Pontiac marketed the GTO using a tiger motif. The car became popular as street racing exploded in the 1960s. Teenagers, cruising in their cars at night, would see potential opponents and squeal away down the road, determined to prove their vehicle was the fastest. The Pontiac GTO played into this, and other car companies, taken aback by the success of the car, began releasing cars like the Dodge Charger, the Chevrolet Camaro, and the Plymouth Barracuda.

LoudMouth Golf/Business Wire