The 1969 Pontiac GTO Judge was evidence that muscle cars could reflect the cultural currents of their time.

  In most circumstances, a judge commands respect. But society in the 1960s grew increasingly irreverent toward establishment figures, and "Here comes da judge!" quickly went from a sardonic catch phrase on TV's Laugh-In to a staple of the American lexicon.
  In naming the newest GTO incarnation "The Judge," Pontiac seemed to be saying: "This car has authority, but like the Road Runner and its ilk, it doesn't take itself too seriously." Abundantly powerful V-8s secured the first part of the message; op-art graphics and bright primary colors brought home the second.

  As originally conceived, The Judge was to be an econo-muscle Goat, maybe a pillared coupe in a single color, with rubber floor mats and only the hottest performance equipment. The Judge that debuted in December 1968 wasn't so severe, being instead a $332 option package for the GTO hardtop or convertible. But it included a host of features that cost far more when ordered individually.