Check Out These Cool Pontiac GTO Sketches

The Pontiac GTO is widely recognized as the genesis of the American muscle car golden age, and the nameplate continues to enjoy a good deal of popularity today. While its raw power and performance made it a legend, the Pontiac GTO’s design also played a crucial role in its widespread appeal. Now, we’re taking a closer look at a series of classic Pontiac GTO concept images.

The images were recently posted online by the General Motors Design social media team, offering a fascinating glimpse into the design evolution of this classic muscle car.

Among the sketches is a 1965 design by Bill Porter, which served as an early proposal for the 1968 Pontiac LeMans GTO. Another sketch comes from Roger Hughet, showcasing a concept for the 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge, one of the most recognizable GTO variants ever produced. A 1967 sketch by John Perkins highlights further evolution for the GTO, while George Camp’s 1968 concept explores yet another take on the legendary Judge.

The Pontiac GTO started life as an option package for the 1964 through 1965 Pontiac Tempest LeMans, giving the mid-size car a massive boost in power and attitude. However, by 1966, the GTO had evolved into a standalone model, fully embracing the “Coke-bottle” body design that was popular in the late 60s. The program itself was championed by John DeLorean, who saw an opportunity to appeal to a rapidly growing youth market hungry for cubes and excitement.

The name “GTO” was inspired by the Ferrari 250 GTO, borrowing from the Italian “Gran Turismo Omologato,” which refers to a production vehicle homologated for racing. And although the Pontiac GTO wasn’t built for European-style endurance racing, its impressive specs and aggressive styling made it a dominant force on American streets and drag strips across the nation.

Throughout its production run, the Pontiac GTO evolved significantly, with highlights including the introduction of Ram Air induction systems, a powerful 400 cubic-inch V8, and the limited-edition “Judge” package in 1969, which added graphics and even more performance.

By the early 1970s, increasing emissions regulations and rising insurance costs began to eat into the muscle car segment, and the GTO was eventually discontinued after the 1974 model year as a standalone vehicle. GM revived the nameplate between 2004 and 2006, this time based on the Holden Monaro, but unfortunately, it never reached the same sort of cultural impact as its predecessor.