Classic Car Profile — The GTO
April 2nd, 2010
When it comes to American classics in the muscle car division, it is hard to argue against the Pontiac GTO’s inclusion as one of the most important and sought after machines. This sleek vehicle was produced to eat up the street – not the racetrack – from 1964 to 1974.
The GTO, which is short for Gran Turismo Omologato, is considered the work of engine specialist Russell Gee, chassis engineer Bill Collins and Pontiac’s chief engineer John DeLorean. The design came about after GM announced that divisions were no longer allowed to be involved in auto racing. Instead of building racing machines, they were ordered to create vehicles that offered street performance. The GTO was Pontiac’s answer.
The very first GTOs rolled off the line in 1964 as option packages for the LeMans. They came in convertible, two-door coupe and hardtop coupe styles. With a 6.4L V8 under the hood, dual exhaust, a Carter AFB four-barrel carburetor and a three-speed manual transmission, they were meant to eat up the road. Other models followed with the second generation of the GTO arriving in 1968. This year saw the introduction of the fastback style. Production continued until 1975 when Pontiac turned its attention to other products. There was a reintroduction of this line in 2004, but the updated, redesigned model failed to impress purists.
Today, a classic GTO in restored condition can fetch a rather high sales price. It is not uncommon to find these cars available for sale in a huge range that runs from about $9,000 all the way up to $90,000, depending on the condition and the year. Certain models, like the 1969 GTO RA IV Super Stock, for can even top the range with asking prices of more than $100,000.
While the glory days of GM’s Pontiac division are gone for good, they live on in highly sought after models like the GTO.
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