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Pontiac G8

greenwad submitted on 05/29/2007 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 8:08 AM
from: resanium.com

[20] user comments | category: Reviews

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Pontiac G8

To some it’s Deja vu; to others it was simply a matter of time before GM tried to market another Holden in the United States. This time, however, the offer seems to have something to please everyone-and plenty to scare its competitors.
It will undoubtedly have the same exceptional Holden build-quality and materials we’ve come to know and love since the GTO hit the US. The G8 will be offered initially in two flavors: a “base” model, and the uplevel “GT” version. Building on the base model’s already impressive list of features, the GT adds a sportier suspension, styling cues, and of course, the all important V-8.

CHASSIS AND BRAKES
An independent suspension is standard on the base and GT models. Both sport a 114.8-inch wheelbase with 62.7-inch front and 63.3-inch rear tracks. The front suspension is a strut-type/multi-link-style design with a stabilizer bar, and camber, caster, and toe are fully adjustable and customizable. The rear suspension uses a four-link independent setup, with non-adjustable coilover shocks, as well as a stabilizer bar.

A hydraulic power steering rack is located ahead of the front axle centerline, which adds to the balance and responsiveness of the car, and the braking system is also quite remarkable on paper. Both brake systems use discs at each corner, sized relative to the trim level’s performance. Naturally, the GT features a larger braking capacity of 12.64-inch front, 12.76-inch rear rotors, while both trim levels include twin-piston PBR calipers up front and single-piston PBR calipers out back (along with integrated traction control and ABS).
DRIVELINE
The G8 Base V-6 is coupled to a standard five-speed automatic. This powertrain team is best compared to the 3.6L Cadillac CTS, as they share the same engine and transmission; however, unlike the Caddy, there is no indication that the G8 base will be offered with a five-speed manual option. On the other hand, the G8 GT comes standard with a 6L80 six-speed automatic with a steep First Gear to get the 4,000-pound G8 out of the hole quickly. While the initial offering of the G8 GT will only offer the 6L80 transmission, gear rowers rejoice, as the venerable six-speed manual will join the fray soon after production begins. Regardless of your engine or transmission choice, all that power is channeled via a two-piece driveshaft to an independent rearend with a final drive ratio of 2.92:1 for the six-speed automatic. While this may seem meager, the 4.03 First Gear should make up for any second thoughts. The final drive for the upcoming six-speed manual is 3.27.

G8 BASE-LY7 3.6L “GLOBAL” V-6
This 3.6L screamer develops a healthy 261 hp at 6,300 rpm and 250 ft-lbs at a relatively low 3,200 rpm, and incorporates interesting upgrades over the original LYZ (like a variable intake system). Controlled by the ECM, the intake manifold houses a valve in its plenum area, which opens and closes according to engine speed and load. The valve begins to open just off idle and then closes higher in the rpm band, creating two inlet plenum ports for half of the cylinders. This system allows the LY7 to develop low-end torque much greater than that of a standard 3.6L engine, while still making a lot of top-end horsepower. It’s amazing to think that to get close to these numbers before, we had to slap a 90ci supercharger onto a 3.8L. The LY7 also incorporates new Bosch dual spray injectors that have two individual nozzles for more complete combustion through increased atomization, and of course more horsepower, to boot. Read Article

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STJ88 - 5/29/2007 9:08:52 AM

0 Boost

I don't like the G8 it looks very cheap.

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huu76 - 5/29/2007 10:05:12 AM

+3 Boost

Looks more like an Acura, but still pretty good.

Anyone driven a GTO? We don't get them in Canada. Is that talk above about quality etc. actually true?

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S4cabriofoxone - 5/29/2007 7:15:48 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

Yes, it looks pretty good on the inside, though I haven't driven it myself. It still flopped, though, because they didn't do anything about the bland styling of the car. The new Pontiac based on the upcoming Camaro (whether it's a GTO, Firebird or something else) will be much more distinctive, obviously.

zorbeeze - 5/29/2007 12:32:07 PM

+1 Boost

Alot of people over do it with this quality talk lately. Yes, the GTO is an amazing car, and i would take the interior of a GTO over that of a Corvette any day.
As for the G8, the looks are soso in my opinion but i'm sure the performance will be up there.
And this looks nothing like a BMW. Lexusadmirer you're as ignorant as those euro fans.

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1995e34 - 5/29/2007 3:09:00 PM

+2 Boost

if the euro fans are ignorant, who isn't?

S4cabriofoxone - 5/29/2007 7:14:37 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

You lost me at the "euro fans" remark.

Will_ - 5/29/2007 7:30:19 PM

-2 Boost

Of course he did, Euro fan...

zorbeeze - 5/30/2007 12:45:30 PM

0 Boost

What i meant was that their are several euro fans, not all, who act very childish just as several Lexus fans, not all, do. Is that a little more politically correct?
And Lexusadmirer is obviously a childish Lexus fan.

jl3787 - 5/29/2007 12:36:59 PM

+1 Boost

That is a men's car.
I like masculin looking car.
It looks better then other GM products.
I hope the interior plastic is quality.
If the interior is quality it would be on my top 3 cars to buy.

I have a good feelling about this car because its australian engineer and made!

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cthip - 5/29/2007 2:26:31 PM

-1 Boost

this car should be impressive.

most of the issues that the GTO had: blown/leaking struts and bushings from the boat ride over, slow steering (and a little vague), some suspension geometry issues, "bland" styling (subjective to say the least) have been addressed in the g8.

the interior should be as good or better than the GTO (which was already VERY nice)

makes a little less power, and is a fair bit heavier than the GTO, but that's expected for a sedan, and as mentioned in the article a tune and possibly a few bolt-ons should make this a very quick car.

if they are able to keep the price down, this car will surprise a lot of people.

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1995e34 - 5/29/2007 3:11:27 PM

0 Boost

when does this damn thing arrive?

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trd1 - 5/29/2007 5:47:31 PM

+2 Boost

its nice, but it does look a little outdated.

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no1listensanyway - 5/29/2007 7:18:24 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

When the lease is up on my CTS, it is going to be a tuff choice between the G8 and the CTS coupe. This car is hott, fast and going to leave a lot of german cars in the dust. Very excited for this.

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Will_ - 5/29/2007 7:32:00 PM

+1 Boost

You're having a hard time deciding between a Cadillac CTS and this?

1995e34 - 5/30/2007 1:36:05 AM

+1 Boost

they are similar