2020 gto manual vs automatic Continue While we're here to talk about the Pontiac GTO, lets your fist take a look at my GM muscle car roots. I spent most of my teens and early twenties driving the 1973 El Camino, crashing with a distracted mom football in a minivan destroyed my 1991 Camaro RS, and I have a TPI 5-speed 1988 Firebird Formula that could use the valve work much sooner rather than later. Pontiac GTO It should come as no surprise that I grew up with a courageous in love with the 1969 Pontiac GTO judge. With a standard Ram Air III 400-cid engine that pumped 366 horsepower, and performance parts such as the Hurst T-Handle four-car switch, posi-traction, steering and front disc brakes, as well as a rear deck spoiler, hooded touch and darkened grille, the judge embodied the era of the Pontia muscle car. So I, like many car muscle enthusiasts, couldn't be more disappointed in the fourth generation of GTOs. Which - in case you forgot and you probably did -- were sold from 2004 to 2006. All I liked about the '69-striped-down roadrunner, who looked American and a bully, didn't take himself too seriously-gone. In its place was something quasi-European that looked like a throat lollipop with a GTO stamp on it. I didn't realize this at the time, but it was, in fact the result of the neo-GTO is not GTO at all. That is, the fourth generation of the Pontiac GTO was just a rebadged Holden Monaro, an Australian coupe that was based on the European Opel Omega B, which was actually sold in the US as a Cadillac Catera from 1997 to 2001. Collected at a factory in Elizabeth, southern Australia, all it took to turn Monaro into a GTO were some invigorating body modifications to meet the American accident criteria. Then adding familiar Pontiac front fascia and new badging, including stitching the GTO into the front seats. Incredibly, this supposed GTO was sold in the Middle East as the Chevrolet Lumina SS. GTO Muscle Car Power Despite its incredibly disappointing style and its clearly unamericaed origins, GTO is home to an incredibly muscular powerhouse. The Corvette 5.7L LS1 was powered by GTO in 2004 and 6.0L LS2 in 2005 and 2006. The GTO was available with a six-speed manual transmission in all three years. Only 13,569 of the 15,728 cars were sold in 2004. In 2005, Pontiac added LS2 along with standard measuring bonnet spoons and split rear exhaust fumes. These upgrades pushed the GTO specification to 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Its 0-to-60 MPH time finally had less than 5 seconds left, with a manual transmission. Extra Sports Package The view rendered the GTO somewhat less lollipop-like. Pontiac offered only 11,069 GTOs for sale in 2005 however. In 2006, 13,948 TRPS were produced, which is just over fourth generation GTOs ever made. Reviews of the fourth-generation TRP were mixed. Critics tend to praise the car's specs and performance, but have been, like most of us, baffled by its aesthetics. The bloated MSRP car, with a base price of more than $31,000 over all three years, didn't help. True to its heritage, the '04-'06 GTO was the best when driven in a straight line. While his six-speed manual gearbox was hampered by excessive throw distance. The TRP ended pontiac? So, is the TRP really the end of Pontiac? Can. With the completion of Firebird in 2002, in 2006 the GTO was the last muscle car the automaker ever produced. Worst of all, despite its terrible aesthetics and Australian provenance, with its Corvette C6 transmission GTO easily surpassed (and outperformed) its neo-muscular rivals-charger, Mustang, Camaro, and even Challenger. The good news is that the incredibly fast 2005 GTO with low miles is easily achievable and relatively affordable. Just keep in mind that you are really buying a Holden Monaro with GTO stitched in seats. Pontiac GTOPontiac GTO (1966 and 1969)ReviewManufacterPonttiac (GM) 1964-1974Holden (GM) 2004-2006Production196 4-19742004-2006Boody and chassisClassMuscle car (S) 1964-1973Compact car 1974, 2004-2006LayoutFront-engine, Rear-wheel-driveChronologyPredecessorPontiac Tempest (1963) Pontiac Firebird (2004)SuccessorPontiac G8 (2004-2006) Pontiac GTO is a car, which was manufactured by the American automaker Pontiac from 1964 to 1974 model years, and a subsidiary of GM Holden in Australia from 2004 to 2006 model years. The first generation of the GTO was the first muscle car produced in the 1960s and 1970s. For the 1964 and 1965 model years, the GTO was an additional package on the intermediate sizes of the Pontiac LeMans. The 1964 GTO (VIN) car identification number began at 82, while the 1965 GTO VIN began with 237. GTO became a separate model from 1966 to 1971 (VIN 242...). It again became an additional