Features
Gallery 1
IN THE Noughties veteran car executive Bob Lutz was king of the General Motors hill.
The ex-BMW, Ford and Chrysler man re-joined GM in September 2001 as Vice Chairman of Product Development and was promoted to Chairman of GM North America shortly after. He remained in this role, while also briefly serving as President of GM Europe at the same time, before moving to Head of Global Product Development in 2005.
Basically, what Bob Lutz wanted, Bob Lutz got, and Bob Lutz wanted a Holden Monaro. Lutz was a big fan of Holden, seeing GM’s Australian arm as the little engine that could. Specifically, it could make a very good car with relatively little resource.
Initially available with the 5.7-litre LS1 V8, the GTO received a unique camshaft and dual-exhaust system to boost outputs to 260kW/500Nm, changes that would also appear on the Aussie Monaro.
MORE
Fast Car History?
Despite those same journalists praising the GTO’s performance and dynamics, the criticism clearly stuck as buyers stayed away, not helped by the strong Aussie dollar pushing the price higher than expected. All in all, 40,758 GTOs were sold – an impressive number by local standards, but well short of GM’s high expectations.
Nonetheless, the GTO export program helped amortise Monaro development costs and paved the way for the future Chevrolet SS.
2004-06 Pontiac GTO specs: Engine: 5665cc/5967cc V8, OHV, 16v Power: 260kW @ 5600rpm/298kW @ 5200rpm Torque: 500Nm @ 4000rpm/542Nm @ 4000rpm Weight: 1686kg 0-100km/h: 5.5sec (LS1) /5.0sec (LS2) Price new: US$31,290-$33,690
3 Fast Facts
1. Playing dress ups
2. Choose your weapon
3. Behind the wheel
