The bonne is gone.....
They sound like decent cars, but I still don't think they deserve the name "GTO". They changed a classic muscle car into a pony car. But, that'* what the market wants I guess.... :?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Corvette
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA

You need to drive one then.
Granted it is not are "hardcore" as some may like it, but it certainly isn't a pony car. More along the lines of a Grand Tourer with extra oomph. And I have the "weak" one.
Granted it is not are "hardcore" as some may like it, but it certainly isn't a pony car. More along the lines of a Grand Tourer with extra oomph. And I have the "weak" one.
Pony car or muscle car don't have as much to do with performance or "hard core"ness as people here seem to think
The pony car is a class of automobile launched and inspired by the Ford Mustang in 1964. It describes an affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance-oriented image.
The term muscle car generally describes a rear wheel drive mid-size car with a large, powerful engine (typically, although not universally, a V8 engine) and special trim, intended for maximum torque on the street or in drag racing competition. It is distinguished from sports cars, which were customarily and coincidentally considered smaller, two-seat cars, or GTs, two-seat or 2+2 cars intended for high-speed touring and possibly road racing. High-performance full-size or compact cars are arguably excluded from this category, as are the breed of compact sports coupes inspired by the Ford Mustang, the "pony car". Another factor used in defining a classic muscle cars is age and country of origin. A classic muscle car is usually but not necessarily made in the US or Australia between 1964 and 1975.
So, I'm a purist.... And old, and stubborn, and set in my ways....
The pony car is a class of automobile launched and inspired by the Ford Mustang in 1964. It describes an affordable, compact, highly styled car with a sporty or performance-oriented image.
The term muscle car generally describes a rear wheel drive mid-size car with a large, powerful engine (typically, although not universally, a V8 engine) and special trim, intended for maximum torque on the street or in drag racing competition. It is distinguished from sports cars, which were customarily and coincidentally considered smaller, two-seat cars, or GTs, two-seat or 2+2 cars intended for high-speed touring and possibly road racing. High-performance full-size or compact cars are arguably excluded from this category, as are the breed of compact sports coupes inspired by the Ford Mustang, the "pony car". Another factor used in defining a classic muscle cars is age and country of origin. A classic muscle car is usually but not necessarily made in the US or Australia between 1964 and 1975.
So, I'm a purist.... And old, and stubborn, and set in my ways....
The Bonne GXP almost qualifies as a muscle car in my opinion. Large car, fairly large V8. But, again my opinion, not really enough power to truely be a muscle car.
The new GTO is a smaller car with plenty of power, making it a Pony Car with a classic muscle name. That'* truely my only gripe. It shoulod have been a bigger car to earn the name....
Still, congrats on the purchase. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!!
The new GTO is a smaller car with plenty of power, making it a Pony Car with a classic muscle name. That'* truely my only gripe. It shoulod have been a bigger car to earn the name....
Still, congrats on the purchase. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Posts like a Corvette
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA

Oh, I will enjoy it, no matter if its a muscle car, pony car or grand tourer.
But honestly, if Pontiac started the alpha numeric naming with this car, there probably would have been just as big an outcry as to why they didn't call it the GTO.
But honestly, if Pontiac started the alpha numeric naming with this car, there probably would have been just as big an outcry as to why they didn't call it the GTO.


