2008 G8 GT Review: Pontiac Relevant Again

[CobaltSScrazy]

G8 is a good car, I think the guy is biased against American cars. As much as this is an Aussie vehicle, its a GM CAR through and through and it doesn't matter where its designed or built, its a GM car that is sold in America and in the price/value/feature set equation, no one can beat it. Not BMW. Not Dodge. Not Mercedes. Not Cadillac. Not Lexus. Not Infiniti. Period.

A GM is a GM is a GM and thats what I enjoy about it. Your thoughts of it being a Aussie car is like calling the cobalt a japanese car since its a fwd compact and as far from an "American" vehicle as you can get. Plus, production is moving to mexico and design center is GMDat?/EU going forward with compact car design. So I guess I drive a hybridized european/korean car as of March 2009. (EYEROLL)

A Firebird would do so much for Pontiac, it would make two relevant large cars, a relevant roadster / coupe. Now if pontiac can get a proper non-Cobalt-rebadge compact, a Nissan versa competitor, and a real Mazda6/Altima competitor (rwd or fwd)...then we'll be talking about Pontiac being 'back' and me actually considering them more than a fluff for nostalgics or a fleet queen.

*IF* GM doesn't want to invest in the above said products...G8 could have been a Chevy Impala, Solstice a Sting Ray, shut down the brand and have only Buick/GMC and call it a day. And if those buyers want a Mazda/Nissan/Honda and don't go to Saturn/Chevy, who really cares? GM doesn't offer what they want as of now anyways.

CobaltSS

[svx92]

"After all, if you want frugal, boring transportation, Toyota will happily sell you a Camry."


LOL That line just makes me laugh

[stevecmh]

some great photos..

nice to see they compared it against a 5 series

[logansowner]

Originally Posted by tgagneguam

I think the price is surprisingly reasonable: 50% of the cost of a 5-series with 80% of the performance. And I'm not so certain that other cars with which the G8 competes (e.g., Charger) are priced that much more economically.

Most of us aren't going to buy the GT, it's positioned as a heck of a fun car, even in lesser trims. I am more interested in how it competes with the Charger price/equipment wise.

What will the base price be?

[corvettekidc6]

The G8 is absolutely beautiful

[Redline79]

A beautiful car. I'm anxiously awaiting the GXP.

[Robert Ryan]

A GM is a GM is a GM and thats what I enjoy about it. A GM is a GM is a GM and thats what I enjoy about it. Your thoughts of it being a Aussie car is like calling the cobalt a japanese car since its a fwd compact and as far from an "American" vehicle as you can get. Plus, production is moving to mexico and design center is GMDat?/EU going forward with compact car design. So I guess I drive a hybridized european/korean car as of March 2009. (EYEROLLas you can get. Plus, production is moving to mexico and design center is GMDat?/EU going forward with compact car design. So I guess I drive a hybridized european/korean car as of March 2009. (EYEROLL

It is an Australian GM owned car..developed here.

Your thoughts of it being a Aussie car is like calling the cobalt a japanese car since its a fwd compact and as far from an "American" vehicle as you can get.

Uhhhh??? It is a fwd Compact car developed and sold in the US.

[BBDOS CV8]

Originally Posted by logansowner

Most of us aren't going to buy the GT, it's positioned as a heck of a fun car, even in lesser trims. I am more interested in how it competes with the Charger price/equipment wise.

What will the base price be?

The price is known - $26,595 for the V6, and $29,995 for the GT. Plenty of people seem to be buying them at MSRP and even below according to posters on G8 and GTO sites, so maybe many of the dealers have learnt from the GTO fiasco.

Someone on the G8 board has compiled a list, and so far he has tracked the owners of about 860 of the limited 888 build cars, so given that about 4,000 are so far allocated to dealers it seems to be taking off much better than the intial GTO sales - many people are reporting showing up for test drives to find their dealer's allocated '08 stock is already gone. In some cases bought straight off the transporter.

Holden should be building '09's by now, or be about to start, and they should start appearing mid-summer in the US. This month the first LS3 HSV models are being delivered so you might see the GXP in autumn.

[5.3Avalanche]

Originally Posted by eaton53

Dude, get some glasses. The current 5 is an ugly, flame surfaced styling debacle.
The BMW nasty-ass front end you see in that pic tells it all.

Agreed. It's just not an attractive car for the price it commands. Merc and Audi have a step up in this department. The G8 trumps the current gen 5 series in style...even the M5, which is pretty ugly.

[Michael_S]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

G8's nice and all, but how does 1 car (2 if you count solstice) make Pontiac "relevant?" Especially with cars like G5, G6, Vibe, and Torrent in the lineup?

What G8 is.... is a nice start.

The rest of the Pontiac lineup, except for the Solstice, may be well behind the competition. But for the first time in decades, Pontiac has a legitimate segment leader in its lineup.

I'd say that means something.

[CobaltSScrazy]

Originally Posted by Robert Ryan

It is an Australian GM owned car..developed here.


Uhhhh??? It is a fwd Compact car developed and sold in the US.

1. LOL. Holden is as much a GM car as Chevrolet is as Cadillac is as Buick/GMC is, as Opel is, as Saturn is, as Saab is, as Vauxhall is, as Hummer is. They are all 100% GM no matter where/what their orgin/geography location.

2. I'm talking about the Delta 2 Cobalt, not the current one

CobaltSS

[jasaero]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

G8's nice and all, but how does 1 car (2 if you count solstice) make Pontiac "relevant?" Especially with cars like G5, G6, Vibe, and Torrent in the lineup?

What G8 is.... is a nice start.

Exactly. Cool car for Pontiac, but they need much more. The Solstice is still kinda fresh, but even it needs a new generation to work out some first gen kinks and such from a quality and reliability perspective along with bringing the interior more upto date. Pontiac REALLY needs a full line up of RWD or AWD vehicles(hopefully mostly cars only) to be truely relevant as a brand. Or at the very least all FUN cars even if a few have to be FWD.

[FBODYRULES]

Originally Posted by MisterMe

Except for the engine, the G8 is most definitely not an American car. The review made that point abundantly clear to anyone who can read. The G8 is an Australian car with an American badge. The term of art is captive import. The reviewer likes the G8. If the identical car were American made, my bet is that he would not like it.

ok I worded that wrong but you know what i meant, Im going it edit it!
it's not just the engine though thats american , its basically the whole chassis right?!
you are right about if the same exact car was fully american he wouldnt like it.

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by jcgable

The battery is in the trunk? Or did he mean the hood...

Oh Journalists these days...

Most modern RWD cars have the battery in the Trunk.

All the LX cars do, as do most BMW's.

[DuSpinnst]

Originally Posted by Robert Ryan

It is an Australian GM owned car..developed here.

National pride aside (as well as your personal hatred of the US), a GM car is a GM car regardless of development or engineering location.

The G8 is no more Australian than the Saturn Astra is German.

The local brands may have local heritage (Opel in Germany, Holden in Australia), but the cars themselves are just GM. Whichever brand sells them is the identity they take on.

So to you it is a Holden, an Australian built and developed car. To us it is a Pontiac which is distinctly American, even if the car comes to us via Australia's GM subsidy.