Pony cars and other sporty cars were available in America prior to the Pontiac GTO. However, the GTO is sometimes cited as the pioneering muscle car, creating a whole industry and sparking a movement that would permanently alter American automotive history.
You see, even if their sales numbers weren’t out of this world, Pontiac still managed to capture the hearts and minds of motoring enthusiasts all around the country, and it’s clear how they did it.
Simply put, the GTO did not pull any punches. It was fast from the get-go, and the carmaker made sure to focus on performance above anything else going forward. Inadvertently, this led to many nicknames getting attributed to these cars over the years, and we’re talking official nicknames such as “The Great One”, or “The Tiger,” or even “The Humbler” – all created by Pontiac’s marketing people.
The one that stuck the most was probably “Goat”, simply because it mirrored ‘GTO’, from a syntax standpoint. As for why these cars were called GTOs in the first place, well, Pontiac drew inspiration from Enzo Ferrari and his Ferrari GTO, where the three letters stood for Gran Turismo Omologato.
America had pony cars and several more sporty cars before the Pontiac GTO. But the GTO is sometimes cited as the pioneering muscle car, igniting a whole industry and sparking a movement that would forever alter the course of American automotive history.
You see, while not blowing everyone away with incredible sales numbers, Pontiac nevertheless managed to capture the hearts and minds of car aficionados all around the country, and it’s simple to see how they did it.
The car is currently up for grabs to the highest bidder, and while it’s not exactly what we’d call ‘mint condition’, it should still fetch a decent price.
Visually, the exterior was repainted red back in the mid 1990s, from its original Midnight Green – which is a shame, because all muscle cars look good in green. Other highlights include the power-operated white convertible top, the body-color front bumper, chrome rear bumper, faux hood scoops, plus a set of 14” Rally II wheels with PMD center caps and 235/60 BFGoodrich Radial T/A white-letter tires.
Inside, you’ll find a center console, faux woodgrain paneling, retractable front lap belts, matching white vinyl front bucket seats, and a three-spoke steering wheel.
According to the advertisement, the replacement 400 ci V8’s engine was rebuilt in 1993 utilizing an engine block from a 1974 car with factory-style cylinder heads, an intake manifold, and a camshaft. Unfortunately, the seller doesn’t specify how much horsepower is being produced, but you should still anticipate a respectable quantity.