NYIAS 08: 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP!

[ctsmo]

Originally Posted by coaster.n3rd

It can have my kids... I don't care. Hell, I'll even throw in my nieces and nephews for good measure.

[amwworks]

Originally Posted by E. Haskell

Sounds good to me.

Me To

[joshls]

Originally Posted by Sinner

I'm betting she'll cost 38-40K just like it's competition the Charger SRT8.

I'll pass on that price. With the GT at $30K, there is no way I would spend 8-10 grand more for the GXP. Maybe $5,000.

[ANT]

Originally Posted by eb110americana

Anyway, at least it's fast even though the SRT8 Chryslers/Dodges are more powerful with 425hp and 420tq. The front bumper looks even more generic than the standard model, and the rear "diffuser" is pretty weak. All can be forgiven if it's only $2K or less over the cost of a G8 GT. $32K would be quite reasonable, even $35K would, but not much more than that. The wheels are sweet though, and hooray for the manual 6 speed!.

I Think this looks Worse than the GT, the front is so bland and boring why did they round it off and make it LESS aggressive versus the Standard GT?

[jasaero]

Originally Posted by sigma

Because I don't think the LS2 is going to be in production much longer. The upshot of this is... how hard would it be to flash a couple of chips and get that extra horsepower back?

BTW- That car in red looks so so so so so mean. I want one.

I think it may have a different cam than the Vette LS3 though for refinement also. They make comments about the cam in the press release. Could be the same cam and they are just adding verbage about the LS3 cam in general, but it also might be alluding to a tamer cam.

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by Sinner

I'm betting she'll cost 38-40K just like it's competition the Charger SRT8.

Agreed. The top price of the GT leave plenty of room to get the cost of the GXP under 40K. My bet is $37,995, or 10K over the base price of the GT.

[speedworxs]

only 402 hp- who cares? with about 15 minutes 'work' a tuner can make more than the corvette from the ecu alone. if you check part# i bet the engine is virtually the same unit as the corvette- but retuned electronically to work in a family sized and weight car. easy to correct-
the wheels look perfect to differentiate this from the other G8s, subtle and not too attention making.

i'm getting one so i have to defend it

[jpstax]

Originally Posted by DuSpinnst

Probably has a more restrictive exhaust than the Corvette.

Isn't Pontiac basically saying the same thing that happened to the V8 in the G8 GT (when they installed a detuned LS2, and renamed it the L76)? It begs the question, will the detuned LS3 in the G8 GXP also be renamed?

[uvaeeman]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Everything's good except I was hoping for the HSV GTS taillights.

And the nifty tall vent thing behind the front wheels.

[hrcslam]

Originally Posted by one night stan

I've been a long time viewer of gminsidenews, but this is my first comment.
...I felt compelled to register membership just to share how disappointed I am with the GXP.

It lifts your heart to see an Australian product do well in the States. From what I gather on forums, the response to the g8 has been enthusiastic, even in the United Arab Emirates and UK.
So for a long time i kept thinking "Just wait till they get the up-spec HSV derived GXP!. It should blow them away."

the HSV GTS comes with

-Magnetic Ride Control Suspension (ala 599 GTB ferrari, corvette, audi TT)
-its own set of LED tail lights (to differentiate it from the commodore) situated lower which looks slightly sportier
-its own set of side vents (again to differentiate it from the commodore) behind the front guards to advertise its sports-spec credentials; albeit non-functioning.
-20” shadow wheels
-larger spoiler; I know this has ricer connotations in the US (it’s derived from Australian V8 touring car culture) so I can understand the product change for the market taste.

But I can't understand why the Pontiac deleted these other options.
It looks tame to me.
In Australia it was common and too easy for entry-commodore owners to put HSV body work on their rides and HSV developed the rep of being simply a rebadged commodore – that was until the product differentiation HSV decided to invest in with the VE series.
Also, HSV owners felt ripped off even after paying the extra premium.

