Filed under: Car Buying, Sedans/Saloons, Pontiac
Pontiac G8 GT: No longer most powerful car under $30K
Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT
If you like horsepower, speed and a usable back seat, the Pontiac G8 GT was a great deal with an MSRP of $29,995. In fact, Pontiac advertised the 2008 model as just such a bargain: "Most powerful car starting under $30K," which is riding the line pretty close.
But the company will have to ditch that ad campaign with the 2009 model as prices for a G8 GT will now begin at $31,360, or some $1,365 more than the previous year. Some of the cost is due to more standard luxuries like XM Radio, but at least part of the increase can be blamed on those familiar culprits of a weak U.S. dollar and rise in material costs. Still, we would've thought some of the car's cost was trimmed by ditching the oversized auxiliary gauges for the car's battery charge and oil pressure. Guess not.
[Source: GM Inside News via Motor Authority]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Bryan 4:06PM (6/18/2008)
Anyone know how well these things sell? I drive past my dealer near me and I seen the same Red and White one there for atleast a month now. If not longer.
Reply
Chris 4:15PM (6/18/2008)
Considering that the V8 non-GT is 15/24 I cannot imagine the GT being better. I really don't see the alure of any sedan with numbers like that.
Fortunately Pontiac has some other cars to fall back on, but what about Infiniti and such? I have seen the dealer put all sorts of signs out. I have seen the nissan dealer putting deal stickers on 350z and of course the dodge dealer has big gas signs out
Keat 4:23PM (6/18/2008)
It selling exreemly well here in Dallas. I've already seen a couple on the road, and I know the Sewell store that sells them has a waiting list for the GT's they can't get enough of them in.
lawtrainee 5:02PM (6/18/2008)
with 17/25 for the V6 and 15/24 (20mpg combined) for the V8 I still will consider it when I get a new sedan.
After all with my v6 sedan I'm getting 22 combined, the price of gas now is not going to deter me from getting it that much. Heck in my 4 cylinder accord I'm getting 24 mpg combined....
I only care about the combined numbers. My sedan is supposed to get 30 mpg highway, I have yet to break 24 on pure highway miles. 2008 numbers say 28 highway.... humbug
Papi L-Gee 4:28PM (6/18/2008)
Chris,
There is no V8 non-GT. The non-GT model is V6 only, and the GT is V8 only.
Kaptain75329 4:48PM (6/18/2008)
Chris,
Those *are* the MPG numbers for the G8 GT (V8 engine). The V6 is rated at 17/25.
Took me less than a minute to check this very simple fact. I don't understand why people are so willfully lazy.
Robert Kamanzi 2:07PM (6/19/2008)
I have been wondering the same question (Brian's question: Anyone know how well these things sell). I believe the Pontiac G8 went on sale at the beginning of April and I haven't seen one on the street yet. I live in Pittsburgh and I saw the first ones on the dealer lot at the beginning of April but none on the road yet. I've been checking the new stock exchange on insideline.com and it seems that most people thought this would be a big seller, can we call it a bust yet? I drive a '07 Grand Prix and love Pontiacs and was hoping that this car would kinda revive the Pontiac brand. Too bad, maybe bad timing is to blame with oil prices hitting record levels and people finally understanding that fuel economy matters in a car, what a shame!
Kimura 4:11PM (6/18/2008)
Kill yourself if you have nothing intelligent to post, or at least keep your mouth shut, please.
Reply
Chris 4:14PM (6/18/2008)
I do....does that answer your question?
moron...............
Reply
duh 4:15PM (6/18/2008)
+1 Kimura
Sacyyz is clearly just ignorant. And was this, really necessary Christopher?
"Still, we would've thought some of the car's cost was trimmed by ditching the oversized auxiliary gauges for the car's battery charge and oil pressure. Guess not."
I'm not sure what is more irritating; the notion that gauges could offset the weakling U.S dollar, or sacyyz.
Reply
Aprime 4:16PM (6/18/2008)
What the heck, the front page article and the one I'm seeing while viewing the comments aren't the same.
Front:
"
If you like horsepower, speed and a usable back seat, the Pontiac G8 GT was a great deal with an MSRP of $29,995. In fact, Pontiac advertised the 2008 model as just such a bargain: "Most powerful car starting under $30K," which is riding the line pretty close.
But the company will have to ditch that ad campaign with the 2009 model as prices for a G8 GT will now begin at $31,360, or some $1,365 more than the previous year. Some of the cost is due to more standard luxuries like XM Radio, but at least part of the increase can be blamed on those familiar culprits of a weak U.S. dollar and rise in material costs. Still, we would've thought some of the car's cost was trimmed by ditching the oversized auxiliary gauges for the car's battery charge and oil pressure. Guess not."
Comments/full:
"If you like horsepower, speed and a usable back seat, the Pontiac G8 GT was a great deal with an MSRP of $29,995. In fact, Pontiac advertised the 2008 model as just such a bargain: "Most powerful car starting under $30K." Which is riding the line pretty close.
But the company will have to ditch that ad campaign with the 2009 model as prices for a G8 GT will now begin at $31,360, $1,365 more than the previous year. Some of the cost is due to more standard luxuries like XM Radio, but at least part of the increase can be blamed on the weak U.S. dollar and the rise in material costs.
In a day where gas costs more per gallon than milk, though, Pontiac might be reconsidering the whole "speed and power" focus of their ad campaign anyway. Maybe the ads could now say, "Biggest trunk space of any Australian-built car you can buy in the U.S." Hmmm. Just not the same."
Reply
Dude 4:23PM (6/18/2008)
It's a conspiracy maaaaan!
Aprime 4:37PM (6/18/2008)
Weeeeeeeeellllllllllll The latter just went away.
It wasn't nearly as clever as the former, anyhow.
Justin 4:19PM (6/18/2008)
Sorry but I don't even want XM radio, nevertheless pay extra for it.
Boo
Reply
Keat 4:23PM (6/18/2008)
I love this thing. I'd take one any day, I dont care about the price of gas. I've riden in one and it is freakin fast!!
Reply
Torrent 4:27PM (6/18/2008)
Next time you have something to say, think about it... then keep it to yourself....
Reply
Dustin 4:31PM (6/18/2008)
Though arguably it would be out-done by the Challenger R/T anyhow, also starting just barely under $30,000.
Reply
Noe 9:35AM (6/19/2008)
before incentives! lol
Tony 2:13AM (2/01/2009)
You're comparing a two door coupe against a 4 door sedan. A more fare comparison would be against the new Camaro, or even a Mustang. If you want to compare something comparable to the G8, use the GTO against the Challenger...2 door vs 2 door...and the GTO is the faster of the two in that one.
Ashish 4:35PM (6/18/2008)
well one this is for sure, \
The ranking system works very nice.. I had ranked sacyyz, low, based on some other stupid comment long time back probably and this time it showed "lowest ranked" right besides his name.
So i guess it works abt fine.. u guys can rank too.. lol..anyone can.
Its a good car, Saw tons of this ar and the variations, even HSV models in australia..
I would buy the GXP once it comes out, the only thing its missing is a navigation, which u feel like having when u spend abt 40K OTD on a fast car.
Reply