I met Jim Wangers today

[LS1Hawk]

The Garden State GTO's had their annual meet this weekend and today was the show. I had registered my car for the meet because they do have a Firebird and Trans Am class, but because of the crummy weather I decided not to bring it, but that's besides the point...

I went to the show anyway because I knew Jim Wangers was going to be there as the honorary guest and also to celebrate his 80th birthday. For those of you who don't know who he is, he was the marketing genius behind Pontiac during the 60s, and is just living automotive history. I've always wanted to meet him and I'm so glad I finally did. He knows so much about Pontiac and GM past and present, and is just an all around great guy. I talked to him about what he thinks about Pontiac naming all their cars now G6, G5, and G8...he agreed with me that it's utterly ridiculous. And for us Firebird fanatics, I asked him if he knew anything about a possible return of the Firebird. To paraphrase, he said there is a car in the works for Pontiac, a V8 rear-wheel drive coupe, and it could be a GTO, a Firebird, or neither and be something completely new. So, take it as you will, but either way something is looming on the horizon for us Pontiac guys.

Stupidly I forgot to bring my camera with me. I wish I could've got a pic of me with him. But he did sign my copy of his book Glory Days...

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d54/Johnboy81/Other/HPIM0411a.jpg

[WayFast84]

NICE!!!

I hope its a
A tta

Hey I can dream cant I?

[unstable bob gable]

Nice score! Mr W has some nice handwriting, ta boot! :)

[Untamed]

That's awesome. Reading HPP, you can't help but know a little something about the guy since he keeps popping up all over the country with HPP covering the event.

[LS1Hawk]

That's awesome. Reading HPP, you can't help but know a little something about the guy since he keeps popping up all over the country with HPP covering the event.
Yeah, he also does a monthly piece in Pontiac Enthusiast, and you always find out something new. It's just amazing how much the guy knows. My dad was there as well and told him about how he use to have a 66 GTO and now an 06. Wangers went into how great he thinks the current GTO is and all the mistakes they made in marketing the car. It's too bad he isn't still working for GM! He's definitely the go to guy for anything Pontiac. You know he owns 1 of every anniversary edition Trans Am, plus a 69? The guy's go it made 8-)

[BigAls87Z28]

I heard him ripping on the current GTO due to style, but he really got into the marketing, or lack there of, and wished they did more to promote the car. I think that if they pushed more about the luxury and handling then muscle car performance, they would have maybe appealed to more people, people that are looking for a quality coupe. Making it just another muscle car just gives it this image that its a 1/4 mile only car, no handling, no quality, just big engine.

[NJSPEEDER]

i agree with his points about the marketing of the GTO.

[LS1Hawk]

Yeah, Wangers said the GTO failed to evoke any heritage in the looks deparment, but he still loves the car and says it's every bit a true GTO. He said the car needed to be driven to be fully apperciated, and I couldn't agree more with him more. That was one of the major problems he mentioned, the dealers wouldn't let anyone drive the cars in '04 unless they were going to buy them. How are you to get people exicted about a car they know nothing about if you won't let them get behind the wheel? Take the new Mustang, people are crazy about it's retro looks, but I know guys who test drove them and were very disappointed. And that stupid allocation system Pontiac used of trying to guess where the GTO would sell the best. And then of course you had the dealers who knew absolutely nothing about the car. It was just a bad formula all together. It's just sad because it really is a great car and just a blast to drive. I just hope if it comes back they really do it right.

[NJSPEEDER]

in '04 they also had the problem of dealerships putting retarded mark ups on the cars.
i got a test drive of an auto car when they first came out. they wouldn't let anyone near the 6spd cars though. they are extemely comforable performance cars. the perfect balance of daily driver and stop light warrior.