What it Is

2008 Pontiac G8 -- 2007 Chicago Auto Show Preview: Pontiac: Designed for Action. No known antidote. Street cred. Starstruck. Performance. Passion. Those are the keywords and phrases Pontiac’s marketing machine uses to describe its lineup. Problem is, this amounts to a promise largely unfulfilled. Or is it? If the all-new G8 sedan, based on Australia’s Holden Commodore, impresses from behind the wheel as much as it does when being gazed upon, Pontiac’s marketing hype might actually prove credible. At least in this one isolated case. When it goes on sale during the first quarter of 2008, the rear-wheel-drive G8 will come in attractive yet subdued base trim, and tire-squealing, drift-friendly, 362-horsepower GT guise. Yeah, baby.

Why it Matters

As General Motors’ self-described performance brand, Pontiac’s mandate is to offer modern day American muscle. To accomplish that objective, the brand’s lineup has grown with the addition of models like the Solstice and an expanding slew of GXP-badged sedans, coupes, convertibles, and crossovers. Word is, Pontiac will have a version of the upcoming Chevrolet Camaro, an offering that would certainly help solidify the marriage of Pontiac with Performance. Currently, the best performance car in the lineup is the Solstice GXP, with the mediocre G6 and Torrent variants coming up relatively short. But the new G8 is different – with its aggressive style, rear-wheel-drive architecture, and optional V8 muscle, this may just be what Pontiac needs to become the brand it aspires to be.

What’s Under the Hood

Pontiac will offer the rear-wheel-drive 2008 G8 with two engine choices, including a V6 and a V8. The smaller of the two is an aluminum 3.6-liter, 24-valve, dual overhead cam V6 with variable-valve timing and is paired with the G8 base model. Running on regular gas, the V6 puts out 261 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 250 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,200 rpm, delivering its power with the help of a manually-interactive five-speed automatic transmission. GT versions of the G8 are home to an aluminum 6.0-liter, 16-valve, small-block V8 cranking out 362 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 391 lb.-ft. at 4,400 with regular-grade gas. A manually-interactive six-speed automatic is standard, while a six-speed manual is optional.

What it Looks Like

Technically, the G8 is meant to be the eventual replacement for the Grand Prix, but in actuality it will be filling the larger performance void created by the departure of the GTO. As such, and given Pontiac’s reinvigorated focus on power and performance, designers knew that the G8 needed a certain in-your-face presence. And that’s just what they've delivered. The show car pictured here is a strong representation of what we’ll see for the production model, including the flared wheel wells, the aggressive front end, and the attractive interior, but what hits the lots early next year will sit about a half inch higher and will lose the leather dash, custom wheels, unique exterior color, and painted calipers.