If you've been lamenting the retirement of the Firebird and Camaro twins, take heart: General Motors still knows how to build a muscle car. The latest proof: the Pontiac GTO , a Corvette engine wrapped in the shell of a Holden Monaro, a contemporary coupe produced by GM's Australian division. The GTO isn't as exotic as this overseas lineage might imply, but then again Pontiac intended the GTO to do just one thing and do it well: create an uproar when the light turns green.

Mission accomplished. The GTO's 350-horsepower V-8 rockets from 0 to 60 in about 5.3 seconds, making it more powerful than the original GTO that debuted in 1964. Collectors who still have one of those in the garage might also notice a familiar sound: GM tuned the exhaust on the new one so that it mimics the roar of the classic model. And the GTO does rumble. Even at a stop, the V-8 rocks the chassis as if the pavement were trembling.

While the GTO outruns just about everything in its low-$30s price range, there are more-refined sport machines in that category. The Mazda RX-8 offers better handling and edgier styling, with the same two-plus-two seating. Two-seaters like the Nissan 350Z and the Honda S2000 nearly match the GTO's quickness on a straightaway, and they're a lap ahead when it comes to holding curves. Yet as GM is surely aware, none of those have a name that evokes the nostalgia of the Beach Boys and 35-cent gasoline.

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