1970 GTO - The Judge
The most significant event of 1969 for the GTO was the launch of a new model called 'The Judge'. The Judge name came from a comedy routine,
"Here Comes the Judge", used repeatedly on the Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In TV show. The Judge routine, made popular by
legendary showman Sammy Davis, Jr. was borrowed from the act of long-time Burlesque entertainer Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham.
Advertisements used slogans like "All rise for The Judge" and "The Judge can be bought." As originally conceived, the Judge was to be a low-cost GTO,
stripped of some gimmicks to make it competitive with the Plymouth Road Runner. During its development, however, it was decided to make it
the ultimate in street performance and image. The resulting package ended up being more expensive than a standard GTO, and included the Ram Air III engine,
Rally II wheels without trim rings, Hurst shifter (with a unique T-shaped handle), wider tires, various decals, and a rear spoiler.
The Judge was initially offered only in "Carousel Red," but late in the model year a variety of other colors became available.
The Judge was discontinued in February 1971.