Think it's a joke? So did so many people that Snopes decided to investigate and they've declared it's absolutely true. Go figure — truth really is stranger than fiction.

[Snopes]

(Hat tip to Daren!)

G8 GXP - 16
G8 GT - 570
G5 - 1500
Torrent - 400
Base Solstice Coupe - 139
Solstice Coupe GXP - 160
Vibe - 350
G6 GXP - 530

[via Twitter]

So what do you get for $80 to $85K? Well, for starters you get a supercharger atop the big LS engine under a newly-crafted hood, a shaker scoop atop that and a killer graphic package. You'll also get a 1"-4" lowering kit with sway bar and some Pirelli Pzero's with Gold or Silver machined face snowflake wheels — complete with Phoenix T/A logo. Skraw!

Other exterior embellishments include the fender extractors, an exhaust conversion with splitter tips, a rear fascia clip with tail lamp lenses and bulbs and oh, yes, the sweet rear spoiler.

On the inside, an embroidered head rest and console lid, turned aluminum door panels and inserts along with a matching instrument cluster trim. Combine that with a hurst shifter and a real Pontiac steering wheel and you've got yourself one screamin' Trans Am. Want one? Head over to the folks at TransAmDepot.

It has a GTO hood and grille emblem, but a Tempest grille and column-shifted automatic. Even though you could a '68 GTO with the chrome grille instead of the sledgehammer-proof Endura snout, hardly any buyers did so. As for the column shifter, I'm pretty sure the Hurst dual-gate was standard issue on automatic GTOs and Pontiac stopped installing Powerglides in GTOs after 1966… but I betcha there's some guy out there with a PhD in Tedious General Motors Facts who can cite chapter and verse about the 18 1968 GTOs that got chrome grilles and column-shifted Turbo 400s via some renegade dealership in Alaska. Fine. I'm still going to say that we're looking at a '68 Tempest or LeMans with some GTO parts bolted on.

Or, hell, maybe it's a '69 Cutlass with some Tempest sheet metal welded in; that might explain the Oldsmobile Rally Wheels. You can see where this game will drive you nuts in a hurry, and it's one of the reasons I avoid most classic muscle car shows. Anyway, who cares what DNA this car has? It's a cool-looking GM A-body that lives on the street and gets regular real-world driving action, while most of its siblings have been crushed or turned into coddled garage queens. I suspect that its owner is the same person who once owned this 1966 Mustang, since it parks in the same spot once occupied by the Ford. Perhaps he or she celebrated the date on the car's "Bush's Last Day" bumper sticker by upgrading to a bigger, more powerful Detroit classic.

We're not sure what hurts the most: the existence of the Pontiac G8 we're never going to get, the Sportwagon we'd have killed for, or the fact that these are all essentially GXP-spec vehicles. Prices range from approximately $41,600 for the Ute to $50,000 for the Sportwagon. It hurts to look.

Fortunately, I spotted this very, very nice '64 Grand Prix parked at the beach not long ago, quite close to the home of the not-so-nice '71 VW Squareback. Don't worry about it being near the beach, because the San Francisco Bay's surf is measured in inches, not enough to kick up a bunch of Rust Monster-enabling salt on nearby parked cars.

You'd have paid $3,499 for this car back in 1964, and for that price you got the 306-horse 389 and way more style than the realtors in their Bonnevilles. A '64 Galaxie 500 coupe went for just $2,783, which may have left you enough money in your budget for a dealer-installed 425-horsepower Thunderbird Super High Performance 427 engine. Which would you have chosen?

Yesterday, the '72 Bee-turd went down like a phoenix in a blaze of crack pipe. But that won't stop us from keeping the big-ass coupe alive! Today we're going Hollywood for another American two-door that's ready for its close up.

Taken from a silent film staring Steve McQeen, the name LeMans graced Pontiac's mid-sizers for nearly two decades. It later was also applied to a small, Korean import, the less said about which the better.