I feel the same thing could happen stateside.
The GXP looks no different to a g8

Hey, Welcome to GMi. This is a great site. I'm glad you finally decided to join the discussions. Yeah GM could have done more to the GXP G8, but if Pontiac is going to get the G8 (GTO??) Coupe along with the Camaro that Chevy will get then we can expect great things from those cars (GM always makes their coupes perform well above the sedan variants; G6 GXP coupe vs. G6 GXP Sedan, etc.). The G8 is a great car and GXP will sell nicely, but honestly I would end up with a G8 GT and I'll throw in a supercharger. This will give me the performance well beyond the G8 GXP and probably cost the same. We'll see if I ever have the money for it though.

[YupYupYup]

Welcome One Night Stan.

However, I am going to have to disagree with you on a few points:

• I think the HSV front fascia is less understated than the G8. Looks too Mistuibishi to me. Especially the grille treatment. I find this interesting because it is the HSV that is more out there and the G8, as mentioned on here, is more conservative. I thought Aussies like more conservative, understated cars?

• COST! Americans are not willing to pay through the nose like Aussies are for their cars. The G8 GXP might come in almost half...

• Everyone bitching about the engine??? Why? It will already smoke the hell out of anything else in its segment. GM must also look at the big picture with all the new CAFE rules coming up. You have to save gas somewhere, and more likely the consumer who buys a "family sedan" will want to do it there than on, say, a Camaro.

• The spoiler would get you made fun of in NA and would not seriously allow you to be compared next to BMW.

• I know how much Aussies want to say this is their car, but in reality it is a GM car just like Lexus is always touted as a Japanese car. Lexus is designed for the most part and made in the U.S., and even shipped to Japan for sale, but you never hear anyone in the press calling it an "American car" (same with the American designed, engineered and built Honda Odyssey/Toyota Camry...). GM global resources, parts, direction, etc. helped produce this car just like Opel, SAAB, and all of the other great brands in the GM hierachy. While you have done some interesting work on it in the name of Holden, and should be "proud", at the end of the day it is still a GM car that should be shared with the rest of the world's markets for GM.

[crooner214]

Originally Posted by CobaltSScrazy

This is a sweet machine, how many produced per year? I still like the Turbo Cobalt SS

We're all shocked, CobaltSScrazy!

[eb110americana]

Originally Posted by hrcslam

Yeah GM could have done more to the GXP G8, but if Pontiac is going to get the G8 (GTO??) Coupe along with the Camaro that Chevy will get then we can expect great things from those cars (GM always makes their coupes perform well above the sedan variants; G6 GXP coupe vs. G6 GXP Sedan, etc.).

Originally Posted by YupYupYup

You have to save gas somewhere, and more likely the consumer who buys a "family sedan" will want to do it there than on, say, a Camaro.

I would be really surprised if the Camaro lineup of engines was any different from the G8's. I think people should start getting used to the idea that the base Camaro will have the regular 3.6L V6 with 256hp, the Z28 model will have 361 HP and cylinder deactivation, and the SS will make the 402 hp of the GXP (or whatever it is they settle on). The only differences I expect are better availability of manual transmissions, as GM would have to be stupid not offer them here. Perhaps GM will feel a need to challenge the Shelby Mustang GT500 Cobra with the LSA from the CTS-V, but not the LS9 for sure. Even then, I'm sure the total lack of competition between Vette and Camaro won't stop GM from blocking what would otherwise be an instant classic.

(PS: YupYupYup, cool list format. Now that I've seen your coding, I know how to do that too. Thanks!)

[ZvetteGuy]

I think Pontiac is calling for a rematch with that comparo they did with the G8-GT and the Dodge Charger SRT-8...

Bring it on!!!

[xzen]

So, the G8 GT stops from 60mph in 109 ft, and the GXP will have upgraded brembo brakes and probably the ability to make the suspension stiffer. Are we looking at 100ft give or take 60-0 times? I am amazed of the G8 GT, and to have a performance GXP version, how can anyone be dissapointed?