Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2003 19:56:20 +1200
Reply-To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: (NVC) New "Pontiac GTO" released in US
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Quoting "Wheels" Feb issue:
The highlight of an otherwise flat Los Angeles Auto Show was the
official US introduction of the Pontiac GTO, our [Holden] Monaro in
its Stars and Stripes suit.
Despite looking a bit over-ripe around the nose, as the initial
image sketches of the GTO indicated, the final car is a lot tidier
than many people thought it would be.
It's too neat for some GTO hardliners, apparently. The main whinge
is that the car doesn't look tough enough (which in this context
means 'crude').
Said whining was mainly from owners of genuine GTOs. It doesn't
matter that '60s or '70s technology would never meet all manner of
modern regulations, these guys just aren't in the market for a new
car of any kind.
Another oft-heard remark from the same group was that the car was
too small. Since it is smaller than a destroyer escort, many
Americans probably do consider it tiny.
The reaction from non-GTO owners was, on the other hand,
overwhelmingly positive. A preview of the car to members of Pontiac's
California dealer organisation had some of the normally blasé sales
types drooling. One even put up his hand to say: "Forget the other 49
states; we can sell all 18,000 here in California."
Prospective customers displayed a similar lack of restraint. One
Californian we spoke to had cancelled his order on a similarly prices
Infiniti G35 Coupe - otherwise known as a V35 Skyline Coupe - despite
the fact he would have taken delivery of the Infiniti in March and
the GTO won't arrive until some time in October, at the earliest.
Pricing of the GTO is expected to be in the US$30,000 to US$35,000
window. This will make the GTO Pontiac's most expensive model, but
will also place it squarely against its natural enemies, such as
Ford's Mustang performance models.
The only potential problem is that the agreement GM made with the
powerful United Auto Workers Union in the US - to keep the GTO
volume below 20,000 - may not even cover half the demand for the car.
A little more demand than supply is nice, but when the former is
double the lattewr, things can get very ugly indeed.
________________________________________________________________________________
I must say that they tested the Mustang and it just wasn't in the
running... for quality, sophistication etc, much less handling. Not
sporty in any way. But no doubt the Monaro will get detuned
suspension in its GTO guise...
Wonder if any US buyers would want to retrofit genuine Holden Monaro badges?
The Monaro is the coupe version of the Holden Commodore sedan/wagon,
sold in Brasil as Chevrolet Omega and in South Africa as Chevrolet
something-or-other. The Monaro may also be exported to Britain, where
no doubt Vauxhall badges will be tacked on.
Monaro is correctly pronounced mon-ah~-roe, not like Camaro
kam-air-oh. but being exCanadian, I just say mon-air-oh...
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