The 2004 Pontiac GTO has investment-grade potential with high performance and low production.
Impressive performance and limited production numbers almost guarantee that the fifth-generation (2004-06) Pontiac GTO will be a highly collectible car someday, but recently, these cars have been selling for investment-grade prices. This 2004 Pontiac GTO is a perfect example of buying low with a recent auction price of just $10,453, while the rarity, low miles and excellent condition should help this car appreciate down the road. For now, though, these GTOs might be one of the most underappreciated cars in the modern sports car era.
Although Pontiac was killed off in 2010, some of its best cars in decades were produced in the brand's final years, and that started with the fifth-gen GTO. Following the demise of the Firebird in 2002, Pontiac teamed up with GM's Australian subsidiary, Holden, to launch the limited-production GTO – a car that helped pave the way for future performance models like the Pontiac G8 and Chevrolet SS.
This 2004 Pontiac GTO that recently sold at the Saratoga Auto Auction is an example of the rarity these cars could offer. Just 15,740 of these Holden-made GTOs were produced in 2004, and out of that number, just just 700 were built in the Cosmos Purple Metallic hue you see here; factor in this car's manual transmission, and you're looking at one of only 377 units ever produced. With the low production numbers, technically all of the GTO's color combinations had some level of rarity, but this purple-over-purple color scheme was perhaps the most unique exterior/interior combination available.
Being the first model year for the GTO, this car features the 5.7-liter LS1 V8 rated at 350 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque, and in true sports car fashion, this car has a six-speed manual gearbox. Even better, this 2004 Pontiac GTO shows extremely well with just 69,000 miles on the odometer, no modifications and no obvious wear or tear – all of which are pretty impressive for a 15-year-old sports car.
Any time you can buy a late-model performance car at, near or especially under its NADA value is a good deal, and that's exactly what someone got with this Cosmos Purple 2004 Pontiac GTO. The sales price of $10,453 was at the low end of the car's pre-auction price estimates of between $10,000 and $13,000, and well below the mid- to high-teen prices that you'll find many GTOs priced at with similar miles.
