Pontiac GTO to "Star" in XXX, The Action Adventure Film

FOR RELEASE: July 29, 2002

Pontiac GTO to "Star" in XXX, The Action Adventure Film Starring Vin Diesel

DETROIT - (July XX, 2002) - Pontiac, the Excitement Division of General Motors, will have a role in one of the hottest summer movies of 2002 -XXX, starring actor Vin Diesel. Diesel plays Xander "XXX" Cage, a new breed of secret agent who drives a vintage 1967 Pontiac GTO in the film. The movie, produced by Revolution Studios will be released nationwide by Columbia Pictures on August 9.

XXX is a high-octane, action-packed espionage thrill ride. "It's everything Pontiac stands for, and we're elated that director Rob Cohen chose a 1967 GTO as the highly modified spy car, in XXX" said Pontiac Advertising Manager Dino Bernacchi. He notes that the attitude of Pontiac and the power of the GTO is a perfect fit for the overall tone of the movie. "There is also the possibility of a XXX franchise, which gives this partnership great potential." Revolution Partner Tom Sherak said, “We are looking forward to working with the Pontiac Division of General Motors. This has the makings of a great partnership.”

Pontiac and its entertainment-marketing agency Norm Marshall & Associates, which works with the Hollywood production community to place GM cars and trucks in movies and promotions, identified this film and its potential exposure for Pontiac almost one year ago. "It's the kind of movie Pontiac should be featured in, and it's timely exposure for us, since we're introducing an all-new GTO next year" said Bernacchi.

Pontiac and Hollywood
Movie and television show appearances have proved to be positive exposure for Pontiac in the past, because they show the total performance Pontiac vehicles deliver. In 1977, Actor Burt Reynolds drove a Pontiac Trans Am through a daring, adventurous race. People identified with that excitement - and Trans Am sales soared. Bernacchi says it's unusual for an auto manufacturer to endorse a movie that features an historical car. "It's usually only done with new cars, but the car's age doesn't matter," he explained. "This movie's raw energy and excitement speaks to who Pontiac is as a division."

XXX, starring Vin Diesel and Samuel L. Jackson is directed by Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious) and produced by Neal H. Moritz.

Consumer Promotion
Starting July 24, consumers can visit www.pontiac.com/gto on the web and register to win one of several movie-related prizes. The grand prize is a trip to the 2003 Daytona 500 NASCAR race and a chance to meet Vin Diesel at the race. Other prizes include 1967 Pontiac GTO die cast models, XXX theater movie posters, photos of movie outtakes featuring the 1967 Pontiac GTO - all autographed by Vin Diesel. Pontiac plans to advertise the promotion in weekly publications, including Entertainment Weekly, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, People, Rolling Stone Magazine and USA Today. Pontiac will also display the GTO used in the movie at several NASCAR events this year. The promotion will run until Sept. 30, 2002.

Pontiac GTO
"The Original"
The first Pontiac GTO sprang to life in 1963 as a 1964 model. It has been called the most famous muscle car in the high-performance automobile history. Also known as "The Legend" and "The Great One," GTO is the car that started it all. Prior to 1964, performance cars were full-size hardtops and sedans with the largest displacement engines available. Driving enthusiasts' quest for power was answered in Oct. of 1963 when the $295.90 GTO option, quietly joined the 1964 Pontiac Tempest/LeMans option list. The heart of the original GTO option package was a 325-horsepower 389-cubic-inch V8, Carter AFB four-barrel carburetor, rear-wheel drive, hydraulic camshaft, and impressive torque. Before Pontiac ceased production after the 1974 model year, nearly 500,000 GTOs were sold.

The 2004 GTO
Late in 2003 General Motors will begin offering a modern version of the legendary Pontiac GTO. Up to 18,000 2004 GTOs will be produced annually in Australia.

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General Motors , the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide, and has been the global automotive sales leader since 1931. GM employs about 355,000 people around the world. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.

Revolution Studios, formed by Joe Roth in June 2000, independently produces and finances films in partnership with Sony Pictures, Starz Encore Group and Fox Entertainment Group.

Columbia Pictures, part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a division of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.