F-Body Europe

Hi folks,
I did not check the whole forum, you may have come across that already:

There is a successor for the Fbodies:
Its called Holden Monaro or (when it will come to the UK) Vauxhall Monaro.
Its frome Aussieland and its basically an Omega without Coupe clothes and LS1 engine for an unbeatable hp/bucks ratio.

Pictures and details you can find at http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

Cheers!
Gunnar

PS: Still do not know how to place a picture here. Probably need a path...

Yep We get it too .
But its called the Pontiac GTO .

I have not seen a Monaro upclose, but I know that in the states they are planning on Rebadging it (in typical GM fashion) as the GTO.

I have very mixed feelings about this. Notably that the car apparently will be built in Australia and imported to be rebadged. Even if this is not the case there is little that is truly American about this car. True it has the size of an American car and even will have the LS1. But this will not make this car a True American ICON like the original GTO.

I am glad to see the return of the GTO badge though. And I am happy it will have a true V8 engine, unlike the "Chargers" of the 80s, and even the Chevy Impala SS of today.

I guess I just feel that placing the heart (LS1) of an American into any other car just doesnt make it necessarily an American car. I know that someone could make the case of the Shelby Cobra, which is considered American car, but somehow its not quite the same. Why not just import a Jaguar and rename it a Mercury Cougar?? Is it not the same thing?? Ford owns both companies. I know that Mitsu and Chrysler do the same thing all the time too. But NONE have tried to do it and rename it after such a legendary car as the GTO.

In my opinion, a GTO should be:

1. American designed
2. American built
3. American Icon.

The Monaro, while a great car in its own right does not fit any of this criteria. It could very well become a legendary car as well. However, in light of the aforementioned issues, I cant help but feel that another name would be much more appropriate for the Monaro than the legendary GTO.

Ok, enough of that soapbox.

Patrick

I think I see the point in importing a muscle car from Oz and rebatch it:
Fbodies did not sell very well over the last years so they had to die.
It was not worth to run the factory anymore.
For the few dinosaurs (also me ) who still want a musle car and refuse to drive an SUV they import it from Oz.
But hey! They could call it Monaro all over the world.
I will never understand the rebatching philosophy...

Gunnar

I think they could call it anything but GTO and it would be fine with me.

Patrick