Camaro = GTO?

A statement in one of the car mags implied that everyone knew the Camaro chassis was the same as the Holden/GTO chassis? Is that true? I didn't know that.

That's about as accurate as saying the 1st gen. Camaro was the same as the mid-late '60s Malibu.

The camaro IS based off the same platform as the late GTO.

The Answer is yes, I worked for the general in marketing up until a month ago.

GTO, Holden Monaro, Camaro , CTS and G8 all versions of each other.

They're very similar in weight too...

That either explains the weight and handling prowess of the Camaro (as based upon many mag and TV tests) or it means the GTO was seriously underrated as a good car.

In either case that's interesting. I'd have never guessed it

I never cared for the way the GTO handled on the street the few chances I had to drive one... seemed lackluster at best. Then I got my hat handed to me at the track by a well-driven stocker... it was absolutely and stunningly good.

This just adds fuel to my "want to own a GTO someday" fire...

I love the unloved siblings/cousins! (Fairmont anyone?!)

it's also the same chassis as the Pontiac G8, and one of Top Gear's favorite cars- the Vauxhaul whatever whatever- which is what they call the Holden Monaro in Europe.

ClemSparks wrote: This just adds fuel to my "want to own a GTO someday" fire... I love the unloved siblings/cousins! (Fairmont anyone?!)

Hehe. I let my dad drive mine up to the local drug store last night. He came back and said "that's what you can get me for Christmas, I don't care what color" Mine is right about to turn 50k miles. I have put about 10k miles on it in 4 months.

and now for some obligatory shots of my GTO.

Same thing as Granada, Mustang, Ltd 2, Thunderbird, Cougar- there is a reason they are called Fox chassis.

about those gto's, is it hard to find new oem parts?

smog7 wrote: about those gto's, is it hard to find new oem parts?

No. I bought mine new. Upgraded wheels, tires and brake pads. Great GT and handed my friend his ass at Buttonwillow road course in his E46 M3. Ran down another bud in his modded EVO. My car has been dead reliable and has never seen a dealer service bay. My friends liked it so much we bought six of the things. Great cars!

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Buy one; you wont regret it. The chassis are very similar in construction and the parts are interchangeable. The GTO is one of the best cars that GM ever constructed.

FIXED.

fastmiata wrote: Buy one; you wont regret it. The chassis are very similar in construction and the parts are interchangeable. The GTO is one of the best cars that AUSTRALIAN GM ever constructed.

Holden Monaro = GTO = G8 = CTS = Camaro = Holden Commodore = Vauxhall Monaro/VXR = Chevrolet Capric (new cop car)

All the same chassis or derivative fellas

The GTO is the lightest version you can get in the US, and has phenomenal performance. IRS, excellent interior, no OnStar crap, and LS1/LS2. What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, 6-speed manual, it has that too ;)

novaderrik wrote: it's also the same chassis as the Pontiac G8, and one of Top Gear's favorite cars- the Vauxhaul whatever whatever- which is what they call the Holden Monaro in Europe.

Oddly enough, in the UK it's called the Vauxhaul Monaro .

I think what hurt the GTO was the styling, I like it but some mags have described it as a "water balloon"

And I still want one.

But is the suspension the same or a derivative?

And you're saying the car with the real back seat is the lightest?

Javelin wrote: Holden Monaro = GTO = G8 = CTS = Camaro = Holden Commodore = Vauxhall Monaro/VXR = Chevrolet Capric (new cop car) All the same chassis or derivative fellas The GTO is the lightest version you can get in the US, and has phenomenal performance. IRS, excellent interior, no OnStar crap, and LS1/LS2. What more could you ask for? Oh yeah, 6-speed manual, it has that too ;)

Hey! Don't forget the catera! The caddy that zigs!

Joey

neon4891 wrote: I think what hurt the GTO was the styling, I like it but some mags have described it as a "water balloon" And I still want one.

GM sold every GTO that they built and imported to the USA over it's intended 3 year production run. they never intended to sell 200,000 of them every year- i think they shipped 50,000 over each year and every one of them sold.

the GTO was a test case to see if the American public would buy a V8 powered rwd 2 door sedan. and buy them they did, so they then built and shipped over a 4 door version and they made some changes to differentiate it from it's Holden/Vauxhaul brethren and called it the "G8" .. now they are selling a 2 door version again, but this time they put all unique body panels on it and called it "Camaro".

novaderrik wrote:

neon4891 wrote: I think what hurt the GTO was the styling, I like it but some mags have described it as a "water balloon" And I still want one.

GM sold every GTO that they built and imported to the USA over it's intended 3 year production run. they never intended to sell 200,000 of them every year- i think they shipped 50,000 over each year and every one of them sold.

You are kidding right? Pontiac couldn't give the GTO away. They may have sold everyone of them and they may be fine cars, but I recall they had to resort to steep discounts (if you paid anything close to sticker you got screwed) and it took a long time to get them off the lot. Contemporaneous newspaper reports and a firsthand conversation with the owner of a local dealer confirms it.

In reply to novaderrik:

>>GM sold every GTO that they built and imported to the USA over it's intended 3 year production run. they never intended to sell 200,000 of them every year- i think they shipped 50,000 over each year and every one of them sold

Closer to 18,000 in '04 and they had a very hard time selling them. Depends on what you define as sell I guess. At the end of 2004 there were still several thousand unsold GTOs. Pontiac put on a fire sale down to $22k from $32k in November 2004. That is when I got mine. There were still hundreds sitting on dealer lots well into the 2005 year and a few into the 2006 year. Yes, they eventually sold, but not like hot cakes. the 05 and 06 import numbers were something like 12,000 and 9,000 iirc.

I will be the lone dissenter. I hated my GTO. Went like stink in a strait line but it was heavy, had numb brakes, numb steering feel, lots of wheel hop, seats seemingly made of some kind of elephant hide, regularly hit my head on the A pillar, styling that was way too thick in the rear quarters and only could get 275 rear tires in the wheel wells (whcih wasn't enough for the power) . Sold it after 4 years and picked up a used E36 M3. It's slower in a strait line but I am much happier with the daily driving experience.

My bad GTO experience is what is keeping me from even looking at a Camaro.

The car sales fiasco was more the dealers fault than anything.

Wanna test drive one . . . you had to have your credited pulled, drive up in a nice looking possible trade, front a LARGE down payment, and look older than 30.

Wanna deal one that has been sitting there for months . . .eh no.

Wanna used one after GM officially stopped importing them . . . no deal!! Some dealership had new one's still marked in 30s.

As soon as the discounts were in affect for the 04s, dealers sold a LARGE number them. The 05/06 models came out and peeps still whined about the styling (even though it had scoops and rear split exit exhaust

But again the dealers held on to them like they were gold and contributed to hurting the sales.

Was it an anonymous car . . . yea . . . did it dust off just about everything on the street . . . yea . . .

My buddy and I drove up in a dented-up taurus when we were both 24 years old, and test drove a new GTO. The salesman told us we should go for a ride after a couple of questions. He said to go to a nice curvy road with little traffic and "hammer on it". It was pretty cool except the electric sliding seat for getting into the back. The super slow movement would be unbearable in a heavy downpour.