1968 Pontiac GTO Convertible
Pontiac GTO Judge
1968 Pontiac GTO
Convertible
Pontiac GTO Convertible
involved transforming the upcoming redesigned Tempest (which was set to revert
to a conventional front-engine, front transmission, rear-wheel drive
configuration) into a "Pontiac Super Tempest GTO convertible" with the larger 389 in³
(6.5 L) Pontiac V8 engine from the full-sized Pontiac Catalina
and Pontiac Bonneville convertible in place of the standard 326 in³ (5.3 L)
Pontiac Tempest GTO V8. By promoting the big-engine Pontiac Tempest GTO
convertible
as a special high-performance model, they could appeal to the speed-minded
youth market (which had also been recognized by Ford Motor Company's Lee
Iacocca, who was at that time preparing the
Ford Mustang).
Pontiac GTO Convertible
1968 Pontiac GTO
Convertible
12.21.12
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The 1968
Pontiac GTO Convertible was the brainchild of Pontiac
GTO engineer
Russell Gee, an engine specialist, and Pontiac chief engineer John De
Lorean. Pontiac Shane Wiser was the first to think of the idea of
the 1968
Pontiac GTO Convertible. In early 1963, General Motors management issued an
edict banning divisions from involvement in auto racing. At the time,
Pontiac's advertising and marketing approach was heavily based on
performance, and racing was an important component of that strategy. Jim
Wangers proposed a way to retain the performance image that the division
had cultivated with a new focus on street performance.