This 1973 example, in azure with contrasting white vinyl roof, is from the colonnade era in the panoply of GM A-bodies. Buff at the front, and pointy at the rear, these coupes stood in the shadow of their GTO and Grand Am siblings. While large and in charge, the LeMans had neither the implied performance of the former, nor the Euro trashing luxury of the latter.

Its name does imply a continental flavor, however should you decide to take this car to a track in say France, such as. . . oh I don't know- Paul Ricard, you likely wouldn't be setting any track records. The wide and slick leather seating surfaces would have you bumpin' uglies with the armrests on hard turns if you lack sufficient gluteal grip. The built for comfort, not for speed shock and spring settings would mean track imperfections would go unnoticed, as would sleeping policemen, and possibly errant corner workers. But that comes with the territory, and this car hails from an era when men were men and driving excitement meant having an under-the-steering wheel A/C vent.

The seller doesn't let on what the drivetrain is, but available that year was the 400 cid V8 with an asthmatic 170 bhp. The column shift (that thing behind the Club, kids) indicates it's probably a TurboHydromatic 400 fluid-driving down there next to your right foot. A-arm front suspension, live axle in back, recirculating ball steering- it's a smorgasbord of ‘70s American auto engineering.

All of which may not add up to provide the speed and handling acumen of cars that circle its namesake, but its size does lend itself to other uses:

Now, at $7,250, yesterday's Thunderburp didn't come cheap, but this GM giant comes with an asking price of only $3,700. That gets you a car that appears rust-free, has decent paint and will probably run for another seventy five thousand trouble-free miles. And it's a classic that's in classic condition and has the same model body as GTO! Which is totally classic!


So would you drop three benjamins shy of four grand for this Pontiac from the disco era? Or, is this a classic case of a seller overusing classic in the description of his classic that's yet to be?

You decide!

Hollyweird Craigslist or go here if the ad disappears.

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In an exclusive interview with the Aussie hoons at Drive.com.au at the Frankfurt Motor Show yesterday, GM CEO Fritz Henderson said the company was making good progress with a plan to sell the Commodore to US law enforcement agencies. Specifically, as we've reported earlier this year, the LAPD.

"We've been working on a package for police applications. I just think that's going to work. We're pretty optimistic about it and that product will be sourced in Australia," he said.

But, while Fritz was all about the fleet applications, he wasn't geeked about other short term roles for the Commodore. But in the long term? He didn't rule out a wider role for the car in General Motors' plans going forward.

"It's a global architecture, it gives us options in the future but right now you'd say, near term, no," he said.

Holden has been searching for alternative export programs ever since, but in June GM shut the door on plans to revive the car as a Chevrolet Caprice.

It was thought the GM plan to import cars from Australia to US enforcement agencies would meet with strong opposition from GM's new owners, the unions and the Government, in light of the mass plant closures and job losses in the United States that followed the company's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

But senior GM exectuive Bob Lutz played down those fears in a blog on a company website in June this year.

"While the large (rear-wheel-drive) cars may be made in Australia, they are an integral part of GM, contain US-built engines and transmissions and numerous other components, and are so ‘American' in character that I don't believe the law enforcement agencies would have any problems with the assembly origin of the vehicle. Plus, they'll love it," he said. (Hat tip to Ben!) [via smh.com.au]

Holden Special Vehicles, the performance unit from GM's Australian-owned subsidiary Holden, has officially unveiled its E-Series 2 lineup, showcasing its first major mechanical and styling update for the VE Commodore-based range of sports sedans. Recognize that twin-nostriled bonnet? You should. It's borrowed directly from the Pontiac G8. Basically, this lineup is what a performance lineup for GM's recently-killed Pontiac brand could have looked like.

Given our love of what could have been real "driving excitement," we've taken four of the new models and put together what could have been a real performance-based Pontiac brand for GM here in the United States. Welcome to the Cars of Future Past.

