1st Impression - GTO

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Ditto!

Here's what I've learned about 16 year olds today and their parents.

1. Kids are smart these days. Far smarter than my generation at that age. Just my opinion, but I think others would agree.

2. Kids are far more saavy to the ways of the world today than when I was growing up. In other words, a straight A student can also be selling bootleg speed pills over the internet, and he's smart enough to keep his mouth shut — and no one, not even his best friend knows he's doing it. He's squirreled the money away and is scheming to buy a Porsche the day he goes off to college, which his parents are paying for because they don't know he's got $40k growing in his Fidelity brokerage account.

3. My friends with teenaged kids actually think they know what their kids are doing or not doing most of the time. What a load of crap. Their kids are all smiles and straight A's around them and act like gangsters when the parents are out of sight. Many teenage kids today have a strong dual persona.

Geez. I re-read this before I posted it and I am officially an old geezer at 45! One would expect me to come out with "cut your hair and get a job and start paying taxes like the rest of us, you snot-nosed little brat!"

Sooo true. I once had my car stolen. Made a few phone calls (I was working in law enforcement at the time) and got the car back. Later found out the guy pivotal in all of this was a guy who used to be in my AP Physics class! He was going to Med School and funding it all with all sorts of illegal activities.
This line between what is just and what's a way to quick cash has completely been lost on young people. Same goes for young women and sex, having a sex tape and being a nice A student doesn't clash with these kids today.

anyhooters.... back to young people and fast cars. I used to drive very very fast on public roads. When I had an unmarked police car at my disposal it was like the worst thing that could have happened. People would just get out of your way. But once I started receiving professional high peformance driving instruction everything changed. I realized how little I knew and how clueless others on the road were. The result was I drove slower on streets and avoided highways whenver possible, particularly at night when the drunks are out.

[spark00]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

I drove slower on streets and avoided highways whenver possible, particularly at night when the drunks are out.

I don't drive fast not because of fear of speed and losing control but more of other drivers not paying attention when they are driving. Sound like an old man at 31 but defensive driving is priority for me on the road.

[humara]

Originally Posted by NickCats

My co-worker bought her 16 yr old son a Pontiac GTO for his birthday ( she told him she would if he got straight A's ) and she brought it to work yesterday and let me take it for a spin.

Nice car, more of a luxury coupe than a pure sports car ( with a big old engine - 400 hp ). Very quick off the line, nice interior, and Blaupunkt stereo.

Gotta say, though, once I got back in the Box for the ride home, I still like my car a hell of a lot better

Nick

obviously i am not going to debate the merits of shoehorning a big v8 into an otherwise mundane car, but damn, that is about the ugliest POS out on the road. this truly is a case of the "putting lipstick on a gorilla". since it is so fast, you'd think they'd at least make the back of it nice.

[Pat]

Proof you can't polish a turd.

[Perfectlap]

ouch...tough crowd.

For an American car its not so bad. I saw a red one in traffic yesterday and it caught my eye. I dind't realize it was a Pontiac until I looked closer.
I think last year they had a TV movie where the new GTO was like a central theme with a ton of Pontiac commercials. At one point the main character had to disguise the GTO to avoid the police so they modified it with new paint and new wheels.
Can't believe I sat through the whole thing...

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

ouch...tough crowd.

For an American car its not so bad

You're kidding, right? It looks exactly like a Sunbird. It may be quick, but that thing is a disgrace to one of the most revered names in Musclecardom.

[spark00]

Originally Posted by Grizzly

You're kidding, right? It looks exactly like a Sunbird. It may be quick, but that thing is a disgrace to one of the most revered names in Musclecardom.

Totally agree with Grizzly about it being disgrace to American Muscle cars. I love the way vintage muscle cars look but whatever they are producing these days are just ugly. I wanted to stay away from commenting on look of GTO since it is more personal taste question but I can't get over how it looks as ugly as Cavaliers. Most of us in this forum has some idea on what looks good since we drive one of better looking cars out there. Maybe I'm not seeing it but GTO is one ugly car with gas guzzling engine in it. I heard this from someone and it's somewhat true these days about American auto industry. "Americans don't make cars, they make people transporting devices with 4 wheels"

[zackwatt]

WOW Guys, It's hard to watch you trash one of my favorite cars.

First off, I know its got a Pontiac badge, and that instantly takes away any possible coolness. For those who don't know this is what this car really is:



A Holden Monaro, for the Aussi's, or a Vauxhall Monaro for the European Union.
This is a great car, especially for the money. For those of you who are Top Gear fans, you understand that this is good simple Australian muscle and that this car handles! This car fools alot of people, but it can keep up with many of the mighty cars of today. I also like the looks. I admit they are love it or hate it, but the simple clean look is timeless and classic. Although I've been known to have poor taste . The downfall of this car was poor advertising. It's that simple. I think GM did the best they could to have this car live up to the GTO name, It just did not work out. I like it better as a Monaro anyway. At least they did not ruin the name like Dodge did to the Charger.
Don't let that Pontiac Dress blind you from a truly great car.

[spark00]

zackwatt, you can't have poor taste since you seem to own 2 of my favorite cars, FX and Boxster. i'll see if i can forgive you for liking the looks of GTO. haha.

not the right thread but Top Gear Rocks!!

