Introducing the Pontiac G8

There is a new and exciting car coming out of Detroit in the near future......the Pontiac G8. The G8 debuted at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show to rave reviews. Many have been begging GM to come out with a car based on the Holden Commodore, and we finally got our wish. The G8 was developed in Australia by GM subsidiary, Holden. They have been selling their Commodore, which the G8 will share a chassis with, since July of 2006.

The show car, which debuted at Chicago, is essentially a Holden Commodore SS-V with a Pontiac front clip and badges. The show car is a slightly modified version of what the production model will be. The performance suspension and 20" wheels, according to Pontiac, are show car exclusives. Yet these parts are directly sourced from Holden's high performance HSV GTS, so the possibilities of them making it to production on the G8 are highly likely.

The G8 is jumping right into the 4 door performance sedan market, joining the Dodge Charger as the two biggest domestic performance sedans on the market. The G8 will be available in two versions, the base model equipped with the 3.6L V6, rated at 261 horsepower, and the GT sporting a 6.0L V8, which is rated at 362 horsepower. All cars will feature a five speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode.

Features for the G8 include four wheel independent suspension, four wheel disc brakes with ABS and traction control, 18" wheels (19" wheels are part of an optional sport package), OnStar, power adjustable front seats, fog lamps, chrome exhaust tips, rear deck spoiler, and XM will be available. On the inside, Cloth seats will be standard, with leather available as an option. The GT will also feature a special two-tone leather package.

The G8 will replace the Grand Prix and serve as a four door brother of the last GTO. With the Solstice GXP, G6 GXP, Torrent GXP, and now the G8, Pontiac is showing a commitMent to returning to its performance roots. Not since the muscle cars days has there been such a push for high power cars, whether coupes or sedans. GM's partnership with Holden has produced cutting edge performance vehicles, including the last GTO and it looks like things are just starting to heat up.

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