hyperv6

I saw that too. Note there is not emblem on it and I sure once it is the car it will have one. The future at times is right infront of use and if you are not careful you can miss it.

Looks like the original Bumble Bee picture.

I agree with the 100-150K Impala as the smaller cars will remain the most popular and drain off the sales. Big cars just don't sell like they used too. As for making Pontiac viable I agree that preventing overlap is very important. Pontiac needs to be to Chevy like Acura is to Honda. A near car but a lower volume higher quality car but not at a high preimum price. If they do a GTO it needs a different wheel base and a more adult theme than a Pony car. That is how the original A body concept was over the F body. in other words a back seat that works for the family guy who likes fast coupes. Pontiac could not afford to go it at lower volumes before in stand alone dealers but today Buick and Pontiac combined give them the ability to sell in lower volume and make a more specialized car. Pontiacs image damage is not good but can be overcome with great product and time. If GM can remake Saturn the Poster child of all that was wrong at GM in the 80-90's they can remake Pontiac. The Next G6 will be very important as it will form the foundation Pontiac will be rebuilt on. The cars that GM's future lies with are mid to small FWD cars. If gas prices jump those cars are what all the people flock too. If all you have are good RWD cars they will go to Toyota. The Malibu and Aura are very good and the next gen neext to jump ahead again to keep up. GM, Ford and Chrysler have all had ok FWD cars but have paid the price for not having great mid size FWD cars.

I am not worried as GM will not buy Chrysler. But I would like to see them Buy Jeep and toss the Liberty, Compass and 4 door Wrangler. Combine the original type Jeep with Hummer and offer the ultimate American 4x4 division. If they want too much for Jeep make em throw in the rights to the Mini Van or build one for GM. If Pontiac can selll Toyota's Chevy can sell a Dodge van. I would make them change the engien to the 3.6 since all of Chryslers put out blue smoke after a while. Hmm Could they be talking to Chrylser about a rebadged Dodge minivan. If you can't beat em join em. GM could use the van and Chrysler can use the money. They don't have to be from Japan to be a partner.

If Pontiac was going to have the car that leads the division in sales this would be it. I have always felt The Next G6 is the most important car for Pontiac's future. The G8 was only a first step in many more to come. Saturns changes were done in the same manner.

I totally agree.Look also for a possible Malibu Police package. The FWD Impala is very popular today with many city police departments and if gas keep going up a V6 patrol car is very appealing to them. I also see a Impala Police package as likely so the sales may split between the two. But in the end the Malibu will be the Sales work horse at Chevy. I think GM was smart to enlarge the Malibu to fill in for the FWD Impala and then still build the RWD Impala. They ahve a car for the market no matter what the gas priced or drive wheel preferance. My question is how hard will Impala sales effect the G8 sales when it hits the market and how does Pontiac plan to counter it to no lose sales to Chevy.

If you would read all the post I added my comments at the end that made it clear that I know the G8 is not set in stone to come here but can be moved. Others have noted it so it was not that unpreceivable. The idea the car CAN be moved is a plan! Remove your head from down under (sorry to the other posters for the bad pun) and you would understand that! Or due you want to just argue about the choice of words? Here is a good example, Say I plan to go to my Grandmothers but I have not set a time or date yet but that does not say that I may go or not go to here house does it? I will get there and have a plan to go I just need to set the time and date to when or if I go. The plan is in place and can be inacted when the time is right or needed. Here are quotes I posted in the same post after Bobs statment. "So folks it looks like the G8 is going to be built down under for now" "they could keep the G8 down under where Holden has the room giving Chevy needed the room In Canada". These are my words and where do you see where I say they are going to build the G8 here or saying when.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did I give a date!!!!!!!!!!! Did I give a time!!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!! As for plans my point of view is not that they have set any dates etc but that fact that they have ideas that can move the car here if or when needed. This is the plan GM is working to with all its platforms on a world wide plan. They can build a Opel in Lordstown if need and they might with the new Saturn. This is part of GM's future in being flexible. You love to set things up in a context to suit your own needs. Your welcome to post your opinion but do not try to twist my words. Are you that driven by the need to be right? The press took the Lutz statments to be what I precieved them to be too. Sorry if you don't agree but not everyone is always going to agree with you and you don't have to be a nasty person to get your point across. If you disagree respectfully I and others have no problem with that would respect it. Others here do it all the time and are welcome to do so. Using colorful medifores is a cheap way out. What next are you going to say bad things about my mother?? I thougth you to more a profesional than that I guess it is a point you proved me wrong again. If you don't like my post than just ignore them as we get along much better that way. Lord knows I try to avoid any of your post no matter if I agree or disagree as dealing with you is not worth it. Evok You are a very skilled and crafty person with the written word. You like to twist others words to suit your needs and many times your post are so subjective or vague that they give you the wiggle room you could squeeze a H1 through. But your people skills need a lot of work! It is great to agree to disagree that is why we are here but there is no reason for anyone to bully anyone and you say I should grow up? PS if you look at this tread it has brought out a lot of info and ideas from others that are being discussed so all is not lost by my post. This is how we learn not just hanging on yours or mine every word. Out of respect for the others we should drop this here and let this topic grow and become something of value.

