Independent · Source-led · American performance history Issue 01 · 1951–2023
American Muscle Car Facts

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1968 · Pontiac · United States

1968 Pontiac GTO: the new intermediate body

A new 112-inch-wheelbase body with an Endura nose, the sport coupe dropped, and 87,684 built.

United States · researched through 2026-09-22

Black 1968 GTO hardtop with its body-color Endura front bumper and hood scoop, front three-quarter on a street
1968 Pontiac GTO hardtop in black with a black vinyl top Photo: Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The 1968 GTO moved to GM's new two-door intermediate body on a 112-inch wheelbase, offered as a hardtop and a convertible; this record's own overview states plainly that the pillared sport coupe body style was no longer listed for the year. A compiled production table gives 77,704 hardtops and 9,980 convertibles, 87,684 GTOs in all, with this record's own production notes describing the two body rows as partitioning that total cleanly, and both figures independently matching MuscleCarClub.com's own separate production table for the year.1,2

The GTO's body-colored Endura front bumper was standard equipment for 1968, with this record's own overview noting that a chrome bumper could be substituted, drawn from the same secondary fact sheet that lists five separate 400-cu-in V8 families for the year, ranging from a 265-hp two-barrel reserved for automatic-equipped cars up to the 366-hp Ram Air II, all rated on the period SAE gross standard. No attributed engine, transmission, option, or paint production count was found for any of these five engines, and this record's own production notes state that Ram Air-specific counts circulating in auction listings are carried only as unpublished leads rather than as sourced production figures.3

The GTO hardtop listed at $3,101 FOB factory, a figure this record's own key facts confirm independently between the compiled production table and Car Life's own May 1968 road test, which prints the identical list price. Car Life's own as-tested price for its Ram Air four-speed hardtop reached $4,595 once the Ram Air and handling package, rally gauge cluster, custom tilt steering wheel, hood-mounted tachometer, AM/FM stereo and limited-slip differential were added, more than $1,400 above the base hardtop price.4,1

Five engines are documented, all 400-cu-in and all SAE gross: a 265-hp two-barrel available only with the automatic transmission, a 350-hp four-barrel as the standard offering, a 360-hp HO version, a 360-hp Ram Air with functional hood scoops, and a 366-hp Ram Air II, the last two sharing an identical peak-power rpm point yet carrying different rated torque peaks. A three-speed manual was standard, with a four-speed Muncie manual and a three-speed automatic both optional; Car Life's own test car specifically used a Muncie four-speed with Hurst linkage.3,4

This record's own conflicts section carries no logged disputes for 1968, though its unpublished leads flag two separate issues: an auction-derived claim of 199 Ram Air II four-speed GTOs and a further stick-shift Ram Air split of 92 convertibles and 757 hardtops, none of it drawn from a cited production record, and a compiled table's GTO convertible row that this record identifies as an evident transcription slip, repeating the Firebird convertible's own $2,996 price and 3,346-lb shipping weight rather than the GTO's own figures, and which this record therefore does not use.1

Car Life's Ram Air four-speed hardtop, on a 3.90 limited-slip axle and G77-14 tires, ran 0-60 mph in 6.6 s, the standing quarter mile in 14.53 s at 99.7 mph with two aboard, and reached 112 mph at 5,800 rpm, at a measured curb weight of 3,755 lb, a considerably heavier car than the reported factory shipping weight of 3,506 lb for the same hardtop body. This record's identification section documents the body-plate coding scheme in detail, including its build-date, style-number, body-number, trim, and paint fields, alongside the specific assembly-plant letter codes used across GM's Pontiac-building plants for the model year.4,5

Gold 1968 GTO hardtop with the new fastback roofline, rear three-quarter at dusk, under the heading The Great Ones
1968 Pontiac GTO hardtop in gold with a dark roof (1968 Pontiac performance brochure)

Fact sheet · 1968 · United States

The numbers

1968 Pontiac GTO — A new 112-inch-wheelbase body with an Endura nose, the sport coupe dropped, and 87,684 built.

Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.

Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.

Key facts

  • Reported 1968 GTO production was 87,684: 77,704 hardtops and 9,980 convertibles.1,2
  • The GTO hardtop listed at $3,101 FOB factory.4,1

Production

Totals
What was countedCountBasisStatus
GTO total, all bodies1,2 GTO · not stated by source Both pages are in the Standard Catalog lineage. 87,684 built, model-year Reported
By body style and series
What was countedCountBasisStatus
GTO two-door hardtop1 GTO · 2-door hardtop · not stated by source 77,704 built, model-year Reported
GTO convertible1 GTO · convertible · not stated by source 9,980 built, model-year Reported

The source table presents the two body rows as partitioning the 87,684 total.

No attributed engine, transmission, option, or paint counts were found. Ram Air counts that circulate in auction listings are listed under unpublishedLeads.

