In 1964, Pontiac did something no other automaker had done before. They took a mid-sized car, dropped a big block engine into it, and sold it for a bargain price. Considered by some to be the first true muscle car, the Pontiac GTO was born. The "Goat" hit it's prime in about 1968 to 1971, before finally being killed off by the 1970s gas crisis.

1968 GTO Convertable

1969 GTO Coupe

Forty years later, Pontiac is trying to recapture the glory. In the face of rising gas prices, Pontiac once again took a Corvette sized engine and stuffed it into a Pontiac Grand Prix sized car and the 2004 Pontiac GTO was born.

The new Pontiac GTO has a 5.7L LS1 engine that makes 350 horses and will get you to 60 miles per hour in just over 5 seconds. With a base price of $32,500 however it's a bit pricey for my tastes, and it still has that uninspiring Pontiac front end. And don't forget, if you select the automatic tranny over the 6-speed will get you slapped with a $1000 gas guzzler tax.

* A brief history of the GTO with photos of each year.