It 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).

68 Pontiac GTO

 

1968 Pontiac GTO convertible

 

 

 

 

 

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The 1968 Pontiac GTO 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 Pontiac GTO. 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.