Posted on 21 July 2008
Tags: 2009 pontiac g8, BMW, Canada, Lutz, Pontiac
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]
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Posted on 20 June 2008
Tags: CarDomain, g8, Lutz, maximum bob, Tremec
Correction - Confirmed on June 24, 2008, the 2009 Pontiac G8 GT will not offer the 6 speed Tremec manual transmission .
The gang at CarDomain.com recently had the pleasure of breaking bread with Maximum Bob. They were relentless at getting an answer to the all important question….”What’s with the disappearance of the stick shift from modern cars?”
Mr. Lutz responded by reminding us that gone are the days where manual transmissions are more fuel efficient than automatics. So in order to meet the all-important average fleet MPG goals, the number of sticks needs to be reduced.
On to the good stuff…we’ll keep it short and sweet….Lutz confirmed that the G8 GT will have an optional Tremec six-speed for 2009.
Rejoice my friends….rejoice.
[Source: CarDomain]
[Photos: CarDomain]
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Posted on 22 May 2008
Tags: 2008 pontiac g8, AutoWeek, Jacob Lingeman, Lutz, Pontiac
Jacob Lingeman of AutoWeek just reviewed the 2008 Pontiac G8 Sedan V6. His review is short and broken down into four sections; interior, chassis, powerplant, and styling.
Pontiac G8 V6 Interior:
Overall, AutoWeek rates the interior highly. The interior accommodates all five passengers with comfortable seats and adequate personal storage space. The legroom easily accommodates taller passengers and the trunk is very spacious.
Pontiac G8 V6 Chassis:
It doesn’t sound like AutoWeek could have been more impressed with the chassis of the G8 V6. Lingeman said it was “solid-really solid” and without much body lean at all. Behind the wheel, steering was tight, the cockpit was quiet and the brakes provided more than enough stopping power.
Pontiac G8 V6 Powerplant:
At this point of his brief review, Jacob goes to say that he’s feeling a bit conflicted. He thinks the 256 hp V6 is adequate, but not awe-inspiring. Guess what Jake, that’s why Lutz and team made the G8 GT (V8) available for a mere $2,500 extra.
Pontiac G8 V6 Styling:
He says the G8 doesn’t “score high on the street-parking gawker scale” and that from the front and rear, the Pontiac G8 is a generic sedan, likened to the Grand Prix. Obviously this is a purely subjective statement and one that we disagree with completely.
[Source: AutoWeek]
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Posted on 08 May 2008
Tags: Brian Shipman, chevy, G8 ST, GM, Lutz, Mr. Lutz, Pontiac, pontiac g8, tame the name
During a press conference today focusing on the Pontiac G8 ST, Pontiac Spokesman Brian Shipman discussed the progress of the “Tame the Name” results. According to shipman, the list of more than 10,000 names submitted by enthusiasts has been winnowed down to just ten names. Unfortunately, for all of you El Camino hopefuls, the El Camino name has not made the list. According to source, there was a slight feud within the walls of GM of the use of a Chevy associated moniker being associated with Pontiac.
In all honesty, G8Nation agrees with the decision. If GM really wanted to resurrect the El Camino nameplate, Mr. Lutz would have planned the Ute to wear a bow tie on its front grill rather than the arrowhead.
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Posted on 23 April 2008
Tags: 2008 pontiac g8, automotive interiors, autoworld, Bob Lutz, cobo center, Detroit, Drew Winter, GM, Lutz, Pontiac, vehicle interiors
Thirty-six exceptional vehicle interiors representing from thirteen manufacturers will compete for top honors in the 9th annual “Ward’s Interior of the Year” awards. Sponsored by Ward’s AutoWorld magazine, the prestigious competition is part of annual Auto Interiors Show scheduled for June 4-5 at Detroit’s Cobo Center.
We all know that Bob Lutz has put amazing efforts on the design of recent GM interiors and it looks like the efforts are paying off. Lutz understood early on that GM gray was not going to win the hearts of potential customers and quickly made it a top priority to place significant attention of the interiors designs, ergonomics and usability.
Of the 36 nominees, roughly 20% of them are GM born and bred.
Of course, among the 36 “Interior of the Year Nominees” is none other than our beloved 2008 Pontiac G8.
Ward’s editors evaluate vehicle interiors on eight categories including:
- material selection
- ergonomics
- driver information
- safety
- overall value
- comfort
- fit and finish
- aesthetics and design harmony
“In the years since we’ve been holding this competition, we’ve seen marked improvements in the overall design and quality of all automotive interiors, even in the economy segment. With great new features, materials and styling in all segments across the board, consumers now have a fairly level playing field in vehicle interiors, whether they select imports, new domestics or vehicles from U.S. automakers,” said Drew Winter, editor-in-chief of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine.
“It’s no longer acceptable to have a cheap looking interior, even in economy-priced vehicles. This is great for consumers, but it makes our job a lot more challenging.”
Winners will be announced at the Annual Auto Interiors Show, June 4-5 at Detroit’s Cobo Center.
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Posted on 08 April 2008
Tags: Demographic, Dodge Charger, GTO, Infiniti, Lutz, Pontiac, RWD, SpyHunter
So you have a hankering for a RWD 4 door good ‘ol American muscle sedan. Any chance you’re in your mid 30s to mid 40’s? Do you make $75,000 - $100K a year? Are you married with 2.1 kids? Have you seen the G8 SpyHunter commercial and had flashbacks to the arcade days of the mid-80’s while imagining yourself setting smokescreens and dropping oil slicks to evade chase cars?
Well if so, then Pontiac has your number!
Thanks to the dismal failure of the GTO, Pontiac has focused sharply on everything that YOU (and I) want and without stating the obvious, it looks like they nailed it with the G8. Under the stewardship of Lutz, Pontiac has delivered the ultimate car for you (& me). The rear-wheel-drive superfast sports sedan will attract the demo that the GTO didn’t… successful young male buyers.
With size and styling cues similar to that of the BMW 5 series, the G8 give you all you need to bring your clients to lunch, and take the family out for a day…all while leaving an extra $20 - $30K in your pocket.
OK, so maybe (just maybe) the 5 series comparison is a stretch. In marketing lingo, Pontiac views the Beamer 5 and the Infiniti G35 as aspirational challengers. The direct competition for the G8 is the Dodge Charger and the Nissan Maxima.
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