Pontiac G8 GT - As good as promised, for once.

[Bubba1]

dang i'm late to the thread.

first off, it will be offered in manual with a 6 speed come sometime in 2009. secondly to mr. bubba, i'd love to know how you thought the GTO was a disappointment. if you are talking about it's piss poor sales, I totally agree but as a car/vehicle, it's definitely a dream car to most car enthusiasts.

.

I felt that way based on a test drive. I was disappointed with it. The original '64 GTO is clearly a dream car to many. But taking a mundane Holden Monaro, adding red stitching to the seats+steering wheel, fat tires, fake hood scoops and labelling it a GTO obviously didn't impress most enthusiasts judging by the pitiful sales numbers.

I'll admit I'm more a sports car guy than muscle car guy. The motor did sound great, and had plenty of oomph, but pedals were too far apart for heel/toe, the driving position wasn't great (but hey, the red stitching looked cool). The dash looked nice but felt cheap, And Although the wide tires grabbed reasonably well at low speeds, the steering felt numb and overboosted. The brakes were mediocre at best. The car also gave me the feeling that it was going to begin rattling at any moment. Hey, other than that it was wonderful.

If you're into drag racing, I suppose the Monaro GTO is not a bad choice, but to me there's more to a car than straightline acceleration.

[Jesda]

Actually the Monaro gets a lot of praise for its handling. It isnt the kind of handling that a Miata or S2000 will pull off with precision. Its making noise and smoke through a corner.

[Tulsa_S-13]

At 4,106 pounds, the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT weighs only 56 pounds fewer than that Bee we tested.

Wow.

[NSR_s30]

I've liked the style of the G8 for a while, saw a couple at the auto show close up too. Definitely pretty slick. Hope it does better then the GTO.

[gammer_ghn]

i love the car but i wish they used the 400 hp engine that would be faster than all of the new lux line cars because most are rocking 370hp-380 hp range but hey 30k who am i kidding its a good car i hope its reliable im thinking of gettin one....

[JustinStrife]

i love the car but i wish they used the 400 hp engine that would be faster than all of the new lux line cars because most are rocking 370hp-380 hp range but hey 30k who am i kidding its a good car i hope its reliable im thinking of gettin one....

APS twin tubo kit will get you another 200hp or so...

[Jookmasta]

well mr. bubba, there definitely is more to a car than straight line acceleration but you do have to realize that the GTO was not made nor engineered to be the best handling vehicle in it's price bracket. pontiac definitely doesn't have a reputation for world-class handling so i think you were expecting a bit much from the car. if what in your sig holds tru, then there's no way that the stock GTO will outhandle the stock 350z. the car does hold it's own IMO, but it needs some work to get that confidence to the driver when going through the twisties. i will say that the car does PERFECT the job of being a grand tourer. obviously why they would slap on the GTO name on a vehicle that does such a thing so well is beyond me but that you can email pontiac about.

and btw, there is no red stitching on the seats..............

[240Knightrider]

oh snap

http://newcars.jinjinblog.com/....html

[gammer_ghn]

yess i call dibs its the first parts car ask them when they are parting it out lmfaoo

[MinisterofDOOM]

A 270 HP 6 would have been plenty for me and I might have looked at it, but with 350+/- HP, I'm not even bothering to.

Sorry you and the 3 other people who feel this way are going to be disappointed.

[Bubba1]

well mr. bubba, there definitely is more to a car than straight line acceleration but you do have to realize that the GTO was not made nor engineered to be the best handling vehicle in it's price bracket. pontiac definitely doesn't have a reputation for world-class handling so i think you were expecting a bit much from the car. if what in your sig holds tru, then there's no way that the stock GTO will outhandle the stock 350z. the car does hold it's own IMO, but it needs some work to get that confidence to the driver when going through the twisties. i will say that the car does PERFECT the job of being a grand tourer. obviously why they would slap on the GTO name on a vehicle that does such a thing so well is beyond me but that you can email pontiac about.

and btw, there is no red stitching on the seats..............

There was red stitching on the model I drove, It was an early 1st year model, evidently part of some option group. Believe it or not I know the difference between a muscle car and a sports car. The Monaro GTO is hardly a grand tourer. It's a rather mundane sedan with a powerful motor with a few silly sporty touches slapped on. That is basically what a muscle car is. In 1964, that was enough. but today's muscle car buyer expects more. I'm obviously not alone with the opinion that GM blew it with the Monaro GTO. the fact no one wanted to buy one should provide a clue. I'm sure the car still has it's devoted fans.

Ive an unusual part time job that gives me the opportunity to flog a wide variety of vehicles, so I know a little bit about handling. Aside from it's impressive acceleration, I didn't find the GTO to be a particularly thrilling vehicle to drive. Sorry.

