Did you remember in Gran Turismo #27 : The Pontiac Tempest Le Mans GTO '64

The description from “Gran Turismo”

The man known as John Z. Delorean, who became Pontiac’s general manager after Simon “Bunkie” Knudson, decided to present a high performance car from Pontiac to the world. The model born from this idea was the vehicle known as the GTO. Pontiac’s intermediate class Tempest was initially released to the market in 1964, and it had a sports grade called the Le Mans.

The GTO was based on this Le Mans model, with more engine power and refined interior design. The initials “GTO” stands for “Gran Turismo Omologato”. This represents its homologation in the GT Class, in the World Endurance Championships. This GTO was a variation of the Tempest Le Mans, so it was also released as a two door coupe, and it both hardtop and convertible models as offered in the Le Mans.

The standard engine in this package was the 325 HP (323 BHP), 389CI (6.4 L) OHV V8. With an optional tri carb specification with three 2-barrel carburetors, the engine produced 343 HP (341 BHP).

The Pontiac GTO is clearly different from the conventional, commercial drag racers - it was not a high performance car with racing car roots. It is one of the first high performance cars with its roots in street cars. With its high product appeal, the GTO became an independent model of its own from 1966.

Supplement of me

Following the popularity of the high-performance 326/336 V8 package, Pontiac has created this car : The Tempest Le Mans GTO, which was the first car to adopt the GTO badge (Some translate it, for fun, for “Great Teacher Onizuka” and other, more seriously, for “Gran Turismo Omologato”.) And, GTO will be so successful that Oldsmobile prompted to rush out its own high-performance option package for the F-85/Cutlass called the “442” that year, and the next year, for Buick to release a high-performance version of the Skylark called the Skylark Gran Sport, or GS ! So, both cars would enjoy success and contribute to what in retrospect has become the “muscle car” era.

To return to the Pontiac, the car for a wakeup call, has a 6.4 L OHV V8 produced 325 HP (323 BHP) without the optional tri carb specification with three 2-barrel carburetors otherwise it would produce 343 HP (341 BHP). So, unfortunately, the model in “Gran Turismo” is the version with the four barrel carburetor, one that produced 325 HP (323 BHP). This GTO was produced in 32 450 copies in total.

This 0-60 mph reached in 7.7 “, 400 meters standing start in 15.8” up to 142kph (88 mph) and has a top speed of 185 kph (115 mph). And this Pontiac weight 1.420 kg (3.100 lbs).

This weight/power ratio is 4.4 kg/hp, the equivalent of a 2003 Mercedes S 600 L (500 hp), a 1991 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (380 hp), or a 1999 BMW Z8 (400 hp)

The 1964 Pontiac Tempest Le Mans GTO also appear in Hot Rod: Garage to Glory (2004); IHRA Drag Racing: Sportsman Edition (2006); Hot Rod: American Street Drag (2003) and Drift City (2007).

A video on YouTube of this model IRL :

A video on YouTube of this model In a Gran Turismo :