We are in the market for a new car in the next 6 months or so. We are looking a the Charger, Mustang, Cadillac CTS, and I thought we would look at the GTO as well on-line. You can't pull up the GTO as a car to price out. All the other Pontiacs are there, so I guess they have quit making it. I'm I wrong?

It is gone the G8 is whats going to replace it.

Actually the G8 is replacing the Grand Prix.
2006 was the last year of the GTO because they also stopped making the Monaro, which is what the GTO platform was based off of.
Every week there are rumors about either the GTO or the Firebird/Trans Am being the sister car to the new Camaro coming out in 2009.

[This message has been edited by Oreif (edited 06-18-2007).]

Gone. It was imported from OZ (Australia). It's a Holden. The Holden "VE Commodore" is the Pontiac "G8".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden

quote Originally posted by FierociousGT: Gone. It was imported from OZ (Australia). It's a Holden. The Holden "VE Commodore" is the Pontiac "G8". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden

Yep, that would be the beast. Read the Reviews on the SS commodore (G8). You will buy it before the others.

I drew some heat for my comments when guys were fawning over the 'new' GTO. I took one look at the car and determined it looked like a late 90's Cavalier. Not the same body, but the same style. Not innovative enough in my book, and not much wonder it didn't last. Just a comment from the cheap seats. I do think we'll have a new Firebird to compliment the Camaro, after they determine if the new Camaro will 'fly'.

Arn

quote Originally posted by Oreif: Actually the G8 is replacing the Grand Prix. 2006 was the last year of the GTO because they also stopped making the Monaro, which is what the GTO platform was based off of. Every week there are rumors about either the GTO or the Firebird/Trans Am being the sister car to the new Camaro coming out in 2009.

I need to look around a little bit but I read somewhere (I think in a magizine) that the trans am is coming back around the same time as the camaro, I think a year later.

I thought the G8 was replacing the Bonneville,not the Grand Prix?

quote Originally posted by wikid_one: I thought the G8 was replacing the Bonneville,not the Grand Prix?

The Grand Prix is being renamed the G8, thats about the jist of it, just like they renamed the grand am and the cavalier.

I didn't care for GTO when it first came out, glorified Grand Prix, IMHO. Since we were looking I thought, what the heck lets give it a second look, now it's gone.

I did test drive a Caddy CTS-V with a 400 HP 6.0 today. It's RWD and was fun to drive. I'm leaning towards it right now. It will the wifes car to drive, something is wrong about that I think.

[This message has been edited by Earl-R (edited 06-18-2007).]

quote Originally posted by 86GT3.4DOHC: The Grand Prix is being renamed the G8, thats about the jist of it, just like they renamed the grand am and the cavalier.

Pontiac is going to desinations rather than names on the redesigns:
G8 = Grand Prix
G6 = Grand Am
G5 = Sunfire
G4 = Sunfire (Mexico) Called Pontiac Pursuit in Canada
G3 = Daewoo Gentra/Chevy Aveo (Mexico/Europe) Called the Pontiac Wave in Canada

quote Originally posted by wikid_one: I thought the G8 was replacing the Bonneville,not the Grand Prix?

Per Pontiac HPP Magazine:
The Pontiac G8 is a rear-wheel drive sedan produced by General Motors (Holden) to be released for the 2008 model year under the Pontiac name. It is a replacement for the Pontiac Grand Prix, which ceases production after the 2008 model year with one year of overlapping. The G8 will be Pontiac's first full-size car since the Bonneville was discontinued in 2005.

Hence why some magazines say it's a Grand Prix replacement and others think it's a Bonneville replacement.

quote Originally posted by 86GT3.4DOHC: The Grand Prix is being renamed the G8, thats about the jist of it, just like they renamed the grand am and the cavalier.

IIRC, Not entirely a rename job. The G6 is a different platform from the Grand Am also. (GA=N-Body, G6=Epsilon platform). The G8 is on the Zeta (RWD) platform, so is replacing, but not a rename of the Grand Prix/Bonneville, since I believe that both of those are FWD.

