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Pontiac GTO

Automobiles

The Pontiac GTO is an American car produced from 1964 to 1974 and again in the mid 2000s, widely credited with creating the muscle car category by fitting a large, powerful V8 engine from a full size car into the smaller, lighter Pontiac Tempest body. Its combination of size and power made it a commercial success and a template that other American manufacturers soon copied.

Facts
Year
1964 1
Significance
Widely credited with starting the 1960s American muscle car segment, prompting competing high performance intermediate models from every major domestic automaker. 1
Manufacturer or Builder
Pontiac (General Motors) 1
Connections

Exemplifies

In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Pontiac GTO
Wikipedia
  • Origins section
    Pontiac general manager Elliot "Pete" Estes approved the new model with sales manager Frank Bridge limiting initial production to 5,000 cars.
  • First generation (1964-1967), 1964 section
    The first Pontiac GTO began production September 3, 1963, and was available as an option package for the Pontiac Tempest-based LeMans model
  • Introduction
    The first generation of the GTO is credited with popularizing the muscle car market segment in the 1960s.
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