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Title: Pontiac GTO Media Release Post by: RET on November 14, 2003, 05:31:13 AM I was reading the Media Release for the new Pontiac GTO (Holden Monaro by any other name), and was amused by this snippet:
Quote The GTO's manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is $32,495, which includes destination and freight charges of $700. The only available option is a six-speed Tremec manual transmission for $695. ** - The GTO equipped with an automatic transmission will be subject to a $1,000 federal gas guzzler tax Bureaucracy at its most brilliant! The manual winds up being $305 dollars cheaper. I know the original Hydramatic made a bit of a dent in fuel consumption compared to a crash-box, but we're hardly talking about the same thing 40 years later. The new "Hydra-Matic 4L60-E electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission" is in all likelihood better on fuel than your average lead-footed stick shifter. Crazy ::) The whole MR is available here: http://www.australiancardirectory.com.au/index.cfm?page=news_details§ion=4&id=1872 Good to see the seppos with lots of nice things to say about Aussie engineering. cheers RET Title: Re: Pontiac GTO Media Release Post by: Chuck on November 14, 2003, 05:55:20 AM Just a small point, if (as the article states) the only available option is a six-speed Tremec manual, why are they talking about GTO's with an auto option?
Chuck Title: Re: Pontiac GTO Media Release Post by: RET on November 14, 2003, 06:14:53 AM Chuck,
Auto is standard equipment - attracting a $1000 tax. Manual is optional extra, for only $695. Manual vehicles are marginally more expensive to produce than autos these days, but the perception that an auto is a luxury item lingers on still. That's why the manufacturers sell manuals as sports models, "S" packs and the like, and base models are always auto. You have to wonder what the rationale is for that guzzler tax anyway. I believe it doesn't apply to SUVs, only cars ??? Crazy. cheers RET Title: Re: Pontiac GTO Media Release Post by: customFC on November 14, 2003, 12:48:01 PM I had a ;D about that $700 freight charge. What did they do, load them onto Qantas jumbos and fly them over?
Regards Alex |