Pontiac G8: Autoblog First Drive

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by mikesright

The G8 will have a manual this fall. Soooo....quit yer bitchin, Autoblog.

The Jalopnik review says GM suggested a manual may be available in a performance version (GXP). It looks like the 6-speed manual is going to be off the table for the higher volume GT.

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by JetMech

Well the 530i runs high 6's 0-60. I don't see anyone complaining about it not living up to it's sport sedan target.

It also has more going for it than just forward thrust. The summation of all the reviews seems to be that the V8/rear-drive at a great price overcomes a lot of shortcomings that would otherwise be more significant and bothersome.

[TorqueFiend]

Originally Posted by ctaylorzl1

That is such a good looking car in real life. I don't know if I could choose between the sleak Black and the screaming loud brite Red.

Jeez...me too...I could live with having one in each color though

[steined]

Car and Driver didn't like the 6spd. Said it was constanty upshifting early. I'm imagining it is tuned like the Enclave, which wasn't to my liking. They did say that in "Sport Drive" it was better. (Something lacking in the enclave). They also mentioned that the AFM was programmed to be pretty agressive towards 4cyl mode. Probably not a bad thing in my opinion.

[TriShield]

Originally Posted by Lichtronamo

I don't agree - I think its maybe a 60% to 70% chance of being outright successful. High gas prices this summer, the lack of a manual and conservative styling will effect sales. These factors plus the V6 being only "sufficent" could be significant drawbacks. GM has apparently ratcheted sales expectations down from 50K to 30K.

Plus the comments from Autoblog readers (and Jalopnik readers and members of other auto forums) regarding the styling changes GM made to this car is also not a good sign.

There's a substantial number of people out there who prefer the car as it looked before GM stuck Pontiac's grille and scoops on it. These people would have been buying it had GM left it alone and just rebadged it.

Like I said on Autoblog, why did GM restyle Saturn to match Opel but continues to restyle Holdens with Pontiac's tired cues?

Judging by the reaction internet-wide to Holden's cars and concepts it'd be a vastly better idea to make Pontiacs look exactly like Holdens. Not the other way around.

[YupYupYup]

Originally Posted by mikesright

The G8 will have a manual this fall. Soooo....quit yer bitchin, Autoblog.

They have to find something when they have nothing.

[TriShield]

Originally Posted by Lichtronamo

Simply put, the car is a porker and the V6/5-speed auto isn't enough to make it live up to its sports sedan image.

Like the new CTS it is simply too big and too heavy for the 3.6L V6 to provide anything but adequate performance.

[Lichtronamo]

Originally Posted by TriShield

Like the new CTS it is simply too big and too heavy for the 3.6L V6 to provide anything but adequate performance.

At least the CTS gets a 6-speed autobox.

[Murrow]

Originally Posted by TriShield

There's a substantial number of people out there who prefer the car as it looked before GM stuck Pontiac's grille and scoops on it. These people would have been buying it had GM left it alone and just rebadged it.

Personally, I hate the scoops, but not enough to keep me from buying a G8, if I happened to be in the market. The ones on the GTO, however, were a big part of the deal-breaker for me (along with the spoiler, which I also hated).

[stevecmh]

so many great pictures.. i am happy to see that the auto mags. are excited about it..

i want one to replace my GP soo bad..

just worried about RWD in Wisconsin

[Z16monte]

Excepting the fake hood scoops, I prefer the Pontiac's look
Ed

[b4z]

I hate auto writers. They have to find a way to put a spin on each article.
This guy goes on and on about the lack of a manual.
If I had a dollar for every perfromance sedan that didn't offer one I'd be rich.
I've never read one article about the SRT8s not having a manual.
It's a full size sedan for chrissakes.
Both my GTOs were/are M6s and I wouldn't own a GTO either way, but I can't see myself buying a G8 GXP and putting my clients in there instead of the SRX and shifting gears.

[BBDOS CV8]

Originally Posted by Lichtronamo

It also has more going for it than just forward thrust. The summation of all the reviews seems to be that the V8/rear-drive at a great price overcomes a lot of shortcomings that would otherwise be more significant and bothersome.

It's hardly a 'lot of shortcomings'. More like some things not to personal preference. You don't like the trunk release in the glovebox, but it's there so someone who smashes the passemger window can't open the trunk if the car is deadlocked (which locks the glovebox lid). The fundamentals of the car - the way it drives, it's comfort and handling - are right. There is a sunglass holder in the stack in front of the shifter where it falls to hand easily. The window switches are not to everyone's liking but they sit under your hand with your arm on the armrest. You don't have to move your eyes to reach them instantly.

What's the old saying? You get what you pay for. I won't buy a BMW because I can't see the point of paying for 'driver aids' like iDrive and things like 'multi-mode power and gearbox' settings for things that should just be right. You are never going to get BMW sophistication for Holden/Pontiac prices - and even if they supply it, the market won't pay for it.

Look at the 2004 GTO - not a seller over $30k, whines about cost, expense etc even though it was only comparably priced to things like GP or G6 GXPs. As soon as the price went south of $30K it sold. The car didn't change, just the perception. GM customers like Pavlov's dogs with the bell, have been conditioned to salivate at the word 'rebate'. It's going to be hard to break them from that. While that attitude exists the manufacturer has to double guess that the customer will demand a rebate which means he has to cheap out, not risk his margin by building the vehicle to sell near MSRP. Holden's done it - they no longer offer thousands to people to buy cars, but option packs at retail. They simply stopped selling taxi packs - no more creaky high-mileage Commodore taxis to bring the brand image down. With VE they halved fleet discounts and concentrated on selling more to private buyers. It will take a while but it will raise perceptions of the brand as resales don't take a hit from all the low-mileage fleet vehicles flooding the secondhand market periodically.

With a BMW you pay a lot more for more in terms of tech and name but - in some cases - inferior fittings, ergonomics etc. Check a base 3-seies. To get a reasonable interior costs a lot more than the starting price.

Then they still saddle you with $1000 runflat tyres which basically ruin lowspeed and low-amplitude bump compliance and even steering and handling to a degree; even though the car is engineered for and can accept a spare wheel under the floor of the trunk. That's what I call a flaw.

Then when you take it in for a service, they not only bend you over but make you pay for the KY jelly. Whereas I'd be amazed if a G8 GT costs more than two bills for a routine service with all synthetic premium lubes.

[b4z]

Re:V6 and adequate performance.

My SRX weighs 4200lbs has the 255 hp 3.6L w/ 5 sped auto and 3.73 gears.
There are times every now and then that I'd wish for 20-30 more hp but it is usually when I am doing something I shouldn't be.
It goes pretty well and I'd estimate it's 0-60 time is less than 7.5 seconds.
So my guess is the G8 will do it in the 7 second flat or less range and that is prety darn good for a base engine.

[usa1]

Originally Posted by Lichtronamo

Simply put, the car is a porker and the V6/5-speed auto isn't enough to make it live up to its sports sedan image.

Oh please. I'm tired of the talk about how heavy the G8 is.

It's a big RWD car. Compare it to a smaller car like the BMW 5 series. The V8 5 series is smaller on the outside and inside and even with all its exotic materials, weighs a whole 50 pounds less than the G8 GT. And this is comparing a manual 5 to an auto G8.

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/nvc/edmu...op=3&tab=specs

Mark