But Yes, the GTO is done for now. It is my opinion that if they had called it ANYTHING ELSE, it would have sold quite well (and leave the Holden body panels on it!). The car itself reviewed well in all of the publications that I saw, and when I test drove one, (6.0 LS2, 400 HP T56 trans), it would MOVE. It handled like a much smaller car, a very taut suspension, yet carried itself like the big car that it is. 60 mph in 6th gear is 1500 rpm, so fuel economy wasn't as bad as you might think (mid 20-s).

If you don't mind used, you can get a GTO for VERY reasonable, and they are VERY nice cars.

2008 Pontiac Trans AM - Firebird?!

[This message has been edited by FierociousGT (edited 06-18-2007).]

quote Originally posted by FierociousGT: 2008 Pontiac Trans AM - Firebird?!

I can sum that up in one word... ewwwwwww

Try a Charger. Dont waste time with a v6. Get the Hemi. The cost will mostly be absorbed when you resell it. The Hemi gets better gas milage and is WAY more fun. Thats not based on manufacturer stuff. Thats real world from people I know in my Dodge club. Ride is cushy like a Caddy or Lincoln. Ive had very few, very minor problems in 3 years. Rumor is after the Challenger is out for a while, there will be a 6.3 550 hp Hemi. Only real consistent problem Ive seen is the cheapo Continental tires that are gone in 15,000. Make them swap on the Michelin if it dont have them. The Goodyears they put on suck even worse. Lots of the guys have had problems with them being out of round. Cant lose anything to try it and if you dont like it, you dont have to buy it. I think youll be sold though. I have the sister (Magnum) and I havent had a GTO beat me yet.

Im still on record btw, that no one will ever see a new Camaro. At least any semblence of the concept or the 'one' Jay Leno is supposed to get/ got.

[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 06-18-2007).]

quote Originally posted by FierociousGT: 2008 Pontiac Trans AM - Firebird?!

Call me demented, but I LOVE it !

(((\i/))) Batmobile Returns

quote Originally posted by FierociousGT:

[This message has been edited by Vonov (edited 06-18-2007).]

That car is badass ! They better build it.

------------------
ARCHIES JUNK IS FASTER THAN SHAUNNA'S JUNK

Call me crazy, but I think the lines go better with an older version of the F-body they're copying off of:

Vonov the old one does look better.IMHO.

The new pic unfortunately looks like Cadillac's head office did the design. Put it along side the Caddy sports car and you have two boxy looking rich boys' cars. They just don't look tough to me. It's sort of like the Mercedes gull wing. Everybody says how great they are, but did you ever see somebody with performance in mind drive one? I just don't like the shoe box design. Call me biassed.

Arn

Or better yet, and a closer match still:
Look at the roofline and rear fender especially---

[This message has been edited by Vonov (edited 06-18-2007).]

my personal fav

Does anyone notice a *slight* resemblance? Yecch...1978...overweight and underpowered

I think you hit the nail right on the head there.

I know at least three people who special-ordered their Trans Ams so they could get them without that god-awful choking chicken on the hood.

quote Originally posted by Arns85GT: I drew some heat for my comments when guys were fawning over the 'new' GTO. I took one look at the car and determined it looked like a late 90's Cavalier. Not the same body, but the same style. Not innovative enough in my book, and not much wonder it didn't last. Just a comment from the cheap seats. I do think we'll have a new Firebird to compliment the Camaro, after they determine if the new Camaro will 'fly'. Arn

Cheap seats? Did you ever actually sit in one?
Having owned a Monaro I can comfortable say they were some of the best seats I have ever had in a car, and that is after owning 76 cars.

quote Originally posted by Vonov: Or better yet, and a closer match still: Look at the roofline and rear fender especially---

That should be obvious, since the Camaro is a retro-'69 style. Why they used a second gen styling for the TA drawings is beyond me. They need to do it as a '69 Firebird reimagined - same as the Camaro.

quote Originally posted by FierociousGT: 2008 Pontiac Trans AM - Firebird?!

This had better be somebodies' idea of a joke.

quote Originally posted by AusFiero: Cheap seats? Did you ever actually sit in one? Having owned a Monaro I can comfortable say they were some of the best seats I have ever had in a car, and that is after owning 76 cars.

