues.
A Pontiac spokesman confirms the GTO will be discontinued after the 2006 model year.
“There are some changes in the federal regulatory standards. One is an airbag deployment standard that would require some very expensive re-engineering of the car,” says Jim Hopson, Pontiac spokesman. “Since the architecture of this car is being phased out around the world it’s not economically feasible to continue this car.”
Pontiac will continue to build the GTO through the end of May, Hopson says. The last “boatload will hit the ground in June”, he adds.
The GTO first came to dealerships in December 2003 as a 2004 model, Hopson says.
The GTO is built on a rear-wheel drive architecture from GM's Holden division in Australia. The present model is going out of production as GM constructs the new Zeta RWD architecture, says the source.
There is no replacement coupe planned at this time and because of the strong Australian and weak U.S. dollar, the GTO had to be priced thousands over where GM originally wanted it -- in the mid-twenties, the source says. "It never did as much volume as we had hoped," the source says.
Pontiac is considering a replacement in the lineup for a RWD performance vehicle, but does not have anything to announce yet, Hopson says.
The GTO suggested retail price starts at $31,990, including shipping. One GM source says, "the 2005 and 2006 were pretty well sold out, and sales were especially strong in areas of GM weakness, like Southern California. It's a shame it has to go -- for now."
-----------------------------------------
Pontiac will drop the GTO this year
Jamie LaReau
Automotive News / February 21, 2006 - 10:08 am
DETROIT -- General Motors has told Pontiac dealers that it will discontinue the GTO coupe at the end of this model year. GM will make the last deliveries of the vehicle to dealers by the end of September, sources close to Pontiac say.
GM will produce 10,000 to 12,000 more GTOs before dropping the nameplate, one source close to the situation says. Last year, Pontiac sold 11,590 GTOs compared to 2004 when it sold 13,569. That's a 14.6 percent drop.
When Pontiac launched the GTO in 2003, it projected 18,000 annual sales. The vehicle was criticized for bland styling, and some fans of the original GTO complained that it lacked nostalgic styling cues.
A Pontiac spokesman confirms the GTO will be discontinued after the 2006 model year.
“There are some changes in the federal regulatory standards. One is an airbag deployment standard that would require some very expensive re-engineering of the car,” says Jim Hopson, Pontiac spokesman. “Since the architecture of this car is being phased out around the world it’s not economically feasible to continue this car.”
Pontiac will continue to build the GTO through the end of May, Hopson says. The last “boatload will hit the ground in June”, he adds.
The GTO first came to dealerships in December 2003 as a 2004 model, Hopson says.
The GTO is built on a rear-wheel drive architecture from GM's Holden division in Australia. The present model is going out of production as GM constructs the new Zeta RWD architecture, says the source.
There is no replacement coupe planned at this time and because of the strong Australian and weak U.S. dollar, the GTO had to be priced thousands over where GM originally wanted it -- in the mid-twenties, the source says. "It never did as much volume as we had hoped," the source says.
Pontiac is considering a replacement in the lineup for a RWD performance vehicle, but does not have anything to announce yet, Hopson says.
The GTO suggested retail price starts at $31,990, including shipping. One GM source says, "the 2005 and 2006 were pretty well sold out, and sales were especially strong in areas of GM weakness, like Southern California. It's a shame it has to go -- for now."
02-21-2006, 09:56 PM
#19
Freedom Costs a Buck o' 5
Whoever had that bright idea is probably looking for a new job today. To put all of that money into research, development and production must have been an enormous investment, and to have the nameplate discontinued after 3 years...not good for GM. Although, I do expect the Solstice to do well. I have seen them on the road, and they are pretty sharp. Alot more aggressive looking than the pre-release photos made it appear, in my opinion.
02-21-2006, 10:20 PM
#20
Registered
Originally Posted by DOMINION
400HP for $29K? WTF? yet they are going to kill this car?
02-22-2006, 05:59 AM
#22
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I definitely would not mind owning one. All that straight line power, and luxury to boot. Say what you want, but for $29-$30k, that car is a great value. It likely failed because there are no cheaper versions of it to boost sales, it's a total gas guzzler, and many people just don't need that kind of power in a daily driver. Even the good cars fail, so I can't look at that car as a failure. It still looks good, and it's got one hell of an engine in it, regardless of it's heavy weight. If I were to buy a muscle car, that would be it. 
02-22-2006, 06:07 AM
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^^Luxury?!?!?!? Have you driven one? My RX8 has more fun stuff in the cockpit. Not to mention the GTO has an unwanted chair vibrator for a back seat. The lack of styling definitely killed this car. If it was more exciting to look at, I would have one.
02-22-2006, 06:25 AM
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^^^^ This is dead on. The car is ugly. It looks like an overweight Grand Prix on steroids. If it weren't just so ugly I would own one. I mean this things got the new LS v8 engine in it!!!
02-22-2006, 07:01 AM
#25
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Originally Posted by Darkrose
^^Luxury?!?!?!? Have you driven one? My RX8 has more fun stuff in the cockpit. Not to mention the GTO has an unwanted chair vibrator for a back seat. The lack of styling definitely killed this car. If it was more exciting to look at, I would have one.
I think you mean amenities. I drove in one last year, and it felt smooth and comfortable, and about as luxurious feeling as a 400hp car can be in that price range. The ride was surprisingly softer then I expected, more so then my RX8 it seemed. Yeah, it was basically like a hopped up Grand Prix, but I am partial, because I always liked the Grand Prix. I guess it's personal preference. I liked the way that car felt, and I wish I was able to drive it. The interior/exterior leaves a lot to be desired I suppose, but I've seen far worse (EXAMPLE: MY STI, EVO ect ect). Not all of us make looks and amenities our focal point. Some people like simple, raw power, with less glamour. What can you do, the GTO lacks style to those who like flashy cars. The RX8 lacks power and torque. Pick one and argue what you think is more important to you.
Last edited by VikingDJ; 02-22-2006 at 07:05 AM.