NAME: HSV Clubsport R8
FEATURES:
• All new front and rear design encompassing performance bonnet scoops and ‘shockwave' inspired theme.
• 317kW LS3 V8 engine.
• Competition Mode ESC
• Extended Cruise Control
• Launch Control (manual vehicles only).
• Four piston front and rear brakes.
• All new E2 Sports 19 inch wheels
• Sports cloth seating as standard.
• SV Enhanced options include Performance suspension, bi-modal exhaust,
• Sports leather seats and 20 inch wheels.
WHAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN: An up-powered, Corvette-engined Pontiac G8 GT

NAME: HSV GTS
FEATURES:
• All new front and rear appearance encompassing performance bonnet scoops and ‘shockwave' inspired theme.
• Upgraded 325kW LS3 V8 engine.
• Hi-flow intermediate exhaust with bi-modal mufflers.
• Competition Mode ESC.
• Extended Cruise Control.
• Launch Control (manual vehicles only).
• Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) Performance suspension, stiffer and recalibrated.
• Four piston front and rear brakes. All new E2 Performance 20 inch wheels.
• Performance leather seats.
• SV Enhanced options include six-piston front brake callipers, finished in SV Enhance yellow with black HSV insignia and four-piston rears with unique wheel accenting.
WHAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN: Pontiac G8 GXP

NAME: HSV Clubsport R8 Tourer
FEATURES:
• All new front appearance encompassing performance bonnet scoops and ‘shockwave' inspired theme
• 317kW LS3 V8 engine
• Competition Mode ESC.
• Extended Cruise Control.
• Launch Control (manual vehicles only).
• Four piston front and rear brakes.
• All new E2 Sports 19 inch wheels.
• Sports cloth seats as standard.
• SV Enhanced options include bi-modal exhaust, Sports leather seats and 20 inch wheels.
WHAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN: Pontiac G8 GT Wagon

NAME: HSV Maloo R8
FEATURES:
• All new front appearance encompassing performance bonnet scoops and ‘shockwave' inspired theme.
317kW LS3 V8 engine.
• Competition Mode ESC.
• Extended Cruise Control.
• Launch Control (manual vehicles only).
• All new E2 Sports 19 inch wheels.
• Sports cloth seats as standard.
• Driver & passenger front airbags now include front, seat side & curtain side airbags.
• Addition of dual 8" subwoofers located in the rear cabin quarter trims. Audio output 170W.
• SV Enhanced options include bi-modal exhaust, Sports leather seats and 20 inch wheels.
WHAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN: Pontiac G8 "El Camino" ST

Rust seems to have taken a few bites out of the Pontiac, but it hasn't surrendered! Here's what Nuyear68 has to say about his finds:

Not necessarily an island that time forgot, but still a home for some neat DOTS candidates. Here's a 1965 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible. Pretty low production, it was the last Starfire ragtop, with the 1966 coupe being the end of its run until unceremoniously brought back as a dinky hatchback in the 80's (I think).
This one sports wheels from a 1972 Olds, and the neatest feature of this car is the side exhaust outlets at the rear of the fenders.
Must be an Olds guy who owns this, notice the nice Olds 98 Regency coupe in the driveway.
Rust hasn't forgotten this oldster I spotted here on Staten Island. It's a 1952 Pontiac - plain jane model with not too much trim, but a real neat chrome treatment up the deck and down the nose.

Apparently, the move to stop the export program in the wake of GM's bankruptcy and the killing off of the Pontiac brand has left a warehouse of parts once destined for cars to be exported to the US. Holden's marketing department — sensing an opportunity — has decided to use the stockpile on VE Commodores, which will be sold as a premium priced, limited edition Holden. Brilliant!

Even better news is the special edition will apparently also be available as a ute and wagon! GM had announced plans to bring over a G8 El Camino Sport Truck ST to the United States but then nixing those plans, along with even the idea of a wagon version of the Zeta-platformed RWD G8.

