Pontiac G8 GT Test Drive
Posted at 9:39 PM / March 9, 2009
We took the opportunity to sample Pontiac's latest V8 sports sedan, the Pontiac G8 GT. With its LS-derived engine, designated the L76 this time around, it produces 361 hp and 385 ft-lbs torque from 6.0 liters of displacement. While not rated as high as the 6.0L Pontiac GTO LS2 that was replaced, the car is still impressive to drive, and arguably a better bang for the buck than the GTO was.
The interior of the car is among one of the best that the General has to offer, being designed by the Australian brand, Holden. Very modern layout, with an almost European feel and styling. Fans of the afore-mentioned GTO will also enjoy the seats and civilized feel of the G8 interior. Steering is tight and responsive, no doubt benefiting from the testing performed at the famous Nurburgring race track in Germany. Being a sedan, one would expect sloppy handling and intense body roll, neither of these are found within the G8. Visibility in all directions was pleasing, no real blind spots to speak of. Seating position and ingress/egress are excellent. Rear space room is abundant, even taller occupants will have plenty of space back there. One excellent feature that the G8 has, but lacked in the GTO, is trunk space. The rear seats also fold down to accommodate long item storage.
On the outside, we feel Pontiac delivered with the intentions of an upscale and modern performance sedan. Those who are swayed by Euro offerings such as the BMW 3 or 5-series may find the G8 a nice alternative. The only visual that might be improved is by lowering the vehicle a tiny bit in the rear, as it seems to rake forward and look high on the rear axle. Nothing that a simple set of lowering springs couldn't alter. The flared fenders look very aggressive and excellent. The squared off nose features, still reminiscent of the Pontiac heritage, show a more modern take on the brand image.
Stay tuned, as we plan on visiting the drag strip in the G8 GT, as well as the newer LS3 powered G8 GXP!
