2008 Pontiac G8 GT - Jalopnik Comments

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

SomalakshmiScrimmer — Sun, 11 May 2008 19:09:19 EDT

Hi. all If you want more grunt check out the HSV 427 Dry sump corvette 7 litre and lots of other goodies. Another one to look at is the Coupe 60 done as a show car special by Holden

SomalakshmiScrimmer

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

cobra007 — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:09:13 EDT

It will have 6 manual trasmission too

cobra007

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

cobra007 — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:05:02 EDT

Car looks great!!
front facial is the look of pontiac why would they change that?? grand ams and grand prix weren't that great cars but i think pontiac is heading in new direction! they are building better cars now

that honey comb is not down market mazda uses, mercedes, bmw, lot od cars.. honeycomb plastic looks great it think

cobra007

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

alcalde — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:52:04 EDT

Okay, I'm no car expert like you guys, which may be why I'm confused about something (other than the sporadic elite anti-Pontiac snobbery). Isn't the G8 *already* a manual? Or manualish? Manualistic?

In this cars.com video review:

, the reviewer clearly states that the G8 has a manual shift. From what I gathered, you can switch it into manual mode then use the shifter to move up or down a gear. I found a picture of the interior at [www.leftlanenews.com] and it clearly looks like you can move the shifter to the right, and there's a plus and minus sign there that matches up with what Cars.com said.

Consequently, I'm confused why some people are complaining about lack of "manual shift". Unless I'm wrong (which is certainly possible as again I'm no car expert) you CAN shift gears manually on the G8, contrary to what the reviewer and some other posters claim. So for those who feel they can't buy it for that reason, feel free to buy.
I'm expecting someone to inform me that I'm incorrect and manual transmission means more than being able to switch gears manually, or it's not a "real" manual unless it's got some technical doohickey or the gears are switched by genuine German dwarves or something, but again, what do I know. Automatic = car shifts, manual = I shift, both = everybody happy in my crazy book.

What I think it's lacking is some of the features that made the Grand Prix it's replacing so awesome. Heads-up display... rear doors that opened nearly 90 degrees so you could fit big boxes in... folding rear AND front passenger seat so you could literally carry a 9x12 rug or a canoe and still close the trunk. Someone once wrote that these features, along with the performance, made the Grand Prix a sport... utility... vehicle. Before a bazillion-horsepower upgrade, a 10lb model made out of aerogel to keep some of the weight fetishists above happy, or those genuine German dwarves, I'd like to see them add some of the convenience features from the Grand Prix. And maybe satellite radio... temperature indicator... and the nifty conventional outlet plugs from the Vibe so you could both due the quarter mile AND make a smoothie with your blender in 13 seconds! Oh, and the Mini Cooper's automatic windshield wipers. Just because.

alcalde

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Garb — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 03:46:07 EDT

There is No justice in this trade.
We(oz) send you ripping hot cars like the Monaro and Ve/G8 and what are we sent in return?
Crossfire , 300c , Mustang , Jeeps and the wanker Hummer.
Seems like we are getting the rough end of this deal.

If you want a car that handles , buy the upgrades from HSV , the suspension is always de-tuned for you lot as you aren't liking the ride a well tuned suspension delivers , so We are told.

It must be usual for Americans to experience a car that goes fast in a straight line , brakes AND turns that wasn't built in Europe or Japan

Garb

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

LSX388 — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:21:55 EDT

There is not a lot of comment on the handling abilities of the G8 but I was surprised to see this earlier opinion...maybe a little uninformed....

"Like the GTO anyone getting in one of these and expecting European steering precision, the finest materials and the latest luxury gizmos is going to be sorely disappointed. It doesn't seem like GM understands Holden or what the Commodore really is."

...simply put..the Zeta platform (VE Commodore/G8/new Camaro) does have European steering AND handling precision. How do I know?

Though..as a GM/Holden person thru and thru, I have had 3 BMW's. Their dynamics, handling, feel, precision, are the best (up until they started fitting run-flats). The Zeta based Commodore, even in poverty pack rental car guise matches or beats any 1, 3, or 5 series BMW in dynamics. Bar the M3. The VE almost gets to M3 standards. Almost. Not bad for a run of the mill production car against an M development.

GM/Holden benchmarked the Zeta dynamics (etc) on the 5 series BMW. They leveraged BMW engineering excellence and innovation. They did a great job. Did they get to the materials BMW uses? No. Too expensive at current volumes. They wished they could have. If the G8 does well in the US market, then maybe volumes will support more aluminum/magnesium in these cars...as the pressure comes on for weight reduction.

