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1-Of-15: 2006 Pontiac GTO Lingenfelter Revenge

Sometimes cars come along that are an open book, and their history can be quite easy to trace and to verify. Sometimes cars come along that throw up a bit of a mystery, and this Pontiac GTO is just such a car. Before I decided to commit any words to this story, I was determined to clarify the mystery, and this I have managed to do. This GTO Revenge is located in Red Bank, New Jersey, and is listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a price of $46,995 for the car.

So, what is the mystery that surrounds this car? Well, this car is claimed to be #2 of 15 such cars built by the iconic John Lingenfelter. It has only covered a genuine 1,297 miles since new. However, at about the time that this car hit the market, another Lingenfelter Revenge also came up for sale. It was also claimed to be #2 of 15 cars, it had 19,000 miles on the clock, and was listed with an asking price of $26,995. Something was wrong there, and it turns out that this car carries that vitally important Lingenfelter ID plate under the hood. That means that this car is the real deal, and this is also relected in the fact that this car has had its price set at about the right level when compared to the other car.

Pontiac purists have often been critical of the company choosing this particular car to carry on the GTO name, and as an Aussie, this is something that I fully understand. The car was never designed to fulfill that role, and the decision came a long way up the GM chain from the design, engineering, and management team at Holden in Australia who designed and built the car. The Revenge is a car that probably addresses the shortcomings of the donor GTO to a certain extent. The Revenge Designs Inc. wheel arch extensions, 20″wheels, and other aerodynamic additions give the car a far more muscular appearance. Just to add to the Australian theme of this car, Revenge Designs at that stage was being run by an ex-pat Australian. This one looks to be in amazing condition, which is hardly surprising given the low numbers on the odometer. It is a car that is difficult to fault.

Lingenfelter Performance Engineering took the opportunity to do some pretty heavy breathing on the GTO’s standard 6.0-liter V8 engine. The addition of a Magna supercharger, a stainless steel exhaust, and a remapped computer lifted horsepower from 400hp to an impressive 530hp, which is sent via a 6-speed manual transmission to an independent rear suspension. Now it was getting into the sort of performance territory that would do justice to that GTO badge. Upgrades to the suspension and the 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes would have helped to tame that power and to get the maximum amount to the road. As you would expect, the presentation under the hood is also close to perfect.

Interior presentation on the Revenge is as good as you would expect from a car with only 1,200 miles on the clock. The red leather upholstery on the seats looks to be immaculate, as do the door trims and all other plastic surfaces. The seats in the GTO have always been one of their strong points, as they do provide good levels of comfort and support. You also get power windows, air conditioning, remote power locks, cruise control, a quality audio system with controls on the wheel, and a trip computer.

The final edition of the GTO as delivered by Pontiac was a disappointment to many people, as it was a tame car when compared to its predecessors. The Lingenfelter Revenge addressed a lot of these shortcomings and produced a car with the sort of performance which was far closer to doing the GTO badge justice. Whether it is destined to become an incredibly desirable future classic is really hard to be sure of. However, with the death of Pontiac as a brand in 2009, and the end of new car manufacturing by Holden in Australia in 2017, you can guarantee that there will never be another car like it. Those might be the factors that tip the odds in the Revenge’s favor.

Comments

  1. Avatar nycbjr Member

    How would 400hp be a disappointment? Sharp car! Miss Pontiac bah

    Like 18
    • Avatar poseur Member

      yeah, i don’t get that at all either.
      sure, maybe the early 350hp model but not this LS2….that motor kicks butt all over any 60’s or 70’s Poncho including Ram Air IV & LS2 SD455.

      Like 13
      • Avatar Oingo

        relected in the fact

        Like 1
      • Avatar Hans

        As an original owner of a 2006 Brazen Orange GTO with a 6 speed manual, the car is anything but tame. Virtually as fast as the latest gen Camaros with a better interior and visibility. Great car!

        Like 18
      • Avatar Mountainwoodie

        I got that F right here. Getting into used modern M3 territory……….as much as I love the ’64 & ’65 GTO……it is after ll a Holden.

        Like 3
      • Avatar Bakyrdhero

        Wouldn’t this eat any GTO ever produced for lunch? I mean…even stock, could any GTO dinosaur hang with this thing?

        Like 13
    • Avatar Adam Clarke Staff

      The disappointment with the car seemed to be less to do with the horsepower than it was to do with what many people felt was a soft and compromised ride. This was a flaw that could easily have been eliminated by GM, but they chose not to. It actually stems from the car’s heritage. As an Australian design, it was built to cope with Australian road conditions. What many people don’t realize is that Australia has some of the harshest road conditions on the planet, and cars with firm suspension tend to be shunned by a large section of the community. It was this factor alone that resulted in a car that had a soft ride.