Prices when new

ModelPriceBasis
GTO hardtop1,4 $3,101 factory price as compiled; Car Life prints the same list FOB factory, 1968 model year
Price as tested, Car Life Ram Air four-speed hardtop (Ram Air and handling package, rally cluster, custom tilt steering wheel, hood-mounted tachometer, four-speed, AM/FM stereo, limited-slip)4 $4,595 equipped as tested, as printed, 1968-05

Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.

Engines

EngineFactory ratingAvailabilityBuilt
400 2-bbl economy3 400 cu in · Rochester two-barrel 265 hp @ 4,600, 397 lb-ft @ 2,400 (SAE gross) GTO with automatic only Not yet sourced
400 4-bbl (standard)3 400 cu in · Rochester four-barrel 350 hp @ 5,000, 445 lb-ft @ 3,000 (SAE gross) standard Not yet sourced
400 HO3 400 cu in · Rochester four-barrel 360 hp @ 5,100, 445 lb-ft @ 3,600 (SAE gross) optional; fact sheet lists 438 lb-ft for the manual version Not yet sourced
400 Ram Air4,3 400 cu in · Rochester four-barrel, functional hood scoops 360 hp @ 5,400, 445 lb-ft @ 3,800 (SAE gross) optional Not yet sourced
400 Ram Air II3 400 cu in · Rochester four-barrel, functional hood scoops 366 hp @ 5,400, 445 lb-ft @ 3,800 (SAE gross) optional Not yet sourced

Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.

Transmissions

TransmissionAvailabilityBuilt
Three-speed manual3 standard Not yet sourced
Four-speed manual (Muncie with Hurst linkage on the Car Life car)3,4 optional Not yet sourced
Three-speed automatic3 optional Not yet sourced

Options and packages

CodeOptionPriceInstalled
option Hood-mounted tachometer3 $63 Not yet sourced
option Rally gauge cluster with tachometer3 $84 Not yet sourced
option Front disc brakes3 $63 Not yet sourced
option Rally stripes (GTO)3 $11 Not yet sourced
option Custom air conditioning3 $360 Not yet sourced
option Power steering3 $69 Not yet sourced

Paint

CodeColorBuilt
A Starlight Black3 Not yet sourced
C Cameo Ivory3 Not yet sourced
D Alpine Blue3 Not yet sourced
E Aegena Blue3 Not yet sourced
F Nordic Blue3 Not yet sourced
G April Gold3 Not yet sourced
I Autumn Bronze3 Not yet sourced
K Meridian Turquoise3 Not yet sourced
L Aleutian Blue3 Not yet sourced
N Flambeau Burgundy3 Not yet sourced
O Coronado Gold3 Not yet sourced
P Springmist Green3 Not yet sourced
Q Verdoro Green3 Not yet sourced
R Solar Red3 Not yet sourced
T Primavera Beige3 Not yet sourced
V Nightshade Green3 Not yet sourced
Y Mayfair Maize3 Not yet sourced

Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.

Interiors

CodeTrimBuilt
219,232 Teal (vinyl, per the page's key) [LeMans & GTO trim list]5 Not yet sourced
220 Turquoise (vinyl, per the page's key) [LeMans & GTO trim list]5 Not yet sourced
221 Gold (vinyl, per the page's key) [LeMans & GTO trim list]5 Not yet sourced
223 Black (vinyl, per the page's key) [LeMans & GTO trim list]5 Not yet sourced
224,233,236 Parchment (vinyl, per the page's key) [LeMans & GTO trim list]5 Not yet sourced
225 Red (vinyl, per the page's key) [LeMans & GTO trim list]5 Not yet sourced
228 Black (cloth, vinyl, per the page's key) [LeMans & GTO trim list]5 Not yet sourced
231,235 Black (vinyl, per the page's key) [LeMans & GTO trim list]5 Not yet sourced

Specifications

MeasureValueApplies to
Wheelbase1,4 112 in all GTO bodies
Overall length4 200.7 in hardtop as printed by Car Life
Shipping weight, hardtop1 3,506 lb hardtop
Compression ratio, four-barrel 400s4,3 10.75:1 400 4-bbl, HO, Ram Air
Axle ratio cataloged with Ram Air4 3.9 ratio Ram Air package, per Car Life

Period road tests

TestCar testedResult
Car Life, 1968-0540-60 mph GTO hardtop, 400 Ram Air (360 hp gross), four-speed, 3.90 limited-slip, G77-14test weight 4,135 lb 6.6 s
Car Life, 1968-0540-100 mph GTO hardtop, 400 Ram Air (360 hp gross), four-speed, 3.90 limited-slip, G77-14test weight 4,135 lb 14.6 s
Car Life, 1968-054standing quarter mile GTO hardtop, 400 Ram Air (360 hp gross), four-speed, 3.90 limited-slip, G77-1499.7 mph; two passengers and test gear 14.53 s
Car Life, 1968-054standing quarter mile, driver only GTO hardtop, 400 Ram Air, four-speed, 3.90101.01 mph 14.42 s
Car Life, 1968-054top speed GTO hardtop, 400 Ram Air, four-speed, 3.90at 5,800 rpm 112 mph
Car Life, 1968-054curb weight GTO hardtop, 400 Ram Air, four-speed, 3.90as reported 3,755 lb

A road test result belongs to the one car that was tested, with its engine, gearing, tires, and conditions. It is not a figure for every car of the year.