On quality....I know US citizens that drive BMW's day to day and say that the GTO matches in Bimmer in quality of the interior. I dont know if I agree too much with that yet, but on the dynamics, there is no better value available than a Zeta based car!

LSX388

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

simpletool — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:58:15 EDT

Well the manual is available in Aus as a no-cost option.
I don't know the take-up rate but imagine something like 50%, at least for the HSV models.

If I was you guys, I would just lower slightly and add 19" deep dish rims, changes the look to much more muscular.

As for making the car look better, you can change the grill to HSV (must do bonnet with grill), the front quarter panels (fenders) and the tail lights.
see : [www.hsv.com.au]

This car would form the basis for sports model:
307kw (410hp), magnetorheological dampers, firmer springs/roll bars, larger brakes, etc etc.
Should cost around $7000 more in US.
I believe this was considered for the states, but was considered too expensive as a base model.

simpletool

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name. — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:47:21 EDT

The nerd-lords of Kotaku say hi!

...face it, I can't match you guys in car-knowledge. So I'll just say the ad is awesome.

Sabre_Justice: Okay, no more long name.

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Blah8 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 02:29:07 EDT

I'd like some more details on the interior - not much about it was really covered here. Also, the lack of even an optional manual transmission on a car with over 350 hp is unacceptable.

Blah8

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

litewerk — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:19:01 EDT

Another stick shift junkie here. All of my cars of the past 18 years have been manual transmission, save for one (2003 Intrepid). I'm of the opinion that any car that makes the pretense of being a true sports sedan needs to offer a manual. I'd be one of the folks that would be interested in the car with a 3.6-liter hooked up to a 5 or 6-speed manual. And, I understand that may not happen. This still sounds like a darn good car as it is offered.

litewerk

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

JonMiles — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:09:04 EDT

Techie: It is pretty amazing how much stuff these small cars have in them, considering how light they are. Sometimes I just marvel at the newer cars and say out loud to myself in parking lots and elevators "They are better, aren't they." Cleaner, safer, easier to drive, more predictable, more reliable, more comfortable, more secure, faster, quieter and just a little more boaring. I can handle that, I think. How much is a G8???

JonMiles

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

thriftytechie — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:53:47 EST

@JonMiles:
"To whomever is concerned: $50k could probably net a few sub 3700lb v8 sedans and plenty of people to nut on."

Glad to hear back from you.

1. I'm not concerned about sending my right nut to anyone in Japan or Germany.

2. sub-3700 lb. v8 sedans are of course possible. It's just not probable with modern features such as airbags, crash-worthy bodies, sound dampening etc. etc. And certainly it's not possible for cheap. Weight loss in cars costs $$$.

I don't buy all of the auto industries' pleas for understanding, but a good portion of the bloat in modern cars are due to modern safety features and modern comfort.

I'm not sure what airbag systems weigh, but it's easy to imagine them weighing 50-100 lbs or more.

I know for a fact that various sound-dampening features can add 100 + lbs. to a car.

How about various electronic controls that didn't exist 2 decades ago?

There's figuratively a ton of stuff in cars today that just wasn't there in the 1980s. Literally, there's 200 lbs of stuff that wasn't there before.

If it wasn't for ongoing weight optimization efforts on the part of the major manufacturers (GM included), cars would weigh even more than they do.

Here's something to chew on. A 1981 Chevy Citation weighed ~ 2500 lbs.
A 2007 Toyota Corolla weighs about the same give or take 100lbs.
A 4-door Chevy Cobalt weighs less than ~ 2700 lbs.

Considering the features of the modern cars, there has been remarkably little weight creep in certain instances...

thriftytechie

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

JonMiles — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:42:55 EST

Who's the retard now? Is GM really retarded?

Me and Yes.

You don't have to be a genius to realize that the relative weight of the current crop of cars is not OK. It sucks. And you look like a fool in a baggy suit when you wear a car that big. It's a ploy to make your typcially obese american feel better about themselves.

Does my gut look big in this car?

It's no big deal. 250lbs of american male in a 4000lb sedan. Sounds pretty average. Lets ignore the problem by suggesting it's typical and blaming progress.

To whomever is concerned: $50k could probably net a few sub 3700lb v8 sedans and plenty of people to nut on.

