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Pontiac G8 News Week in Review - July 25

G8Nation — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:43:35 +0000

The last seven days have been pretty busy. G8Nation published nine articles and unfortunately that wasn’t enough to keep up with all of the G8 new in the media this week.

We’re happy to announce that we had our first featured Pontiac G8 with owner. Check out Jay’s 2008 Ignition Orange Metallic G8 GT. Any Pontiac G8 owner can have their G8 featured on G8Nation.

We published three Pontiac G8 reviews this week. The first G8 review of the week came from CNET, the technology-centric site that is more concerned with gigabytes than horsepower. Our first review from a Canadian publication came from John Turley-Ewart of the National Post reviewing both the G8 V6 sedan & GT. Finally, the reviews wrapped up with the Fox News review of the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT.

Not wanting to leave the spotlight of stupidity to Robert Steinmiller, we had a couple of G8 shenanigans in the news this week. The first incident involved a stolen 2007 Gold Pontiac G8 and the other was the owner of a G8 with a stolen license plate stealing $27.99 worth of gas from Sheetz in Carlisle, PA.

G8Nation gave our friends at Precision Motorsports of Florida a hand by helping them find a Pontiac G8 V6 to be featured in an upcoming issue of High Performance Pontiac Magazine with G8 #001.

Holden announced the availability of the HSV W427, the G8’s Australian sibling packing the powerful 7.0 liter LS7 V8.

Finally, we just found out the Jimmy Kimmel and Ed McMahon have teamed up to do a series of Pontiac commercials for the G8, G6, G5 and Vibe. The first commercial will air the night Monday July 28 during Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC.

Keep sending us your Pontiac G8 news and questions.

Heeeeeere’s Ed McMahon & the Pontiac G8??

G8Nation — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:29:32 +0000

We’re not ones to opine as we usually try to just report the facts, but we have to say we’re a little confused by Pontiac’s choice to have Ed McMahon as pitchman for several comical commercials for the Pontiac G8, G6, G5 and Vibe. Don’t get us wrong, we have fond memories of him occupying the couch next to Johnny, but we just don’t understand the tie-in to Pontiac.

The former Johnny Carson sidekick got back in front of the camera last night to film the first of the four commercials to be shown during “Jimmy Kimmel Live”. The commercial includes Kimmel and McMahon together and will air Monday July 28 during the Jimmy Kimmel show on ABC.

McMahon said, “It felt very good to be out of the brace and working again,” McMahon, who recently underwent a third neck surgery, said during a telephone interview Friday morning. “I spent my whole life doing commercials, so here I was back doing a commercial again. It was very comforting. Believe me.”

In the four segments for Pontiac, the comedic duo point out various features of the Pontiac G8, G5, G6 and Vibe. One of the spots features McMahon teaching Kimmel how to properly sell a product, another has the duo preparing for a road trip to Mexico, and yet another Kimmel is locked in the trunk of one of the four Pontiac’s as McMahon pretends to be Jimmy Kimmel.

We’re excited to see Ed back on TV. Be sure to tune in Monday night during the Jimmy Kimmel show.

We apologize for the misleading photo with Ed and Alf, but we couldn’t find any photos of McMahon & Kimmel together. Besides, it’s not often we‘ll ever have a chance to post a photo of Alf.

Ed McMahon and Alf have officially been added to our celebrity Pontiac G8 list:

[Source: Associated Press]

Discuss this post in our Pontiac G8 Forum - (1) Posts

2008 Pontiac G8 GT Review by Fox News

G8Nation — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:23:10 +0000

The Fox News 2008 Pontiac G8 GT review is a little late, considering the 2009 G8 has been on dealer lots for a few weeks now; but we’ll take it. In true Fox News fashion, this review IS fair & balanced. Great job Gary Gastelu.

Fox News wastes no time in pointing out that in today’s “green” society, the G8 may feel a little out of place and out of date. We know its not a gas sipper, but EPA estimated 24 mpg on the highway is pretty damn respectable when you’re talking about a 361 horsepower, good ol’ American V8. Thanks to active fuel management that deactivates four cylinders when they’re not needed, the Fox News test car was outperforming the EPA estimates significantly. With the cruise control set at 75 mph, Gastelu was achieving 26 mpg and at 60 mph, a whopping 33mpg! That’s 4 cylinder Camry territory!

