Pontiac GTO Judge—All rise, the Judge is in session. In 1969 Pontiac launched a new model type for the stout, muscle bearing GTO, aptly named ‘The Judge’. The vehicle’s name came from a comedy routine called “Here Comes the Judge” in Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In TV show. In its developmental phase, the Judge was supposed to be a cheap, stripped down version of the GTO to compete with the Plymouth Road Runner. Ha! We all know that plan was thrown out the window.
Instead Pontiac created the ultimate street performance car with an equally potent image. The Judge package initially cost $332 more than the standard GTO but included a Ram Air III engine, a Hurst shifter, decals, wide tires, Rally II wheels, and (of course) a spoiler.