JonMiles

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

dculberson — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:06:23 EST

@dculberson: I just answered my own question. LS460. D'oh!

dculberson

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

dculberson — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:05:56 EST

@thriftytechie: I agree with you that this isn't an excessively heavy car. But, where did you get that curb weight for the Lexus LS? My LS400 is 3600 pounds, the current LS460 is about 4300 pounds. Did you use the LS600h weight or something? ;-)

dculberson

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

carlivar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:54:08 EST

automatic trans = this car sucks

carlivar

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

silentbutdeadly — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:08:21 EST

Might want to consider too how much of a bargain you lot are getting....our SV6 retails at $40,000 whilst the SS is over $45,000....given the US/Oz dollar is near enough to parity these days and your getting the V6 for $30,000.......that's cheap.

silentbutdeadly

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

silentbutdeadly — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:03:34 EST

6MT on this would be a doddle since it is offered in pretty much all versions of the Oz spec Commodore...
especially in the SS on which the G8 is based
[www.holden.com.au]

silentbutdeadly

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Alchemy8279 — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:51:03 EST

As a person who has never bought a 'Merican car, I am seriously considering a G8 GT (or please, oh please GXP). I don't even mind the automatic if it is my only choice (good enough for the Corvette). Only nit so far is the voltage/oil gauge (stupid) but maybe someone can develop interface to have that pixelated display show the output of a Valentine One :) I am due for a new ride in 09 and the G8 is on the list!

Alchemy8279

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

LandofMinos, That pissed and muted look — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:54:47 EST

@Mad_Science: Cylinder deactivation on the V8 may be the problem here. GM did not set this up for a manual. That's why there's only Auto available. GM could of spent more time and money to fix this but this is GM remember?

LandofMinos, That pissed and muted look

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

DoctorNineTenths — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:52:14 EST

@thriftytechie: "..Also, just look at the prices of the other cars on the list...I could buy a lot of brakes for the $5K, $10K, and $20K+ price differentials......"

Yeah, I was going to add that regular driving won't eat brakes or tires too bad at that gross vehicle weight. And any hoon from these boards who would stress the car out a bit, would probably work on the tires/brakes/suspension to suit their driving style anyway; it's what we do.

DoctorNineTenths

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Matthew DeBord — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 20:19:33 EST

@thriftytechie:

You make a good point. And as Solo_Racer indicated and I will now echo, the G8 GT drives well. Sometimes that weight is more noticeable than at others, and I think that J-lop readers who might dig the car need to know that.

This really is a dang fine automobile.

Matthew DeBord

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

thriftytechie — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:57:37 EST

I meant:
So if you can build me a RWD V8 sedan better than the G8 that's less than 3700 lbs., I'll give you $50K and my right nut. Is GM really retarded?

Also, just look at the prices of the other cars on the list...I could buy a lot of brakes for the $5K, $10K, and $20K+ price differentials...

thriftytechie

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

thriftytechie — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:50:52 EST

@JonMiles:

And just how much should a 4-door V8 RWD sedan weigh?
one ton? 1.5 tons?

G8 GT: 3995 lbs.
Lexus LS: 4,244 lbs.
Infiniti M45: 3990 lbs.
Audi A8 (AWD): 4288 lbs.
Hyundai Genesis V8: ~3800-4000 lbs.
Dodge Charger: 4000+lbs.

So if you can build me a RWD V8 sedan better than the G8, I'll give you $50K and my right nut. Who's the retard now?

thriftytechie

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

TRAMS_AM — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:47:45 EST

@superbmtsub: It's supposed to be a Grand Prix. It's the new volume midsize and it's RWD. This is huge for GM.

If you can't tell the difference between the GTO coupe and the Commodore, do you also have a hard time telling the entire Nissan or Honda line from each-other?

@Armand4: You don't have to fret about it being good. It's the Australian car of the year, it's on a fantastic platform, and Clarkson loves Holdens. The only question is will you allow yourself to enjoy this car, or will you get stuck on the badge it's wearing.

TRAMS_AM

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

stevecmh — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:07:47 EST

i really want to buy one.. used that is.. lol

stevecmh

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

usa1 — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:48:08 EST

@thriftytechie:

BMW with 5 series with a V8 and manual: 3946 lbs.

[www.edmunds.com]

usa1

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

JonMiles — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:55:05 EST

Are you a snotty little hippy that's too cultured for a real machine or is it that you just refuse to buy into the hot-wheels and hood-scoops junk. Could GM get smart and make a serious v8 sedan? Nearly 2-tons? Anyone REALLY driving that car AND considering any budget consraints will go through tires and brakes too quickly to consider anything that massive. I want to like these retards at GM. Just stop eating donuts for a week or two. I look at that car and I start to think about the massive brakes I'll have to buy a month into ownership.

