Here’s Why The 2006 Pontiac GTO Will Be A Future Classic

The 2006 Pontiac GTO Is Probably The Last GTO That Will Ever Exist

GM had forgotten about the GTO back in 1974 but 30 years later a couple of executives took a trip to Australia and felt the power of the Holden Manaro in the flesh. They decided to take a chance and brought back the GTO in 2004 as a rebadged Australian Holden Manaro. They then killed the GTO again in 2006, probably forever, because both Pontiac and Holden are discontinued.

The 2006 Pontiac GTO is the last GTO that Pontiac rolled off their lot and is part of this fifth and final generation. Let’s take a closer look at this iconic American muscle car. From its unique design to its performance capabilities, we'll go over why it is a future American classic. Get comfortable because it's time to take a ride in this beast and discover why the 2006 Pontiac GTO car is a future classic.

The 2006 Pontiac GTO's Secret Sauce for Speed

The 2006 Pontiac GTO is a car that was built to be a high-performance beast. Under the hood, you will find an LS2 engine. The same engine is found in cars like the 2005 Corvette, Saab 9-7x Aero, and the Trailblazer SS.

This 6.0-liter V8 puts out 400 horsepower and 400lb-ft of torque, making the 2006 GTO one of the most powerful cars in its class. It is a car that you can easily lose control of when launching if you don’t know what you’re doing. Right off the lot, it had a 0-60 time of 5 seconds and a top speed of around 180 mph.

The car came standard with a four-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. Both perform the same, but obviously, with that much power, a six-speed will always be the best choice.

All the 2006 Pontiac GTOs came with dual exhaust and hood scoops. The exhaust was carefully designed to purr, just like the GTO did back in 1964. The hood scoops did nothing for performance. It just helped cool the engine bay.

It is sad that a car with so much power was completely overlooked. It is heavier than the Corvette of the time, but it is just as powerful and still can outperform some modern day performance cars.

An Exterior Design That Is Both Hated And Loved

The 2006 Pontiac GTO features a sleek and aggressive exterior design that sets it apart from other muscle cars of the early 2000s. Most muscle cars from back then feature many hardlines and are much boxier. The 06 GTO’s body lines are smooth and flow seamlessly from front to back, making the car look like any regular 2005 car when on the road. That is, until you pull up next to one…

The front end features a long slanted hood with two vents, a typical Pontiac grill, a nice wide good looking bumper with two round fog lights, and sharp skinny headlights that give the car a pretty unique look. I was never a fan of the front end of this car, but it has grown a lot on me over the last few years.

The 2006 Pontiac GTO has a very wide and short rear end. Typical in the muscle cars of the time, but this rear end is very hard to dislike. The whole 2006 GTO body design was designed to make the thick rear butt pop.

Back here, you will first notice the four chrome circular reverse lights that just stare back at you. You will also find a nice low spoiler along with a low-hanging rear bumper with GTO stamped on it and two exhaust tips on either side that gives it a sporty look.

I mean, come on, how can you not love the exterior of this car. The 2006 Pontiac GTO's exterior design is a perfect blend of style and performance. No other muscle car was or is anywhere close to looking like this fifth-gen GTO. It is a car that will definitely turn heads on the road. It is just so different and can take some time to fall in love with at first.

Let’s Look Into The Window And See What’s Inside

In addition to its unique exterior, the 2006 Pontiac GTO also has a badass-looking interior. The car is spacious and comfortable for both the driver and all three passengers. Yes, you heard right, the car is able to accommodate two adults in the back comfortably. Try doing that in a 2006 Camaro or Mustang.

Both front seats have GTO stitched on them and are very comfortable. They also do a good job of supporting your body nicely, no matter how big or small you are. The rear seats have the same exact design as the two front seats.

The 2006 GTO has sporty gauges that are typically the color of the car or the interior stitching. All the controls are easy to reach and operate. It is still very odd to me that the power window buttons are on the center console instead of the door panel.

The fifth-generation GTO has great visibility. A large front windshield and a rear window that you can actually look out of. The interior has a luxury vibe and doesn’t feel like you’re sitting in a 400hp beast.

Where Does The 2006 Pontiac GTO Stand Today

The 2006 Pontiac GTO is pretty rare to see on the road today. It was the last model year of the GTO, and only about 14,000 cars were sold. Most of these GTOs are beginning to be stored in garages and driven on occasion.

Car enthusiasts are becoming aware that the last-generation GTOs will be future American classics. They will be very desirable in the future, and are beginning to just hold onto them. Especially the 2006 model year because it most likely is the last GTO to ever come off the assembly line and the last high-performance car that Pontiac released before being shut down.

The 2006 Pontiac GTO is an American muscle car that combines power, style, and history to make it a must-have for car enthusiasts and collectors. The combination of these factors makes the 2006 Pontiac GTO a rare and sought-after car that will surely be a collector's item in the future.