Although there's no official confirmation yet from Holden, the mere thought of the G8 surviving provides us some level of comfort — even if we're not getting it here. Frankly, the mere thought of a Pontiac El Camino vastly increases the likelihood we may have to move to Australia for some good ol' fashioned muscle car hoonage! Seriously, this is the best news we've heard in weeks.

UPDATE: Aussie site carpoint's reporting the following:

"It is unclear how many of each will be made, but dealer contacts have suggested it will be close to 1500 in total, or about 500 of each body style.

Prices of each limited edition model will be $1000 more than a regular SS V. The Holden bulletin outlined to dealers the following:

Pontiac G8 SS-V ute manual $47,490
Pontiac G8 SS-V sedan manual $55,290
Pontiac G8 SS-V wagon manual $57,290"

[via Drive, carsales.com.au, carpoint]

Known variously as the Iron Duke, Pontiac 2.5, and Tech IV, this pushrod four was an available powerplant in just about every car and small truck built by Pontiac, Chevrolet, Buick, and Oldsmobile during the Late Malaise Era and beyond. From the Camaro to the Fiero, S-10 to Skyhawk; even some late AMCs got Iron Duke power. The Duke tended to be on the noisy side and was often derided for its behind-the-times cast-iron construction and pushrod valvetrain, but it was compact and reliable- in many cases, the most reliable component in the car- and got the job done.
[Wikipedia]

Yesterday we dragged Johnny Cash through the bondo-crusted mud and came away with 79% of you wanting to give that crazy cavalier a life sentence. Today, we're going to look at something with a bird on its hood.

Nineteen seventy seven was a grand year to be alive- Jimmy Carter made passivity hip, CHiPs lit up TV screens from coast to coast, and a little film called Smokey and the Bandit made movie-going fun again. While Burt Reynolds method-acted his way through this high-octane comedy, his Pontiac-powered costar stole the limelight. The black and gold Firebird Trans Am evaded a regional stereotype-playing Jackie Gleason, and fulfilled the testosterone-fueled fantasies of many an American male that year, with its daring deeds of constable consternation.

What we have here is a '77 Trans Am, however not in the black and gold of the film car. No, this one is blue and gold, and also lacks the desirable T-tops, denying your lady friends the opportunity to air out their chesticles in homage to Sally Field's bug-catching stunt work.

The seller, who is asking a bandit-like $12,000 for the screaming chicken-emblazoned coupe, claims that the rebuilt motor is rocking 400bhp. That is more than likely a typo- as the the T/A 400 cid engine was rated was at a more modest 200 bhp, but that didn't stop Burt from jumping his over that moleberry bridge! Yee-haw!

With 68,745 built in '77, the Trans Am isn't a rare Pontiac, but that just means parts availability should be pretty painless, and you'll never be wanting for friends at the Pontiac car shows. And you'll want to drive this bird to those shows because Pontiac's advertising of the time claimed it had precise, sports car handling and outstanding road performance. Here, see for yourself:

So, it's not going to fully fulfill your Burt Reynolds fetish, but it will keep that Pontiac flame alive, at least in your garage. And for only $12,000. What do you think, is it worth that to keep smokey at bay? Or is Buford T. Justice doling out the Crack Pipe along with the speeding tickets?

You decide!

Orlando Craigslist or go here if the ad jumps a creek. Hat tip to engineerd!

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The Vehicle Launch Index ranks how well new vehicle models — including new entries to the market and all-new and redesigned models — perform during the first eight months after launch. The Genesis blew the rest of the pack of 27 new models out of the water, with a score of 689 on a 1,000-point scale. Following the Hyundai Genesis in the rankings are the 2009 Ford F-150 (673) and 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan (663).

It's the third major award for the Hyundai Genesis. Consumer Reports rated it the top new upscale sedan, besting the Lexus ES 350. The Genesis also won the 2009 North American Car & Truck Of The Year award.