The need for Pontiac to reinvent is long over due. The Solstice definitely couldn’t carry that burden alone. So with the Grand Prix being a little dated, and not really establishing a great rep in recent years, it was time to make a change. “The brass at Pontiac called their corporate cousins at Holden, General Motors’ Australian subsidiary, and asked if they wouldn’t mind sending a few of their popular Commodore sedans this way. You see, down under they like big beefy rides just like we do, and the Commodore is available with a Great Barrier Reef-sized 6.0-liter V-8 tucked under the hood”.

Between the “initial phone call” to Holden and finally getting the G8 in the sates, a lot of things happened like rising gas prices, Prius envy (can we coin that?), and CAFÉ standards. According to Fox News, because of these changes “cars like the G8 were suddenly four-wheel bogeymen”.

“It’s a shame because this is a great car — a fantastic car — and probably the best that Pontiac has ever made. Yes, even better than the Bandit’s Trans Am” says Fox News.

On the outside, Gastelu notes the G8 as having a “foreign look” that draws inspiration from the likes of BMM and Saab. The appearance is brawny and powerful without the typical plastic cladding we’ve all come to know and hate from Pontiac’s past.

The powerful pushrod V8 is pure power, however, the tranny is a little slow to react when you first punch it, minimizing the initial “kick in the pants” you would expect. After the initial punch Gastelu says “you might as well be on the North Shore of Oahu catching a 25-foot wave. The rush of power is so smooth and linear that if you didn’t already understand the appeal of large displacement engines, you’ll be ready to trade your surfer-bead necklace for one now. Pontiac claims that this is the most powerful sedan you can buy for under $30,000 and no one is in dispute”.

On the inside, the Fox News writer notes the interior as impeccable and deceivingly enormous, constructed with some of the finest materials.

The Fox News review of the Pontiac G8 is one of the best we’ve read in a while. Please jump on over and check it out in its entirety.

Check out the other Pontiac G8 Reviews at G8Nation.

[Source: Fox News]

Discuss this post in our Pontiac G8 Forum - (1) Posts

2009 Pontiac G8 Review by National Post

G8Nation — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:52:17 +0000

As the Pontiac G8 makes it way into Canada, we’re starting to see some pretty thorough coverage by the Canadian press. John Turley-Ewart of The National Post has written a decent article reminiscing of the Pontiac’s of yesteryear and a history of the arrowhead’s changes over the past 83 years.

Overall, John speaks fondly of the exterior design of the G8 and its departure from the rounded and undefined lines of recent Pontiac’s. He quickly draws parallels to the brands that Lutz wants us to draw parallels with; BMW and Audi….while still remaining obviously American. Except for the non-functional dual hood scoops, John feels that the designers of the Pontiac G8 were close to achieving “design nirvana”.

On the inside, John notices the continuation of the clean lines with an upscale air. Both front and rear seats are roomy yet supportive and the interior surfaces provide “ample pleasure”. Like may have stated, John doesn’t feel that the user stereo and climate controls are not intuitive.

Testing both the V6 and V8 models, the G8 handled well thanks to its 50/50 weight distribution and precision steering. After pushing both power plants to the limits, this is the first reviewer we have heard say that the Pontiac G8 V6 is the star performer holding its own against the BMW 328i.

In conclusion, John Turley-Ewart states, “Through the G8, Pontiac has returned to the winning formula that transformed the carmaker into one of the top lines in the 1960s. And the key component in that formula, price, has been kept top of mind as well.”

[Source: National Post]

Pontiac G8 GT Review by CNET

G8Nation — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:48:28 +0000

What happens when a tech-head reviews a car that was intended for a gear-heard? We’ll find out as we read a summary of CNET’s review of the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT. For those of you who don’t know, CNET.com is a site dedicated to how technology can enhance and enrich your life.

Our hunch is that CNET felt a little duped. According to Wayne Cunningham of CNET, “…we thought we were in for a tech treat because of the big LCD on the stack. But the car doesn’t make good use of that display space, merely showing audio information. Likewise, a voice button on the steering wheel got us looking for Bluetooth or voice command, but then we found the button merely activated OnStar.”