[Jesda]

Why are we arguing about stitching?

The GTO is a coupe, not a sedan.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kJzRfQCt0GA

[Bubba1]

The GTO is a coupe, not a sedan.

I think it depends on your definition of a sedan. The rear seats might large enough that it could be considered a 2 door sedan instead of a 2+2 coupe.

[Jookmasta]

well im sorry if you feel there's too much room in the backseat..............definitely a big complaint with the GTO right? lol.

i can respect your opinion on the car but sometimes i have to wonder if you really test drove it. everything you say is pretty much out in left field from what any other person that dislikes the GTO would say. not really sure how it was mundane but did you get an auto or manual to drive? if it was auto, then i would probably see where your getting half of your opinions but if manual, then you must've gotten a bad apple.

fit and finish on these cars are THE best to ever grace a pontiac badge. you call it mundane but mundane = practical. not sure how this is a bad thing but it's ALOT better than it's competition in it's price bracket. perhaps you had higher hopes for it but as you can see i think most buyers these days are into practicality.

the sales figures for these cars weren't great but u CANNOT think that if a car doesn't sell well, that means the car sucks. the car didn't fail mechanically or quality wise, it was GM's marketing that killed the sales. hell half the people on this board probably didn't even know about this car back in 05 or 04. people can't buy a car that they don't know about.

[Jesda]

I think it depends on your definition of a sedan. The rear seats might large enough that it could be considered a 2 door sedan instead of a 2+2 coupe.

Stitching and doors.

My friend, you are fired.

[rn79870]

I think it depends on your definition of a sedan. The rear seats might large enough that it could be considered a 2 door sedan instead of a 2+2 coupe.

Isn't the distinction the number of doors? Sedan = 4, Coupe = 2. ???

Edited:Whoops, just checked Wiki, there are 2 door sedans. I learned something.
Modified by rn79870 at 12:39 PM 2/25/2008

[iwantans13]

I cant think if a single good reason to dislike the GTO. Seriously. WTF mate?

[VMPhil]

So its a new GTO?

No but its probably what hte GTO Should have been.

Ive sat in the G8 at the Auto show, id totally rock one as DD if i was looking for a RWD sedan.

[Repo Man]

The problem, mainly, with the GTO was that it was too expensive. When GM brought the car here, they originally wanted it to be around 25k. Instead, it was closer to 35k, which was a killer. On top of that, it looked like a Grand Am. People generally just didn't get excited about the car. On top of that, everything that Bubba said is true about the handling and braking and if anyone here is qualified to comment on such things it's him.

[Bubba1]

Stitching and doors.

My friend, you are fired.

Cool. Can I have a severance package?

i can respect your opinion on the car but sometimes i have to wonder if you really test drove it. everything you say is pretty much out in left field from what any other person that dislikes the GTO would say. not really sure how it was mundane but did you get an auto or manual to drive? if it was auto, then i would probably see where your getting half of your opinions but if manual, then you must've gotten a bad apple.

fit and finish on these cars are THE best to ever grace a pontiac badge. you call it mundane but mundane = practical. not sure how this is a bad thing but it's ALOT better than it's competition in it's price bracket. perhaps you had higher hopes for it but as you can see i think most buyers these days are into practicality.

the sales figures for these cars weren't great but u CANNOT think that if a car doesn't sell well, that means the car sucks. the car didn't fail mechanically or quality wise, it was GM's marketing that killed the sales. hell half the people on this board probably didn't even know about this car back in 05 or 04. people can't buy a car that they don't know about.

Mundane = ordinary, Doesn't mean practical. My point was the Holden GTO was essentially an ordinary Holden Monaro with a bigger motor stuffed in it. GM did not invest much into it beyond cosmetics and Z rated rubber to justify the price they wanted for them. IMHO GM had a good idea, but not well executed.

The one I drove belonged to a neighbor. It had a manual transmission (I mentioned earlier about disliking the pedal positions).

I actually didn't hate the car. I just wasn't awed by it.

[Jesda]

Cool. Can I have a severance package?

An additional one year subscription to Consumer Reports and some expired pizza coupons.

[Jookmasta]

in regards to repo's comment, the msrp on the car was 32-33K but only if you bought them when the first batch came out were you paying those sort of prices. MANY MANY MANY people have paid ALOT less than 35K for these cars. hell at the end of 2004, when the 2005 became available, you could scoop up a new 2004 for 22K easily. you don't even wanna know what the "lease" sale on those cars were. fast forward to when the 06's were ending production, people rarely paid over 30K (including taxes). not sure where u got ur figures repo but them's the facts.

and to Bubba, GM did NOT stuff a big engine into this car. monaro's (top of the line ones) already came with the LS2 in aussie land so all they had to was relocate the steering wheel and gas tank.

now i finally understand your position on the car tho. seemed in your previous posts that you made the car out to be a terrible vehicle. i personally think it's one of the best cars to come out from an american company since the year 2000 hit. it has subtle styling, enough power to not be bored with, decently sized back seats and enough in the handling department to prevent you from crying. good mileage can be had if you don't have a lead foot and for the price, there's honestly no other "2 door sedan" that can match it. hell you'd have a hard time finding a 2 door coupe to match it.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Isn't the distinction the number of doors? Sedan = 4, Coupe = 2. ???Modified by rn79870 at 12:39 PM 2/25/2008

Just for Jesda:

A car can be both a coupe and a sedan and more, technically.

