NYIAS 08: 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP!

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by Col Klink

Nice job perhaps a little understated for NA but hey lets see this go up against the 6.1 Charger.

I wonder if they are dropping the power like Holden did with the L76 ie just say you've done it - don't actually do it.

Good to see LS3 early on, now just bring it to Aus/NZ, oh and wrap in the Coupe60 body.

The GT was able to keep pace with the SRT Charger. I don't see why the GXP wouldn't blow by it with 40 more HP.

[Col Klink]

Originally Posted by Lichtronamo

The GT was able to keep pace with the SRT Charger. I don't see why the GXP wouldn't blow by it with 40 more HP.

Exactly my point, but hey why not kick some sand in their face as well.

[HoosierRon]

Originally Posted by Col Klink

Exactly my point, but hey why not kick some sand in their face as well.

KLINK, YOU BLITHERNG IIIIIIIIIDIOT!


(I actually have no problem with what you said, I just had to quote General Burkhalter.)

[WWI Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by HoosierRon

KLINK, YOU BLITHERNG IIIIIIIIIDIOT!


(I actually have no problem with what you said, I just had to quote General Burkhalter.)

The both of you have made me laugh out loud! To de Rhuzzian Frunt vis you both!

[KojaK]

Originally Posted by djo165

Yeah, if you're driving on the highway, at steady speeds, with an automatic transmission doing your shifting to help you stay oh so economical.

But anything I buy will have a manual transmission, be driven in the city, and be driven HARD!!! A G8 GT auto has a city rating of 15 MPG. And with my lead foot, it might not even get that. Thus the need for something a bit more economical.

I'm sure GM are working on a smaller rwd car for your lead foot if thats what you want fine. Thats the way the market is going. In the mean time a lot of people want a large true 5 seater that can haul your family in comfort and still have impressive performance. These things cruise the highway in 6th gear at barely above idol. Go buy a buzz box or something if you want to pedal to the metal from light to light in which you will probably still get whipped.

[LeSabre]

I wish this thing in all its trim models would go back to Australia & stay there!!!
I am damn sick & tired of seeing Pontiacs & possible Buicks becoming in part or all blatant rebadges of Holden cars. GM needs to give Pontiac its own design language instead of using the one that Holden is using. The Solstice was a very good start & they wasted it!
I hope that the G8 ST gets the RED light!

[phantomssv]

Originally Posted by LeSabre

I wish this thing in all its trim models would go back to Australia & stay there!!!
I am damn sick & tired of seeing Pontiacs & possible Buicks becoming in part or all blatant rebadges of Holden cars. GM needs to give Pontiac its own design language instead of using the one that Holden is using. The Solstice was a very good start & they wasted it!
I hope that the G8 ST gets the RED light!

For any car company these days to be able to compete on a level playing field platforms and vechiles need to be shared... do we not all remember why GM got itself into a position of debt (letting each brand have similar products and all developing them on different and or only slightly modified architectures)
In Australia we have the Commodore (your pontiac G8 and G8GT) and the Ute and Wagon off the same commdore base (your G8 ST) its awesome for enconomies of scale. But thats when the Australian products end... we have a European Astra, Captiva and Korean Barinas, Captiva, Viva, Epica and soon to be a US Colorado (replacing our Isusu Rodeo). As you can see we wouldnt have much a range in the showrooms if it wasnt for Daewoo, Vauxhall , and up until the current VE which is a Holden\GM arch we used a modified Opel arch for 28 odd years.
Look at the VW group, they even share equipment between the Lamborghini and Audi groups and maybe even the VW brand itself.
Toyota is doing well around the world because of this.

I have had 5 Holden Commodores in my life (VB, VL, VX, VY and now VE) and I totally support GM and really love some of the US brands in the same way (Pontiac, Chev), so i want them to do well as a whole.... but realistically arch\platform sharing is the way of the future.

And just on a final note.... Holden isnt replacing a great vehicle with a crap one... its the other way around. As for the G8 which is a great car and is RWD, it happens to be replacing an inferior Pontiac Grand Prix which is FWD (I mean who puts a V8 into a FWD really).
And for the G8 ST... its a great Ute.... just ask any Australian.....it may not be everyone's cup of tea load size wise but it aint a pit of crap either for hailing non commercial size loads. Alot of Australians that own a ute don't use it for hauling ... they use it as a great light RWD V8 that there friends don't call them up to pick up from the pub as they know they will not have enough seats for everyone.