CNET found the cockpit of the G8 GT to be overly wrapped in plastic, yet considered the general design, fit, and finish very good. The massive 6.5″ LCD screen disappointedly was absent of the expected visual navigation and further space wasted by the useless Atari gauges atop the center stack. CNET thought the powerful Blaupunkt stereo produced “good, tight sound”, however disappointment was expressed at the absence of iPod integration and the lack of availability of satellite radio.

All in all, CNET felt a little short changed by the lack of technical treats in the G8. But remember, these guys have high expectations when it comes to tech gadgets. Rather than “just” dive the hell out of the G8 GT, Wayne hooked up a performance computer to get the real numbers on the performance of the GT.

A few runs were planned in both transmission modes, Sport Shift Mode (SSM) and the other in Driver Shift Control (DSC). Run one was in SSM and CNET launched the G8 to 30 mph in 2.17 seconds and to 60 mph in 5.52 seconds. Pushing the shift to the right to enter DSC, they launched to 30 mph a little more quickly at 1.93 seconds and to 60 in just 5.33 seconds.

Underscoring his obsession with gigabytes and not horsepower, Wayne noted the absence of the red line on the speedometer. We’ve never seen a red line on a speedo, so perhaps he meant to say the tachometer.

CNET will be happy to see some of their gripes addressed in the 2009 Pontiac G8:

Pontiac G8 News Week in Review - July 11

G8Nation — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:54:10 +0000

G8Nation introduced two people to the Pontiac G8 community this week. First was Warrack Leach, designer of the 2010 Pontiac G8 ST. Second was Christine Kozlowski who won a 2008 White Hot 11U Pontiac G8 after being crowned Ms. Mississippi.

There were two notable Pontiac G8 reviews in the news. First was the NY Daily News review of the Pontiac G8 GT and then Car and Drivers review of the G8 V6 where Mark Gillies noted the G8 V6 sedan as a compelling alternative to the Toyota Avalon, Ford Taurus and Chrysler 300 Touring.

Cars.com reported that the Pontiac G8 spent an average of 30 days sitting on dealer lots in June before being purchased by some lucky owner. The time on lots increased significantly from the May report of only 16 days.

Finally, G8Nation was responsible for breaking two related news stories this week. Both stories were focused on the colors of the upcoming Pontiac G8 GXP. We first reported that the G8 GXP would not be made available in the orange show car color. Finally, Jim Hopson let us break the news that the G8 GXP would be available in every color of the G8 color palette.

Keep sending us your Pontiac G8 news and questions.

2008 Pontiac G8 V6 Review by Car and Driver

G8Nation — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:55:04 +0000

Car and Driver has already reviewed the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, so now its time to chime in on the Pontiac G8 V6 sedan.

Their Sport Red Metallic (26U) 2008 Pontiac G8 V6 sedan was equipped with the optional Comfort and Sound package came with a price tag of $28,390. Mark Gillies of C and D took the G8 V6 to the track to see how the two ton V6 handled itself. While it performed “creditably” with a 0-60 in 7 seconds and quarter mile in 15.4 at 92 mph, Mark wasn’t impressed with the engine noting the coarse sound at wide open throttle.

On the bright side, Car and Driver enjoyed almost everything else about the Pontiac G8 V6 noting that interior is spacious, had balanced handling and plenty of standard equipment. As expected, he took points away for the G8 Atari gauges atop the center stack.

At the end of the day, Mark sees the G8 V6 as a compelling alternative to a Toyota Avalon, Ford Taurus and Chrysler 300 Touring. However, for a mere $2,400 more, you can experience similar MPG and a helluva lot more exciting ride from the Pontiac G8 GT

[Source & Photos: Car and Driver]

Pontiac G8 GT Review by NY Daily News

G8Nation — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:03:09 +0000

With initial thoughts of comparing the Pontiac G8 GT to “an aspiring superstar with a compelling presence, a Frankenstein flat-top and bolts on either side of the neck”, Daily News auto correspondent Josh Max didn’t lead us to believe that his Pontiac G8 review would be very positive.

Despite its “unfashionable but thoroughly satisfying” pushrod engine, generic yet speedy-looking body, bizarre yet functional interior, and Escalade-esque MPG, Max quickly bonded to the Pontiac g8 GT like “an adopted puppy”.