A coupe is just any car with 2 doors and a hard top.

A sedan is...a sedan. 2, 4, 6, however many doors; two rows of seats (normally I'd say two USABLE rows, but then we have useless backward crap like the Lexus IS which has 4 doors AND a useless back seat); and a trunk.

But really it's all semantic. I mean...would you consider a Mustang a sedan? And the Mazda 6 liftback is still a sedan...

In my eyes, the GTO is a 2-door sedan since it's a 2-door version of a normal sedan (the Commodore) and still has a trunk.

[Jesda]

"A two-door, enclosed body with small or no rear seat; since WWII, the term has come to mean any two-door closed body but, more properly, a large, two-door is termed in England a two-door saloon. In Britain, may be preceded by drop head (convertible) or fixed head (stationary)."

"A closed car with two side doors and less than 33 cubic feet of rear interior volume, according to measurements based on SAE standard J1100."

"As used by Car and Driver, the term "sedan" refers to a fixed-roof car with at least four doors or any fixed-roof two-door car with at least 33 cubic feet of rear interior volume, according to measurements based on SAE standard J1100."

Apparently the words are fully interchangeable, despite having different meanings. This is morally offensive.

[Jookmasta]

sad to say it is offensive seeing as how it goes against what i was brought up knowing but "the more you know".........................where's that image?

[240Knightrider]

THE ONLY COMPLAINT ABOUT THE GTO!

No option for a sunroof. Im not going to spend that kind of money without a sunroof....its just one of those things I like to have.

[Repo Man]

in regards to repo's comment, the msrp on the car was 32-33K but only if you bought them when the first batch came out were you paying those sort of prices. MANY MANY MANY people have paid ALOT less than 35K for these cars. hell at the end of 2004, when the 2005 became available, you could scoop up a new 2004 for 22K easily. you don't even wanna know what the "lease" sale on those cars were. fast forward to when the 06's were ending production, people rarely paid over 30K (including taxes). not sure where u got ur figures repo but them's the facts.

Jesus H Tapdancing christ man, I was speaking in generalities, not specific numbers down to the last penny. I don't understand why you're so sideways about this. The point I was making is that the car wound up being more expensive than GM had originally intended it to be and what they ultimately wound up selling for was a function of poor sales and not a marketing plan.

Had GM been able to market the car originally for *roughly* a 25k base MSRP and base the campaign on a muscle car for cheap they would have probably had much more success. It was just ill-conceived and executed from the inception on both the car itself and the marketing.

[Jookmasta]

actually believe it or not, the car itself sold well in aussie land and the msrp over there for the LS2 powered monaro was around 50K US after the conversion. last but not least, you said you don't understand why i am so sideways about it. well, if i happened to say some sort of mis-information about a 2008 H3 alpha, i'm sure you would correct whatever i said with facts right? (hint hint, wink wink). lol.

[Bubba1]

Jookmasta. Now it's my turn. You are clearly passionate about the virtues of the Monaro/Commodore GTO. I'm perfectly fine with that. But do you or someone close to you happen to own a Monaro GTO? Have you driven one?Just curious.

[Repo Man]

When GM brought the car here, they originally wanted it to be around 25k. Instead, it was closer to 35k, which was a killer.

in regards to repo's comment, the msrp on the car was 32-33K but only if you bought them when the first batch came out were you paying those sort of prices.

Wow, yes, such mis-information to say CLOSE to 35k. Last I checked, most reasonable people would consider 32-33k CLOSE to 35k. Those that don't fail in reading comprehension also understand general intent vs. literal interpretation. I do appreciate your enthusiasm for the GTO, but I still fail to see what I said that got you all cranked up. But whatever.

When it comes to discussion of buying a car, MSRP and actual purchase price are almost never the same thing. This holds true unless we are talking about a new model, something rare/collectible or a car that has nearly ZERO markup such as the Honda Fit. This is especially true with domestic cars because there is a decent markup and REBATES!!! Had Pontiac priced the car more closely to what they actually sold for from the get-go, their marketing would have been much better. Profit margins would have been better if they could have figured out how to cut their costs to achieve a lower MSRP.