      Like 13
  2. Avatar LB1

    I thought the disappointment was mainly with the bland styling, which this Lingenfelter nicely addresses with its aggressive looks.

    Like 11
  3. Avatar Mitch Ross Member

    So the fastest production GTO that is also the best handling and braking GTO and the most comfortable and most economical GTO was a disappointment? That makes sense

    Like 22
  4. Avatar Mike v

    I think the styling on the non modified car is best described as dull. Whatever else you might think about them, the sixties cars would never be described that way. Let’s admit that a lot of the appeal of a muscle car is letting everyone know that what you’re driving is fast, or at least looks fast. You see one of these and you think big Chevy Cavalier, not muscle car.

    Like 7
    • Avatar BOP_GUY Member

      Agreed. I thought the looks let it down. It had the goods underneath and inside the skin. With Ford turning to more retro styling at the time for the Mustang, and everyone knowing a new retro Camaro was coming just a couple years away, I think Pontiac lovers felt they got the short end of the stick.

      Like 4
      • Avatar Lee

        I saw one on the road this morning on the way to work and said exact same thing to my wife. If they had mad GTO a retro car, Pontiac may have survived

        Like 3
    • Avatar Lynn Dockey Member

      That’s what I thought and I owned a cavalier

      Like 0
  5. Avatar YankeeTR5

    Well the market spoke didn’t it? Pontiac coulda had a hit on their hands – I was certainly ready to pony up and then I saw one and thought they’d really missed the mark. Its too bad.
    As to this car…paying this large of a premium for a tuner car (said w/respect) of a model that is largely “meh” ain’t my thing. They only produced 15 I’m pretty sure because there was only that much demand. I’m sure the low miles will attract a certain type of collector though

    Like 4
  6. Avatar Sal

    I agree with the ‘meh’ styling comments.
    I remember wanting one when they came out, but my cheapness would have made this a difficult purchase. The fact it didn’t ‘look cool enough’ cemented the decision.

    It is easy now to look back at this car and ask why people were complaining. But compared to the other RWD cars in 2006, this was a jelly bean.

    Today, not only do most cars look similar to this GTO but we have also grown older and are willing to accept more refinement.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar OIL SLICK

    Test drove one, thought hard about buying, however it was such a boring looking car I decided not to. It looked like everything else on the road. I owned a 1987 Grand National so I get that but I think Pontiac could have done much more. It is a GTO but not what I envisioned.

    Like 3
  8. Avatar PaulG

    Having owned a semi-stock ’06, and a highly (500+ H.P.) modified ’05 I can say that these are some of the better GM / Holden built cars made. The fit and finish is really quite nice.
    From the front an 05 and 06 look a lot like a ’70 GTO. That’s about as far as the stylist’s got though…

    Like 7
  9. Avatar Lynn Dockey Member

    Looks like a gd cavalier.

    Like 3
    • Avatar TCOPPS Member

      cobalt*

      Like 3
      • Avatar 80s Time Traveler

        Grand Am

        Like 0
  10. Avatar Bakyrdhero

    Hey I liked my Cavalier Z24…of course it didn’t cost $47k.

    Like 4
  11. Avatar The Chucker

    Subjectively speaking, I agree with others that the exterior styling was (is) somewhat of a let down on these. The interiors on the other hand, seemed to be a step above of what much of GM was putting out at the time. I get that GM was trying to take advantage of an existing platform and re-brand it for the US market, and am glad these are now out there on the used car market for all to enjoy.

    Like 3
  12. Avatar GeorgeL

    I had no idea these Lingenfelter GTOs even existed. Looks incredible and seems to have performance to match. That front bumper looks like a modified Monaro bumper with the vertical lights near the bottom. Price may seem a little steep, but for the performance and exclusivity you get, it looks to me like a relative bargain. I mean, it’s practically a brand new car. Plus, if this one appreciates in the future, it could look like a smart buy down the road.

    Like 4
  13. Avatar Chris

    Australian automotive designs have always been rather unremarkable IMO. Going back to the so called muscle car era with those 4 door Falcon/Dart crosses. They always appeared as a half baked immitation of what we enjoyed here in the states. Outside of the fantastic LS V8s these Holden GTOs were nothing to get excited about and really we’re a let down to the legendary GTOs we’re familiar with and covet today. GM really sh#t the bed when they hung the name on this design. Im certain this car would be a hell of ride in this level of tune but so were a few fat chicks I once knew.

    Not intended as an attack toward the fellas down under. Just not my cup of tea.

