Pontiac G8 could live on, sans Pontiac... but don't hold your breath
Pontiac G8 GT - Click above for a high-res image gallery
The brand's demise next year will mark the end of the Pontiac G8, but there's a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel for the Aussie-built sports sedan. Speaking with Automotive News, Tom Stephens, General Motors' vice chairman of global product development, said "there's still discussions on" resurrecting the G8, "but Chevrolet already has several sedans. How many sedans do you need to cover the waterfront?"His comments don't imbue us with much hope for the G8's future, particularly after GM CEO Fritz Henderson has clearly stated that no Pontiac models will live on within the "new" GM. Although there's a groundswell of enthusiast support for the General to replace the Impala SS – due to be killed next year – with the G8, or possibly offer the rear-wheel drive sedan as a Buick model, the idea doesn't seem to be gaining traction within the automaker.
Gallery: Review: 2008 Pontiac G8 GT
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Doug A. 2:32PM (6/08/2009)
Impala replacement. Seriously.
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James 2:36PM (6/08/2009)
Either the Impala route or should Saturn/Penske have a foresight (sans the Renault/Sammy connection) could pick this up and have an instant Saturn rebirth hit...
Taglane 2:59PM (6/08/2009)
I thought Tom was smarter than that, He grew up around powerful engines, he'd be a fool not to encourage this car as a new Impala.
cdwrx 3:22PM (6/08/2009)
And add a Police cruiser version to help amortize tooling.
inline6 3:42PM (6/08/2009)
So GM should replace a car selling 200k units per year with one selling at 30k units per year?
And just replacing the Impala SS wouldn't make sense, either, since GM offers the 3.6 V6, 6.0 V8, and 6.2 V8 models, and it's the V6 that's the most popular. Can't call all 3 the "Impala SS".
Nah, this should either get a different name (Chevelle or Biscayne), or go to Buick (Wildcat? Grand National? GS?) to shore up its street cred.
Berto 3:51PM (6/08/2009)
Well said, long overdue indeed. Impala SS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Doug A. 4:07PM (6/08/2009)
@ inline6: 30k units is better than none.
Or we could always modify a factory over here to produce it in the numbers needed.
diablo000 4:31PM (6/08/2009)
@Doug A.
Not much modification will be needed. Oshawa already builds the Camaro, which is based on a shortened Zeta platform (which underpins the current Commodore/Lumina/G8). Just make sure that they get all the necessary Chevrolet front end bits that Australia manufactures for the Mid-East market Lumina.
I actually rather like the frond end on the Mid-East Lumina SS. It's a sharp looking car, and to me, looks better than the Commodore front end (though I still prefer my G8's front end).
Clay Garland 7:38AM (6/09/2009)
@cdwrx: That's a terrible idea. A police cruiser that only supercars can run away from?
bakka 11:06AM (6/09/2009)
YES!
Mike Z71 2:32PM (6/08/2009)
This car waould make one cool Impala.
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Mike Z71 2:37PM (6/08/2009)
*would
LoneWolf 2:33PM (6/08/2009)
Impala ftw!
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Tourian 2:36PM (6/08/2009)
So, the point of this blog entry...was just to say, don't count on it - again? Because we'd already been told not to.
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BoxerFanatic 2:45PM (6/08/2009)
If Impala doesn't go...
Buick Grand Sport, with a few touches from the Zeta upper-crust vehicles. It is already sold as the Park Avenue in China.
upgrade the interior, spiff up the front end just a bit.
If Pontiac isn't going to survive... and Chevy is the land of pullers, trucks, camaro and corvette, then Buick is all that is really left, below CTS.
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Sammy 6:24PM (6/08/2009)
Hey Boxer - you still like Porsche?
I see you are not a fan of government intervention in the automakers, but Qatar just bought a big chuck of Porsche. See Autoline today.
Enjoy.
pmalloy4391 2:48PM (6/08/2009)
I Really hope panske decides to bring this over as a saturn. He stated he is going to be a car distributer, not a manufacturer so why not?
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Dan from Delaware 2:50PM (6/08/2009)
Love the car, but it seems at odds with the Administration's priorities.
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Nightcrawler 2:58PM (6/08/2009)
Not that it's an exciting car or anything, but I'm surprised they are canning the Vibe. It's better than any of Chevy's current small cars at least and sells reasonably well. Maybe the producing costs at the NUMMI plant are such that it isn't profitable.
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Judy Zik 8:10PM (6/08/2009)
No kidding. For all the crying over the G8 the Vibe is the one that needs to live on. It is a competitive and reliable small hatch. Just what GM needs. Make it a Chevy and keep it alive. As for the G8 with a bit of dressing up it would do well as a Buick. It would help put a bit of fire in the Buick brand and the higher price it would command would help offset the cost of shipping it over. For that matter retool Oshawa to build it.