...but for their money drivers will get one of the best-handling large sedans on the road. Chrysler received kudos for its powerful 300C and Dodge Charger sedans, but those cars were strictly straight-point performers. The G8 carves corners while also doing that straight-point thing pretty well. All in all, this is the best-performing sedan in the segment.
Therein lies the appeal of some recent GM vehicles. It's not just the looks or powertrains appreciated separately, it's how the whole thing is packaged and performs overall. Refreshing that GM has returned to giving its vehicles this kind of attention again. I think they will be better off for it, too.
...but the one everyone is interested in is the 361-hp V-8 that rumbled beneath the nostrilled hood of the GT version I tested. The cost to move up to the V-8 is just $2,400, moving the MSRP from $27,595 to $29,995 — a relative bargain.
As others have pointed out, an exceptional bargain, again, particularly in light of how many things are done correctly with this car.
Surprisingly, Pontiac dialed down the rumble of this powerful engine; when you turn the ignition it kicks on like any other family sedan. This is in stark contrast to the last Australian V-8 import, the Pontiac GTO, which shook so violently at idle you thought something must be wrong with it.
I know I am in the minority here when I say that I liked the GTO. Sure, the styling was a bit dated, but overall the car was great (particularly the later, more powerful version). There's this guy who drives his GTO by my office from time to time. I love the rumble of this guy's car's engine. I can hear it coming down the street, and if I'm free, I still like to watch him drive his car by. It's something to behold, particularly when he turns the corner next to my building and jets down the road (his exhausts face my building at that point).