[xxxalexxxx]

I have to disagree with everyone on this one, maybe its because im younger (23) but when i was 16 i had a red 400hp+ corvette and i didnt crash it, kill anyone or anything like that lol I never even got a speeding ticket in that thing. so i think it depends on what the kid is like, hes a straight A student so he sounds like hes responsible. Id had about 4-5 incidents with some soccer moms on their phones almost ran me off the street in their huge vans cuz they werent paying attention yet ive had no bad expiriances with young kids driving...

although I agree an autocross event is a great idea and its something he'll probably really enjoy.

[xxxalexxxx]

Ive driven my friends GTO its a great car and yes it has a great interior IMO, i gotta say i perfer my friends seats over my 06 box stock seats. They're wayyy more comfortable

[humara]

Originally Posted by zackwatt

WOW Guys, It's hard to watch you trash one of my favorite cars.

First off, I know its got a Pontiac badge, and that instantly takes away any possible coolness. For those who don't know this is what this car really is:



A Holden Monaro, for the Aussi's, or a Vauxhall Monaro for the European Union.
This is a great car, especially for the money. For those of you who are Top Gear fans, you understand that this is good simple Australian muscle and that this car handles! This car fools alot of people, but it can keep up with many of the mighty cars of today. I also like the looks. I admit they are love it or hate it, but the simple clean look is timeless and classic. Although I've been known to have poor taste . The downfall of this car was poor advertising. It's that simple. I think GM did the best they could to have this car live up to the GTO name, It just did not work out. I like it better as a Monaro anyway. At least they did not ruin the name like Dodge did to the Charger.
Don't let that Pontiac Dress blind you from a truly great car.

it's not ugly because it's a pontiac. it's just ugly. call it what you want, holden monaro, vauxhall, whatever. the brand doesn't change the looks. it's fine to have a fast and ugly car. i had a wrx for 3 years. another great (ugly) car for the money. great value, sure. great looking, no. it's just bad. any positive attributes you see in the car are from its performance, not from its looks.

[zackwatt]

That must prove it then, I have liked the 3 previous generations of the WRX. I hate the new one. Also like the way the GTO looks. Like I've said, I've been known to have poor taste. LOL

[SC986]

I am surprised that there is 400hp under the hood. Never would have thunk it.

I think it's a crime for this to wear a GTO badge. Truly a great muscle car that deserves its legacy or a revival worthy of its past. Just cheap attempt by Pontiac to get sales of the name.

And this coming from a former fan, I had a 72 GTO 455 and 73 455 Trans Am.

Oh well.

Looks pretty funky with 400hp if you ask me. I'd trade for a day.

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by zackwatt

For those who don't know this is what this car really is:
A Holden Monaro, for the Aussi's, or a Vauxhall Monaro for the European Union.

My point exactly...You don't take some already in production car, regardless of how good it may be, slap a new grille in it and call it a GTO. For those who don't know, the original GTO was the first true musclecar. It started what I consider to be one of the greatest, if not the greatest, periods in the history of the automobile. I'm not a GM fan necessarily, but it is impossible to discount the original GTO's contribution to automotive history. Without the Goat, many of the most desirable nameplates on the planet may never have come to be. While a few manufacturers have been able to successfully evoke the passion of their golden past, Pontiac certainly missed the mark with the new GTO.



If you want to see how to do it right, just check out the 2005 Ford GT, 2008 Dodge Challenger, 2008 Chevrolet Camaro or 2008 Shelby GT500KR.

[humara]

Originally Posted by Grizzly

My point exactly...You don't take some already in production car, regardless of how good it may be, slap a new grille in it and call it a GTO. For those who don't know, the original GTO was the first true musclecar.

Umm, isn't that exactly what the original GTO was? they took some already in production car (the tempest) and slapped a new grille and engine in it and called it a gto. the name gto isn't even original. the name was "inspired by" ferrari. and when they say "inspired by" they mean ripped off. that coke head john delorean probably didn't even know what gto stood for.

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by humara

Umm, isn't that exactly what the original GTO was? they took some already in production car (the tempest) and slapped a new grille and engine in it and called it a gto. the name gto isn't even original. the name was "inspired by" ferrari. and when they say "inspired by" they mean ripped off. that coke head john delorean probably didn't even know what gto stood for.

The difference is that when Gee, Delorean, Estes, Knudsen, Wangers and the others got together and built the first muscle-car, they were doing something totally new. They took a cheap, midsized car, stuffed it full of motor and went hunting a previously unfulfilled market.

The fact that they named the car GTO was no accident. They pilfered the name on purpose, as a tongue in cheek shot at Ferrari. The purists went nuts, which was exactly what marketing genius Jim Wangers was hoping. It caused a stir within the automotive community and attracted a lot of attention that the car may not have otherwise garnered. One of the car magazines at the time actually pitted the Ferrari GTO against the Pontiac GTO. Much to Ferrari's chagrin, the Pontiac handily outran the Ferrari in straight-line acceleration (the only thing Pontiac really cared about), further solidifying the Goat's street cred.

Those guys built an entire automotive movement by doing something that hadn't been seen before, and targeting a specific and under-served market segment. As a result, the Pontiac GTO name became automotive legend. Pontiac made a bad choice when they chose to revive the nameplate and stick it on a completely uninspiring vehicle, which doesn't give even the slightest nod to GTO's history.

Had Pontiac taken the performance of their current car and wrapped it in an attractive body, which was reminiscent of the GTO's storied past, the car could have been great, and Pontiac's sales numbers might have reflected their success. Instead, they dropped the ball, and the final chapter in GTO's history is one of dismal sales numbers for a fast Sunbird look-alike.

[yellowboxster01]

Grizzly are you speaking of the 288GTO?

Grizzly, good history lesson. Thanks!