| Jim Hopson from Pontiac communications called Car | | | | expectations of performance, character, and |
| and Driver ( driver.com) on what’s looking more like | | | | appearance. Hopson said they are very cautious |
| a choice between a Firebird and a GTO on the 2010 | | | | about bringing back heritage names due to |
| Pontiac. | | | | Pontiac’s struggle to convince buyers that the |
| By 2010 Pontiac’s pretty much guaranteed to get | | | | Australian-built, Holden Monaro–based 2004–06 |
| at least one muscle car from the productive rear-drive | | | | GTO was, in fact, worthy of its slicked name. |
| Zeta platform (Global Rear Wheel Drive Architecture), | | | | According to Hopson, whether it makes sense in this |
| though still unconfirmed up to now. | | | | day and age to sell two muscle cars under the same |
| The first Pontiac product under Zeta is the 2008 G8 | | | | brand umbrella, or even three under two brands is still |
| sedan which will replace the Bonneville and the current | | | | a question. But he added there’s an extraordinarily |
| Grand Prix in early 2008. The G8 will be brought from | | | | small chance that we would see two performance |
| Australia, where the Aussies conceptualized the RWD | | | | coupes. |
| family. | | | | As for Hopson, he would choose a GTO because he |
| Hopson confirmed the second Zeta for Pontiac has | | | | said Firebird and Camaro would be expected to be |
| been kicking around “heritage” names, including | | | | extraordinarily similar, and they could do more with |
| Firebird and GTO, for a future muscle car. Journalists | | | | GTO. |
| at the Car And Driver suspect Pontiac is leaning | | | | Under the skin of Pontiac’s future muscle car |
| toward the GTO. If that would be the case, will it be | | | | would certainly share both of the upcoming G8 |
| possible that the 2010 Pontiac will be equipped with | | | | sedan’s engines, including a 261-hp, 3.6-liter DOHC |
| Hurst shifters as the products of Hurst Performance | | | | V-6 and 362-hp, LS2 6.0-liter pushrod V-8, offered with |
| Inc. were included in the Pontiac GTO? Well, we have | | | | five- and six-speed automatics, respectively, with |
| to see. | | | | available six-speed manuals (the G8 gets autoboxes |
| Bob Lutz, GM’s product guru asserted that the | | | | only). Like most of GM’s big V-8s, this 6.0-liter |
| days of product sharing and badge engineering are | | | | would have cylinder deactivation or “active fuel |
| somehow over and has stated emphatically that no | | | | management,” as GM now refers to this |
| Camaro prototype will make it into any other | | | | technology. |
| GM-brand showroom. | | | | But whatever form it will eventually take and whatever |
| Hopson said the challenge becomes making a new | | | | name will be assigned to it, Pontiac’s Zeta-based |
| muscle car distinctive enough to comfort Lutz and the | | | | muscle car will certainly get prominent placement in its |
| market at large without being “very” unique. | | | | U.S. dealer showrooms, which are increasingly being |
| The “heritage” names give 50 percent risk and | | | | mixed with Buick and GMC brands by the time it |
| 50 percent opportunity. This challenge stresses the | | | | arrives. Neither of which has sports cars or muscle |
| double-edged sword of reviving heritage names, which | | | | cars of its own. |
| must be competitive and relevant today while meeting | | | | |