Gone 'Til 2009: Last GTO Rolls off the Line in Australia

rickbrick · 07-07-2006, 05:30 PM

Gone 'Til 2009:
Last GTO Rolls off the Line in Australia
Date posted: 07-07-2006

ADELAIDE, Australia — General Motors' Holden subsidiary has built and shipped the final Pontiac GTO — the last one, that is, until GM resurrects the badge, probably in model-year 2009.

Based on the two-door Holden Monaro, the GTO had a surprisingly short life span in the U.S. Holden built just over 40,000 GTOs, and GM announced earlier this year that it was phasing out the nameplate because of dwindling interest by consumers.

The Adelaide plant saw the last GTO roll off the line in mid-June; it was shipped to the U.S. a week later, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Production totaled 40,808 vehicles.

The newspaper reports that Holden's performance division, Holden Special Vehicles, is planning a special edition of the Monaro: a limited run of 50-100 individually numbered HSV cars badged as the Holden GTO.

Holden also has confirmed it will market a second-generation Monaro coupe for the Australia market, based on the new Commodore sedan. Here's the twist: The 2009 Chevrolet Camaro will share the same rear-wheel-drive architecture (known internally as Zeta) as the Commodore/Monaro, which could be assembled in North America and then shipped back to Australia.

What this means to you: No more GTOs — at least not before model year 2009.

fergyflyer · 07-08-2006, 07:42 AM

Built in the US and shipped to Australia???????

Boy Groucho's going to be pissed. He could never buy a car built in North America no matter how good it is.

GoatMann · 09-07-2006, 06:12 PM

Maybe they'll look like this...

vxssls1 · 09-30-2006, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickbrick

Gone 'Til 2009:
Last GTO Rolls off the Line in Australia
Date posted: 07-07-2006

ADELAIDE, Australia — General Motors' Holden subsidiary has built and shipped the final Pontiac GTO — the last one, that is, until GM resurrects the badge, probably in model-year 2009.

Based on the two-door Holden Monaro, the GTO had a surprisingly short life span in the U.S. Holden built just over 40,000 GTOs, and GM announced earlier this year that it was phasing out the nameplate because of dwindling interest by consumers.

The Adelaide plant saw the last GTO roll off the line in mid-June; it was shipped to the U.S. a week later, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Production totaled 40,808 vehicles.

The newspaper reports that Holden's performance division, Holden Special Vehicles, is planning a special edition of the Monaro: a limited run of 50-100 individually numbered HSV cars badged as the Holden GTO.

Holden also has confirmed it will market a second-generation Monaro coupe for the Australia market, based on the new Commodore sedan. Here's the twist: The 2009 Chevrolet Camaro will share the same rear-wheel-drive architecture (known internally as Zeta) as the Commodore/Monaro, which could be assembled in North America and then shipped back to Australia.

What this means to you: No more GTOs — at least not before model year 2009.

holden stop making monaro altogether i havent heard of any second generation monaro, as for hsv they have been making gto and gts coupes for years,there was a LE gto coupe

brazenorangegto · 09-30-2006, 11:05 PM

I'll believe the GTO is coming back when GM makes an announcement in the U.S. not some article from Australia. The atricle pretty much clues you in as to why the GTO will not be back, "Dwindling interest by consumers". That means Low Sales. There is also no way GM brings out a GTO when the Camaro is coming back 08/09. The GTO just wouldn't be able to compete, sales wise. Don't get me wrong, I love my GTO but there just isn't enough interest to bring it back and the lack os sales this go around doesn't help.

GRR_RRR · 10-23-2006, 11:06 AM

To be built in Oshawa, CA along side the new Camaro beginning 2010. Will look more like the 1999 concept.

LaPuzza · 11-01-2006, 12:40 PM

Now that the last ones are built, anyone have production #s for the 2006 run? I'm wondering if there were less than 100 of my ibm/black/M6/18" made.

I laugh when I think about the fact that there are likely more puke-green 2006 mustangs on the road than all 2006 GTOs. That's a lot of 'stang to slay.

BigNick · 11-01-2006, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaPuzza

Now that the last ones are built, anyone have production #s for the 2006 run? I'm wondering if there were less than 100 of my ibm/black/M6/18" made.

I laugh when I think about the fact that there are likely more puke-green 2006 mustangs on the road than all 2006 GTOs. That's a lot of 'stang to slay.

2006 Production totals from UltimateGTO.com