Pontiac aired a Super Bowl IV commercial in 1970 that promoted the GTO's W73 Vacuum Operated Exhaust (VOE) option—nicknamed "The Humbler"—even though only about 233 GTOs were factory‑equipped with the feature.
The commercial, filmed at an Elias Brothers Big Boy on Plymouth Road in Livonia, Michigan, shows a GTO slowly entering a crowded lot as the driver pulls an "EXHAUST MODE" dash knob to activate the VOE. Activation opens cut‑outs in the exhaust system to amplify the V8's sound.
The VOE used vacuum‑operated diaphragms to bypass mufflers, reducing back pressure for more power and louder exhaust notes, and Pontiac referenced "The Humbler" in print advertising. Similar active exhaust systems now appear on modern performance cars such as the Jaguar F‑Type, Ford Mustang, and Porsche models.
This report is based on information originally published by The Autopian.
Read the full article at The Autopian.
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