1968 GTO

Nearly seven inches shorter in overall length than the 1967 GTO, the 1968 Pontiac GTO as well as the other cars in the Tempest/LeMans family received a completely new, more rounded body style. The stacked headlamps of the three previous years were replaced with the return of side-by-side headlamps. With the 1968 model, the GTO was the first GM car to have an Endura front bumper color-matched to the car’s paint. With the initial challenges of getting paint to adhere to the Endura bumper delaying full availability, the chrome LeMans bumper was briefly offered as a no-cost “Endura Delete” option for the GTO in early 1968. The $52.66 hide-away headlamps option was also new for the 1968 GTO. As with the 1967 GTO, the hood-mounted tachometer and the Rally II wheels were available options. The post coupe model was dropped, leaving only hardtop and convertible models for 1968.

The available engines for the 1968 GTO were once again variations of the Pontiac 400. The base engine for the 1968 GTO was a four barrel carbureted 400 rated at 350 hp. The optional four barrel carbureted 400 HO (for High Output) and the 400 HO with Ram Air were both rated at 360 hp. In March of 1968, Pontiac introduced the Ram Air II engine. With re-designed cylinder heads with large round exhaust ports, the header-type exhaust manifolds, forged pistons, forged steel crankshaft, a high-lift cam and high-revving valve-train, the Ram Air II engine was rated at 366 hp. A no-cost option two-barrel carbureted 400 (available only with an automatic transmission) was once again available for folks who wanted a GTO but not the added gasoline and insurance expenses that came with the higher performance engines. As in 1967, Pontiac used the famous 6.5 Litre emblem on the 68 GTO even though it related to the 389 cubic inch engines of the first three model years of the GTO.

The 1968 GTO was named Motor Trend’s “Car of the Year.”

1968 GTO Production Numbers:

77,704 Hardtops

9,980 Convertibles

Total Production: 87,684

1968 GTO Hardtop with the Optional Hide-Away Headlamps

A 1968 picture of a 1968 GTO Hardtop with the Standard Headlamps

1968 GTO Convertible with the “Endura Delete” Option (Photo courtesy of ultimategto.com)