JonMiles

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Armand Bengle — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:37:06 EST

I haven't seen any of these babies in the flesh yet, and I certainly haven't had the chance to drive one, but I just desperately want this thing to be good, or at least to not suck. I can't say that I'm in the market, but I'd like to feel that my country's car industry isn't going to wind up like Britain's. This thing is exactly what young hoons like me want-- rear-wheel-drive, high performance, and relatively decent gas mileage. Many of the hoons of my generation (some of whom, unlike me, can afford to spend 30 grand on a new car) are young enough to forget how much GM sucked in the '70s and '80s, but at the same time we're smart enough to realize that automatics (even paddle-shifted ones) are for pussies. I'll say it again: To be taken seriously as a performance car manufacturer, you have to offer a six-speed.
So what about the older generation, the hoons with wives and kids who still want to be able to do burnouts? Well, this is a good fit for some of them. But two years ago, when my father needed a new sedan, he passed over the E-Class and the 300C for the BMW 530i. He didn't get it for the iDrive, or for the fancy variable-rate steering. He got it because it had a six-speed. If Pontiac wants to capture buyers like him, they'd better offer more than just value.

Armand Bengle

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

superbmtsub — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:25:12 EST

To the average person, this is a Pontiac GrandAm/Prix. I'd have a hard time differentiating this from the GTO so that means either GM failed or they just don't care.

superbmtsub

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

camp6ell — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:39:08 EST

matthew, did you and jill find the back seat comfortable?

camp6ell

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

RCSRT — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:43:36 EST

"The case for the owner's manual is a piece of floppy nylon shit." HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.. Thats the best line I've heard in a car review in ten years!

RCSRT

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Ray Wert — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:07:53 EST

@Trembler: God, the G6 drop-top has some serious frame trembles going on in a turn. That frame? Not stiff enough.

Ray Wert

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Solo_Racer — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:39:02 EST

@LTDScott: Yes, Highway 94. Made for a fine drive. Car handles much better than you'd expect for its size. Very balanced.

Solo_Racer

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

thriftytechie — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:37:38 EST

G8 GT: 3995 lbs.

thriftytechie

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

thriftytechie — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:34:41 EST

bmw 3 series weight: ~ 3600 lbs.

bmw 550i weight: 3814 lbs.

thriftytechie

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

TRAMS_AM — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:50:08 EST

@Trembler: You could get a sunroof in your Monaro as a dealer installed option. A few GTO owners stateside have installed them with a sawzall.

TRAMS_AM

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

TRAMS_AM — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:48:20 EST

No manual because of displacement on demand, right? The L76 Commodore lacks DoD?

So did CAFE kill our M6 G8?

Hopefully the rumors of manuals in a few months is true.

TRAMS_AM

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Trembler — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:22:02 EST

The no sunroof issue came up with the GTO, and the response was that the torque would flex the car too much. I am ok with that, after seeing what they did to the G6 convertible for extra stiffness I would rather go without.

Trembler

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

usa1 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:13:12 EST

@spaceman7:

More parts? Huh? Compared to SOHC perhaps, but DOHC?

Ever heard of a DOHC engine as being cheaper to build? If the G8 had a nice, fancy DOHC engine, you can bet it would be more expensive. Don't care about the cost? Most people do.

Consider this. The bigger (inside and outside) automatic 361 HP v8 G8 weighs only 50 pounds more than a 360 HP v8 BMW 5 with a *manual*. The BMW needs premium gas and gets 2 MPG worse mileage on the highway and has a lot less torque. The BMW's hood doesn't look any lower - so much for any packaging efficiencies. All this for half the price. (But the xenon headlights, Bluetooth, BMW badge, and the BMW KY jelly for after the sale! Please!)

So why should I mindlessly want a DOHC engine in my car?

usa1

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Mad_Science — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:29:08 EST

@UDMan: I'll go shopping wherever the car I want is (that's basically anywhere in a 100 mile radius), regardless of what else is on the lot.

Most people hunting down the V8s will know what they want, and don't a rep to tell them all about it to convince them to buy.

And no, I'm not going to reward a lousy product decision in hopes of keeping Pontiac afloat. If they want to build crappy cars, I'll go buy a Subaru, Mazda, or used German car. (those being the cars I like at prices I can afford).

