2009 Pontiac GTO Review and Prices

Consumer Guide’s Impressions of the 2009 Pontiac GTO

Pontiac’s 2008 G8 looks great, but would General Motors do a spinoff “Goat” to atone for the unloved 2004-06 GTO? We don’t think so.

What We Know About the 2009 Pontiac GTO

We hate to say it, but General Motors bombed big time with the 2004-06 Pontiac GTO. Built in Australia to a basic design also used for the 1997-2001 Cadillac Catera sedan, the first GTO in 30 years was like Superman disguised as Clark Kent: rippling with muscle inside, but so drab on the outside that self-respecting Detroit loyalists--and most everyone else--stayed away in Goat-herds. As a result, Pontiac strained to move 36,427 GTOs over three years versus a projected 54,000. And that was with heavy cash on the hood.

Now Holden, GM’s Down Under branch, has come up with a new rear-wheel-drive platform, once called Zeta, for its latest Commodore sedan, which Pontiac will sell in American-market dress as the 2008 G8. It looks like a winner: strong V-6 and V-8 power, multi-link rear suspension, balance and dimensions and dynamics to rival a BMW 5-Series, all for much less moolah. It looks the proper muscle car, too. But it raises two questions. First, would Holden use this to spin off a new Monaro coupe that might sire another GTO? And even if it does, would Pontiac want it? Our answers: Very possibly, and no.

Here’s why. The previous GTO’s Monaro parent sold well enough to justify its existence as an Australian-market exclusive. The “Oz” car market may be small by U.S. standards, but it’s big enough to make the Monaro a reasonably profitable image-builder for Holden. That suggests a new Zeta-based model is only a matter of time. Things here are way different. Having stumbled so badly with the last GTO, Pontiac is doubtless reluctant to try again, especially as midsize coupes remain a tough sell in truck-crazy America.

That doesn’t mean we couldn’t get a new GTO. Pontiac, after all, is frantically reinventing itself as a purveyor of sporty rear-wheel-drive performance cars--and little else--as part of GM’s latest scheme to revive the long-lagging brand. That’s precisely why the Euro-flavored G8 is coming to replace the fusty old front-wheel-drive Grand Prix. A spinoff two-door GTO would be a logical and easy low-cost companion, especially with Holden bearing most of the upfront work and cost. But image-conscious Pontiac marketers could well decide to let sleeping Goats lie, especially now that $3-a-gallon gas and environmental consciousness-raising have returned to cast a cloud over performance cars and those who buy them.

In our view, a new GTO, however tempting a business case it might seem, just doesn’t make sense in the current North American market. Pontiac needs bigger fish to fry, like the G8. A new GTO would be a minnow in the sales pond and a distracting indulgence GM can ill afford right now.

A Notable Feature of the 2009 Pontiac GTO

It would be notable if a 2009 Pontiac GTO even materializes. A few “car nut” publications have run computer-generated photos of what it might look like, allegedly based on information from GM insiders. Such reports still pop up, but seem like wishful thinking in view of GM’s financial situation. Indeed, we understand GM is now reevaluating sales prospects for several Zeta-based cars planned to follow the G8 and Chevrolet’s new 2009-2010 Camaro, this in the face of possible $4-a-gallon gas, global-warming politics, and buyers’ continuing move from cars to car-like crossover SUVs.

Buying Advice for the 2009 Pontiac GTO

And don’t rush to buy even if you can. A new GTO would have to be an absolute stunner--and maybe a convertible, not a coupe--to capture the hearts and minds of the enthusiasts most likely to buy it. Anything less than a fast, gorgeous, gotta-have-it car won’t sell without heavy discounting, and wouldn’t last long anyway.

2009 Pontiac GTO Release Date: If Pontiac does dare another GTO, sales might begin by summer or fall of 2008. Again, though, don’t hold your breath.

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