Thanks to the carpe diem attitude of the Internet, you've probably already caught wind of the new Pontiac G8's awesomeness. You've been told that the Aussies have, like their toilet bowls, put a new spin on the classic rear-drive American muscle sedan, just as Ze Germans did at Chrysler just a few years back. The G8 didn't draw the short straw like the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300, which ride on previous-generation Mercedes-Benz E-class components. Instead, this Pontiac rides on a brand new platform from GM's Holden division. And because the 2004 GTO was a decent car buried beneath a jelly bean shape, the G8 is set to be the most memorable Pontiac in the lifetime of anyone born after 1970, a toy for a new generation to tell its kids about in twenty years.
The first sign of Pontiac's new groove is the G8's focused lack of variation between models. Unlike the Bonnevilles and Grand Prixes it replaces, the base G8 doesn't have dumbed-down styling aimed at retirees and the uncaring masses. Instead, the V-6 car gets the same aggressive bodywork as the V-8 powered G8 GT with the only differentiators being dual, rather than quad, exhaust tips and lack of chrome trim on the door handles. Don't like the hood scoops? Too bad. Unlike the recently-killed GTO, there will be no option to remove them. Suspension, too, is shared between all G8s, as the engineers insisted even the V-6 models ride on the Holden Commodore VE's firmest setup, code named FE2. The $2400 jump from the base car to the $29,995 GT model essentially adds just five things: a 6.0-liter, 361-hp V-8, an extra gear (for six total), standard summer tires, brake discs almost one inch larger at each corner, and a limited-slip differential. For you sticklers out there, yes, the GT also gets standard automatic climate control and an 11-speaker Blaupunkt stereo. But the G8 is more enjoyable with the windows down, and the stereo off.
I say that last bit not because the G8's engine sounds so great, but because it doesn't make much sound at all. Pontiac made this mistake with the early, 5.7-liter version of the GTO, and now it has happened again. Perhaps a deep, aggressive exhaust note is something our mates down under just don't understand, but I'm also confident that someone will solve the problem in the aftermarket. The base V-6, believe it or not, is just as vocal as the GT.
The V-6 car is slower than the GT, but not painfully so. It uses the same great DOHC 3.6-liter found in a variety of vehicles ranging from the Chevy Malibu to the Buick Enclave, making 256 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque in this application. Pontiac says it'll provide 0-60 times of just around seven seconds, and I noticed that the car had plenty of torque on tap at all engine speeds. Buyers not making the jump to the GT won't be disappointed, but I'd urge anyone who can spare an extra $2400 to step up. The 3885-pound V-6 car doesn't feel much ligher, and it isn't. Only 110 pounds separate it from its eight-cylinder brother. Thanks to a 6-speed transmission and active fuel management, the 361-hp GT doesn't use much more gas, either. The EPA rates the V-8 at 15 mpg city and 24 on the highway, while the V-6 improves those numbers only a small bit to 17 and 25, respectively. The trade-off for that small efficiency loss is a sedan that'll hit 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and run a quarter mile in 13.8 seconds at 101 mph. Those numbers are right on top of the Audi S5, the BMW 335i, and the Infiniti G37 Motive tested in a comparison last summer. And that's with a 2.92:1 final-drive ratio — imagine the straight-line performance potential a hotter differential might add. With either engine/transmission combination, the driver can select a sport shift algorithm that holds gears longer or tap through the cogs manually via the console shifter. The GT's low-ish 6000-rpm redline comes up quickly, but with manual mode engaged the transmission won't ever shift itself. Instead, a rev-limiter will cut in and hold the engine at redline until the next gear is selected.
Having satisfied my "I should drive both models" conscience, I settle into a liquid red G8 GT for the majority of my drive through the hills outside San Diego. For options, my car has only a premium package consisting of power leather seats, a leather-wrapped wheel, and heated seats, a $1250 bundle that should be popular with buyers. Options, like model differentiations, are minimal ‐ a moonroof and 19-inch wheels would make this a top-spec car.
No matter the option groups selected, the G8 has one of the better interiors that GM offers today. Some of the hard plastics are a reminder that this sedan is a performance bargain, but the overall layout is more upscale and inviting than the cave-like Charger's, while the seats are well-bolstered and more supportive than a Nissan Maxima's. First-time rear seat passengers will have a heck of a time finding those ever-important cup holders. They don't fold out at the rear of the center console, slide out from the seat cushion, or even pop out of the center armrest. No, finding them requires folding down a trunk pass-through to reveal two cup holders in a plastic panel that's large enough to accommodate a laptop, a board game, or an impromptu poker tournament. But doing so also opens the cabin up to the cavernous 17.5 cubic-foot trunk. If there were less sound-deadening fabric in place, I'd expect echoes to resonate from within. And why exactly is the pass-through so large? Likely because the rear seat itself doesn't fold down.
Let's move back up front, though, because the left seat up there is the best one in the house. Straight-line acceleration is expectedly impressive with a thick torque curve pulling the car solidly beyond the realm of legality. Shifts from the 6L80 6-speed (shared with the CTS, among others) are quick and smooth, though I'd like a set of paddles to manually shift without reaching down. But with the sport algorithm selected, the transmission does an impressive job managing itself through winding roads, holding gears for much longer than I was expecting and even downshifting in anticipation of the next corner.
It's in those corners that the G8 makes the Dodge Charger feel like a full-size SUV and renders the front-drive competition completely irrelevant. The Pontiac benefits from quick throttle response, variable-ratio steering that returns more feedback from more input, and a lively chassis that's prone to very minor understeer but never loses composure through switchbacks. When designing the new generation of this rear-drive platform, Holden engineers moved the engine rearward by about 50 millimeters for better balance. Combined with the battery mounted under the trunk, chief engineer Doug Houlihan claims the layout gives the G8 a 50/50 weight balance with two people in the front seats. There's no doubt that the G8 is well balanced, but it does exhibit a level of body roll that's excessive for a 360-hp sports sedan. At least ride quality benefits from the minor flaw — the G8 sorts out road irregularities like a BMW 5-series.
Braking performance will likely be the G8's most disputed asset because the pedal feel could be interpreted two ways as initial bite is lousy, but builds progressively with more pedal pressure. I found the brakes smooth and easy to modulate, though some drivers might find them soft. The G8 uses dual-piston aluminum front calipers and single pistons at the rear, with the GT's rotors measuring 12.64 inches fore and 12.76 inches aft (yes, larger rotors at the rear.)
Despite a few minor flaws, the Pontiac G8 makes its competition look pretty sad. There's simply no other car that offers the G8's combination of performance, comfort, and size at this price point. Were it not for some lower-grade materials and the lack of luxury options like navigation and HID headlights, this car would give BMW, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Audi a good reason to worry. What's better, Pontiac is just getting warmed up. A more powerful GXP variant, a manual transmission, a pickup, a wagon, and a coupe are all very real possibilities in the future. Bring them, Pontiac. Bring them all.
