This nameplate first appeared for the 1964 model year as a performance-oriented package on a mid-size General Motors intermediate, aimed at buyers who wanted big-engine excitement in an everyday coupe or convertible. It quickly became one of the defining cars of the American muscle era, helped by a succession of stronger V-8 powertrains and a growing reputation for combining straight-line performance with relatively compact dimensions. By the mid-1960s it had evolved from an option package into its own distinct model, reflecting how important it had become in the market.
The first production era ran through the early 1970s and ended after the 1974 model year, when changing tastes, emissions pressures, and the fading muscle-car market brought the original run to a close. That was not the end of the story, however. The nameplate returned for the 2004 model year in a very different form, revived for North America as a rear-wheel-drive performance coupe based on an Australian-built Holden Monaro. This second-era car kept the historic badge alive for only a short run, ending after 2006.
Because the nameplate was discontinued and later revived, its history is split into two distinct production periods rather than one continuous span. Enthusiasts still remember it as one of the most important performance names of the classic muscle-car age, with a legacy that stretches from its original 1960s roots to its brief 2000s comeback.