I've been carefully considering Bob Lutz's recent comments on Zeta and the GTO. What follows is part fact and part opinion. But it's my take.
I've doublechecked several sources over the past couple of days, and as of yet, there is simply NO indication that Pontiac's G8 and GTO programs have been restarted, since their cancellations over a year ago.
So what are these GTO comments really about? My opinion, the "Camaro Effect". Lutz saw how absolutely fervent, Camaro enthusiasts were about their car. That's me and you bub. He was able to effectively direct our intensity - in order to bludgeon bloody - the GM decision making process, until they finally acquiesced to a new Camaro.
Right now, as it appears to me, GM has started to back away from some of the previous Zeta programs that were being worked on or considered. The aforementioned Pontiac GP replacement and GTO, Velite, even the 'sure thing' RWD Impala is taking sniper fire regarding the wisdom of going RWD.
Guess which side of the fence Bob sits on, regarding this matter? He's one of us.
Soooo......
Go to Geneva. Tell the press that the GTO is not only back on...it wasn't ever really that cancelled. Get everyone waiting/expecting/demanding it, get the buzz going and sit back and let the energy coalesce. It sure makes it tougher for the Board to not cough up these programs now...or at least that's what I think.
Geeze, brilliant!
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