Comments on: Slow sales threaten Australian-built Pontiac G8′s future

By: strongbad

strongbad — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:54:46 +0000

Everyone says the G8 is a great car, but the sales figures don’t support it. It IS a great car, at a good price. My friend bought one this summer and I was very impressed. I can only guess that people just don’t want to buy a Pontiac. If the name ‘Pontiac’ can kill a great car like the G8, then maybe Pontiac needs to go.

The 300 is the natural competitor to the G8 (not a BMW… lets not get crazy here GM), and 300 sales are down 47%. The large American RWD sedan that everyone said we needed is just not wanted anymore.

The G8 GXP is a great car, but with a gas guzzler engine and gas guzzler tax. Bad timing as always.

By: Z06ified

Z06ified — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:13:16 +0000

If Pontiac goes away, I would pick up a used G8 GXP one year later. It’ll depreciate like a rock because of the discontinuance, so you’ll get a great car at a great price. Then drive it, enjoy it, and hold on to it for a LONG time – I guarantee you 25 years later, that car will be worth a lot of money, as the last great Pontiac ever built. It has all the makings of a collector’s car: fast, great performance, good looking, rare, and a history story behind it.

By: sprockkets

sprockkets — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:49:09 +0000

Errr, the G8 IS the only thing of value for Pontiac. OK, there is this thing called the Solstice, which has 125% worse than average reliability.

Isn’t the G8 RWD anyhow? And I think more people are aware of the fact that hood scoops here are useless decoration.

By: teahead

teahead — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:39:52 +0000

Too bad. Awesome car. Way better looking and performing than those ugly Acura FWD overpriced Hondas.

the whole Pontiac brand has been sullied by the Aztek and plastic cladding and spaceship styling.

Well…if Pontiac goes, the G8 could be the next Chevy Impala.

By: DrFill

DrFill — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:55:55 +0000

I’m a big fan of Big Fast
It’s timing couldn’t be worse, with gas prices and GM itself working against it
It’s a 300C for the performance crowd.
Holding back the stick was a bad move.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression
Not that GM hasn’t dropped that ball before.
DrFill

By: tastyorange

tastyorange — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:54:25 +0000

I sat in one recently and was very impressed with the seats and driving position. The backseat was more comfortable than those in most other cars. It would make a realllll nice wagon! Isn’t there a wagon version?
Don’t like the taillights.
I think most people probably think it’s just a gas-guzzling sport sedan, maybe that’s why it’s not selling?

By: Get Real

Get Real — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:47:51 +0000

Nobody is stupid enough to buy a future orphan cars with parts from halfway around the world.

I still love the G8, just not my gamble of cash thankyou.

By: HalGameGuru

HalGameGuru — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:47:06 +0000

whoa whoa whoa. mileage isnt bad on this car people. even with an auto. with a manual it gets better. Just because they arent screaming four bangers barely getting 30-mpg doesnt mean they are guzzlers. I refer you again to the 3.8 liter from GM. and a good v8 especially manual IN REAL LIFE will get better than 25 mpg cruising on the highway even before more modern technological conveniences.

By: RogerHumboldt

RogerHumboldt — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:44:34 +0000

Okay, just to clear a few things up, the GTO was a 2004-2006 model, not 04-05.

Also, there is a holden coming in the forseeable future. It’s called the Chevrolet Camaro. It will be produced in Canada, but it is based off a Holden platform.

By: athens

athens — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:19:24 +0000

JakeK66:

That Catera came from across the other pond as a disguised Opel Omega (then assembled at Russelsheim, Germany).

The third generation Mercury Capri was a direct export from the Australian market.

By: rsg

rsg — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:16:24 +0000

Here’s the problem with the G8 (besides the economy and gas situation). It’s not interesting looking. It’s a lightly retouched version of a run of the mild Australian family sedan. Just like the GTO. And Catera. Lots of cars drive great that nobody buys because they look bland. I’m sure it will have a cult following but I don’t think the market was ever there to begin with. I shudder to think of how the ridiculous pickup version for 30K will sell.

