GTO HISTORY
The Pontiac GTO sprang to life in 1963 as a 1964 model. It has been called the most famous muscle car in high-performance automobile history. Also known as "The Legend" and "The Great One," GTO is the car that started it all.
Prior to 1964, performance cars were full-size hardtops and sedans with the largest displacement engines available. But hot rodders had known for years that they could go faster if they put big engines in smaller, lighter cars. Engine swaps were standard operating procedure for this level of car enthusiast, but that was backyard tinkering, not corporate engineering.
Driving enthusiasts' dreams came true in October 1963 when the $295.90 GTO option, RPO W62, quietly joined the 1964 Pontiac Tempest/LeMans option list. The heart of the original GTO option package was a 325-horsepower 389-cubic-inch V8, Carter AFB four-barrel carburetor, rear-wheel drive, hydraulic camshaft, and impressive torque. Other standard features included a manual three-speed transmission with a Hurst shifter, a heavy-duty clutch, heavy-duty suspension, dual exhaust, US Royal red-line tires, a 3.23:1 rear axle ratio, twin hood scoops, and an assortment of GTO emblems.
Before Pontiac ceased production after the 1974 model year, nearly 700,000 GTOs were sold.