The 1964 Pontiac Le Mans, as part of the Tempest line of hardtop coupes and convertibles, moved up a size category into the mid-size range of cars. With a new suspension, the Le Mans packed even more sporty performance and creature comforts into its offerings. Still available were either a 110-hp I4 engine, or the more energetic 326 V8, at 260-hp. Both were coupled with either a 2-speed automatic or 3 or 4-speed manual transmission. The big news for the 1964 Le Mans was a special optional performance package, dubbed GTO. This was the birth of the legendary street racing GTO and of the muscle car era, and it was offered as an option to get around a GM ban on placing big block engines into newly produced small cars.
Along with a stiffer suspension, performance tires, dual exhausts, a Hurst floor shifter, and the GTO nameplate on the left of the front grille, the 1964 Le Mans GTO featured a 389 V8 (the same as in the Bonneville) that got 325-hp with a 4-barrel carb or 348-hp with a TriPower (three two-barrels). Now the Le Mans not only had creature comforts such as interior carpeting, bucket seats, and a huge trunk, but it also packed a lot of punch and tons of fun into the driving experience.