By: Andre Neves

Andre Neves — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:00:11 +0000

^Vauxhall Omega/Opel Omega

By: dodgeyaussie

dodgeyaussie — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:51:48 +0000

@ JakeK66

What history books are you reading.

The Craptera was an Opel product.

By: Andre Neves

Andre Neves — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:09:28 +0000

There is no need to import this model. We could build it here to cut costs.
Then again,before we do that we need to match the build quality of Australian built cars, and I don’t think that’s going to happen. I don’t know why, but its sad.

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:21:54 +0000

@LLL#3

Look in your history book… They did have the Holden 10 years ago in the U.S. It was called the Catera, it didn’t do too wel but then again it wasn’t marketed as a Pontiac and it had a weak engine and it cost way too much, that is if you bought one new. My mom had one a year old and she got it for less than half the sticker price. It also caught fire 3 times within 3 months of buying it and we got rid of it.

And I hope it’s price lowers so I can go out and buy one, I think it’s the best thing in GM’s lineup, being it more of an import than anything else.

By: mr_hunter

mr_hunter — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:19:49 +0000

Yea it’s a good car I would buy one if I could afford it right now. GM couldn’t afford to do something more with the styling that probably would have helped with initial sales (I hate those fake hood scoops). The Holden version looks better to me. I hope they continue to make it into the next generation by then I can afford to buy one or I’ll have to buy a CTS.

By: acura_el2000

acura_el2000 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:57:54 +0000

That’s a shame, its actually a good car. so many other GM products deserve to be canceled before this.

By: oldraven

oldraven — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:27:08 +0000

You know what would help? If Banks started loaning all of that money they were handed…. like they were told to, and said they would.

By: Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3

Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:22:53 +0000

The G8′s launch—a decade ago—would have led to a successful current model that could have survived through an evolution addressing today’s market. However, in typical GM fashion, GM screwed the pooch in timing and all is essentially lost. Too bad.
.
@johnnycanuck, if were to drive my FWD sh*tbox backwards does that qualify it as RWD, or rear-engine, RWD?

By: oldraven

oldraven — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:21:04 +0000

Written by Captain Obvious.

By: beemerdude

beemerdude — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:17:05 +0000

“BMW Fighter?”

The G8 just doesn’t have the right look to be taken seriously by the public.

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:15:29 +0000

Scratch that last remark about the Mopars. I realize the majority of those were sold before the current economic malaise.

By: kingofjericho

kingofjericho — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:07:03 +0000

Great car… terrible timing…

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:05:14 +0000

This proves that the average North American consumer is an idiot and deserves to be floundering in a sea of FWD sh*tboxes and glorified station wagons. Either that or GM needs to learn how to advertise. I don’t see any shortage of 300s or Chargers out there.

By: aexcorp

aexcorp — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:46:47 +0000

Well, if they had offered a manual box on it, I would imagine that it would have gotten better gas mileage ratings, better performances and would have appealed to the people who generally car for such a powerful car. But without a manual box, even at bargain price (well-equipped at 32 large), it’s hard to compete in the sports and performance segment.

By: artmark

artmark — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:42:11 +0000

– the reborn Goat was forced back out of the market due to dismal sales –

I thought it was out because of poor fuel economy and strict emissions standards. The GTO didn’t comply.,

They were only planning on selling it for a couple years to “entice” buyers into their show rooms, and once they were hooked on a Holden, they would become Pontiac Loyalists…

By: HalGameGuru

HalGameGuru — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:40:39 +0000

The apocalypse is now. The one really great vehicle put out by GM, RWD, V8, design, performance, etc. Cannot get any love from Americans. The bimmer fighter is losing its place. I shed a tear for it. If I had the money I would single handedly try to save it.