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These Cars Made Pontiac The Biggest Muscle Car Force Back In The Day

Vukasin Herbez March 29, 2023

Photo Credit: Which Car

Pontiac GTO

The first year for the modern GTO was 2004, and the car met universal praise from the buyers and the car press. The design was familiar and moderate, but the GTO had the muscle car form and street presence. Under the hood was LS1 5.7-liter V8 with 350 HP and enough performance to be one of the hottest American cars for 2004. The target sales figure was 18,000, and Pontiac sold almost 14,000, which could be considered a success (via Edmunds).

Photo Credit: Which Car

The 2005 model year saw the introduction of the 400 HP 6.2-liter engine and even better performance (0 to 60 mph time of just 4.6 seconds), but sales started to decline to 11,000, and for 2006, the final model year, GTO sold in just 14,000 examples.

Pontiac G8
Photo Credit: GM

Pontiac G8

Pontiac thought that a rear-wheel drive sedan would help them fight European competitors. The G8 was a good idea and with Pontiac’s redesign and small-block V8 engines. It was a pretty compelling performance sedan too. The base engine was a solid 3.5-liter V6 with 256 HP. But the real deal was the G8 GXP with a 6.2-liter V8 and 415 HP. Also, the G8 came with high levels of standard equipment as well as a long list of optional extras (via Edmunds).

via: GM
Photo Credit: GM

Unfortunately, the G8 came too late, and the customers just needed more time to be ready to accept the G8 performance sedan. A US-made car that could beat the overpriced European models. After years of anemic models, front-wheel drive economy cars, or minivans of the ’90s, Pontiac lost its performance image. Only a few buyers remembered what it was known for and capable of. So when they finally presented the car which was capable of reclaiming the title of a performance brand, they had run out of time. In two years, Pontiac sold just over 30,000 G8s.

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