Pontiac GTO (nee Monaro) tanks in the US

[edo]

I think basically with the new mustang being $10k cheaper & a bloody good looking thing the GTO is hard up against it.
I know the GTO has more hump, a better engine, better suspension (presumably) better handling...but most people buy coupe's because they like the look of them.

http://www.fordvehicles.com/cars/mustang/

[R31t]

Yeah, I'm in the US at the moment. I've seen a couple on the road, but the Pontiac dealer around the corner has about 10 lined up out the front. The mustang is getting quite a bit of attention here at the moment. 300hp for 25k US. I can't believe they've stuck a live rear end in it though.

[TonyJZX]

Yeah, I'm in the US at the moment. I've seen a couple on the road, but the Pontiac dealer around the corner has about 10 lined up out the front. The mustang is getting quite a bit of attention here at the moment. 300hp for 25k US. I can't believe they've stuck a live rear end in it though.

Customers want a three link live axle.

Customers want a car that has excellent 0-60 and quarter.

Customers do no care too much about new fangled IRS or handling.

T.

[intehnet]

should've just deep fried it for them

ps; it was designed in australia so it's an australian design. who gives a fuck if it looks similar to european cars? it's australian designed

[fatgts]

i did some grass work on the weekend in a monaro

good fun... diff kept on giving up on it though

i like em

[Gazilla]

If the mustang came out here at a price that much less than the monaro they'd probably sell a fair few of the things. I rather like em. Didn't know it was a live axle tho.

[edo]

Yep thatd put them at $40k & I think youre right they would sell well despite the back end.

[Gazilla]

I'd drive one they look sweet, the live axle can probably be made to behave itself pretty well anyways, it might only be a bad thing on paper.

[Snoutabout]

In rererence to the new Mustang, what is even more unsubtle than the live rear axle is the retro styling. It takes self plagarism to a whole new level.

I think the Monaro in standard form looks better and I hate Holdens.

I can understand that the Yanks have different priorities to other markets in that they mostly seem to want large, loud ("styling" and noise) rapid lead tipped arrows and damn just about everything else. Which is fair enough but I still think most of them wouldn't know a decent car if it ran them over.

[Jim]

They should hev just filled it with cup holders, painted it lime green with fox tail upholstry and called it the GTO Homer.


Although it means in 15 years time it'll be a rare and expensive classic over there.

[RadiuM]

damn, if you check out the video library for the mustang on ford's website. They've got Steve McQueen edited into it!!!!!!

Ford Mustang Cornfield Advert (starring Steve McQueen)

Shaun

[Snoutabout]

They should hev just filled it with cup holders, painted it lime green with fox tail upholstry and called it the GTO Homer.

As always, there is no accounting for taste.

[Captiva Fan]

ps; it was designed in australia so it's an australian design. who gives a fuck if it looks similar to european cars? it's australian designed

The word was "styled", not "designed". It has European styling, 'cos it's basically a VT coupé.

Diffferent price range.

Not so sure about that. Didn't HSV Commodes cost a similar amount to an M5 in the UK, a few years ago? I suspect the Monaro's price-point wouldn't be that far off the big Germans. Remember the build-quality on most things expensive & British ... the biggest thing that HSV's give away to the HiPo big Germans is build-quality, they really don't give that much ground in real-world performance terms (and hell, they generally use less fuel! ).

[TonyJZX]

Not so sure about that. Didn't HSV Commodes cost a similar amount to an M5 in the UK, a few years ago? I suspect the Monaro's price-point wouldn't be that far off the big Germans. Remember the build-quality on most things expensive & British ... the biggest thing that HSV's give away to the HiPo big Germans is build-quality, they really don't give that much ground in real-world performance terms (and hell, they generally use less fuel! ).

I don't even have to consult Jeremy Clarkson...

http://vauxhall.co.uk/showroom/price...s&brand=Monaro

~£30,000

http://www.bmw.co.uk/apm/new_bmw/mid...Blna-2,00.html

~£43,000

You must understand that we get arseraped here on the BMW M Series.

A plain BMW 330i is ~£28,000!

T.

[mizone]

What we have to remember is that it is being called the GTO in the states. This is the US GM mobs GTHO Phase 3.

The Monaro was styled to be a Monaro repleacement and as such is a great looking car.(Yeah ok minus the bonnet vents)

IT should have been called something else like Firehawk or something. The Yanks want the GTO to be a retro styled thing that looks like a GTO. Take the new Stang and Thunderbird for example.

The VT looks a shed load like the Opel/Vauxhall Omega.

Oh and euro petrol costs are about the same as here if your earning euro's or pounds.

People always seem to think in Aussie Peso's ?