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I would add, from an old school person; that if they wanted to call it a GTO it should have had some retro styling to it. It had the performance, but the style was not unlike a grand am. The Charger has seem to done ok with sales, though up in WI i saw few and down here ( i"ll assume due to no snow for the rear wheel drive ) there are many more. A lot have been sold into rental programs. Can you imagine, after the F&F movie came out, if the Charger was as retro as the new Challenger?
But look at the hoopla most retro cars start with. The bug? Awesome sales. Miata ( as in old MG styling )? I sold those when they first came out. Couldn't touch them. They still are ranked up there on top 10 lists. The flip side has the T-bird which was overpriced, and others like the SSR and Prowler that were just too one-dimensional even though they had something to offer that special buyer.
Imagine what the GTO could have done if the body had an appearance that made a statement; to go along with the go-fast goodies. I just think it sort of got lost in the hot rod shuffle; there are enough cars to choose from that can tear up the blacktop; that you better have something more then the v8 to grab attention...
When Dodge introduced the new Charger, I was at a car show where they set aside a portion of the racetrack, and all you had to do was show them your driver's license. You were then allowed to take one lap of the course they had setup in a new Charger of your choice. I had to wonder why Pontiac wasn't doing something similar?
Lots of guys I know (aged 30-50, married, kids, homeowners) went to Pontiac dealers and asked to take a test drive. All were denied unless they signed an actual purchase agreement. I've heard of the same thing happening to guys looking to test drive a Corvette, and, not to change the subject, high-end motorcycles.
I realize that not all of them might have actually bought the car, but in my opinion that's poor customer relations. Maybe that one guy out of a 100 who took a test drive would give into the temptation and buy one. Maybe he might have talked a buddy into buying one.
I have been to Honda and Toyota dealerships where they let me take a car and drive it for a whole day as long as I agreed to pay for the gas I used. I didn't always purchase that car, but it sure stayed in my mind when I ultimately did make my next purchase.
Edited***
Also, why haven't they had the Camaro on display at the new car shows? Dodge had a new Challenger at the latest show I went to and it was by far the most popular car on display.
Actually, I did test drive a new GTO back in 2006. The dealer had no problem with it. He actually took me out on a nearby interstate and told me to 'open her up'. Had it up to 95 before traffic required me to shutdown. It was a nice car and had very strong acceleration, but my finances didn't allow me to buy it at the time. When picking a new car, straight line acceleration is one of the most important attributes I look for.
Cool!I have a feeling that the new Camaro is one of those cars that will look better in person than in pictures.
It does. I saw a video awhile back of the convertible. AWESOME!!! I sooooo want one. It looked great in the video so I can only imagine the feel of it in person. The coupe was a sight to behold right before your eyes though. SOOOOO much better in person
It does. I saw a video awhile back of the convertible. AWESOME!!! I sooooo want one. It looked great in the video so I can only imagine the feel of it in person. The coupe was a sight to behold right before your eyes though. SOOOOO much better in person
I have seen the 'vertible concept in person,and it did look great! I still haven't seen one on the road yet.
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