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Fox News wastes no time in pointing out that in today’s “green” society, the G8 may feel a little out of place and out of date.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]
