1965 Pontiac GTO “Tiger Gold” Edition
Pontiac’s aggressive tiger marketing campaign found its most visible expression in a special promotional package limited to approximately 100 examples.
These factory Tiger Gold GTOs featured distinctive paint paired with black vinyl roofs and black interiors, arriving late in the 1965 model year as part of Pontiac’s partnership with Hurst Performance.
The exclusive color combination capitalized on momentum built by the GTO option package’s remarkable success (sales more than doubled to 75,352 units for 1965).
The vertically stacked quad headlights characterized the restyled body, which measured 3.1 inches longer than 1964 while retaining the same wheelbase.
Under the hood, the 389 cubic inch V8 featured revised cylinder heads with improved intake passages. Base versions produced 335 horsepower through a single four-barrel carburetor, while the optional Tri-Power setup employed three Rochester two-barrel carburetors to achieve 360 horsepower at 5,200 rpm.
Four-speed manual transmissions featured Hurst shifters, with desirable options including rally gauge clusters, Safe-T-Track limited-slip differentials with various ratios, and rare Hurst cast aluminum wheels. The GTO established the muscle car template that defined American performance throughout the decade.
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