I suppose you probably have it right though. Pontiac/Buick dealers are in no way prepared to ship a car people might actually seek out to buy.

Mad_Science

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

wonkydonky — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:22:34 EST

@elwood: I agree. Esp since pushrod == many more parts to fail. (even if PR does have 1-3 fewer cams) Also, 2-valve heads max and no VTEC/VVT/VANOS, etc.

Pushrod == Model-T.

++ Crap hp/L, ***when if materials are the same (ie alloy block, rods, etc), even the mighty Z06 can be outpowered hp/lb. of engine.

++ Not sure if this is exactly true, but OHC makes a flat-plane crank engine more doable. ie: F430 vs. Z06.

wonkydonky

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

tentacles — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:22:00 EST

When researching this car, I noticed that:

The G8 is only a few inches smaller than a *750i*. It's quite a bit larger than a 5 series.

The 535i is only 30kgs heavier than the 335i. Either that aluminum front subframe dealie in the new E60 is some kind of anti gravity, or the 3 series has become a bloated yuppiemobile.

tentacles

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

UDMan — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:10:15 EST

@Uncle_Bo: @skaz: First Skaz, people have to buy them new before they come up used. So this logic is flawed.

As far as Supplier Pricing, the dealer chooses whether or not to honor the Supplier Pricing Schedule. For the first year, I see little or no reason why dealers would let them go for supplier pricing. However, when these cars start piling up at the port, GM will start offering rebates, and zero percent financing to get rid of them.

Why am I so negative on this particular product? It's going to be marketed as a Pontiac. Pontiac dealers are all being folded into new Buick/Pontiac/GMC Dealers. Do you honestly see the target audience going in to visit these types of stores? Do you really think the dealers are going to stock more than 1 or 2 V-8 versions? (the rest will be V-6's). Do you think the sales reps will know anything about the car?

Unfortunately, as good as the car is, it will not sell in nearly enough numbers GM needs to make the product line profitable. And if it fails, this will be the last time GM takes a chance and brings Australian vehicles to the US.

So go buy a V-6 Automatic G8 (those will be the ones in stock!)

UDMan

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

rondeimer — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:20:09 EST

They should have called it the 'G8 GG', just because that way you can have more G's...

rondeimer

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

squablow — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:48:07 EST

I like it a lot. I think it's very good looking and I like a big car. My only styling complaint is the Altezza-looking tail lights, but hopefully the aftermarket will come up with something to fill the hole. 6 speed is a must.

Really think they need to bring over the wagon. a 6.0L 6 speed wagon in black would do it for me.

squablow

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

usa1 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:35:46 EST

@TriShield:

And yet, if you compare the two, you realize the 5 series is seriously overpriced. Let's see:

Better materials in the BMW? I'd hope so! (I'd quibble on that one, BMW are pretty pathetic in looks a feel.)
Better performance in a BMW? Oops. Let's not go there.
Better "feel" in a BMW? Whatever that means, it better be!
Twice the price in a BMW? WTF? You crazy? I'm not paying that much for a badge!

You want Pontiac to compare the G8 to a Civic?

usa1

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

chrystlubitshi — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:10:26 EST

oh, right.. forgot.. GM! bring more stuff over (no just from OZ... but europe too!..) (oh yeah... ford.. might as well get ahead of them and do it first so they realize there is a market.. i cannot say i'd buy a US spec ford... but the euro and oz versions are better than GM offers here... and.. possibly over there...??)
.. there is a market... and even if they have to wait a month or two for it to be brought over... at least offer it!!! please!

chrystlubitshi

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

chrystlubitshi — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:07:22 EST

coming in a tad late to comment 'early' i have to comment before i read what everyone else said...

front end needs some work.. but i imagine it won't be too bad to put the holden front end on it..

very, very, very, f*ckin' (very) happy to see RWD return on something american for a 'decent' price....

hood scoops could be a bit more back.. or made that much more like the evo scoops they kinda look like... and inverted... the (non?) functional black plastic works just as well (or better) visually that way... so are the scoops functional? or just trying to make it look "sportier"?

chrystlubitshi

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Matthew DeBord — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:51:50 EST

@ecniv:

If it was black and we were talking to the rear-view mirror, that was us.

