3 Facts About The 2008 Pontiac G8 Probably Only Hardcore Car Fans Know

The Pontiac G8 was that last little burst of flame at the end of a sparkler stick, right before it burns out. General Motors' rear-wheel drive, V8 sport sedan that was introduced to the American market with the 2008 model year unintentionally served as the brand's last hurrah. It was supposed to bring the excitement back to Pontiac, but it couldn't keep GM out of bankruptcy all by itself, so in 2009, GM ended production of the G8 and announced the end of the entire Pontiac brand.

That said, the G8 had that sparkle. Though the base model was passing respectable with its 3.6-liter V6 and 256 horsepower mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, the G8 GT model boasted a 6.0-liter L76 V8 with 361 horsepower. It still had an automatic transmission, but also had a sportier six-speed atop corner-hugging performance tires and a limited slip differential. The GT handled more like German engineering than American muscle car, and even rocked a Blaupunkt stereo. Read on to learn more about what made this sizzling sedan unusual.

Pontiac had a firmly established reputation for big engines and racing heart, and this G8 was true to its badge. Its V8 model could hit 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, outpacing the same vintage Dodge Charger with a HEMI, and even make a BMW sport-sedan start to sweat — all for under $30,000.

While the muscle and the fascia of the G8 was unmistakably Pontiac, what many don't know is that underneath all those nostrils lurked a Holden Commodore from GM's Australian division. The Commodore had been manufactured by Holden for years before its VE version became the platform for the G8 in America — and, as Car & Driver points out, also "the Buick Park Avenue in China [and] the Chevy Caprice in Dubai." Who knew it had so many international identities?

Despite Pontiac ending its G8 production after a very short run, Holden continued to sell Commodores — including a Ute model, the likes of which very nearly made it to America.

Actually, there was a G8 concept truck. Given the G8's Aussie heritage, it shouldn't come as a surprise: Oz is famous for its love of utes. Pontiac unveiled this 361 horsepower "sport truck" concept at the New York Auto Show in 2008, anticipating sales to start in 2010. The ST truck used the G8 sedan chassis, harnessing over 360 horsepower with a 6.0L V8.

Unfortunately for the ST (and ute fans in America), the ground was already crumbling under GM, as the U.S. government announced a bailout of the auto industry at the end of 2008. It was an attempt to help several automakers through the huge recession, though the bailout didn't save GM from filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2009 — nor from discontinuing the Pontiac brand the same year. Up against those odds, the ST was never sold in the U.S. That's not to say the vehicle wasn't a good idea: In Australia, the Holden Commodore ute sold for years — all the way up until 2017.

[Featured image by sv1ambo via Wikimedia Commons| Cropped and scaled | CC BY 2.0]

It takes some wild kind of optimism, or chutzpah, to release a car with an EPA-taunting city mileage of 14 mpg in the face of recession and increasing fuel efficiency standards for vehicles. But that's exactly what Pontiac did in 2009, when it launched its 415-horsepower GXP edition of the G8. Under the hood, Pontiac slipped a 6.2-liter GM LS3 V8, a mighty engine otherwise known for putting the vroom in 'Vettes.

This special edition G8 had ridiculous horsepower for a sedan, but not for a Pontiac. For about $40,000, Pontiac buyers in 2009 could have a car that made 0-60 mph in a dizzying 4.5 seconds. Although the BMW M5 could shave another 0.4 seconds off of that time, it would cost buyers an additional $50,000 to get there that fast. The GXP, with a six-speed automatic or manual transmission, was a steal for its price.

Before America knew it, though, the muscle car with the Euro styling was gone. Pontiac sold only 1,829 units of the GXP and pulled the plug on it. Afterwards, the brand that won races from NASCAR to NHRA itself roared off into history.

[Featured image by IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons| Cropped and scaled | Public domain]