I'm sure most people would've guessed this anyway.
Details here, but I'll reproduce it below for the lazy:
No Go for GTO
The Daily Auto Insider
Thursday, February 23, 2006
February 2006
General Motors said it will end production of the Pontiac GTO this summer, the Associated Press reported.
The GTO traces its roots to 1964. It went through seven body styles before it was discontinued in 1974. It was revived as an all-new 2004 vehicle and was produced in Elizabeth, Australia.
The current GTO has a 400-horsepower, six-liter V-8 engine and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in six seconds. It starts at $31,990.
A spokesman said GM decided to phase out the GTO because new airbag regulation was going to require a substantial redesign of the instrument panel, and the GTO's Australian-designed architecture is being phased out worldwide in favor of a new platform.
GTO sales have also tapered off. GM sold 11,590 GTOs in 2005, down 14 percent from the year before. In January, year-over-year sales were down 33 percent, the story said.
^^^ I couldn't agree more. That car could be made into a total straightline beast. Really good competition for the new Mustangs.
Sabre (Julian) 92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
sabre wrote:^^^ I couldn't agree more. That car could be made into a total straightline beast. Really good competition for the new Mustangs.
LOL, big difference is that the mustang comes with a solid rear axle were as the gto has irs. Solid axle equals great for straight line performance stands up to the abusive launchs. IRS is much better for the turns and doesnt stand up to launchs off the line as well as solid axle. Case in point, I have same engine and tranny as a C5. Dont be fouled by gm's lowwer hp for the camaro. They dyno the same hp for both cars. In the 1/4 mile the camaro will turn a faster time than a C5. But then take both to ViR and watch the C5 eat it alive in the turns. Out of the box gto handles well and they are plenty of upgrades that can improve what is a good platform, ie aussie V8 supercar series.
Mr Kleen wrote:the GTO will be back after a year or two on the new [bitchin'] Camaro platform, which is being developed by Holden.
wha, the comaro platform is being developed by ausies? Damn, why do they always get the really cool cars first!!
96 328, heated leather seats... ummm
Gone But not forgotten
'05 Black Sti, the car that started it all
84 944, my first race car.. what a pos
83 944.. 150hp of FURY, Rookie of the year chariot
the Aussies demand RWD cars, so the General has been funding that type of development for a while. now that their engineering department has the experience, why not let them do the development for the new platform? platform sharing is the only way to stay profitable for large auto manufacturers these days. so long as GM sees fit to export the platform around the world [North America!] we all win.
Titanium wrote:
LOL, big difference is that the mustang comes with a solid rear axle were as the gto has irs. Solid axle equals great for straight line performance stands up to the abusive launchs. IRS is much better for the turns and doesnt stand up to launchs off the line as well as solid axle. Case in point, I have same engine and tranny as a C5. Dont be fouled by gm's lowwer hp for the camaro. They dyno the same hp for both cars. In the 1/4 mile the camaro will turn a faster time than a C5. But then take both to ViR and watch the C5 eat it alive in the turns. Out of the box gto handles well and they are plenty of upgrades that can improve what is a good platform, ie aussie V8 supercar series.
Wow, I thought they were a solid rear! I also thought that the Aussie Holden version was AWD too though... Learn something every day!
Sabre (Julian) 92.5% Stock 04 STI
Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
a guy here at work has a Mustang Cobra on order. he said that the dealer told him delivery would be slightly delayed because SVT (or what ever Ford is calling it's performance arm this week...) was going to replace the solid rear with an IRS. I haven't seen anything to verify this, but if I were spending that kind of cash I would want the IRS from the factory.
