Leave it alone?

[BrdWAtti2d]

Ok I’m sure this has been hashed and rehashed here before but it’s been a couple days since I’ve seen a heated discussion and I thought I’d shake things up a bit, and I think this is worth saying again.

I saw a post here where one of the members, which will go nameless (you know who you are); made a comment on a pic posted of the “new” GTO, saying how great it looked.

My personal belief is that some things should be left alone. I owned a 68 GTO and would give my right arm to have it back, ok maybe just my right toe. Anyway, I feel that resurrecting a classic car line is like a cheap Vegas Elvis no matter how great the car is. Same for Chevy’s resurrection of the Camaro, just leave it alone GM, you built a great car, build another great car, but don’t try to ride on your forefather’s coattails.

Hopefully Pontiac learned their lesson with the GTO and they don’t try this with the Firebird.

But then again, half the music I hear today is the butchering of an old classic. Guess it’s just the times we live in.

[Performin Norman]

Let me get some popcorn. Be right back. LOL

[ConElite]

I don't know, While I don't share your views on resurrecting the GTO or the Camaro was a bad idea, I do agree somethings should be left alone. The GTO is a great car and you have to remember that its all about Money. Peoples pride can sometimes be bought out. The GTO is an Amazing car and extremely well designed. With the LSx in there, its even better. This could just be that they wanted to test that new platform for future Muscle cars. You never know. Good topic but not so much for a heated debate. (Then again I'm young so the older guys might have a different view)

[Joe 1320]

Personally, if you were to remove the emblems from the new GTO and evaluate it without any bias, it's not a bad car at all. My only gripe is the method needed to access the rear seats. Whether or not it has a GTO badge on it or not, it is what it is. A nice running modern musclecar.

[MunsonGTA]

98 GTO? is that suppose to be 68 GTO?

[BrdWAtti2d]

Lol, yes, '68. My mistake.

[MunsonGTA]

this is the only newer GTO i ever really liked. the stock GTO is a great car performance wise, i just don't care for the looks very much.

http://www.supercars.net/cars/3030.html

[wolfdogs]

its a Holden Monaro in Pointiac Skin. Plain and simple. And I love it.

[wolfdogs]

so....i guess its out of the question for Ford to bring back the Model T?

Actually, just because a car company stops making a certain model, does not mean they should not bring that model back. Ive been in auto industry my whole career. most arms of it, i might add. Look how different the 67 Camaro is from the 2002....... but because it was continued to be built...that made it "ok?".......... models come and go..... some are brought back with success, some are not.

Bob Lutz was in Australia on business and Holden loaned him a Monaro........ he said after driving it a couple of days "this is the next GTO"...... i guess he was serious......

there are quite a few very happy owners of these cars out there...enjoying the "bmw ride" and smooth torque of the LS2 especially..........

[BrdWAtti2d]

I don't know, to me it's like retiring a hall of famers number. But I'm something of a purist, I don't mod my cars either. Let's put it this way, if Chevy brought back the Vega and slapped Camaro on the side that would be ok too?

[sneitzel]

if Chevy brought back the Vega and slapped Camaro on the side that would be ok too?

If they put a 500+ HP LS motor and 6 speed in it?....maybe...

[Steel2686]

Look how different the 67 Camaro is from the 2002....... but because it was continued to be built...that made it "ok?"

This is probably the best arguement I've read for bringing back a name, and I agree with it 100%.

Even the Mustang had some rough patches (remember the Mustang II ?). People won't think Mustang II when someone brings up the Mustang. People won't usually think of the hatchback 80's car when someone mentions the Daytona.

The Charger? Well... Someone may think of today's machine as well as the 60's beast... But only because Dodge put a Hemi in the new version. Not everyone loves the new Charger, but not everyone loved the old one either.

I'm all for bringing back a name, as long as it's along the same idea (V8 RWD brought back as a V8 RWD, etc...).

[Dave-S]

Any car with a long life under a single nameplate had good years and bad years. Quite frankly, the last few years of the GTO's life in the 70's were an utter disgrace to the nameplate. Who can forget the 1974 Goat?




But then again, a new car that's a great design doesn't need to stand behind a nameplate so they can give it whatever name they want. But a bad car that gets the nameplate of something that we all revere is a different story. For me, the current GTO deserves that name a lot more than that 1974 model did.

[wolfdogs]

I don't know, to me it's like retiring a hall of famers number. But I'm something of a purist, I don't mod my cars either. Let's put it this way, if Chevy brought back the Vega and slapped Camaro on the side that would be ok too?

so..are you saying the current GTO is as inferior to the old gto as a Vega is to the Camaro?

if so.........

you have a rude awakening........


my first new car was a 67 Camaro... i bought it myself. Ive driven all the muscle cars through the years, and I'm somewhat of a pursuit too. I also have owned some very rare Birds, both of which are sold now.... and I mod, but mostly tune the cosmetics, saving all the old parts just in case.... some cars got motors pulled and rebuilt, ie: my 97 Comp T/A, 1 of 47 built in 97...some got hardly nothing, ie: my 87 iroc powered Trans Am, some got the works, my 68 SS 396 Chevelle...which was turned into a street legal B modified production drag car...

Out of all the muscle cars I have owned, including vetts, this car I have now rocks the pavement better and gives a better ride on cruises, has more stock power and torque, and has been, by far, the most trouble free of all. GM chose to bring back the gto on this platform...using this engineering...... and quite frankly, it lives up to the GTO status of old....... its a "hot car" and the owners love it, and it romps most other cars in its price range and more.



and the interior is one of the finest GM has offered in a car in this price range:





it comes stock with cold air induction, and you can reach in and touch each sparkplug with your whole hand. the plumbing is out of the way.



with the optional sports appearance package, it sets the standard higher. it gets alot of looks..and generates a lot of questions on "what is that"... add a few coats of Zaino and you got an eye peeler...



regards.

[Injuneer]

Having been the original owner of a 1966 GTO 389 Tri-Power (unfortunatley long gone), I'd have no problem at all jumping in a contemporary GTO and enjoy owning it. The whole argument is silly. What does the 1974 pictured above have to do with being a GTO? Nothing. Yet the modern GTO fulfills the performance image of the original much better. I'll take a mid-size car with a honking engine any day..... doesn't matter what year they decided to build it, or what label they put on it.