Pontiac GTO

The Pontiac GTO nameplate was revived for the 2004 model year, now as an American-market version of the Australian-built Holden Monaro. This version sold poorly largely due to poor marketing and bland styling and was cancelled after 2006.

2004

The Pontiac GTO was relaunched in the United States in late 2003, based on the Holden Monaro's V platform. The fact that the new GTO is based on an entirely different vehicle (the "Old Goat" being a muscle car and the Holden Monaro being an Australian sports car) has provoked much criticism from muscle car enthusiasts, stating that redesigning the GTO from the ground up would be more nostalgic and would possibly bring better sales for the car. The revival was prompted by former GM chairman Bob Lutz, who drove a Holden Monaro while on a business trip in Australia. The GTO is produced in Australia, and is equipped with the Chevrolet Corvette's LS1 V8 engine with a choice of a 6-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic. The same model is sold in the United Kingdom as a Vauxhall.

Sales of the 2004 GTO were below expectations, forcing the brand to cut production to just 12,000 per year. The optional hood scoops slated for the 2005 model year were rushed into production in an effort to increase the sportiness of the car's image. There was a Pulse Red package, available only in 2004. It gave the buyer Pulse Red paint and exclusive red embroidery on the seats. Only 800 of these were made.

2005

The 2005 model year continued the optional hood scoops, split rear exhaust, optional 18" rims, and offered a new engine, the LS2 engine. This increased power and torque in the GTO to 400 hp (298 kW) and 400 ft·lb. The increased torque necessitated moving from the 4L60-E automatic to the stronger 4L65-E transmission.

A special version of this vehicle is used for drifting.

2006

For the 2006 model year, the GTO gained two new colors, Spice Red and Brazen Orange. Other minor additions are smoked rear taillights, an unlock button added to the center console, illuminated steering wheel controls and increased motor speeds for seat movement.

On February 21, 2006, General Motors reportedly told dealers that it would halt imports of the GTO in September, making 2006 the last model year for the current GTO revival.

Future

An entirely new GTO on a new platform (Zeta, shared also with a new Holden Commodore) should appear in or around 2008. Featuring more aggressive body work, the car may be a coupé with suicide doors, like the Mazda RX-8 and the Saturn ION coupe. General Motors is considering how could they could produce both the 2008 GTO and the 2007 Chevrolet Camaro without competing directly with each other.