The 2004 GTO was based on the Australian Holden Monaro. It was produced at the Elizabeth, Australia Holden Assembly plant and imported to the United States.It received a relatively luke-warm reception in the U.S. primarly due to it's somewhat sedate styling and high sticker price. In addition many Pontiac dealers added a premium to the MSRP since the car carried the legendary GTO nameplate. In addition most dealers were very protective of their v...
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The 2004 GTO was based on the Australian
Holden Monaro. It was produced at the Elizabeth, Australia Holden Assembly plant and imported to the United States.
It received a relatively luke-warm reception in the U.S. primarly due to it's somewhat sedate styling and high sticker price. In addition many Pontiac dealers added a premium to the MSRP since the car carried the legendary GTO nameplate. In addition most dealers were very protective of their vehicles and often would not allow test drives.
Primary complaints about the GTO's styling stemmed from the fact that it was based on a three year old Holden design. In addition the '04 did not ship with hood scoops or dual exit exhaust - both mainstays on classic GTOs.
The drivetrain in the '04 GTO was the very same 350hp
LS1 engine found in the C5 Corvette. The GTO came standard with a
4L60e automatic transmission with a
Tremec six-speed optional. Although the automatic was the standard transmission choice, the EPA estimated milage for the LS1/4L60E combination garnered a $1000
gas guzzler tax making the T-56 a more economical choice.
Midway through the model year Pontiac releas the over the counter Sport Appearance Package to address complaints about the car's sedate styling. The kit included recessed grilles, a dual scooped hood (eventually used on the '05-'06 models) and a taller more angular rear deck spoiler.
The last 800 cars for 2004 were rumored to be a 40th anniversary model as evidenced by the W40 option code. The $295 W40 package was released as an appearance only option with special Pulse Red paint, red GTO stitching on the seats and a silver gauge package.
15,740 cars were produced out of a prospected 18,000. It was the highest production year of the 2004-2006 GTOs.
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