For Sale at Auction: 1965 Pontiac GTO in Amelia Island, Florida

Chassis No. 237375P338818

Pontiac's revolutionary GTO was?born in the wake of GM's company-wide ban on motorsport activities. Pontiac engineers, led by John Z. DeLorean, skirted company rules via a $295 option on the mid-sized Pontiac Tempest LeMans, a car officially limited to 330 cu-in engines. The GTO option's 389 cu-in V8 transformed the mild-mannered Tempest into a tire-shredding beast, with just the right balance of visual touches to toughen it up. Regarded as the genesis of the Muscle Car era, it sparked one of the most colorful, exciting periods in the American car industry.

This 1965 Pontiac GTO Hardtop Coupe is finished in factory correct Montero Red and was built at the eponymous Pontiac, Michigan plant. While this example was originally specified with a matching red interior, it has been delicately retrimmed in contrasting white upholstery. It is powered by the standard yet rambunctious 389 cu-in OHV V8 with a four-barrel downdraft carburetor that pushes 335 horsepower through its optional and desirable four-speed M20 manual transmission with Hurst shifter.

Though the GTO's package already transforms the Pontiac Tempest with an arsenal of standard performance enhancements atypical of production cars at the time, the GTO was additionally equipped from GM with competition-style steel wheels with custom spinner colors and Pontiac's enhanced gauge cluster that featured a 250-degree tachometer flanked by the oil pressure and water temperature gauges for quick, decisive checks while roaring down the drag strip. The car was purchased by the Florida-based consignor in 2015 and has been driven seldom since.

As the car that ignited the steadfast muscle car movement, a well-specified and well-equipped Pontiac GTO is an essential pillar of any respected collection of classic muscle. With its thoughtful red over white finish, powerful V8, and desirable four-speed manual transmission, this 1965 Pontiac GTO Hardtop Coupe offers an irresistible slice of American performance car history.