Why have GM performance specials like the Chevrolet Beretta GTZ not become more favored by collectors? It seems to have all the right stuff, from a firmer suspension, slick aerodynamic enhancements, color-matched wheels, and a powerful Quad 4 engine. Years later, I still find these cool as heck and among my favorite early 90s GM products, but the rest of the world still seems to render them as cheap, if not borderline throwaway, cars. The Beretta GTZ shown here on Facebook Marketplace not only remains in stock condition but also features the preferred 5-speed manual gearbox, all for $2,000. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Lothar… of the Hill People for the find.
The color-matching was peak styling for the era, and while the GTU may have been slightly less obnoxious, the all-white GTZ was just stunning to my adolescent eyes. I found the exhaust note to be among the best in the business (really, anything with a Quad 4 and a stick was a treat, hearing that delightful crackle at each upshift) and the Beretta has always been one of GM’s better-looking cars. From the Indy Pace car edition to the more sedate Beretta GT with its cross-lace wheels, Chevy had its best and brightest styling team at the wheel of the Beretta. Even now, with its large blacked-out taillight panel, it’s a very eye-catching design.
180 horsepower was also nothing to sneeze at. Sadly, many of these cars came equipped with an automatic, which surely killed off some of the joy these front-wheel drive machines were capable of delivering. The interior of this car is in shockingly nice shape for a model that wasn’t exactly known for interior build quality, and with 160,000 miles on the clock, it would also suggest that it has been looked after. Generous bolstering on the buckets means it’s well-suited for spirited driving, and the chassis was certainly capable of doing more than just commuting; autocrossing seems like a sport it was meant for.
Like many almost-great GM products, it had a few flaws; I’ve read the Quad 4, all of its attributes notwithstanding, had a tendency to eat headgaskets. With 160K, you’d think this one has already had that job done once before. The seller notes the cracked windshield, but I imagine Safelite can still get you a finely-made Chinese screen to replace it with. The bright blue paint is still quite sharp even if white-on-white is my personal preference. Really, all of the Quad 4-equipped models with performance-oriented pedigree seem wildly underappreciated; do you agree?
Seeing that smoke coming from the exhaust pipe makes me wonder if this needs a head gasket now. But for $2000, what would you expect.
Myself I think its an ugly car, the dimensions seem weird to me and the smoke coming out of the exhaust is a deal breaker.