Identification

Body (cowl) plate
Body (cowl) plate riveted to the top left cowl under the hood. It carries the build date (month 01-12 and week A-E), the style number (year, series and body style), the body number (assembly-plant prefix and production sequence), the trim code, the lower and upper paint codes, and factory accessory codes. The page's example plate reads: Build Date 03D; Style 68-22437; Body LOS 97; Trim 253; Paint Q-Q.5
Body-plate assembly-plant codes
BAL = Baltimore, MD; BT = Arlington, TX; BC = Southgate, CA; LOR = Lordstown, OH; E = Linden, NJ; LOS = Van Nuys, CA; FRA = Framingham, MA; X = Kansas City, KS; KAN = Kansas City, MO; BF = Fremont, CA; PON = 22C:Pontiac, MI.5

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Identification

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Same model year

Also in 1968

  • AMC AMX AMC's two-seat AMX arrived mid-year on a 97-inch wheelbase. The enthusiast production table counts 6,725 cars, two-thirds of them with the 390.
  • AMC Javelin AMC's first pony car, launched in September 1967 as base and SST hardtops. Production of the two combined was about 55,000.
  • AMC Rebel and Rebel Machine Now badged AMC, the Rebel came in 550, 770 and SST trims and could be ordered with the 315-hp 390. It is host-car context for the 1970 Machine.
  • Buick Riviera Record Riviera sales of 49,284, including 5,337 with the GS handling option.
  • Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX On the new 112 in two-door body the GS 400 was joined by a GS 350 hardtop, and a dealer-installed Stage 1 package arrived for the 400.
  • Buick Wildcat 73,561 Wildcats with the 430 V-8.
  • Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The restyled Chevelle kept SS 396 as its own series and added an SS 396 El Camino: 62,785 SS 396s in three bodies.
  • Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova SS engines per the source: L48 350, L34 396 and L78 396. Enthusiast-compiled production: 183,552 cars; Super Sport 5,571.
  • Chevrolet El Camino SS The first factory Super Sport El Camino: a separate SS 396 model, 13880, built 5,190 times.
  • Chevrolet Impala SS Super Sport becomes an option again (RPO Z03): 36,432, plus 1,778 SS427 (RPO Z24).
  • Dodge Charger The redesigned 'Coke bottle' Charger and the new R/T multiplied sales roughly sixfold over 1967.
  • Dodge Coronet R/T and Super Bee The redesigned Coronet kept the 440-powered R/T and added the budget Super Bee coupe, a 383 car with an optional Hemi.
  • Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon The new Dart GTS brought a 275 hp 340 or a 300 hp 383, and in February Dodge released 80 Hurst-completed LO23 Hemi Darts for Super Stock drag racing; GTS production was not reported separately.
  • Ford Fairlane The restyled intermediate split into Fairlane, Fairlane 500 and the new Torino series; the Fairlane 500 fastback shared the Torino GT body and the 428 Cobra Jet arrived on April 1, 1968.
  • Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT carried Torino GT trim; 1,669 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
  • Ford Thunderbird The new 429 Thunder Jet V-8 arrived as the Thunderbird's optional engine at 360 hp.
  • Ford Torino Torino arrived as the new top series of the restyled Fairlane line, the Torino GT fastback became its volume performance car, and the 428 Cobra Jet was added on April 1, 1968.
  • Mercury Comet and Cyclone The Cyclone moved to the new Montego-based intermediate; the fastback outsold the notchback hardtop by about ten to one, and the 428 Cobra Jet arrived mid-year.
  • Mercury Cougar The year of the 427 GT-E, the mid-year 428 Cobra Jet, and the XR7-G, with production down to 113,741.
  • Mercury Marauder and S-55 Neither the S-55 nor the Marauder model appears in the sources for 1968; no performance full-size Mercury production figure was found.
  • Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The restyled 4-4-2 became its own series, the W-31 small-block arrived, and Hurst built the first 455 Hurst/Olds: 515 cars in the tabulation.
  • Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda The new 340 arrived in the Formula S alongside the 383, and Plymouth issued a competition-only Hemi Barracuda under order code BO29.
  • Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite The GTX became its own model on the restyled 1968 intermediate body, still with the 375-hp 440 standard and the Hemi at $605, and outsold its first year.
  • Plymouth Road Runner Plymouth added a stripped Belvedere-based coupe and hardtop with a special 335-hp 383 as standard and the 426 Hemi as the only engine option, and sold 44,599 of them.
  • Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am The first full season: the six grew to 250 cu in, the 326 gave way to a 350, and output rose to 107,112.
  • Pontiac Grand Prix The last full-size Grand Prix: 31,711 hardtops, with a 390 hp 428 HO at the top.
  • Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The new two-door body arrives, and a 350 HO replaces the 326 HO.