For 1972, the Pontiac GTO had come full circle, becoming an option package for the Le Mans series just as it had started in 1964. It had been a great ride, but it was almost over. A federal price freeze cut prices, which helped industry sales but nothing was going to save the GTO. Sales fell drastically.

The 1972 Pontiac GTO front end styling looked much like the 1971 and the 1970, with a recessed grille. The Endura bumper could be ordered with the Le Mans but it wasn’t body colored. The hood was the same as 1971 and there was a functional air extractor behind the front wheels. The rally dash was more or less the same with a 120 mph speedometer instead of 140.

Base price was $3,108 for the Coupe, while the hardtop started at $3,287. The GTO Convertible wasn’t even listed but the Le Mans Sport Convertible cost $3,346.

The base engine was the 250 bhp 400 cid V-8 and there were 59 Coupes with a 3- or 4-speed manual gearbox, while 60 had an automatic. Five cars were ordered with the 300 bhp 455 V-8 and an automatic. Just three buyers bought the 300 bhp 455 HO V-8 with a manual gearbox and seven opted for the 455 HO V-8 with an automatic.

The 455 V-8 cost an extra $55, the 455 HO added $101.40, a 4-speed added $185 and the 3-speed automatic tacked on $242.88. The GTO Performance Package cost $355.88 but it was mostly a matter of stickers and badges now. In any case, the handling package was an extra $186 and rally gauges with a tach added an extra $80.

Exterior paint colors were down to 14: Cameo White (C), Adriatic Blue (D), Quetzal Gold (E), Lucerne Blue (F), Britany Beige (G), Shadow Gold (H), Brasilia Gold (J), Springfield Green (L) Revere Silver (N), Cardinal Red (R), Anaconda Gold (S), Monarch Yellow (Y), and Sundance Orange (Z).