2008 PONTIAC G8  -- The Flagship Sedan of Pontiac By:  ALAN GELL www.CarColumns.Net A couple of weeks ago, in mid-March, I had the opportunity to see a special new car.  It was the G8 by Pontiac, which is being billed as the new flagship for the Pontiac line.  When you say the name Pontiac, my mind races back to the 50’s time era and I can visualize that large hood ornament.  But times have changed.  This new G8 is one hot designed vehicle.

A number of journalists were invited to Atlanta, Georgia for a few days for what is called a Ride and Drive.  We paired off and took this new performance sedan along Interstate Highways, back winding roads, and even toured the peaceful grounds of the Callaway Gardens.   It was a great experience.  The most immediate reaction for me would be that it looks good, performs magnificently, and has a great price.

It has been over 20 years since Pontiac has had a rear wheel drive performance sedan.  It comes standard with a V6 engine but a V8 is available.  The V6 is a 3.6 liter that offers up 256 horsepower.  The V8 is a 6.0 liter with 361 horsepower.  With either engine, that is a lot of horses under the hood of a relatively small sized sedan.  This vehicle will get up and go.  The V6 powered model is capable of hitting zero to 60 in about 7 seconds.  A lot of vehicles have the look but that look is more for show that real power.  This new Pontiac G8 looks powerful and athletic and it really is.
The G8 has its wheels pushed out to the corners, which are highlighted by strong wheel flares.  Other design cues include chrome-tipped dual exhaust, vented front fenders, twin hood scoops, and an inset dual port grille.  These all give it a very special appearance.

            There are three distinct shifting controls.  This allows the driver to select their own style.  There is normal automatic, which I preferred during my test drive.  There is a Sport Mode, which is still automatic, but changes the shift points between gears.  The Sport Mode allows the G8 to maintain greater engine control and higher torque.  Then, for those who really want ultimate control of the vehicle, the shift lever can be manually moved up or down, allowing the driver to choose their own shift point, much like a manual transmission without the clutch on the floor.  In this third mode, the transmission will not automatically up-shift or down-shift until the driver moves the lever.  There is, of course, a rev limiter, for safety reasons, that makes sure you don’t blow up the engine by exceeding the red line or dropping to a stall.  Otherwise, this is a fun gear mode for sport driving.

The wheelbase for this new G8 Pontiac is fairly long, considering the small, overall look to the car.  It is 115.8 inches.  The wheels are set wide at 62.7 inches in the front and 63.3 inches in the rear.   There is a four link independent designed rear suspension with coil springs over shocks.  This increases driving control, steering, and handling.  The circle turning radius is a tight 37.4 feet.  The interior comes standard with four way adjustable cloth seats, but heated six way leather seats are an option.  A special feature I liked was the two-tiered glove compartment and there is a larger center storage bin area.  The cargo area offers one of the largest trunk areas at 17 and a half cubic feet as well as a pass-through.  The rear seating area has almost 40 inches of legroom.  A powered sunroof is available.  In other words, this is a performance sedan that offers up a lot of style and comfort as well.

Pontiac’s marketing manager, Craig Bierley, said it better than I can.  “…the G8 provides a level of sophisticated power and handling normally reserved for those paying far more.”  The G8 starts at $27,595.  The V8 powered GT model starts at $29,995.  At those prices, the Pontiac G8 really will become the flagship for the Pontiac brand.  Check it out yourself at your General Motors dealership.