From the 1960s and into the 1990s Pontiac had a strong performance image. This reputation was cultivated on the nation’s drag strips, race tracks and Main Street stop lights. The GTO, Grand Prix, Bonneville, Tempest, Firebird Trans Am, and the LeMans-based Can Am and Grand Ams all branded Pontiac as the “Excitement Division.” Pontiac was the official car manufacturer of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Drag Racing Series and campaigned a Pontiac badged stock car in NASCAR until just a few seasons ago and participated in several other racing series over the years
It all came to a screeching halt in 2002 when GM axed the Camaro/Firebird siblings leaving Pontiac with an assemblage of warmed-over front-wheel drive, V-6 Chevrolets wearing Pontiac badges. GM simply had nothing left in the cupboard.
Now, GM’s Australian unit Holden is coming to the rescue to help Pontiac rev up its performance image. The 2004-2006 GTO was the first attempt, but it went over like a lead balloon. Pontiac retrenched and collaborated with Holden to put together an affordable performance sedan based on Holden’s Commodore V-8 sedan that can compete with BMW’s 5-Series yes, that’s right, I said BMW. And a version of Holden’s rear-wheel drive Ute (think El Camino) is coming to give Pontiac four rear-wheel performance vehicles including the Solstice convertible and new coupe.
I was able to test the new 2009 G8 GT on the streets and race track during a recent test drive and media event.
To this writer’s eyes the G8 is a looker. While the look is fresh and Holden based, stylists have done an artful job to blend Pontiac design cues to the overall package without looking disjointed or tacked on. Prominent on all G8’s are a dual-port grille, fog lamps, attractive “fan blade” wheels and low profile tires pushed to the corners. The fenders and sheet metal panels have a taught, stretched, but tailored look like a designer dress on a runway model. Distinctive GT elements include hood scoops and front fender vents, as well as projector-beam headlamps residing in clear lenses. At the rear, the tail lamps are at the top of the fenders flanking a subtle but attractive spoiler. The final touch is quad polished stainless steel exhaust tips that poke out subtly from under the bumper cover. I got quite a few looks while driving this machine.
Holden, uh, I mean Pontiac did a good job on the interior as it exhibited excellent fit and finish. The seats were first rate with decent bolsters that provided firm support during aggressive track driving cornering but are not too narrow so as to lock out bigger drivers. Behind the wheel the driver is greeted by an instrument cluster that means business featuring quality gauges with tasteful fonts and positioned for easy, direct at-a-glance viewing.
I didn’t care for the electronic driver information center located between the large, round tachometer and speedometer as it seemed out of place (forced). The center stack has nice-sized buttons that feel expensive and are logically grouped together. The signature red Pontiac lighting carries over and works in this car. Make sure you check off the optional two-tone cloth or leather combination that pairs black with red inserts and color-matched instrument faces on certain exterior color combinations. Otherwise the interior is a sea of dark charcoal. Rear legroom is good and there is enough room for three across with comfortable seating. However, the rear seats do not fold down for access to the back room.
The G8’s trunk features a humungous 18 cubic-feet of storage space that will hold week’s worth of luggage or four golf bags.
The “Thunder from Down Under” comes courtesy of 6.0-liter small-block V-8, rated at 361 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. This engine features GM’s Active Fuel Management technology, which allows the engine to switch from V-8 power to four-cylinder operation during light-load driving conditions, to elevate fuel economy to 15 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. … Fat chance, as I never saw the upside of 19 mpg. This car begs to be driven hard and the sweet roar of the V-8 is hard to suppress. A plus is that the GT does not require premium fuel to achieve optimum power.
The GT’s standard Hydra-Matic six-speed 6L80 automatic transmission uses a clutch-to-clutch operation and an integrated 32-bit transmission controller. The 6L80 also features Driver Shift Control for increased driver control. I found that the automatic shifted too slowly to keep up with the car and practically gave me whiplash on downshifts. I think something was lost in translation from Australia to America. A limited-slip rear differential is standard on GT models.
Driving this car on a track really makes you appreciate what you’ve got. Built on GM’s global rear-wheel-drive architecture, the G8 balances its 4,000-pound curb weight in a nearly 50/50 front-to-rear ratio. A four-wheel independent, performance-tuned suspension system is integrated with the G8’s structure. The front suspension features a multi-link, MacPherson strut design that incorporates a direct-acting stabilizer bar, while the rear suspension uses a four-link independent design, with progressive-rate coil springs over shocks and a decoupled stabilizer bar. The front suspension uses a hydraulically damped bushing on the forward end of the tension link. This combination results in the G8 taking corners very fast; it squats low and slices through the bends without any squawk from the 18-inch p245/45R18 all season tires.
The body stays glued to the chassis, and the car moves as a whole. The suspension feel is on the stiff side which works great on the track, but some passengers may dislike it at first when on the street. While flogging this car at the track some understeer came out but the responsive steering four-wheel disc brake system that included standard anti-lock and all-speed traction control and standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control system kept the fun in the playground. There is nothing like the sensation of putting a properly set up rear wheel drive car through its paces. The G8 GT delivers a performance handling experience that you simply can’t duplicate in a front wheel drive car.
The G8 GT is a performance bargain. My test vehicle started out with a base price of $30,675 and added the Premium Package, which consisted of leather seats (heated up front), six-way front seats and leather wrapped shifter for $1,250, the all-season tires checked in at $150, and the destination charge (from Australia) was $685 for a grand total of $32,760.
Initial reaction to the G8 GT has been very favorable as the 2008 production run was sold out for the short model year. The demand for the 2008 GT was so high that dealers were asking for a premium -- and getting it -- despite record gas prices and overall low new car sales. Several Pontiac executives admitted they were caught off guard by the high demand for the GT model. For 2009 production levels have been adjusted and a higher performance GXP model added.
Pontiac offers the G8 in V-6 and V-8 versions, but the GT makes the standard V-6 version feel like a rental car. If you fancy a BMW but your finances say ”Toyota,” check out the G8 GT. On the flipside, the GT is not the hot ticket if your daily commute involves creeping along on the Edens. If you do a lot of stop and go driving or put on more than 15,000 miles per year, you’ll really take a hit at the pump.
GM made the right choice in tapping Holden for the rebirth of Pontiac’s performance image. Perhaps they should alter their old tagline to read: “Holden: We Build Excitement for Pontiac.”
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