Found this interest article about the 2004 GTO from an Australian's perspective.
http://carsguide.news.com.au/news/story_pa...5E21822,00.html (http://carsguide.news.com.au/news/story_page/0,8269,7863973%255E21822,00.html)
So, who's green with envy now.

Nice article. I think it is a conspiracy to drive us yanks totaly crazy!!!

:laughbounce: :laughbounce: :laughbounce: :laughbounce:

"GM's group vice-president in charge of advanced vehicle development, Mark T.Hogan, says he visited Holden two weeks ago and was shown the next generation Commodore ute.

"It's simply stunning. I am very keen to bring that vehicle to the US," he says.

The ute would re-birth another American icon vehicle, the Chevrolet El Camino, which has been out of production for 20 years"




that was the best part of the entire article.
yes, we know the GTO is faster then a Monaro, more refined.. its to please the US market. the part about bringing MORE cars over is even better

as an aussie who is relocating to the states im glad the gto is quicker and more refined than the CV8 because as im not allowed to bring my cars over with me i will be purchasing a GTO when i get there (if there are any left) but i will be bringing a HSV GTS kit over with me :rolleyes: but i really hope they import the ute over as well because if all goes to plan i will be in the market for one as well, and hopefully they will give the ute the GTO treatment as well

Importing the Ute/El Camino into the US would be a smart move. The original El Camino was a true classic just like the GTO so I'm sure it will get its full measure of detractors for not living up to the "original" design DNA but hey, who cares, if Holden's engineers did as good a job on the Ute as they did the Monaro then I say - bring 'em on!

In any event, the growl it emits is too loud for Australian noise laws.

Jeesh! The GTO's exhaust isn't THAT loud. With all the blaringly loud truck exhausts, Harley exhausts and fart pipe 4 banger weed wacker exhausts around my area, I'm not even sure my GTO will get a second notice from people let alone law enforcement!

I feel for our Aussie brethren. They get the cool V8 rear wheel drive vehicles then the government won't even let them hear the sweet V8 exhaust note. :blink:

They still sound sweet, but the noise restrictions are definitely tougher. There are of course plenty of modified vehicles that wouldn't pass EPA tests but unless you go extreme you'll likely get away with it.
Although the latest generation Monaro CV8 has received a power boost there will always be a healthy marketing gap between the base model and its HSV brothers. Holden have dropped the supercharged V6 model leaving only the CV8 as a base Holden Monaro. Whilst next year HSV will have 3 variants to chose from, with the yet to be unveiled new GTS coupe power should climb up over 300kw, probably in the 315 to 320 range.