Matthew DeBord

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

danio3834 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:43:36 EST

@GoKarter: of course, we know better

danio3834

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

ecniv — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:31:19 EST

I saw a G8 turning on to Harbor Drive from Nimitz the other day... did I spot a Jalopnik review in progress?

ecniv

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

elwood — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:17:44 EST

@dculberson: Pushrod engines aren't bad, but at some point your successive design iterations are just carrying over baggage from engineering choices made 50 years ago. At some point you have to step back and say "blank-sheet redesign", and shoot for something better. It's not that pushrod engines are bad, it's just that other designs can do better.

elwood

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

DoctorNineTenths — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:08:54 EST

@Mad_Science: The operative thing here, is that with such a wide range of vehicles on the market, the consumer has choice like never before. It is absolutely imperative that people who want to buy American be given the same choices that they would have with the European marques, if you are trying to argue value and have people cross-shop.

Let me tell you, I have no doubt that the General can do this. Just look at Cadillac for instance. Now, are they going to produce a car that performance enthusiasts want to own or not? The thing that's killing American auto manufacturing isn't the engineers, it's the middle managers with no imagination, and marketing that only knows how to do the safe thing.

This is a very impressive accomplishment so far for GM. I am actually astonished at how much they have gotten -right- here. First Cadillac, and now Pontiac. Let's see what they can do about Everyman Performance with this new effort. And give people a choice to go stick with V6 or V8, like they used to in the good old days. Now that's bringing back a tradition I could really relish.

DoctorNineTenths

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

wonkydonky — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:02:21 EST

Looks like we're stealing our side vents from beemer, our roof line from the altima/3, our c-line from the G, our wheels somewhat from Avus, and our taillights from the altima.

Well, at least it's not a Pinto with a V8.

wonkydonky

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

dculberson — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:00:35 EST

@avarno: I've never heard a compelling reason for the pushrod engines being bad. The most eloquent argument I heard was "it's a turd! It's got pushrods." Wow. You convinced me.

dculberson

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

dculberson — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:58:12 EST

@Feds: Yeah, heck my LS400 weighs around 3650lbs and it's a big, big car with a lot of luxury stuff in it. 'Course, with over double the MSRP, they can afford lightweight materials I guess.

Hopefully they rethink the manual transmission. I've been jonesing for a manual again, and even found myself considering an E39 6-speed 540i. I do believe this could scavenge some 5-series sales, not because it's on the same level but because it offers some of what the 5-series buyers are going for: mid-size, RWD, power. I don't care that much about the "refinement." I suspect some buyers are in the same boat. I just don't want something all plastichromed out like a 90's Roadmaster.

Once they're tooled up for putting manual transmissions in the car, how hard is it really to offer it as an option? They don't have to send it down a different assembly line, do they?

dculberson

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

avarno — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:54:58 EST

@reefer: I'm with ya on the whole pushrod complaining. It's been a while since I've heard anyone make that complaint. Maybe I'm just not sitting at the cool kids table at lunch though.

Anyone who has driven an LT1 or LSx motor would never make that complaint. When you make torque down low, who cares how high it revs? Revs' is some meaningless shiat.

avarno

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

MeMikeYouNot — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:46:14 EST

Wish I had 30 grand to buy one of these...I'm a Pontiac fan from way back...my first real car was a '59 Bonneville sedan. I have a G6 now and have so far enjoyed 30,000 mostly trouble free miles and like driving it.

MeMikeYouNot

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

MER — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:35:31 EST

And the comparison between the GPX and the CTS-V will be what?

MER

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Matthew DeBord — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:33:58 EST

@Parramore46:

Weight is my biggest beef with the car, but I stress that for the most part, the V8 hauls that bulk around well.

Matthew DeBord

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Triborough — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:30:08 EST

Converting it back to a Holden. How hard can it be?

Triborough

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Parramore64 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:25:23 EST

@reefer: It's a nice engine with a mammoth hulk to haul around. Yes, it's a 4 door sedan, but check out GM's marketing campaign. They'd have you believe it's fastback muscle.

Parramore64

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

no_slushbox — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:21:24 EST

@Uncle_Bo: If we're talking about dragons the manual transmission version of the G8 is going to get the deepest penetration.

From what I've heard the GTO had a >50% take rate on stickshift.

no_slushbox

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Mad_Science — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:21:12 EST

@reefer: I've heard that (even said it myself, here on the site), but with this latest round of reviews, it appears that everyone asked about the stick (big shocker, there), and GM's PR gives wishy-washy maybe answers.

See my previous comment for my fear. I don't want the stick to be limited to just a GXP model. In fact, like no_slushbox, I'd be happy to get a V6 + 6MT + decent suspension/tires/wheels.

