Our view: 2004 Pontiac GTO

How many other names in automotive history say “muscle car” in three letters? How many other cars can call on a history as rich as it is powerful? How many other cars can be known, simply, as GTO?

General Motors Corp. wanted to re-energize the car market. It wanted to command attention. It wanted to excite the customer senses.

Check. Check. And check.

When it was introduced as the Tempest in 1964, its performance list included words like tri-power, “four on the floor” and 389 cubes (for cubic-inch V-8). When the Pontiac GTO appeared on the scene in late 1963, heads turned, and the auto world spun.

The name GTO came from the Italian Grand Turismo Omologato racing series. Passionate enthusiasts called it “The Great One,” “The Goat,” or “The Legend.”

It was a powerful V-8, rear-wheel-drive coupe that came to symbolize Pontiac performance at its best. The car defined true street performance.

Here’s a hearty welcome back.

Designated as the “rebirth of a legend,” Pontiac’s 2004 GTO is a modern-day incarnation of classic street performance. Turn the key, and you can hear the throaty dual exhaust. Raise the hood, and you can see the guts of a beefy 5.7-liter V-8.

When GM’s engineers gathered around the drawing board to hash out the future of the automakers’ new muscular car market, they left their shirt sleeves rolled up and their right foot heavy on the gas.

With its high-output engine and its street-peeling rear-wheel drive, the new GTO delivers more than the legendary power and performance of its original namesake. It will leave the past in its dust.

The new GTO will burn tires and turn heads. It will race your heart and pound the pavement. It will produce 350 horsepower and speed to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.

Any questions? GM hopes not.

There’s a lot riding on this reincarnation. The GTO is a glimpse into what was and what may be. By next month, it officially returns as an ’04 model built off the rear-wheel-drive Monaro coupe produced by General Motors’ Holden subsidiary in Australia.

GM’s engineers pulled out all stops to create the GTO’s head-snapping power and off-the-line acceleration, taking the award-winning 5.7-liter Gen III LS1 V-8 – the base powerplant for the Corvette – and refining it for more power and low-end torque. It’s head-snapping power, a push-you-in-the-seat kind of acceleration that only the GTO can be proud of.

The new GTO arrives with a 340 horsepower push, a special exhaust system to emphasize its character and a new sports suspension that is tighter than anything in its class. The horsepower increase over the original engine setup results from improved airflow into and through the engine and the exhaust system. The bloodlines are pure Pontiac.

The engine can be mated to GM’s most aggressively geared six-speed manual transmission, providing quick, smooth and precise shifts while increasing torque in almost every forward gear for quicker acceleration and high-speed performance.

The best part? It is a true tire-burning muscle car that still seats four adults – as long as the tall riders aren’t parked in back where things will get tight.

But the new GTO is about more than horsepower. The GTO’s new unique personality includes a better cornering ability than the Corvette and a smoother ride.

Seventeen-inch alloy wheels and performance tire are matched to a fully independent, performance-tuned suspension featuring stabilizer bars and power rack-and-pinion steering, two hallmarks of a true sports car. Traction control is also standard.

From the outside, the GTO is a looker, a contemporary interpretation of the classic Pontiac sports coupe. With a distinctive, tautly stretched exterior, an aggressive lowered stance and a sleek, simple form, the GTO carries a clean, athletic style.

Inside, every detail has been taken care of, from the satin-finish steering wheel to the race-inspired metallic pedals, giving the driver a sense of driving performance. Standard features are plentiful, including: leather, wrap-around seats, a six-disc CD changer with 10-speaker sound system, cruise control, a multi-function driver information center and keyless entry.

Stopping power is supplied by power-assisted four-wheel ventilated disc brakes with a standard anti-lock braking system. Additional safety features include: dual front air bags; side air bags; three-point safety belts and an Emergency Mode which automatically shuts down the engine, turns off the fuel pump, unlocks the doors and turns on the dome light any time the air-bag system is deployed.

Pricing has yet to be finalized, but GM expects it to be near $30,000.

Some will say that’s too pricey for a Pontiac, especially for a Pontiac that is really based off an import. Some will say it’s too heavy on curb weight. Some will say the styling is not as in-your-face as the last Firebird.

I’ll say it works just fine.

The original GTO inspired the term “muscle car,” when it debuted as a high-performance option on the ’64 Tempest. Although originally only scheduled for 5,000 units, more than 30,000 Tempest GTOs were ordered in 1964 alone. Before the GTO ended its production in 1974, more than 500,000 were sold.

That’s the kind of production GM is aiming for.

That’s the kind of GTO we’ve been waiting for.

2004 Pontiac GTO

Rating: 3.5

High gear: One of the best-designed coupes in some time, the GTO still seats four adults in a tire-burning muscle car V-8. Value for money was never better.

Low gear: Rear headroom is a little tight for tall people, and curb weight is a little on the hefty side. For the hardcore domestic fans, it has import stamped all over it.

Vehicle type: Rear-wheel-drive, front-engine, two-door, four-passenger sports car.

Key competition: Ford Mustang GT, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Infiniti G35, Acura CL, BMW 3-Series, Dodge Charger

Base engine: 340 horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8

Torque: 360 lbs-ft. @ 4,000 rpm

Standard safety equipment: Driver and passenger front and side air bags; side air bags; three-point safety belts; four-wheel ventilated disc brakes.

Wheelbase: 109.8 inches

Length: 189.8 inches

MPG rating: 18 city/19 highway (estimated)

Manufactured: Australia

Warranty: Basic warranty is three years/36,000 miles; the drivetrain is three years/36,000 miles; body corrosion is six years/100,000 miles; roadside assistance is three years/36,000 miles.

Base price: $30,000 (estimated)

Price as tested (including options, destination and delivery): To be announced.