The Pontiac G8 is one of General Motors’ freshest faces – at least here in America – but recent rumors have suggested that the superb sports sedan won’t be around in another five years. Pontiac has apparently heard enough from the rumor mill, and has decided to step in to clear things up.
According to the Pontiac Under Ground blog, GM’s performance brand has no intentions of killing off the G8. Moreover, plans for two more G8-variants – the G8 GXP and G8 ST – are still on, with the high-performance GXP model expected to hit the market by year’s end.
Despite the claim that the G8 is here to stay, the Australian-born sedan could still be on life support. The previous rumor had the G8 running its current life cycle, with no replacement planned beyond 2013. With stricter emissions regulations set to kick in right about that time, the G8 could still be a one and done, even if new models are planned over the next year and a half.
The G8’s future seems hazy, at best, right now, so it’s pretty difficult to know for sure what GM has planned for its performance sedan. However, GM has developed a Buick model based on the G8 with a 2.0L turbo four for the Chinese market, so it’s quite possible new powerplants could keep the G8 alive in the U.S.
10/28, 11:56 AM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
Life support with organs failing at the speed of 0 to 60 mph with your foot in it!
10/28, 12:09 PM
posted by:
mulletmaster
Pontiac is GM’s performance brand?
10/28, 12:25 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Dick Pound is a lawyer and not a porn star?
10/28, 12:53 PM
posted by:
kansei
The G8 looks great, sounds great, feels great –but until they put a real transmission in it, the car is absolutely worthless. I wouldn’t buy it for $500 with a friggin lazy fat american automatic in it.
10/28, 12:53 PM
posted by:
stang67
If CAFE causes problems they could offer this car in turbo 4 or V6 only with rear wheel drive, no need to kill the car. People will still need a full size 4 door car.
10/28, 12:56 PM
posted by:
Mike the loser
@ Mulletmaster
Yes, man don’t you remember all the history, all the heritage, Pontiac Torrent, Pontiac Montana….man those were the days.
10/28, 1:20 PM
posted by:
mulletmaster
I remember the Pontiac Aztec
10/28, 1:30 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
I never understood what those extra two doors in the back were for….
10/28, 1:53 PM
posted by:
Richard
Last weekend, I bought a 2009 G8 GT with the Premium Package. It was surprise to me that most 2009 GM cars are being sold without buyer incentives. However, the G8 is one that has incentives–a $1500 rebate, to be specific.
10/28, 2:03 PM
posted by:
oldraven
“I never understood what those extra two doors in the back were for….”
For rear seat passengers. They make a Camaro for people like you.
Otherwise, you can wait for the ST, then you’ll be wondering where you trunk went.
10/28, 2:03 PM
posted by:
Fromes
one of the best cars on the market for the price, to bad no one outside of those who follow all things automotive know it exists…..
10/28, 2:04 PM
posted by:
oldraven
Damn. My grammar fell to pieces on that one.
10/28, 5:03 PM
posted by:
C6Racer
I remember the GTO Judge and Trans Am.
10/28, 6:54 PM
posted by:
andy
hopefully pontiac gets there own version of the cruze and it gets the 260hp 2.0 turbo
but its good to hear about the G8, i was pissed when i read it was going to be discontinued
10/28, 10:07 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
I think some people in the rumor mills are not thinking that GM may commit to an across-the-board upgrade in their engine line-ups to be more fuel efficient and have lower emissions.
Just a lot of gabbing for attention.
Just wait and see what happens.
Push Detroit to make better choices and stick with them.
Seriously lobby for more high output V6 drivetrains.
10/29, 1:55 AM
posted by:
Payton Byrd
Blakkarr
Can you please explain why high output V6 drivetrains are better than high output V8 drivetrains in the same vehicle?
10/29, 12:22 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
Payton Byrd,
1. Lower weight. Just add the same handling goods as the V8 package and you have a lighter better handling car.
2. V6s can produce the same or better power as many V8s, often with boost. Combine with #1 and it is a better package for performance as it is that it is not how fast you can go but how fast you can keep going.
3. General consumer perception that V8s are wasteful. Until they can be caught up V6 are the best solution. Buyers stung by high gas prices, which are not likely to stay away, will shy away from V8s. The arguments about FR platform just being more inefficient is BS. Just lay off the gas some. A V6 reads as more fuel efficient and thanks to cars like the 911, Nissan Z, and GT-R, still read as strong performance alternatives to V8s.
Not all performance V6s are fuel friendly on a daily drive. Of the three noted the GT-R35 has to worst F/econ by at least 4 and 6 mpg, down there with with large SUVs and HD trucks.
4. Costs less to implement. Most of the V6s Detroit makes are capable of withstanding as much or more boost than most would give credit… and they are comparatively inexpensive next to their domestic V8 counterparts.
GM still makes one of the best V6 engine packages their 3.8L supercharged. It may be in need of a serious update but that was the engine that was utterly ubiquitous to GM cars in the 1990’s and into the 2000s. Literally as powerful as a V8 for a car at the time, aside from the Corvette, yet could beat 30mpg with a mindful driver, quite a feat for the 1990’s, the 3800 series was among the best engines Detroit ever produced.
5. Profitability. With V8s getting the short shaft in sales because of F/econ concerns, fewer are being sold. You can either sell lots of V8s at a lower price point or fewer at a higher price point. But the car you put it in is vastly more expensive and important than the engine. V6s cost less and you can get just as much out of them as V8s. People will not buy as many V8s and you don’t want to price a car out of reach of enough people to keep the car itself from being profitable or competing against cars that will just suck up possible sales. “Why buy an expensive Pontiac when you can buy a BMW at the same price?” mentality.
This is not to say V8s should be dumped, but that V8s should be used more sparingly and in ways that are more significant in today’s auto market. A G8 coupe, GTO, with a V8 would be one such example, to really make it the top dog in the line-up. But for the majority of possible buyers, equipping the car for best handling and braking should come first then a strong V6 to make it all work, not just for the buyer but for the GM or any company making inexpensive performance vehicles (Mustang, Challenger, Camaro…).