On the outside, even though he initially considered the G8 to have generic styling, Max confesses that the G8 is a pure looker thanks to its front quarter panel side markers, quad exhaust pipes, and 18 inch wheels and the non-functional hood scoops.

Like most of us, he wasn’t fond of the “very prominent bright-red center display of your battery and oil status, with graphics straight out of 1981 Atari”…thankfully these gauges are absent in the 2009 Pontiac G8 and he was perplexed that nav is not available. Even though you can use OnStar for turn-by-turn, we would also like to see visual GPS included in the G8. In the mean time, you can always consider the Azentek Atlas.

All in all, his “blood-red” (Liquid Red 62U) Pontiac G8 GT is like “three cups of coffee.” Pontiac is selling “fast” and that’s exactly what you get with the Pontiac G8 GT.

[Source: NY Daily News]

Pontiac G8 News Week in Review - July 4

G8Nation — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:43:47 +0000

It’s been a busy week at G8Nation with 9 big stories. We’re happy to say that G8Nation broke some big Pontiac G8 news this week that quickly spread to the top car news sites. It’s been a while, but the Pontiac G8 ST made its way back into the news in a big way thanks to G8Nation. Even though we’ve all been expecting the results to the Tame the Name sweepstakes, Pontiac is still trying to decide whether or not it would be wise to consider the classic Chevy El Camino nameplate for the Pontiac G8 Ute. Not quite as many choices as the number of names being considered, G8Nation informed the Pontiac G8 community that the Pontiac engineers and marketing teams are considering adding V6 engine option for the G8 ST.

Since Pontiac parted ways with NASCAR a few years ago, there is no chance we’ll ever see a Pontiac G8 in the Sprint Cup, however, the next best thing is watching Dale Jr. drive a Holden Commodore in Australia this December.

GM reported their June sales this week and to date they have sold 6,270 Pontiac G8s this year, with 1,536 Pontiac G8s being sold in June, down from Pontiac G8 sales in May. We expected a slightly higher number considering the Pontiac G8 was the most reviewed car in the Month of May. However, as Clint Williams of the Washington Times pointed out in his Pontiac G8 GT review, gas prices are rising sharply. It was a rough month for GM with their stock price dipping below $10.00 a share for the first time since 1954 and now considering eliminating employee pricing on the 2009 Pontiac G8.

For the second week in a row, G8Nation broke some more news regarding the 2009 Pontiac G8 colors. Contrary to previous reports, Pontiac is considering letting Magnetic Gray Metallic (18U) remain for the entire 2009 model year.

In the spirit of America’s favorite holiday, Edmunds InsideLine asked readers to vote for the most American car in their long term fleet. Of course, despite its Aussie roots, the Pontiac G8 GT is one of the All-American candidates.

Keep sending us your Pontiac G8 news and questions.

Pontiac G8 GT Reviewed by Washington Times

G8Nation — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:56:03 +0000

Clint Williams, syndicated writer for the Washington Times kicked off his review of the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT by referencing the $4.00 a gallon gas prices, saying wrong time, wrong place to make a muscle car. We think a 4,000 lb car with 361 hp sipping gas to get 24 MPG highway is pretty damn respectable….but hey…whadda we know?

He goes on to then advocate the V8 over the V6 saying, “The V-6 offers just slightly better gas mileage. Not enough to avoid the bigger engine. Buy the V-6 version and you’ll be slapping your forehead and saying, “I could have had a V-8.”

Overall, the G8 earned a great review from the Washington Times. Clint must have been tearing it up on the back roads of Atlanta because he had many great things to say about the performance of the G8. When summing up performance, he said, “The overall driving feel recalls a more costly sedan that starts with a B and ends with a W.” The G8 marketing team should be high-fiving one another!

“The 2008 Pontiac G8 will win performance enthusiasts over because it’s a car that finally makes good on the brand’s age-old promise of “driving excitement.” This car does it right, packing muscular engines underneath its taut sheet metal and routing its power to the rear wheels, as a proper American (or Australian) muscle car should.”

On the eve of America’s most meaningful holiday, Williams proclaims the Pontiac G8 GT as the most American of rear wheel drive cars.

[Source: The Washington Times]

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