Looks like Pontiac is taking things seriously in its latest ad. By comparing the Pontiac G8 with Bmw 5-Series, the American manufacturer puts the German vehicle in a bad light in front of millions of people. The 5.3 liter V8 engine of the Pontiac transforms it in a cool ride while the Bmw is seen as a ride for old and dum people.
Honestly this is a crazy ad…the American manufacturer take risks with this video and let’s hope it will not backfire at them, at least they show they have the sense of humor, at least that the way we decided to see it.
Now all we have to do is to wait for Bmw’s answer...
Amid the hoopla of the New York Auto Show and GM’s preview of the upcoming Pontiac version of the Holden ute produced in Australia – what we’d call the El Camino of today – comes a dissenting opinion, presented by one Peter M. DeLorenzo, the voice of AutoExtremist.com.
DeLorenzo thinks the things going to bomb.
DeLorenzo’s opinions are never equivocal, though his crystal ball sometimes needs Windex. After all, it was Lorenzo who said that the next Corvette was a sure thing for 2012 and would be mid-engine.
On the ute, his point is that the sport truck doesn’t fit into either the Pontiac line-up or the professed image of Pontiac for, as Bob Lutz put it in New York, “seductive performance.”
In fact, DeLorenzo doesn’t believe there’s any market for such a truck, under any nameplate. And then he asks why Pontiac doesn’t, instead, seek to exploit those of its model names that still have meaning, such as GTO and Trans-Am.
A curious owner has performed a dyno test on his new brand new Pontiac G8 which has clocked only 30 miles. Its become a common habit for owners to put their new sports cars through the test and verify how far the power output claims made by their makers are true.
The 6.0-liter V8 engine produces 361 horsepower as per the claims Pontiac makes. Two runs were made on the dyno and the readings obtained were 286.62 and 310.37 horse power respectively, the maximum value deviating 50 hp from the manufacturer’s claim. The results were spot on as the 50 hp difference accounts for transmission losses. Usually, the power measured at the wheels is about 15% lesser when compared to the power measured at the crankshaft making the claim valid and accurate.
Dynojet dyno was used to calculate the power output and torque values.
Pontiac will unveil at the New York Auto Show the 2009 G8 GXP, a new high-performance sedan that will Solstice, G6 and Torrent GXP models in Pontiac dealerships in late 2008.
The G8 GXP is powered by a 6.2L LS3 small-block V-8, currently rated at 402 hp and 402 lb.-ft. of torque pending final SAE certification. This engine is the newest member of GM’s small-block V-8 family. It features a revised, larger-bore cylinder block, high-flow, L92-style cylinder heads; larger-diameter pistons; unique camshaft and camshaft timing; revised valvetrain with offset intake rocker arms; high-flow intake manifold; and high-flow fuel injectors.
Pending final testing, the G8 GXP is expected to deliver 0-to-60 mph performance of about 4.7 seconds, and a quarter-mile time of 13.0 seconds at 108 mph.
The G8 GXP rides on the G8’s 114.8-inch (2915 mm) wheelbase with wide front ( 62.7 inches / 1,592 mm) and rear ( 63.3 inches / 1,608 mm) tracks. The four-wheel independent suspension is fully adjustable and is tuned for the highest performance in the G8 family. The GXP’s ride and handling was developed and validated on racetracks and highways around the world, including the famed Nuremberg Ring. It rewards the driver with sharp, immediate responses, as well as a well-balanced road feel during spirited driving.
While we wait to drive it for ourselves, check out what TopGear had to say about the Vauxhaul VXR8, the G8 GXP clone for the European Market:
At the New York Auto Show, next to the G8 GXP, Pontiac will also display the sport truck version of the G8. Based on the all-new Pontiac G8 performance sedan, the newest member of the G8 family has a longer wheelbase and a cargo bed suitable for either work or recreation. The G8 sport truck significantly stretches Pontiac’s commitment to style and performance and is expected to arrive in dealers’ showrooms in late 2009.
The sport truck draws its strength from the same powerful 6.0L V-8 engine used in the G8 GT. It puts out 361 hp and 385 lb.-ft. of torque. The combination of a six-speed automatic transmission and Active Fuel Management technology provides both car-like fuel economy and an unexpected 0-to-60 time of 5.4 seconds.
The G8 sport truck is based on the same rear-wheel-drive architecture as the G8 performance sedan. However, the sport truck’s body structure was reinforced in key areas to support its cargo and towing duties. More than 60 new components were added to strengthen the structure. Compared to the sedan, the 118.5-inch (3,009 mm) wheelbase is approximately four inches longer and the overall length is six inches longer.
The brand new 2008 Pontiac G8 is a lovely car with tons of power, respectively 361 BHP for the 6 liter V8 and 256 BHP for the 3.5 liter V6. To enjoy and control all this power the G8 is putting at your disposal all the modern features you would only expect in a German sedan: multi-link suspension, ventilated disk brakes and rear wheel drive propulsion.
Priced at $33k for the loaded V8 model, this new Pontiac G8 cannot be ignored, that’s why we went all the way to San Diego to test it for ourselves. (full road test after after the jump)
Here are a couple of pictures of the Pontiac G8 V6 and V8 next to each other, apparently very similar, only the back taillight, tailpipe and door handle are different. So far we have driven the V8 for a few minutes on the highway. The right is very comfy and the cheer power of the V8 is really fun. But the gearbox is a bit sluggish, slow to change gears and spoil the fun but we’ll tell you more after a few more miles...
I just got picked up at the San Diego airport by the new Pontiac G8, on my way to the hotel, waiting for tomorrow morning test drive. The first impression from the passenger seat are very positive. Driving around San Diego downtown was very comfortable, with the right amount of feedback from the road an the engine. Inside it feels like a proper sport sedan as well. So far, the G8 feels very docile while driven in the city, come back tomorrow for a much more detailed article.
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