Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Muscle for the MassesAttainable performance cars will always have a place in everyone's hearts. For the Japanese, it was sport compacts, while the Europeans honed the hot hatchback. But for Americans, nothing says 'cheap' speed than a muscle car. We can thank John DeLorean, Bill Collins, and Russ Gee for effectively kicking off the '60s performance revolution thanks to the creation of the Pontiac GTO.The GTO is often credited as the first muscle car, and it was introduced in 1964. After that, it was a horsepower race among Detroit's Big Three, cranking up the cubic inches and lowering 0 to 60 times along the way.Mack5bunch/Bring a TrailerThe BackstoryPontiac made 96,946 GTOs in 1966. 12,798 units of those were convertibles, and about 1,500 came with a Tri-Power 389 cubic-inch V8 mated with a manual transmission. It's one of the rarest combinations possible, and as a whole, Classic.com lists average prices for a 1966 GTO convertible at around $64,000. Of course, the more unique the combination, the higher the prices can go. Originality plays a huge part, too.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdmittedly, the one we found on Bring a Trailer isn't totally original. This '66 Tri-Power-equipped convertible was once painted Mission Beige, but has been repainted to red. The car was refurbished before the current owner and seller acquired it in 2024. The seats have been reupholstered from Fawn (tan) to white, although the top is still white, just as the build sheet suggests. Its data plate shows that it was built in the second week of April 1966, and was the 909th GTO body to roll out of GM's Kansas City, Missouri plant. Still, it's a convertible Tri-Power with a manual, and that makes it pretty special.Mack5bunch/Bring a TrailerThe OfferSpecificationDetailMakePontiacModelGTO ConvertibleYear1966Mileage89,717 miles indicatedEngine389 cubic-inch (6.4-liter) Tri-Power V8Power360 horsepowerTransmission4-speed manualDrive typeRear-wheel driveExterior colorRedInterior colorWhite vinylWheels14-inch Rally wheelsSuspensionShort-long arms front, live axle on leaf springs rearBrakesFour-wheel drumsSteeringRecirculating ball steeringCurrent bid$31,000Interested in this car? View the listing here.Mack5bunch/Bring a TrailerWhy it's SpecialThe story of the Pontiac GTO is interesting in itself. GM's ban on factory-backed motorsport meant Pontiac took its efforts out on street performance. What started out as a special trim for the Tempest kicked off the muscle car revolution. The fact that it kicked off a whole movement makes the GTO a hugely significant car, not just within the halls of GM, but the entire motoring industry. It gave power to the people, and its influence is felt to this day in cars that offer a great performance-per-dollar ratio. We say that's one heck of a legacy.Mack5bunch/Bring a TrailerMack5bunch/Bring a TrailerAdvertisementAdvertisementView the 6 images of this gallery on the original articleThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the Car Buying section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.