In Australia, car fans were eager for the return of the Holden Monaro in 2001. This sporty, two-door coupe was manufactured by the Aussie GM division and was produced until 2005. In fact, the “Land Down Under” experienced its own golden era for small block performance vehicles, and you won’t believe some of the coolest Australian muscle cars ever built.
Back in the U.S., around the early 2000s, the public experienced renewed excitement for performance muscle cars, and GM automakers looked to quickly capitalize on the renewed popularity. Bob Lutz, former GM President, didn’t initially have a suitable platform to bring the GTO back until he realized that the Holden Monaro could be rebranded a GTO stateside.
Following some hiccups with importing the Monaro into the U.S., the GTO was finally unveiled in 2004. Some adjustments were required to pass U.S. regulations, such as relocating the gas tank to the trunk for collision standards.