Mid-level product/marketing wankers will claim it's not worth the cost for the small % sales MTs get. The problem is, if you want people to take you seriously as a performance car mfger, you need manual transmissions.

Mad_Science

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Matthew DeBord — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:17:27 EST

I don't think the car is sloppy heavy or anything, just that it reveals its weight at times. Overall, it feels pretty solid. And it goes good when ya stand on it. And the back seat is big. It's a lotta car for sub-$30K.

Matthew DeBord

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

AllenK — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:16:23 EST

Great review guys!!

All it needs is more hp and less weight! It has two doors two many also,but I can live with that. The wifey and I just might buy one for our next new car.

AllenK

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

htrodblder — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:15:42 EST

Two things, First I'm a little disappointed there is no burnout photos. What you guys afraid GM will take away your hall pass?
Second, No offence Uncle Bo, But I truly hope GM nevers allows these cars to be sold at supplier price. I hate to be blunt, but if you cant at least pay invoice 2 years after the model comes out, then go by a Ford.

htrodblder

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

reefer — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:12:23 EST

@theeastbaykid: What is wrong with the push rod v8? I believe they are getting similar if not better gas mileage that the DOHC ford engines, and since the design has been around for ages the aftermarket is quick to adapt and parts are generally fairly cheap.

I've been a member of Jalop for quite awhile now and some of these posters are driving me up the wall lately, explain why the push rod v8 was a bad choice for this car. :rolls eyes:

reefer

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

reefer — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:08:05 EST

@Mad_Science: The six speed will be available later this year, the reviewer needs to spend some more time doing their homework.

reefer

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Bucket UncleBo Head — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:57:37 EST

Wonder what the projected sales penetration of the manual version is? Less than 20%, I'm guessing. Only BMW seems to sell a decent amount of stick shift cars and those are mostly 3-series.

Bucket UncleBo Head

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

avusone — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:56:02 EST

Jan and Dean !! what a great blast from the past. They could do the background music for the first commercial !! DRAG CITY, yeah.

avusone

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

no_slushbox — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:53:28 EST

@no_slushbox: Not that I would buy a car without stick.

This car would have a decent chance with me if they could offer the 6MT with the V6.

no_slushbox

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

no_slushbox — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:49:18 EST

GM better hurry up and make a Kappa or Alpha coupe with the turbo ecotec, otherwise I'm going to have to buy a the rwd turbo Hoondai coupe.

Without stick I would take a Charger over this thing, new 3.5 liter Chargers are selling for under $20K.

no_slushbox

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Feds — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:45:36 EST

Remember when 4000 lbs was a rediculous weight for a car?

Look up the curb weight on a 57 thunderbird, or a 60's falcon wagon for reference...

Feds

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

voodoojoo — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:45:05 EST

Man, 0-60 in 5.3? that's almost as fast as Jan and Dean's batmobile! Quoth Robin the Boy Wonder, Holy rodent!

voodoojoo

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Ash78 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:41:01 EST

Depreciation will be a big deal here, especially since it'll be a gas hog. Fuel may be expensive, but unless you're driving 50k a year, it's nothing like the first two years of diminution for a lot of GM vehicles. Hope this starts bucking the trend.

Ash78

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

avusone — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:35:49 EST

Does the word "value" mean anything to many of you commentators ?? It's not a high 50's Euro poser. It seems to be worth what it costs. As long as the usual GM stealer network doesn't get carried away now that they have something that people actually want. Bad dealer experiences here could turn people off very quickly. I'm planning on ditching my Audi A4 for one and hoping the dealer is close to being as good as it and my previous G35 were for service. Believe me this will be a VERY big issue if they want conquest buyers.

avusone

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

rlj676 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:30:19 EST

@Uncle_Bo:

It's much too large a car to be in the same competitive set as the 3 series or G35. That doesn't mean it won't be cross-shopped, but it's different markets.

I think this or the CTS makes for an interesting lineup of "full size" sports sedans from GM.

rlj676

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Jeb_Hoge — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:29:36 EST

I'd take it in a nice carbon grey and probably never complain again. I've been waiting for a big sedan that had more than "adequate" muscle and better looks than the Chryslers, but without the Germans' price tags. It may not be quite as good looking as the Holdens but geez, I like looking at it.

Jeb_Hoge

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Bucket UncleBo Head — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:26:21 EST

@ash78:
Excellent point. Hyundai is going right after Lexus, of all brands, with their new cars and SUVs, complete with their shitty dealer network, ongoing quality issues, lousy resale value and a line up of "get me bought" customers who are all buried in their trades. This car is more of a Dodge Charger/Chrysler 300C/Infiniti G35/strippo 3-series competitor, which is fine.

