The current economic downturn has forced General Motors to delay some important future launches – such as the Chevy Cruze and next Malibu – but the melt down on Wall Street will not delay the company’s plans to launch the Pontiac G8 ST sports truck by fall 2009.
The G8 ST is slated to come packing rear-wheel drive and a 6.0L V8, two of the most taboo features in the industry right now, but that hasn’t slowed GM’s plan to have the sport truck in Pontiac dealerships by the end of next year.
“There are no efforts to delay the truck,” Pontiac spokesman Jim Hopson told PickupTrucks.com. “Construction is scheduled to start in July 2009, and the first G8 STs are expected to go on sale here in the fall of 2009.”
Hopson also revealed that a base V6 engine is still being considered, but no officially decision has been made. The base Pontiac G8 sedan comes equipped with a 261 horsepower 3.6L V6.
Despite lacking a backseat, Hopson says the G8 ST will retail for about the same price as a G8 GT sedan. The G8 GT starts at just over $32,000, and tops out at about $35,000, so expect similar pricing from the G8 ST.