On the lower end of JD Power's scale were the 2009 Dodge Journey (513), 2009 Pontiac Vibe (504), 2009 Dodge Ram (459) and the Vibe's platform brother-in-arms, the 2009 Toyota Matrix (439).

Full press release below and the full chart of all 27 newly-launched vehicles are above. Click the graphic to enlarge the list to something more legible.

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Hyundai Genesis Ranks Highest in Inaugural Vehicle Launch Index

Getting New Vehicles Right from the Start is Critical, as Automakers Will Pour $50 Billion Into U.S. Launches During the Next Four Years

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 22 July 2009 - The 2009 Hyundai Genesis ranks highest in launch performance among vehicle models introduced during the first ten months of 2008, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Launch Index SM (VLI) released today.

The inaugural Vehicle Launch Index quantifies how well new vehicle models-including new entries to the market and all-new and redesigned models-perform during the first eight months after launch. The VLI examines various factors that are critical to the financial success of a launch, including turn rate, vehicle revenue, dealer gross profit, incentive spend, credit quality and residual value. In addition, VLI includes the key factors of vehicle quality and design, based on the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study SM (IQS) and Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study.SM

The Vehicle Launch Index is an independent measure designed to help automakers plan and execute successful vehicle launches in order to maximize revenue and profits, minimize incentive spending and maintain high residual values during a model's lifecycle.

"Launching new vehicles successfully is critical to the financial success of every automaker," said Gary Dilts, senior vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power and Associates. "Given lower consumer demand, vehicle proliferation and the financial pressures on the auto industry, every manufacturer must get it ‘right' from the start. By carefully analyzing more than 90 vehicle launches that have been executed in the United States, we have determined the key factors for launch success."

The 2009 Hyundai Genesis is the leading example of initial launch success and ranks highest among the 27 models examined in the 2009 VLI, with a score of 689 on a 1,000-point scale. Following the Hyundai Genesis in the rankings are the 2009 Ford F-150 (673) and 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan (663).

J.D. Power and Associates forecasts that automakers will conduct 205 new-model launches in the U.S. between 2009 and 2012 and will invest approximately $50 billion in the process. Of the 205 new models, 80 will be new entries to the market, 52 will be all-new models, and 73 will be major redesigns.

"With so much at stake, it is more critical than ever for manufacturers to launch new models that meet their financial targets, as well as product quality and consumer appeal benchmarks," said Dilts. "While some domestic manufacturers are facing tight scrutiny from the federal government and taxpayers, every automaker across the globe is being closely monitored both by governments and shareholders. Strong showings by new models are vital to the economic security of the automakers and will be instrumental in rebuilding Americans' confidence in the auto industry."

The VLI has identified the following key elements that drive the success of newly-launched models:

* Optimal vehicle price and volume levels are established prior to launch;
* Manufacturers sustain the proper product mix and incentive support;
* Automakers and dealers effectively manage inventory levels and turn rates;
* The model is attractively designed and provides high levels of consumer appeal in terms of styling, performance, functionality and ease of operation;
* The model launches with high initial quality, enhancing the automaker's image and supporting residual values.

Conversely, the following conditions lead to less-successful model launches:

* Unrealistic expectations regarding pricing and sales volumes;
* Poor balance of supply and demand, leading to excessive inventory levels;
* Inadequate vehicle appeal and poor initial quality leading to low consumer acceptance and a tarnished brand image.

The 2009 Vehicle Launch Index includes 2008 and 2009 model-year vehicles first sold between January and October 2008. Vehicles must be all-new or major redesigns and must sell at least 5,000 units during the first eight months to be included. The index is based on proprietary information collected through the Power Information Network and J.D. Power and Associates' consumer research.

The Vehicle Launch Index is part of J.D. Power and Associates' 10-module Launch Assurance Program designed to provide automakers with immediate and actionable insights about their vehicle models from initial concept and product development through manufacturing and distribution to the initial ownership experience.

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2008 were $6.4 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.