Photo: chopping_pixels/Instagram
Pontiac is probably the coolest extinct American car brand, responsible not only for the first mass-produced local mid-engined car but also what many believe to be the first muscle car. Even so, you don't hear a lot about the Pontiac GTO in the context of modern speed machines.
The company died right after General Motors received bailout money from the government over a decade ago. But while Hummer is coming back as an all-electric pickup, the only way to have a new Pontiac is one of those Camaro-based Trans Am conversions.
The Firebird survived for much longer in car culture, right through the Catfish Camaro era. However, many people forget there was a GTO in the 2000s. The story goes that Bob Lutz read a review of the Holden Commodore SS by Car and Driver and decided to have an Australian coupe imported into America and marketed under the iconic name.
It was an interesting machine with sweet handling and potent LS engines. However, it looked nothing like a classic muscle car. The Holden model had been made by enlarging the design of the European Opel Omega, so it resembled a Supra more than any classic Detroit products.
Without trying to throw shade at Lutz's baby, we feel that the design in this rendering by artist chopping_pixels is more deserving of the GTO name. At first glance, it just looks like a Camaro with a body kit, but the more you look at it, the more you realize every element has been changed.
It has the side profile of a 1966 model, the hood from the Formula 400, and dual headlights like 1970s models. Also, the nose resembles the design of that era and is crafted using the widebody rendering for the C8 Corvette by Arnold Design. Another interesting detail is that the artist chose to do Snowflake wheels, which are a Pontiac signature. So even though this looks wild, heritage is baked into everything.
The Firebird survived for much longer in car culture, right through the Catfish Camaro era. However, many people forget there was a GTO in the 2000s. The story goes that Bob Lutz read a review of the Holden Commodore SS by Car and Driver and decided to have an Australian coupe imported into America and marketed under the iconic name.
It was an interesting machine with sweet handling and potent LS engines. However, it looked nothing like a classic muscle car. The Holden model had been made by enlarging the design of the European Opel Omega, so it resembled a Supra more than any classic Detroit products.
Without trying to throw shade at Lutz's baby, we feel that the design in this rendering by artist chopping_pixels is more deserving of the GTO name. At first glance, it just looks like a Camaro with a body kit, but the more you look at it, the more you realize every element has been changed.
It has the side profile of a 1966 model, the hood from the Formula 400, and dual headlights like 1970s models. Also, the nose resembles the design of that era and is crafted using the widebody rendering for the C8 Corvette by Arnold Design. Another interesting detail is that the artist chose to do Snowflake wheels, which are a Pontiac signature. So even though this looks wild, heritage is baked into everything.
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