General Motors has had a division of cars for almost every type of driver. The Pontiac sub-brand of GM took to creating some impressively fun cars over the years, such as the iconic classic car that started a new movement - the Pontiac GTO.
The Pontiac GTO is one of the most recognizable and influential cars from the defunct brand, and HotCars digital designer Rostislav Prokop has turned the 1970s model into a modern GTO render to show Pontiac fans what a 2023 muscle car could look like.
UPDATED 2023: We revisit this iconic car and delve back into the history of an icon, as well as looking at the current car market and whether GM will bring back Pontiac, and above all if they are going to make a new Pontiac GTO.
A Modern-Day, 2023 Pontiac GTO
It was a sad story when Pontiac came to an end in the late 2000s when the economic crisis hit, following the last generation of GTO that was essentially an import of the Australian Holden Monaro. When GM closed the division, the Pontiac GTO was a model that many customers were sad to see leaving the scene. However, Pontiac fans can now imagine what a modern-day GTO could look like in 2023 thanks to HotCars digital artist Rostislav Prokop.
For 2023, the Pontiac GTO's iconic 'Orbit Orange'-color digital render shows how the muscle car could look insane with a modern makeover, possibly borrowing bits from modern cars like the Chevrolet Camaro.
The ideas in the digital render include an apparent reference to the front end of the iconic '60s GTO, with the sunken headlights that sit within the grille; as well as the center placement of the Pontiac badge.
Another stylish and modern update for the Pontiac GTO is its beautiful multi-spoke, gloss-black wheels, which transform the car into a modern-day fantasy. There are twin scoops atop the hood, and muscular sculpted lines along the sides of the car.
Details For The New Pontiac GTO Muscle Car
We can seemingly thank the Dodge Charger for the rear lights and the GTO's profile and silhouette looks understated-yet-elegant in the render. As for what's under the hood, we can only imagine how powerful and beastly a modern-day GTO could be as the digital render is more for aesthetic purposes. Yet, we imagine that inside the GTO customers might find GM's 6.2-liter V8, which is of the Alpha 2 platform. This is the same engine that also sits within the current Chevrolet Camaro.
Furthermore, should the modern-day GTO become more sustainable, it would likely use the Ultium batteries as well as potentially the E-Ray powertrain that is set to be in use for the future electric Corvette, the 6.2-liter V8 from the Corvette Stingray with a hybrid package for 655 hp and 620 lb-ft.
Overall, this digital render gives a pretty special insight into what a modern-day Pontiac GTO could look like. It isn't too bold or futuristic, which makes it seem like this GTO model could come to life and be a reality for what the future of muscle cars could look like. Let's hope so, as this Pontiac GTO looks dreamy.
A Pontiac GTO Resurrection Might Not Be a Bad Thing
As we move into 2023, there are some realities that are certain to stay that way for now: GM is not bringing back Pontiac for the foreseeable future, and there is no Pontiac GTO on the horizon.
Chevrolet's Camaro will not get renewed officially after this generation, and it is already common knowledge that today's popular muscle cars like the Dodge Challenger will also suffer a similar fate, with electric replacements coming next: the GTO could find itself as a returning nameplate for Chevrolet's future electric sports cars and muscle cars, though.
The last Pontiac GTO was the Australian-designed import, which is now coming up to 20 years old and makes for an interesting buy in 2023, one of the last chances to get a rear-wheel-drive, manual-transmission, V8-engined muscle car with no hybrid hardware or suite of autonomous driving features.
Classic.com has an auction results aggregator that suggests that the 1968 Pontiac GTO has an average value of around $46,000, but prices vary wildly based on model, spec and condition.