package for the intermediate LeMans of 1972 and 1973. In 1974, an additional GTO package was offered on a compact ventura. The GTO was selected as the Motor Trend car of the year in 1968. The GTO model was revived from the 2004 to 2006 model years as an import for Pontiac, a left-handed version of the Holden Monaro, itself a variant of the Holden Commodore coupe. In early 1963, General Motors management banned units from participating in motor racing. This followed a voluntary ban on motor racing in 1957, which was introduced by the Automobile Manufacturers Association. By the early 1960s, Pontiac's advertising and marketing approach was largely Performance. With GM's ban on factory racing, Pontiac managers began to emphasize street performance. In his autobiography Glory Days, Pontiac's chief marketing officer, Jim Wangers, who worked for the agency's advertising and public relations division, claims that John DeLorian, Bill Collins and Russ Gee were responsible for creating the GTO. It included converting the upcoming second-generation Pontiac Tempest (which returned to the usual front engine with front transmission configuration) into a sports car, with a large 389 cube in (6.4 litre) Pontiac V8 engine from the full-size Pontiac Catalina and Bonneville instead of the standard 326 cube in the (5.3 litre) V8. By promoting the large-engine option as a special high-performance model, they could appeal to the speed-minded youth market (which was also recognized by Ford Motor's Lee Iacocca, who was at that time preparing a sporty version of the Second Generation Ford Mustang Compact Ford Falcon). GTO ignored GM's policy of limiting the A-body intermediate line to a maximum engine displacement of 330 cc (5.4 litres). But the development team has discovered a loophole in the policy that does not limit the large engines that will be offered as an option. Pontiac CEO Elliot Pete Estes approved the new model, although sales manager Frank Bridge, who did not believe he would find the market, insisted on limiting the initial production of 5,000 cars. The name of the name, which was the idea of DeLorean, was inspired by the Ferrari 250 GTO, a successful racing car. It is an Italian acronym for Gran Turismo Omologato (Grand Tourer homologated), which means that it is officially certified for racing in the Grand Tourer class. Internally, it was originally called the Grand Storm Option, one of many cars in the Pontiac line with the Grand in it. First Generation First GenerationOverviewProduction1964-1967Declared States: Fremont, CaliforniaBaltimore, MarylandPont, MichiganKansas City, MissouriFramingham, MassachusettsBody and chassisBoi style2-door convertible2-door hardtop2-door coupePlatformA-bodyRelatedPontiac TempestPontiac LeMansOld with Car CutlassChevrolet ChevelleBuick SpecialPowertrainEngine389 cu in (6.4 litres) Pontiac V8400 cu in (6.6 litres) Pontiac V8Transmission3-speed mechanical 2 115.0 in (2,921 mm) 7'Length206.4 in (5.2 mm) 7'Length206.4 in (5.2 mm) The first Pontiac GTO was available as an option package for the Pontiac LeMans, available in coupe, hardtop, and convertible body styles. The US$295 package included 389 cubic meters. (6.4 litres) V8 with 325 hp (242 kW) at 4800 rpm with one Carter AFB carb and double exhaust pipes, chrome valve covers and air purifier, seven-bladed clutch fan, three-speed manual gearbox with Hirst shift, tighter springs, larger diameter foreground, wider wheels with 7.50 × 14 red tires, hood scoop and GTO badges. Additional equipment included a four-toe manual transmission, a two-engine automatic super Turbine 300, a more powerful Tri-Power carb engine (three Rochester 2G two-barrel carbs) with a capacity of 348 hp (260 kW), metal drum brake pads, limited sliding differential, ultra-heavy cooling, riding and package handling, as well as a regular set of power and accessories. With each option, the GTO costs about US$4,500 and weighed about 3,500 pounds (1,600 kg). The tachometer was optional, and was placed in the far right dial on the dash. 1964 Pontiac GTO Hardtop The most modern road tests of the automotive press, such as Car Life, criticized slow steering, especially without steering, and inadequate drum brakes that were identical to the usual Tempest. The car and driver caused controversy when he mentioned that the GTO, which was allegedly configured with a Bobcat kit offered by Ace Wilson's Royal Pontiac Royal Oak, Michigan, was clocked at a quarter-mile time of 12.8 seconds and was trapping a speed of 112 mph (180 kph) on the racing spots. More recent reports strongly suggest that the car and driver of the GTOs were equipped with a large 421 cubic in (6.9 litre) engine that was optional in full-size Pontiacs.