Bucket UncleBo Head

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Seth L — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:26:10 EST

That's Jalopnik's most Car and Driverish review yet.

What's happening to this site?

Seth L

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Bucket UncleBo Head — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:20:19 EST

As soon as I can get one of these on the GM Supplier Discount, and pay off my truck, I'll buy one. Exactly the kind of car I want at a price I want to pay. Do want to see it in other colors and will swap out the bland 5-spoke wheels ASAP.

Bucket UncleBo Head

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

RoninianHoon — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:19:53 EST

Man that 2008 Pontiac looks like a great GT...

RoninianHoon

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Ash78 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:18:49 EST

I guess they figure if Hyundai can make the BMW comparison, they are more than fit to do the same.

If car buyers were more savvy, they could simply say "The All-New Pontiac G8: No More 0% Financing" and you'd know it was a good car right away.

Ash78

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

theeastbaykid — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:15:16 EST

Possible GM company slogans: "It ain't perfect, but it sho' is cheap." Or "Doing the right thing only occasionally, and then for the wrong reasons" (see pushrod V8 for example).

theeastbaykid

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:14:48 EST

@TriShield: I'm comparing it to the BMW 128, but that's just me.

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Ray Wert — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:14:30 EST

@TriShield: I couldn't agree with you more from Matthew's description.

Ray Wert

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Mad_Science — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:13:41 EST

@LTDScott: Hence, Yuma.

Mad_Science

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Mad_Science — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:12:28 EST

I'm really excited about this car, as it gives Pontiac a credible reason to exist once again. But this is what frustrates me:
"what more could we want? Six-speed manual, obviously although Pontiac claims they may offer one if they do a performance version."

Since when is a 361hp 6.0L not a performance version? Hell, the 256hp V6 was considered pretty serious performance material until the last few years.

It's tragic that in their quest to deliver products people actually want, they're really missing out on crucial details. I don't want to have to buy the $45k limited edition 450hp monster just to get a 3rd pedal.

It's particularly tragic because I'm almost exactly their target market, but I'm not buying it without at stick.

Mad_Science

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:11:32 EST

@skaz: Sure looks like mountains and not desert nothingness in the background.

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

TriShield — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:02:50 EST

GM is marketing the car as a value BMW 5-Series, which it isn't. Nobody in Australia compares or cross-shops Holden with BMW, that'd be like us saying Chevrolet is comparable to BMW.

Like the GTO anyone getting in one of these and expecting European steering precision, the finest materials and the latest luxury gizmos is going to be sorely disappointed. It doesn't seem like GM understands Holden or what the Commodore really is.

Holdens are mainstream cars and the SS models are modern muscle. They are intended for big smokey burnouts, sideways powerslides at ridiculous speeds and running the quarter mile with the V8 sound echoing off nearby buildings and deafening those watching.

This car is a four-door GTO that can take the whole family hooning.

TriShield

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

YankBoffin — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:01:40 EST

thanks for the review. Sounds like it's just what ol' pontiac needs. Too bad it's a tad big for my needs/tastes.

YankBoffin

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

om nom de plume — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:57:53 EST

@GoKarter: @ash78: @Oldcarguy: Just buy an HSV one and import it, I've said this before, the stats of the new G8 and the amazingly tasty price... make importing a front an affordable option!!

YAY

om nom de plume

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

skaz — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:57:45 EST

Oh yeah, did you guys buzz through Yuma by chance? Say hi to my folks?

skaz

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Indiana Bento and the lost Temple of Citroens — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:56:26 EST

Did you see a KPOW purple one, Matt???? What was the G8 Swag Bag Like?? Did ya say Hi to jim Hobson for me???

Indiana Bento and the lost Temple of Citroens

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:51:46 EST

Is that Hwy 94 I see?

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Oldcarguy — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:46:45 EST

@GoKarter:
Same here with the fascia.

Oldcarguy

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

skaz — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:40:51 EST

Sounds like the review went just as I expected it would. I look forward to buying a used one in 5-7 years.

skaz

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

Ash78 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:39:58 EST

@GoKarter: Pretty much going to say the same thing. That plastic honeycomb is very downmarket.

Ash78

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

GoKarter — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:36:49 EST

I still don't like the ol' standby Pontiac front fascia. It makes this great car look like just another Grand Am/Prix.

GoKarter