I took a quick look here and didn't see it posted......

From Automotive News:

Pontiac will drop the GTO this year

DETROIT -- General Motors has told Pontiac dealers that it will discontinue the GTO coupe at the end of this model year. GM will make the last deliveries of the vehicle to dealers by the end of September, sources close to Pontiac say.

GM will produce 10,000 to 12,000 more GTOs before dropping the nameplate, one source close to the situation says. Last year, Pontiac sold 11,590 GTOs compared to 2004 when it sold 13,569. That's a 14.6 percent drop.

When Pontiac launched the GTO in 2003, it projected 18,000 annual sales. The vehicle was criticized for bland styling, and some fans of the original GTO complained that it lacked nostalgic styling cues.

"For the remaining life of the car, it simply wasn't worth the engineering expense or effort to re-certify it as an '07 for a very limited run, when we could continue selling them as '06s," says a source close to GM who is familiar with the program.

The GTO is built on a rear-wheel drive architecture from GM's Holden division in Australia. The present model is going out of production as GM constructs the new Zeta RWD architecture, says the source. There is no replacement coupe planned at this time and because of the strong Australian and weak U.S. dollar, the GTO had to be priced thousands over where GM originally wanted it -- in the mid-twenties, the source says. "It never did as much volume as we had hoped," the source says.

The GTO suggested retail price starts at $31,990, including shipping. One GM source says, "the 2005 and 2006 were pretty well sold out, and sales were especially strong in areas of GM weakness, like Southern California. It's a shame it has to go -- for now."

Another source says that GM has indicated that it would like to have another vehicle in that "space" in the future.

 

This is pretty big news since we've all been assuming there would be a Zeta GTO.

Definitely will stoke the Firebird rumors, as if they needed more stoking.

 

That's an interesting tidbit about the cost "originally planned in the mid twenties."

We all need to remember that no planned replacement doesn't necesarily mean anything other than none approved.

 

Interesting.. so the currency rates may be another factor affecting the new global rwd arch? Thus affecting the near future lineup of cars based on them?

Ugh thats crazy.. GM needs those new cars off the new platforms right now!!

 

This quote right hear reads to me that it wasn't worth making the modifications for the 07 model year. That's fine, but why specifically the 07 year?

Probably because the new GTO will be ready for the 08 model year.

That's my uneducated guess anyway...............

 

I thought everyone knew the GTO was just going ona very short hiatus after 06 to come back for 08. Of course if they never brought it back....Firebird!

 

Many may remember there is technically one year that the corvette wasnt made (1983, if memory serves) while they were tooling up for the C4, so there is a precident. Maybe the same will happen for the GTO

 

It surprises me tha GM would revive the "GTO" and then only have the car around for a short time, stop for a year or two and then bring it back - sounds like some very poor planing to me (or very overzelous market projections that didn't pan out).

As for the Corvette example, as I reacall, there was absolutely no question that the new Corvette was on its way...can we really say we have the same level of assurance for another GTO?

 

I guess the way I read it is that the name is dead period, not that a new GTO is in the pipeline.

 

It was probably a matter of time anyway since the Holden Monaro has already had its production wound up... although I thought that the Vauxhall version and the GTO would float production beyond that since the majority of the overall production was GTO anyway... Monaro for Australia was a small, albeit very successful part of the line despite being responsible for much less than 10,000 units per year.

It will be curious to see if a Zeta GTO will be in the works; if Solstice will indeed be the Pontiac halo car or, if and we're really reaching here - if Firebird returns although all indications point to that not happening - I myself, really think that the 'bird is dead - RIP - even though it was at times my personal pick over the Camaro - depending on year - of course.

 

Yeah, this is how I'm taking it in as well. If GTO is dead, there better be something coming for Pontiac to replace it, whether it be Firebird, G8, or something else that is RWD and V8.

 

It was nice while it lasted.......

Please bring out a 5th gen Firebird! I'd much rather have the Firebird return than the GTO

- People got VERY VERY upset and sad when GM killed the Firebird..... I bet there are very far less people upset about this recent death of the GTO

 

The only news here is that GM wanted to sell the GTO in the mid 20's.

Too bad they couldn't have done that. Things might have turned out differently.

 

Maybe, just maybe....a G8.

 

You know, if Pontiac can get that right, a G8 that is RWD (AWD capable) avaliable V8, aggressive styling, nice interior, good options, then I'm all for it. As a Firebird fan myself, and not turning this into another Firebird thread, if Pontiac can offer a RWD sedan or coupe that is performance oriented then I'd be all set.

Pontiac just needs ti get some exciting vehicles in their lineup other than Solstice.