PONTIAC ANNOUNCES 2004 GTO ADVANCED ORDER PROGRAM
DETROIT - Pontiac dealers are now able to place orders for their initial production shipment of the 2004 Pontiac GTO with an estimated price of $33,000, allowing early buyers the opportunity to select their own exterior/interior color and transmission options. The first GTOs are expected to arrive in showrooms late this year.

"When Bob Lutz announced at the 2002 New York Auto Show that the GTO would be coming back, we immediately began hearing from dealers about customers who wanted to place an order," said Lynn Myers, Pontiac-GMC general manager. "With that kind of excitement, we wanted to ensure that the first GTOs hitting the streets had the color and transmission combinations that the owners requested."

The advanced order program also provides Pontiac dealers with information on their initial allocation of GTOs, helping to avoid a common problem with limited production vehicles.

"With some high-demand, low-volume models in the past, dealers have been uncertain how many of the vehicles they will receive, leading to situations where a dealer over-sells, is unable to deliver the product, and ends up with an unhappy customer," said Bob Kraut, GTO marketing director. "With this advanced order program, our Pontiac dealers will have all of the necessary information to ensure that buyers lucky enough to purchase one of these GTOs will receive the vehicle they ordered about 90-days after it is built."

Fully-Loaded GTO = Simplified Ordering Process

The GTO's estimated price of $33,000 includes the customer's choice of exterior and interior colors, a four-speed automatic transmission and dealer freight charges (DFC). A close-ratio six-speed manual transmission is the only "extra cost" option with an estimated price of $695. Final pricing will be announced later this fall.

Every 2004 GTO comes equipped with a specially-tuned LS1 V-8 engine generating 350 horsepower and 365 ft-lb of torque, moving the rear-wheel drive vehicle from zero-to-60 mph in the mid-five-second range. Four-channel anti-lock brakes, traction control, a limited slip differential and a fully independent rear suspension are all part of the standard package.

On the inside, four leather bucket seats in a 2+2 seating arrangement, a 10-speaker, 200-watt Blaupunkt sound system with six-disc CD-changer, power windows and door locks with keyless entry, cruise control and race-inspired metallic pedals are only of a few of features shared by all 2004 GTOs.

The GTO is available in one of seven exterior colors: Phantom Black, Quicksilver, Torrid Red, Impulse Blue, Yellow Jacket, Cosmos Purple and Barbados Blue.

With some exterior colors, customers have a choice of a color-coordinated interior. The selected interior color will be reflected in the seats, the door panel inserts, the instrument cluster, and sections of the instrument panel. Specific color combinations include:

Exterior Color Interior Color Choices
Phantom Black Black or Red
Torrid Red Black or Red
Quicksilver Black or Red
Impulse Blue Black or Blue
Yellow Jacket Black
Cosmos Purple Dark Purple
Barbados Blue Black

"We wanted to create a car that would be a blast to drive, but easy to order," said Kraut. "When a customer wants a GTO, we only need to know three things: what exterior color do you want, what interior color do you want, and what transmission do you want?"

Pontiac dealers will receive the 2004 GTO product catalog during the week of June 23. For those buyers who just can't wait, additional information is available on the Pontiac GTO website at www.pontiac.com/gto.

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