Which automaker produced the 1964 Pontiac GTO?

The 1964 Pontiac GTO was produced by Pontiac, General Motors’ performance-oriented division. The name identifies the car as a Pontiac model, even though the company itself was part of GM.

For 1964 and 1965, the GTO was not yet a separate model line. It was an optional performance package for the intermediate Pontiac LeMans, which was based on the Tempest. The package added a 389-cubic-inch V8, heavy-duty suspension components, wider tires, special badges, and other performance equipment. Its $295 price made big-engine performance available in a relatively affordable car.

The GTO’s success helped establish the 1960s muscle-car formula: a midsize body paired with a large-displacement V8. Pontiac initially expected to sell about 5,000 examples, but 32,450 GTO packages were sold for the 1964 model year. A common mix-up is calling Chevrolet or Oldsmobile the manufacturer because they were fellow GM divisions. Pontiac, however, created and marketed this car, and the GTO became a separate Pontiac model in 1966.