The GTO is considered by many to be the original "Muscle Car". The idea was simple, put a large capacity V8 into a "compact" (by US standards of the time anyway!) body and the resulting high power to weight ratio would ensure storming performance. The men largely responsible for the GTO were Pontiac CEO John Z. DeLorean and his marketing man Jim Wangers. Both were die hard car nuts, and between them had turned the Pontiac into the performance General Motors brand. Up to the late 1950's, Pontiac's were middle of the road family man cars, with no performance related appeal. The first year for the GTO was 1964, when it was introduced as a performance package for the Tempest LeMans mid-size Pontiac. It was so successful that it became a model in it's own right.
The car quickly became a cult item, and gained a number of nicknames such as "The Great One" and the "Goat". There was even a hit song written about the car as well as less successful promotional tie-ins such as "Thom McAn GTO Shoes", which had "Accelerator heels" and racy pointed toes!
This model depicts the 1966 model GTO, which in my opinion is the best looking of the lot (although I really like the 1970 GTO's too!). I'm a fan of the stacked double headlamp style and I especially like the front grill which tapers in towards the centre of the car. The inset driving lamps and the prominent "GTO" badge complete the aggressive look. The GTO stayed in this form more or less unchanged for the 1966 and 1967 model years. If you look closely under the wheelarches, you see red wheelarch liners all round. This is not a modelling error by ERTL. In 1966, red plastic wheelarch liners were offered as a cosmetic option on the GTO, although it did not prove popular with buyers. Hence GTOs with red under their wheelarches are rare today!
ERTL make this model and it has excellent black paint and very well done chrome. The interior detailing is a bit crude as is the engine detail, and the fit of the drivers door is poor. The model is priced in the budget end of the market, so it is well deserving of 5.5/10 marks.
