DETROIT (January 9, 2005) – ASC Incorporated, a full-service specialty-vehicle design and development partner for automotive manufacturers, today unveiled an enhanced version of the Pontiac GTO. The vehicle made its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit at ASC’s press conference at the show.

The Yellow-Fire Stinger features several new, aggressive-looking body panels as well as a short-throw Tremec 6-speed transmission, a scooped hood and a custom Borla cat-back dual exhaust. A Magnuson supercharger on the concept unveiled here today has the potential also to take the horsepower to 550 ponies (and the 0-60 mph number to 4.3 seconds).

ASC’s executive vice president, Jeff Steiner said ‘Our vision is to test the market interest in this concept as a potential ASC dealer-upfit offering. We will be looking for input from both dealers and consumers to determine the level of interest, suggested product content and potential price points. Based on feedback we receive, we will determine any production plans for the vehicle.’

ASC has a long history of performance-vehicle upfitting. In the late ’80s, the company oversaw all vehicle integration for the classic ASC McLaren Buick Grand National GNX model. In the ’90s, ASC provided the custom composites hood and other components that helped the Pontiac Firebird TransAm WS6 model sell almost 40,000 units over five years. And, more recently, ASC has displayed its ongoing heritage as a low-volume manufacturer with its production of the Dearborn Deuce Convertible. To date, more than 250 Dearborn Deuce Convertible units have been sold. They are built at its Reeck Road Assembly Plant in Southgate, Mich.

Low-volume derivative programs like the ASC Stinger GTO are made commercially viable, according to ASC, through the use of proprietary low-investment tooling and manufacturing methods developed by the company. The vehicle’s RIMForm composite components include: an all-new hood with dual functional scoops; all-new, aggressive-looking wheel flares, front and rear; custom two-piece fascias, front and rear; and custom two-piece rocker panels. Its OmniCarbon components include: a ‘stinger’-style spoiler with carbon-fiber applique on deck lid; custom carbon-fiber fascia inserts; carbon-fiber appliques on both exterior mirror surrounds.

Continuing with the theme, interior appointments include custom leather seats with a vertical carbon-fiber-look inserts and yellow racing stripes down the seat centers; a carbon-fiber-look rear-seat “waterfall” area between the rear seats; and carbon-fiber-look door trim on both doors.

Topping off the package are custom honeycomb-mesh grille inserts; custom four inch exhaust tips; fog lamps with custom aluminum trim; 19-inch Axis Hiro anthracite-colored wheels, front and rear, shod with Dunlop SP Sport 9000 tires and Wilwood Engineering brake system.

‘Thanks to ASC’s low-investment, quick-to-market RIMForm and OmniCarbon processes, components of the Stinger, or the entire package itself, could be ready for production in as little as nine months,’ continued McCammon.

Story by ASC Incorporated, edited by Supercars.net