The 1965 Pontiac GTO, Nickname: ‘The Goat’. then, established the template for what automotive media would call “supercars.”

With the GTO, Pontiac successfully distilled and commercialized the raw excitement of that period in an affordable midsize car, spiked with styling details that conveyed power and speed, such as the faux hood scoops, red-line tires and chrome tailpipe extensions. Not surprisingly, its marketing aimed the GTO at young, single men looking for thrills.

The GTO, then, established the template for what automotive media would call “supercars.” (The “muscle cars” label came much later.)

1965 Pontiac GTO, Nickname: ‘The Goat’.

Current value estimate*: $30,100 to $136,000; convertible: $54,200 to $152,000

One could argue that the 1964 Pontiac GTO’s icon status also applies to later models. But the 1965 version was pivotal. By doubling sales over the ’64, it confirmed an untapped market segment, spurring other brands to jump in and expand customer choices.

A deft restyle gave the ’65 GTO the brand’s signature stacked headlights and a bolder presence. Its 389 cubic-inch V8 engine was bumped up to 335 horsepower. (If you went for the “Tri-Power” triple-carburetor option, you got 360 hp.) “Cubic inches” refers to an engine’s cylinder displacement, which, before the modern era of fuel injection, computerized controls and widespread use of turbocharging, was a much greater factor in engine output. Generally speaking, the more cubic inches a muscle car engine had, the more fuel and air it could burn to make more power.

Pontiac pushed “The Tiger” nickname in GTO marketing, but owners and fans called it “The Goat.”

Most competition for ‘65 came from fellow GM divisions, including the first-year Buick Skylark Gran Sport and sophomore-season Oldsmobile 4-4-2. Chevy’s first Chevelle SS396 arrived that year, but it was a teaser with just 201 made.

By then, the GTO had also become something of a pop-culture icon. “GTO” by Ronny & The Daytonas was a #4 pop hit in 1964, and shoe manufacturer Thom McAn issued GTO Shoes in 1965, with an ad boasting that “the heel and sole…were made to grip the accelerator.” (For extra go-go styling, the bottom was designed to look like a slot-car track.) Also that year, on TV’s “I Dream of Jeannie,” astronaut Tony Nelson, played by Larry Hagman, was living a sanitized-for-primetime Playboy fantasy with the coolest job on earth, a house near the beach, a magic harem girl and a GTO in the driveway.