>>
>>Gotta agree with rfibanez here....I'm interested in a whole lot of cars besides the MINI. Do I think Pontiac blew the styling? Yes - but from what I've read, the performance is not lagging, even in the twisties.
>>

ditto


_________________

 

For those of you not in the "know" the '04 Pontiac GTO is based on the Australian built Holden Monaro CV8 coupe (The sedan version is called the Commodore but it will not be imported into the US as it will cannibalize Chevy Impala SS sales).

The Monaro is based on the late Opel (German GM division) Omega (aka Cadillac Catera) and while the body styling is a sleeper, the car underneath is an absolute beast and has excellent handling manners, better some say, than the current Corvette.

The GTO has a world class interior and much better designed and higher quality than any other US made GM product, including Cadillacs. So make no mistake, for $31K you are getting a 4 seater Corvette with much better interior and build quality than the 'Vette with equal or better performance.

In Australia they sell the Monaro HSV which is a higher performance model than the standard Monaro V8 coupe (Our GTO). HSV is the high performance division of Holden like M is to BMW, AMG to Mercedes or V-spec is to Cadillac.

http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/...y?vehicleid=12


Here is the link to HSV vehicles:

http://www.hsv.com.au/main.html


I wish GM would sell most of the Holden cars they have in the land down under. Most of them are MUCH better than the US made GM counterparts in every sense of the way.

So, the GTO is not an "American crap car" in reality is an Australian import with German genes and engineering so this car can hold its own against a BMW 330i any day of the week.


About the Pontiac ad....it seems to me that the Pontiac marketing machine in the US is taking cheap shots at small cars in general (But they quickly forget they sell the Toyota derived and slow selling Pontiac Vibe) not only the MINI. Check out thier Pontiac Grand Prix TV add where a "smooth" voice in the background says "Why a man would drive something like that with no style and power?" This is while the camera shows a late model Mitsubishi Lancer sedan.

Pontiac seems to be getting a fine product in the new GTO but thier marketing reach seems to be focused on the Hair mulett types and those men with hormonal problems or insecurities about thier gender.

I liked the initial "Fuel for the Soul" Pontiac campaign, but this cheap Macho ads are really going over the top.


But hey MINI also takes shots at bigger cars...have you seen thier billboard "Don't let BIG happen to you"?

 

Here is my $0.02 on the matter:

Sirs,

As the owner of a new MINI I find your current GTO campaign referring to the mini offensive. To me any corporation the resorts to insulting others choices tells me that their product could not be sold on its own merits.

I want you to also know that I am not alone in my feelings on this matter. Please take time to read the following discussion groups:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...93&start=0

http://www.somc.on.ca/forum/viewtopi...showtopic=7915

Maybe this will give you an idea how many potential customer you have lost.

Jack


_________________

ly/b mcs all packages leather anthricite dob 11/23/2002

 

>>Here is my $0.02 on the matter:
>>
>>Sirs,
>>
>>As the owner of a new MINI I find your current GTO campaign referring to the mini offensive. To me any corporation the resorts to insulting others choices tells me that their product could not be sold on its own merits.
>>
>> I want you to also know that I am not alone in my feelings on this matter. Please take time to read the following discussion groups:
>>
>>https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...93&start=0
>>
>>http://www.somc.on.ca/forum/viewtopi...showtopic=7915
>>
>>Maybe this will give you an idea how many potential customer you have lost.
>>
>>Jack
>>
>>

I hope the above is a joke, bcause as a MINI owner I am more offended at some of you being insulted by this whole ad campaign.

Are we this sensitive in America now? This is becoming pathetic.

Are we forgetting that MINI pretty much pokes fun at any car "larger" than it, in every ad ???

>>Maybe this will give you an idea how many potential customer you have lost.

No offense, but GTO buyers do not hang out on Cooper boards.

 

mine's mini

 

A mini cooper...that is

 

When the car was being imported, I remember hearing that Chevy was thinking about putting the C5-R engine from the Le Mans winner into that beast to make some kind of steroided out super-goat. 608 HP? In a car that looks like a big Sunfire? I'd be all over it.

"Umm, excuse me guys, but I have some exotics to embarass"

To let you know what 608 hp does, read about the CL65 AMG. It's got a ton of weight and only 4 hp on the GTO, and it's turbocharged, but it still pulls a 4.4 0-60 and a top speed of 233 MPH (theoretically - there aren't any tires that can do it )

I hope and pray Chevy decides to "infuse a sporting image to the GTO name"

I dreamed of a 1967 Plum GTO for years. WAAAY before XXX, but they had the right idea.

 

>>Very OFFENSIVE ad I noticed today

It's not offensive to me, actually it's extremely hilarious!

 

"Positioning" a brand as an alternative to another
is sound marketing. Particularly when the brand
you are comparing to is a market leader. In this
case, MINI may not be the best choice, but was
chosen for the humor.

Godspeed.

 

Heres a pic of the GTO that was at the D1 Grand Prix USA at Irwindale Speedway on Feb 28th. It was driven by rally driver Rhys Millen


The GTO did really well considering it is heavy and the driver had no practice with the car before the event.

 

I have heard of a similar ad campaign in the mid to late 1960s in which the original Minis were the blunt of the joke. BMC supposedly retaliated by running ads showing real footage of Minis humiliating American cars in motorsports events. Pretty clever if true.

 

>>This is why it says on my rear window "Not Compensatin' For Anything"

I agee, which is why I have Helix's "Actual Size" sticker on DUCTTAPE.

But, who cares? IMHO, people are starving on the planet, Bush is outlawing Gay unions, Grasso made a ton of money and people are crying sour grapes and my combined cable and internet bill that came yesterday was a hundred bucks (and I don't even have 'premium')

Political correctness on the left can be as silly as self richeous crap from people on the right. If you don't like Janet's breast, turn the channel off, don't keep it going for weeks in the media. If you don't like the ad, turn away, don't photograph it with your phone.

Just my 2c. (Now, as a full fledged, sob liberal, what do I do with the other 98c?)

PS, Jack, just saw your post too. I repeat my concerns above. I won't not buy a MINI because of this ad, but I certainly would if they said how smaller saves the planets resources, etc. Maybe that's what they were saying, implying muscle bound guys in the gym, don't realize this.