{"id":20438,"date":"2021-09-24T11:25:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T18:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turo.com\/blog\/?p=20438"},"modified":"2025-04-07T01:39:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-07T08:39:00","slug":"september-car-of-the-month-1966-pontiac-gto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turo.com\/blog\/gearheads\/september-car-of-the-month-1966-pontiac-gto\/","title":{"rendered":"September car of the month: 1966 Pontiac GTO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The original muscle car<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The muscle car wars of the \u201860s was perhaps the defining moment in American automotive history, spawning some of the most iconic models of the last century and solidifying what became the template for American performance: simple construction, stylish design, and a big V8. And the Pontiac GTO is often regarded as the car that kicked it all off. Stephan’s 1966 GTO here is a beauty, so we\u2019ve named it our car of the month<\/a> for September 2021!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stephan’s 1996 Pontiac GTO (Beverly Hills, cA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
1966 Pontiac GTO<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
ENGINE<\/th>HORSEPOWER<\/th>0 to 60 MPH<\/th>TOP SPEED<\/th>MILEAGE<\/th>DAILY PRICE*<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
6.4L V8<\/td>335 hp<\/td>7.9 sec<\/td>121 mph<\/td>13 mpg<\/td>$350<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
ENGINE<\/th>HP<\/th>0 to 60
MPH<\/th>		TOP
SPEED<\/th>		MPG<\/th>DAILY
PRICE*<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
6.4L V8<\/td>335 hp<\/td>7.9 sec<\/td>121 mph<\/td>13 mpg<\/td>$350<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 1964 Pontiac offered a GTO option package for the mid-size Tempest, which included a massive 389 ci (6.4L!) V8 under the hood, along with a host of sporty upgrades. Two years later, the GTO became its own model and things really took off in America<\/a> \u2014 Dodge unveiled the Charger fastback with a V8 in the same year, Chevy promptly dropped massive V8s into their Impala SS and Chevelle SS, and Ford did the same with the Galaxie and Gran Torino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stephan\u2019s GTO is from 1966, the car\u2019s first year as a standalone model. The \u201866 GTO was the most popular Pontiac<\/a> ever made, with over 96,000 units sold that year, and it became one of the hottest muscle cars of the era. Which is saying something. This sharp example is in convertible form, which went for a base price of $3,082 at the time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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GTO stands for \u201cGran Turismo Omologato,\u201d a phrase borrowed from the Italians meaning \u201cgrand touring production car.\u201d Though it\u2019s not exactly a road-going race car, this GTO\u2019s massive V8 pumps out a healthy 335 horsepower and manages 60 mph in under eight seconds. And it won\u2019t do you any favors at the pump, but the upgraded exhaust system will sound incredible and you\u2019ll be behind the wheel of the coolest thing on the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As all good muscle cars are, this beast is optimized mainly for straight-line grunt and swagger \u2014 and boy does it have swagger. It\u2019s finished in this excellent coppery orange color, with 17-inch alloy wheels and low-profile tires. Stephan recently scored his GTO convertible at auction and most of the car has been restored or upgraded: modern disk brakes, a three-speed automatic transmission, a refurbished interior, and a new automatic soft top should all make it comfortable and easy to operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As historic models go, this is a good\u2019un. The \u201866 GTO was arguably the first muscle car and played a huge role in helping define the spirit and aesthetic of the American automobile for decades to come. If you\u2019re in LA and want to spend a sunny weekend reliving the glory days with the top down, do yourself a favor and check out Stephan\u2019s Pontiac GTO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Share your car, earn extra cash<\/p>\n

Cover your car payments or earn some extra cash by sharing your car whenever you’re not using it.<\/p>\n Get started<\/a>\n <\/div>\n

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Hit the road<\/p>\n

Browse thousands of cars for every occasion and budget near you, or wherever you’re going.<\/p>\n Browse cars<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

*Daily price subject to change<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The original muscle car The muscle car wars of the \u201860s was perhaps the defining moment in American automotive history, spawning some of the most iconic models of the last…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":20447,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[79],"class_list":["post-20438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gearheads","tag-car-of-the-month"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t