overst33r
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Why not manual?
Now that the Grand Prix has faded into front-wheel-drive oblivion, it's up to the 2008 Pontiac G8 to restore a little legitimacy to Pontiac's performance reputation. There's a good chance it will succeed, as the G8 is a real American muscle sedan with rear-wheel drive and the power of a V8.
The G8 started out life in Australia as the Holden Commodore, but Pontiac tells us that the G8 was part of the plan all along. The transformation has done some good, as the G8 is a far more chiseled-looking sport sedan than its Australian cousin. It uses all the traditional Pontiac design cues, but this time they look purposeful instead of merely tacked on.
Proper Power Under the Hood
There wouldn't be much to talk about if the G8 was just another V6-powered family sedan, so Pontiac did itself a favor and made sure that a V8 is on the options list. If you order the big engine, it's called the G8 GT.
A 6.0-liter L76 V8 powers the G8 GT. It's an aluminum-block V8 shared with several of GM's full-size trucks and SUVs, although the G8 engine doesn't get variable valve timing like the trucks. This doesn't put a damper on its performance, as the G8's 6.0-liter still delivers 361 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and 385 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm.
It's hooked to GM's 6L80 six-speed automatic transmission, the same gearbox used in the Cadillac STS-V and Chevrolet Corvette. At this time there are no plans to offer a manual transmission for the G8 GT.
Between the wide-ratio 6L80 transmissions, the V8's Active Fuel Management system and the G8's tall, 2.92:1 rear-end gear, Pontiac says the GT will have EPA ratings of 15 mpg city/24 mpg highway. When you take into account its sizable 19-gallon fuel capacity, the GT will go more than 420 miles on a single tank.
Not bad, considering that Pontiac also says the G8 GT will do zero to 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds and run the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds at 101 mph. That's quicker than the last Dodge Charger SRT8 we tested from zero to 60. Needless to say, adding a shorter rear-end gear would probably get the 3,995-pound G8 GT to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, especially with the car's standard limited-slip differential to put down the power.
If all-out performance isn't your priority, there's a V6-powered base model, too. It gets GM's 3.6-liter LY6 V6, an engine that's also used in the Cadillac CTS and Saturn Aura. It's rated at 256 hp at 6,300 rpm and 248 at 2,100 rpm and is matched with GM's 5L40 five-speed automatic.
It may not have the burly sound of the bigger V8, but the base G8 still delivers some decent numbers, according to Pontiac. A 7.0-second 0-60-mph time isn't bad and a 15.2-second run at 91 mph keeps it competitive with most other full-size sedans. Mileage is only slightly better than the V8, with EPA estimates of 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway.
18s for Everybody
In order to handle all that power, the G8 features multilink independent rear suspension with progressive rate springs, while MacPherson struts are used up front. Pontiac says this is an FE2 calibration, GM-speak for a kind of midlevel, slightly sporty setup. All G8s will come with this setup as standard equipment. Pontiac says the G8 has a nearly 50 percent front/50 percent rear weight balance with a driver and two passengers in the car.
All G8s get 18-inch wheels with 8-inch rims. The base model has split five-spoke cast-aluminum wheels wearing 245/45R18 all-season tires. GT's get solid five-spoke wheels with machined-aluminum faces and 245/45R18 summer performance tires. An optional Sport package for the GT adds 19-inch wheels and 245/40R19 summer performance tires.
The standard four-wheel disc brakes feature ABS, ventilated rotors and twin-piston calipers up front and single pistons in back. Oddly enough, the rear rotors are larger in diameter than the fronts. The base G8 has 11.9-inch rotors in back and 11.7-inch rotors in front. The GT gets 12.8-inch rotors in back and 12.6-inch discs in front. Traction and stability control are standard.
An American-Size Sedan
At 196.1 inches in overall length, the Pontiac G8 is about 4 inches longer than a Dodge Charger, but it rides on a 5-inch-shorter wheelbase of 114.8 inches. The two sedans are within an inch of each other in width and height.
Inside, the G8's interior is nearly as spacious as that of the Charger. There's more front legroom in the Pontiac and less than an inch of difference when it comes to rear legroom. Hip- and shoulder room are within an inch of each other, both front and rear. The G8 also features a monstrously large 17.5-cubic-foot trunk with a standard rear seat pass-through.
Bench Seat Is Not an Option
Pontiac is positioning the G8 as a premium sport sedan, so the interior is fitted with more features than you might expect. Every G8 gets power-adjustable bucket seats for the driver and front passenger, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, full instrumentation including an oil temperature gauge, and a trip computer.
On the entertainment side, the base G8 gets a seven-speaker Blaupunkt audio system with single-disc CD changer, 5-inch multifunctional visual display and an auxiliary music player input. The upgraded system that's standard on the GT adds a six-disc CD changer and a 230-watt amplifier for its 11 speakers. An optional comfort-and-sound package for the base model adds the enhanced Blaupunkt system along with dual-zone climate control that comes standard on the GT.
There's a premium package on both the base G8 and the GT that adds leather upholstery and six-way power adjustment for the driver and front passenger seats. Pontiac also manages to get heated seats added to the premium package ? an option doesn't exist on the Australian model. And in addition to the usual black-and-gray interior colors, the G8 GT offers gray with red inserts on both the cloth and leather interiors. There are six exterior colors: black, blue, gray, orange, red and white.
Is Pontiac Back?
Not quite. It'll be a long time before Pontiac is considered a serious player on the performance scene again, what with the Torrent in the lineup and all. Replacing the forgettable Grand Prix with the 2008 Pontiac G8 should help earn back a little respect, however, as it appears to offer a solid rear-wheel-drive package at an attainable price.
The base G8 starts at $27,595, while the GT scrapes the $30K barrier at $29,995. Not cheap, but name another V8 sedan that will run mid-13s in the quarter-mile, return 24 mpg on the highway and swallow five suitcases for $30 grand. Yeah, Pontiac may be back after all.
Why not manual?
