That was the catch phrase song from the Beach Boys in 1964. Then Model year 1965 was significant for Pontiac. With 32,450 GTOs sold for 1964, the successful combination of styling, performance, image, price, and available options forced Divisional siblings and other automakers to play catchup. PMD recognized from the start that it would have a jump on the competition, so it wasn't about to relinquish its lead by easing up on development. Consequently, the revised 1965 GTO captivated potential buyers with a modernized appearance front and rear, and additional power under the hood. While the Division was basking in mostly positive press, such as having the Motor Trend Car of the Year award bestowed upon the entire Pontiac lineup for 1965, there were far-reaching executive decisions afoot at GM, as well. General Manager "Pete" Estes was promoted to Chevrolet's big chair in July, and chief engineer and father of the GTO, John Z. DeLorean, ascended to the top position at Pontiac. By model-year end, GTO production had more than doubled to 75,352. The muscle car was quickly emerging as a lucrative sales niche.
Saving all my Money and Buy a GTO
Updated: Jun 30, 2021
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