Just my 2 cents....

PS : Dont like them dont but one... but dont complain about having a new product that is great to drive...

[SCCA1995]

Originally Posted by LeSabre

I hope that the G8 ST gets the RED light!

Too late. It got the green light at the same time as the G8 GXP.

[RedVee8]

Originally Posted by LeSabre

I wish this thing in all its trim models would go back to Australia & stay there!!!
I am damn sick & tired of seeing Pontiacs & possible Buicks becoming in part or all blatant rebadges of Holden cars. GM needs to give Pontiac its own design language instead of using the one that Holden is using. The Solstice was a very good start & they wasted it!
I hope that the G8 ST gets the RED light!

having a bad day?

[ChevroletTough]

Pontiac Excitement is coming back...

[LeSabre]

Originally Posted by SCCA1995

Too late. It got the green light at the same time as the G8 GXP.

Where's your proof??

Its not too late for them to change their collective minds!

[TheUsualSuspect]

The fact that the G8 is pissing off joe dirt-mobile and rental car fans, is a good sign.

WHEN the G8 is a success, hopefully it will result in the execution of the current G6, G5, and Vibe, and subsequent replacement of those models with cars that aren't total rubbish. Don't worry LeSabre, there's always Kia.

[LeSabre]

^^And what is that suppose to mean??
I will never buy a Kia.

The G5 is rubbish, I agree w/you there. it was a mistake from the start & the outcome of a lie in which Pontiac head/leaders said that they didn't want an entry level car. This was post Sunfire & before G5 went into production.
The G6 needs new skin & a real name. Presumably on Alpha.
The Vibe should have a model where it takes on the Mitsubishi Evolution & the Subaru WRX/STI w/much more HP/TQ & AWD standard. Its time for Pontiac to crash this dance between these two!!
The G8 needs to be renamed w/a real name & get its own skin which looks american in its design/styling & NOT be a blatant rebadge.
Blatant rebadges are cars w/very poor-bad badge engineering. Such as the G8, G5...I would have to include the Outlook & the Acadia.
A person should not be able to see blatantly obviousness 2 models from the same company(GM as a whole)...The G8 should not at all look like the Commodore or any other incarnation of the Commodore under any other badges throughout the world.
The Outlook & Acadia should be more distinctive than they are. The Enclave doesn't look anything like the Acadia/Outlook twins. Good badge engineering gives the given pair(or more) of vehicles exterior distinction between the 2(or more) Such as the Enclave vs. both that of the Outlook & Acadia. This distinction should also include design language respective of its brand & line up & its country of origin. Meaning that a Pontiac(in the case of the G8, G8 ST) should not at all look foreign but look American. The G8 looks & IS foreign & is not a true Pontiac. Nor should it be one.

I will agree that the G8 as it is, is a nice car, has the power & performance that Pontiac had been known for & should again. But the looks of it while handsome or even sexy to some, does not scream or say Pontiac at all. I have no beef w/platform sharing among models. Its something that nearly ever car maker is doing to cut cost & that is fine. Its just that the exteriors have to be distinctive between brands & the interiors have to be up to par or better for every class of car out there that each model is apart of. GM is not the only one doing poor badge engineering w/blatant rebadges. Ford & Chrysler as well as other car companies are guilty of this too.
If I didn't care about what GM is giving us, then I wouldn't make posts like this one among several others. I, like many of you have deep passion for cars & it is this passion that drives me to make these ranting posts.

Have a good day/evening!

[Lichtronamo]

G8's arriving:

One dealer in my area had two red G8 GT's with the Sport Package (they don't apparently realize it snows in MN in April) parked on either side of their driveway and another had a gray G8 GT:





Odd - none of these cars showed up on the Pontiac website search and there is no G8 related info on the public or Family First versions of GMBuypower.com.

[SCCA1995]

Originally Posted by LeSabre

Where's your proof??

Its not too late for them to change their collective minds!

Read it & weep. http://media.gm.com/us/gm/en/news/ev...20Truck_OR.htm

"The G8 sport truck significantly stretches Pontiac’s commitment to style and performance and is expected to arrive in dealers’ showrooms in late 2009."