The Pick of the Day is a 2006 Pontiac GTO listed for sale by a Colorado dealership on ClassicCars.com.
I’m not a big sports fan, but I know enough about them to see that Pontiac enthusiasts are the automotive version of Buffalo Bills fans. You all have had to endure a lot of heartache. It’s come in the form of the gas crisis, the Pontiac badge being slapped on a minivan, and the death of the Trans Am in 2002. Several years later, Pontiac as a whole was shut down completely. In between those two grim milestones, the GTO returned to the market after a 30-year absence…only to be discontinued once again in 2006. Oof.
The final-generation GTO may have been around for only three model years, but it progressed quickly within that short span of time. Based on the Holden Monaro built in Australia, the 2004 GTO came to the U.S. market with the odd combination of what Car and Driver called “anonymous-looking” styling and well-known LS1 5.7-liter V8 power.
By 2005, the GTO had dual hood scoops and a pair of 2.75-inch exhaust outlets that made it appear more aggressive. Most importantly, it received the LS2 6.0-liter V8, which bumped output up to 400 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. According to Pontiac, whether you paired that engine with the TREMEC six-speed manual gearbox or the 4L65-E four-speed automatic, you could blast to 60 mph in under five seconds. For spirited drives on curved roads, the GTO came equipped with a fully independent suspension and a limited-slip differential. A set of 12.6-inch front and 11.25-inch rear vented discs reigned in all those horses pulling the driver.
This 2006 GTO has all of the major upgrades from 2005 wrapped in an eye-catching color known as Brazen Orange Metallic, which looks good no matter which angle the sun hits it from. The black leather interior is brightened up slightly with more orange on the gauge dials, machine-drilled pedals, and metallic accents on the six-speed’s shift knob and the emergency brake handle. Those are easy on the eye, but the best sight of all in the four-seat cabin is the number on the odometer. The selling dealer says it currently shows only 1,075 miles.
Why so few on such a powerful machine that marks the end of an automotive legend? My theory is the single owner was a big Pontiac fan that was too sad to put more miles on it. Plus, it’s hard to see the road ahead with tears in your eyes. If you need some retail therapy to finally get over the fate of the GTO and Pontiac itself, the dealer will be happy to help you do that for $39,977 (OBO).
Click here to view the listing for this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com.
Source: www.classiccars.com