Here Come The Judge
 

Hey GTO Judge - Ever visit this site?

http://www.lingenfelter.com/2005GTO.htm

RE: Here Come The Judge
 

I have heard and seen pics of cars modded out my lingenfelter. I'm not liking the "ricer" image on that concept. Although the front facia is similar to the Monaro front that I like, the fender flares looks like a mimic of the Stang GT wheel well styling. I like rubber around the wheels, they appear to be 22" wheels and add to the ricer look. That's gotta be a rough ride. The black around the rear license plate ain't for me nor is the rear facia.

Now the 427 CID or the supercharger.... thats a different story. I have heard of a place in Texas guys were taking their GTO's to and replacing the LS2 with 500 HP motors for a cool 20K.

I'm keeping mine stock. The Sports Appearance Package I have installed is a dealer ordered/installed kit. I wanted something different than the run of the mil OEM when I ordered mine. I have seen Tuner GTO's and quite frankly for my taste it's a travesty. Turning a muscle car into a tuner is Blasphemous. That's just my taste. Imagine the new Challenger with a Tuner look sporting a 3 foot high drifting wing..... makes ya wanna puke. I'm leaving well enough alone.

Shortly after I ordered mine I was told by my dealer a Judge was in the works, I told them to put me at the top of the list, I want it. Poof the GTO was killed. GM is so screwed up one day its dead the next its not off again on again. The Firebird I read a while back will NEVER be revived, now its talked about along with a new GTO. They are supposed to come out with a G8 that from what I saw of the concept pics, resembles a GTO but with 4 doors. It's supposed to have 400 HP. But again, one day Bob Lutz talks out of his mouth the next day he's talking out of his arz. I don't buy anything they are saying and I won't believe anything I see in pics until I can sit in one and drive it.

RE: Here Come The Judge
 

Someone needs to explain to Lutz that the top performance effort is supposed to go to Pontiac, not Chevrolet (there purpose is to be the bargin division). The GTO and the Firebird should be revived so then Pontiac's performance can be revived and utilized. The previous GTO's sole problem was that it needed retro styling instead of reusing the same styling over and over again on other models. The Camaro needs its better looking brother to win over those who don't like the new Camaro.

RE: Here Come The Judge
 

I agree. In the article Goat or Chicken... Lutz stated "No carbon copy of the Camaro will make it into any other GM-brand showroom." For some reason he wants no close resemblance of the new to the old. I guess he's blind to popularity of the Stang GT retro look, and all the hype on the retro Challenger look. The GTO started the muscle car craze. With muscle cars making their modified way back into production (their attempt failed) you would think GM would emphasize the model that started it all. They screwed up the new GTO with a design that no way resembled the looks of old. GM got the kick in the ass they so deserved but instead of redesigning it they killed it......

The indecisions coming from GM is getting old. GM's poor marketing on the deceased GTO line doomed this car from the start. GM talked a few years ago about bringing back the Firebird then I read NO WAY will it be brought back, there is no talk of reviving it. Now they are talking about it. The GTO is dead, then they come out and say no it's not, then they say yes it is, then they say we will disguise it as a G8. The indecisions coming from them show just what kind of tailspin they are in. So far the G line is BORING. I would expect no less of the G8 IF it ever gets past the round table discussion area.

March 25, 2007 article states an expansion of the rear wheel drive...

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/Daily_Auto_News/GM_Expands_Rear-Drive_Plans.S173.A12113.html

April 10, 2007 article states GM putting the brakes on rear wheel drive vehicles.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0704090401apr10,0,1765735.column?coll=chi-bizfront-hed

Now this article by [Source: Car and Driver] states in an article dated Jul 3, 2007 a Firebird and GTO are being contemplated.

They truly are struggling to come up with something, anything. I don't believe a word of anything they say, Bob Lutz has recanted and decanted and recanted again so much, anything coming from his mouth is string pulling.

March 25 he says expansion of rear wheel drive, 2 weeks later he says GM is putting the brakes on rear wheel drives. Then 90 days or so later he is talking about 2 model cars both rear wheel drives, one they killed rather then redesign it and keep it going.... and Firebird talk he stated before will NEVER be revived.

Lutz is a friggin clown. He should keep his mouth shut until he has something definitive to say or come out with something other than speculation.
I don't buy anything coming from GM. GM is pounding their chest on the upcoming Camaro, they still have time to screw this up. I expect it.

Reading about their indecisions and indecisiveness is as boring as the G line they created.

While GM spins it's wheels wondering what to do next, they are falling further behind.