    Like 1
  14. Avatar Denis Flaherty

    I owned a couple of GTOs….fun to drive(after wheel hop was cured) but just boring looking…would love to have a REVENGE but not at this #

    Like 1
    • Avatar joseph kless

      numberd 6 for sale

      Like 1
  15. Avatar Andre

    I like the styling. It’s subdued and why would one want attention with a high horsepower car. Never got that.

    I daily’d an LS1 Camaro, then a C5 Z06 and the GTO seemed like the logical replacement to the Vette.. unfortunately we never got them in Canada. A shame.

    400hp and looks like a Cavalier/Cobalt/whatever. Perfect. Let the brightly coloured compensation machines attract the wrong kind of attention. GTO is an awesome car IMO

    Like 4
  16. Avatar Pete Kaczmarski

    I purchased my ’04 new and agreed the style was bland. The right hood with functional Ram Air makes a lot of difference to me. It has 47k on it now and stored every Winter.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Hans

      Nice custom hood! Hadn’t seen that style before.

      Like 0
  17. Avatar Sal E.

    That Lingenfelter was hideous. Poorly integrated, goofy looking off road wheel flares, and truckish (6?) spoke wheels. Took a smooth if uninspired designed car and made it super gaudy.

    I owned an 04. Great car. Best GM interior at the time. A slightly more aggressive set of 18” wheels, a front splitter, and a set of springs to fix the droopy rear was all it needed to look 10 times better. And despite naysayers, it was damn fast with the 5.7 and 6 speed.

    I never saw the car as a throwback wannabe. To me it was more of a cross between an M3 and a Trans Am. More GT than muscle car. The styling was a ovoid because it was designed in the late 90s when that look was popular. It was never meant to be an American car 5 years later. But it was a cheap platform that only needed minimal adjustment to sell here. The cost would’ve been too high to redesign the body for a 3 year planned run.

    Like 3
  18. Avatar jwzotta

    I bought a 2004 GTO brand new and never regretted it. It was a very fun car to drive! Too it drag racing, auto crossing, and road raced too. Surprised many people with it! The only fault I would give were the brakes as they couldn’t handle the road course too well and ended up usually replacing the rotors after an event.

    Like 1
  19. Avatar Tom

    I go to the Lingenfelter charity open house when I get the chance, and I’m always amazed to see what they’re working on…nothing is off limits, and they’re reputation speaks for itself.

    Like 1
  20. Avatar DN

    I’m amazed at much improved this car is aesthetically with the Lingenfelter parts. Combined with the larger diameter wheels, there is definitely more balance in the car’s size to rolling stock ratio. I might even say it reminds me of a M3. Had these debuted looking that this, there would have likely been less complaints of bland styling.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar JRod

    Just to clarify….. There are actually 2 #2 Revenge GTO’s of one is a “Lingenfelter” Revenge GTO. The other is a “Revenge” GTO was not done in conjunction with Lingenfelter. The “Revenge” GTO has a Harrop supercharger and the “Lingenfelter” Revenge GTO has a Maggie supercharger. they are both real. They may both be numbered # ? of 15, but there were only 10 complete body kits made. I have verified this with the company in Long Beach that manufactured them. Revenge industries had big plans but they never went anywhere. Mostly due to the fact that the owner Peter Colofari was / is a criminal who made many bad choices. Maybe he did not plan on it but he scammed a lot of people out of a lot of money.

    Like 1
  22. Avatar Lee George Henderson

    These are great cars, too heavy to be 1/4 mi top eliminators of course. Wonderful, smooth riding, luxurious interior, hwy eaters that can smash in the midnight roll races in Mexico. I own a 2004 6M that is getting a 6L iron block soon. I have owned 3 Holdens and have been obsessed since some of the car rags teased us with them in the 90s after the ’96 Impala SS died. I have owned a ’13 Caprice PPV I owned from only 800 miles and a 2016 Chevrolet SS sedan as well. I came close to buying a ’09 G8 GXP 6M and almost bought a 2nd ’14 SS. I am a Holden man for life, I have made some great friends in the owners community as well. Much cooler crowd than Pony Car types.

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Lynn Member

    Spare parts for the holdens (Chevy SS) are gonna be rarer than hens teeth

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Greg parker

    Hello fellow car buffs.l bought the lingenfelter Devon design gto listed man this car has it all ,its my second 06 gto . I’m a retired gm master technician with 45 years experience. Good friends your missing the boat if you don’t buy one .you can still buy a nice 06 for 15 to 20 k and make it your own scream machine l found mine. As far as price how much is your supercar dream worth?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mountainwoodie

      Enjoy it!

      Dont mind us we’re a cranky bunch and ummm..always opinionated :)

      Like 0
      • Avatar Greg parker

        Thanks its driven now showing 3200 miles and climbing lm 68 no time to waste. I’m taking this amazing car with me lol

        Like 0

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