Pontiac’s Tempest was launched in 1961 as affordable transport for Middle America. Few were sold and those that did were ignored by the market’s surging numbers of younger buyers.
Then, along came GM executive John De Lorean who, in conjunction with ad-man Jim Wangers, concocted a performance package that would reposition the Tempest in a way that captured those younger guns, their parents and uncles as well.
First on the Must Have list was a name. Something snappy, like ‘Gran Turismo Omologato’ – or GTO for short.
General Motors’ protocols didn’t allow Big Block engines in cars the size of the Tempest, but De Lorean went ahead anyway and installed a 389 cubic-inch motor from the bigger and heavier Bonneville.
With a four-barrel carburettor and 10.75:1 compression, output was a sizzling 242kW, ensuring that GTOs with four-speed manual gearbox would fly through the standing quarter mile (400 metres) in less than 15 seconds.
GTO production peaked in 1965 with over 96,000 cars sold during a 12 month period. Then in 1967 the ‘389’ engine was replaced a 6.6-litre/400 cubic inch V8 and annual production slumped to around 80,000. By then, the majority of GTOs were being sold with automatic transmission.
From 1968 the shape and character of the car would change radically. Style overwhelmed performance and while the range from late 1968 would include the 272kW Judge model, it contributed less than a tenth of annual GTO sales.
During 1971, the GTO’s last year as a stand-alone model, only 10,500 were sold. These included just 374 cars with the 455 cubic inch (7.4-litre) Judge option.
Locally imported GTOs during the 1960s were prolific and cars from this era with RHD conversions may survive. More common, though, will be recent arrivals in original left-hand drive form and will command higher values into the future.
Some cars being sold locally are already priced above $100,000, with most being 400 cubic inch Hardtops built in 1968 or later. Looking overseas because such cars hardly ever appear locally, a genuine Judge or late-series convertible is likely to sell at double the cost of any available locally.
Recent USA auction sales show excellent 1968-71 convertibles with the 6.6-litre engine making US$130-150,000 and 6.5-litre Hardtops at US$40-50,000.
HOW THE PRICES MOVED
MODEL YEARS COND 3-COND 2-COND 1
2010
GTO Hardtop 1964-67: $13,500-$33,500-$42,000
GTO Hardtop 1968-72: $9500-$24,500-$36,000
GTO Convertible 1964-67: I/D-$38,000-$55,000
GTO Convertible 1968-72: $13,000-$36,500-$52,000
2016
GTO Hardtop 1964-65: $21,500-$48,500-$65,000
GTO Hardtop 1966-67: $18,000-$42,000-$58,000
GTO Hardtop 1968-72: $16,000-$34,500-$50,000
GTO Convertible 1964-67: I/D-$52,000-$75,000
GTO Convertible 1968-69: $23,000-$47,000-$65,000
GTO Convertible 1970-71: I/D-$45,000-$70,000
2022
GTO Hardtop 1964-67: $28,000-$55,000-$78,000
GTO Hardtop 1968-72: $24,000-$44,500-$65,000
GTO Convertible 1964-67: I/D-$65,000-$95,000
GTO Convertible 1968-71: $28,000-$55,000-$85,000
2025
GTO Hardtop 1964-67: I/D-$75,000-$115,000
GTO Hardtop 1968-72: I/D-$70,000-$105,000
GTO Convertible 1964-67: I/D-$110,000-$150,000
GTO Convertible 1968-71: I/D-$120,000-$165,000
GTO Ram Air Hardtop 1970-71: I/D-$200,000-$280,000