2009 G8 GT Gets Optional Tremec 6 Speed Stick

[mbukukanyau]

Originally Posted by Lichtronamo

The G8, with its unremarkable V6 and thirsty V8 powertrain options, is likely to prove to be the answer to the question no one is asking in the era of $4.00/gallon gas. Its the wrong car at the wrong time - if it would have debuted when the Commodore did, it may have had an impact.

you truly have the brain of a french civil servant.
Do you think people buying the G8 really give a crap

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by mbukukanyau

you truly have the brain of a french civil servant.
Do you think people buying the G8 really give a crap

Probably not but its still a crap investment by GM throwing good money after bad to prop up a "damaged" brand. Its no doubt a good car - but given the depths of GM's current problems, it will take a French socialist bailout, not the G8 to save the company. The G8 will have been a waste of GM's rapidly depleated resources for only 1,800 units sold in may (an annual rate of 22,000 units) for which they are probably loosing money on because of current exchange rates. They would have better off investing this money in a decent Cobalt or advertising for Saturn.

[mbukukanyau]

Originally Posted by Lichtronamo

Probably not but its still a crap investment by GM throwing good money after bad to prop up a "damaged" brand. Its no doubt a good car - but given the depths of GM's current problems, it will take a French socialist bailout, not the G8 to save the company. The G8 will have been a waste of GM's rapidly depleated resources for only 1,800 units sold in may (an annual rate of 22,000 units) for which they are probably loosing money on because of current exchange rates. They would have better off investing this money in a decent Cobalt or advertising for Saturn.

G8 is a global car. Its not a north american car. you guys are thinking local.
This thing is sold in places like south africa, korea, middle east, morocco, UK, China, etc...
they change a few things here and there and ship it.
The volume in one country is not much, but global volume adds up quick. GM is not stupid. You are looking at local sales numbers, GM is looking at global numbers for the all variants. Duh...

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by mbukukanyau

GM is not stupid.

Given the overall state of affairs at GM and GMNA in particular, I believe this is debatable. Specific to the G8, selling it in NA may add to worldwide volumes and improve economy of scale (but at only 22,000 units, not really), but it still doesn't make a lot of sense to do so if they loose money at it. If GM needed to push Zeta volumes, a Chevy or (existing) Buick badged version built in NA would have made a better business case.

[eb110americana]

Congrats GM. This is what we asked for. Pontiac deserves at least as much.

The center stack could use a bit more class. Something more like this:



much better than even this fully optioned out G8:



I know it's been beaten to death, but having nav and a few other high tech options to compete with Infiniti and Acura are also a good idea. They shouldn't be standard, because performance junkies need to get their fix too, but as options they would keep the G8 relevant and unique from Chevy and bridge the gap up to Cadillac.

[motorman]

Originally Posted by CamaroCrazy

^^^^ Just a small FYI: I was looking for used 2004-2006 CTS with a stick last summer and the guys at the local Caddy dealer told me only about 3% of all CTS's are ordered with sticks. If I wanted one, I'd have to order it (out of the question of the time, too much $). A stick in a G8 may only have a few takers, but I think it makes a very small but very passionate group of drivers happy and gives it a strong halo. Eat it, Charger.

less than 10% of all cars sold in the states have stick shifts and if you remove the sports cars form the mix it is less

[motorman]

Originally Posted by ColoradoZQ8

Funny, perhaps then Bob can explain why Chevy's fuel miser Cobalt gets 4 more mpg with the manual than the automatic -- since "gone are the days where manual transmission are more fuel efficient than automatics." That's right -- half of GM's lineup still milks the tired 4 speed automatic.

Bob isn't an engineer. Automatics that utilize a torque converter will always be less efficient than a manual due to their necessary slippage. There are so new dual clutch automatics that match the efficiency of a manual -- but they are still rare.

But this is crap -- an automatic can't exceed a manual's fuel economy with the same gearing. Merely match it. He's full of crap.

that is why auto trans now have lock up converters so there is no slippage except at lower speeds.

[Beau]

Yeah but Torque converters blow up when you lock them up at WOT

[BBDOS CV8]

Originally Posted by Lichtronamo

Given the overall state of affairs at GM and GMNA in particular, I believe this is debatable. Specific to the G8, selling it in NA may add to worldwide volumes and improve economy of scale (but at only 22,000 units, not really), but it still doesn't make a lot of sense to do so if they loose money at it. If GM needed to push Zeta volumes, a Chevy or (existing) Buick badged version built in NA would have made a better business case.

But seeing as GM has only one plant on the planet making Zeta and it's not in NA, if they had waited until they did the cars would be even longer coming, would they not?

Although May sales were lower than might be expected, so were they for everything in that size category, domestic and import, including the CTS - the only cars to really sell well are baby-sized cars.

I don't understand why GM was so reluctant to introduce manuals - the manual version of both the six and eight are not only quicker but also more economical, as well as lighter. Holden is advertising here they are about to introduce V8s with cylinder deactivation, perhaps this is a sign they have made it compatible with manual transmissions?

Autos may have lockup, but it only occurs part of the time. The trans is always effectively slipping a little otherwise, and the convertor and internals take power to run and spin up. The only autos likely to match manual economy will be semi-auto DSGs with no torque converter.

[motorman]

Autos may have lockup, but it only occurs part of the time. The trans is always effectively slipping a little otherwise, and the convertor and internals take power to run and spin up. The only autos likely to match manual economy will be semi-auto DSGs with no torque converter.[/quote] i have 2 vehicles with lock up converters and the only time they unlock on the road is on steep grades.

[Perian]

I would buy a G8 with a stick right this very moment if it were available.

However, my lease ends in one week, and I have a 2008 Saab 9-5 sedan with a manual transmission waiting for me at my dealer.

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by BBDOS CV8

But seeing as GM has only one plant on the planet making Zeta and it's not in NA, if they had waited until they did the cars would be even longer coming, would they not?

They would - but I guess the real question is whether a 30K to 50K unit product for Pontiac should really have been a priority even before the current sales crisis. Its basically a niche product for a permanently damaged brand.

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by eb110americana

Congrats GM. This is what we asked for. Pontiac deserves at least as much.

The center stack could use a bit more class. Something more like this:

Which model Commodore is the top picture from? I think this is the new 2009 center stack from the GMI thread "Meet your 2009 Pontiac Lineup":

[88ls1blazer]

Originally Posted by Lichtronamo

The G8, with its unremarkable V6 and thirsty V8 powertrain options, is likely to prove to be the answer to the question no one is asking in the era of $4.00/gallon gas. Its the wrong car at the wrong time - if it would have debuted when the Commodore did, it may have had an impact.

Thirsty v8? WTF are you talking about? I average 25-26 mpg with my G8 GT, please tell me how many other cars in that class get that kind of mileage? Aren't there fwd toyota's that average a bit less. Remove your head from your ass, please.

[mbukukanyau]

Originally Posted by 88ls1blazer

Thirsty v8? WTF are you talking about? I average 25-26 mpg with my G8 GT, please tell me how many other cars in that class get that kind of mileage? Aren't there fwd toyota's that average a bit less. Remove your head from your ass, please.

this anti v8 mentality is a religious doctrine. there can be no reasoning with it.