View from the cheap seats means, he is commenting from the position of not buying (playing the game) one and just an observers opinion. It has nothing to do with the vehicle seats.

Yeah, Aus, I think you just got tangled up in a genuine American figure of speech, lol...

The U.S. and the U.K., and Australia --- all countries separated by a common language, hehe...

If they bring back the Firebird/Trans Am and it looks similar to the pics, I'd buy one. I really like the look. If I recall the original Camaro designs were done buy a guy who won a car design contest. He later mocked up the T/A.

I think GM is actually trying to make some bolder designed cars. Mopar has some very good looking cars now and has had a reputation of actually bringing cars to the market. It use to be that when someone made concept cars it was rare that they ever made it to market. Now it seems many are actually making an effort to change that.

quote Originally posted by Oreif: If they bring back the Firebird/Trans Am and it looks similar to the pics, I'd buy one. I really like the look. If I recall the original Camaro designs were done buy a guy who won a car design contest. He later mocked up the T/A. I think GM is actually trying to make some bolder designed cars. Mopar has some very good looking cars now and has had a reputation of actually bringing cars to the market. It use to be that when someone made concept cars it was rare that they ever made it to market. Now it seems many are actually making an effort to change that.

And more power to 'em! In a world of cookie cutter imports with little or no soul, and less character, Detroit's salvation may lie in the rich styling heritage they have to draw from. If you want efficiency, buy a Honda; if you want power and beauty, buy a Challenger. It also seems to me that in most of the cases I'm aware of, where a concept car was brought to market, the company involved had a runaway hit on their hands, unless it was too expensive to produce, such as the case with the Plymouth Prowler (everybody wanted one, they just couldn't afford 'em, plus the engine choice was wrong for the type of car, IMHO). Look at GM's experience with the Mako Shark, which GM produced in a modified form as the late 60's thru early 80's Corvette.

EDIT: I really hope Mopar doesn't pull some kind of engineering/production boner (such as gave our cars the rep for being firetraps) that invites unfortunate comparisons to the last "Challenger" that was launched (talking NASA here).

[This message has been edited by Vonov (edited 06-19-2007).]

quote Originally posted by Vonov: And more power to 'em!

yep, that too! the power should actually be closer to the same as it was in the late 60's early 70's for the camaro and the trans am(or firebird) if they make it.

quote Originally posted by AJ7: yep, that too! the power should actually be closer to the same as it was in the late 60's early 70's for the camaro and the trans am(or firebird) if they make it.

Actually they will have more. The way they did horsepower ratings back then was different than the SAE standard used today.
A 350hp engine today actually has more power than a 350hp engine back in the 60's/70's just because of how they rated them.

And it should be lighter, and will definitely handle better; heck, just the tire technology has come so far from those days (my '71 Camaro first had radial tires put on it around 1978---made a world of difference, both in handling and ride) it's amazing. Can any of you who are old enough to remember, imagine what it would be like riding on a ten inch wide bias-ply tire with a two inch (or less) sidewall???

*shudder*

If I remember correctly from an article I read when it was first announced, the cancellation of the GTO has a lot to do with poor sales and a new safety standard going into effect that would require a redesigned platform which = $$$. Since the new GTO was built on an already existing platform it was a relatively inexpensive model for GM to bring to the consumer. Now that a major rework and investment would have to occur they axed it.

But what will a V8 Bird/Camaro cost?

Look what they're charging for the Solstice/Sky.. and on that note, why do they charge more for a V8 pushrod motor that is internally not all that different from the one built in 75? It's not like we're talking about dual overhead cams, variable timing, turbo.. Basically an air breathing V8 with fuel injection.

I want the blue one

They price things on what they think someone is willing to pay for it...not what it costs them. A 426 hemi engine was like a $600 option in the 60s-70s. Now you pay double that for a single head. Wish i had my current money in 1970. Id have bought like 20 Hemi Cudas and be a multi millionaire. They were only about $3500 brand new if I remember right. 67-69 Camaros would also be a good investment back then.

quote Originally posted by SCCAFiero: View from the cheap seats means, he is commenting from the position of not buying (playing the game) one and just an observers opinion. It has nothing to do with the vehicle seats.

Ok, I better start reading things when I am not tired and brain dead then