I just saw Dennys statments today a few days after I posted Bobs quotes. I plan to keep both in mind with future info to better understand what they will do. If you have issues with Bob's quotes please address the complaints to him as he said this not me. I am sure he can enlighten you on if he was misquoted or taken out of context. He might even explain what he ment if he was not misquoted. Do you need his E mail address? I only posted what he said for others here who might have been interested in what he said. This info makes for interesting speculation and conversation as that is what this web site is all about or are we here just to hear your side of everything? This info added to info we recieve in the future may make a clearer picture so we will know what is going on. Otherwise I don't care if the car is built here or down under. In the end does it really matter unless you work in one of the plants.

Good I am not the only one who noticed! Pehaps he was misquoted.

Thank you as someone who understands the part I posted that were my comments and also noted I did not state anything for sure.

Since when have there been any absolutes in life or 7 day forcasts let alone Detroit? This is just the latest Bob has said and his info is better than any of us here. I think most of us understand here how fast things can change.

Contrary to some people reporting there are no plans to bring the G8 To North America the opposite is quite true. At least according to Bob. Bob Lutz has stated the following and it answers some of our questions on where and why. "The G8 will be assembled in Australia by GM's Holden subsidiary. But it could be built on this continent". "It is highly likely that as we move to higher volumes for the global rear-drive architecture, we will begin to produce" in North America, said GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. "Importing from Australia at this point is a transitional phase. It permitted us to get the car quickly and for a minimum of investment." Also quoted by John Larson "The G8 will meet the growing demand for rear-drive cars," said John Larson, Pontiac general manager. The G8 will be offered only as a sedan and will be priced to compete with the Dodge Charger, also a rear-drive sedan. The Chevrolet Camaro will be the second North American application of the rear-drive architecture. That car goes on sale in early 2009, followed six to 12 months later by the redesigned Chevrolet Impala. So folks it looks like the G8 is going to be built down under for now due to the fact there is no place to build it here this early with out a large cost of shutting lines down to build this car when the Chevys were not ready yet. Also keep in mind that the Zeta is flexable enough that if the need for Camaro's or Impalas is high they could keep the G8 down under where Holden has the room giving Chevy needed the room In Canada. That is the nice part of this car as it can be built in either factory with little change over. This is the new way GM will operate and it will pay off in the long run. As for a all new reskinned G8 car built here I think we will have to wait. But expect a GXP to be here a year after intro with a LS3 and many HSV parts chosen to make it a competitor for the SRT Dodge. This car may include more Ground FX, spoilers, Bigger brakes and tires.

My company took a old 90's Impala patrol car form the local force and built a Tubed Pro Street Patrol car out of it for them. It has a Bolown BBC and all. They street drive it to many events and looks cool going down the street and I even hate Pro Street cars. I even have seen the cops do a hole shoot in it on the street.

They may have been used as a police car but the last offical Pontiac Fleet police car offering I believe was in or around 1977. The Pittsburg cops used late 80's Bonnevilles and 88 Olds FWD cars for a while but I think they just got a deal on stock vehicles as they were also never offered with a police package.

This thread will be fun to pull up 8 months after the car is on the market to see who is right and who is wrong.

If this car was done only as a Pontiac and no one ever knew of the Holden they would not have as negitive out look. At this point I don't think it really is that important to just satisfy the Pontiac people as there are so few left and many of them are not buying anyway. I agree the Bonnie GXP it a great looking car and at the price it was should have been RWD. But the simple fact of Pontiac looking like a Pontiac thing is just a total fraud. I would bet we can't 10 People here to agree if we asked them what should a GTO look like. Same goes for the Bonnie, GP etc. In the new market today and in attempts to save Pontiac with out risking GM anymore great debt they already have. Pontiac has come up with a car that if price well will appeal to all people not just Pontiac people. Pontiac need to take sales from Acura, Lexus, VW, Low end Audi and the like. Stealing sales from Chevy will not get it anymore. Pontiac is not competing with Chevy Ford and Chysler anymore and it is time for many to wake up and realize that not everyone in the past liked Pontiac's and if they did we would not be tring to save the division now. It is time to open your minds and accept change. All are not going to like everything but as long as it bring people into a Pontiac dealer that never would have come in before that is the key here. I am a long time Pontiac fan and have enjoyed and driven many of the cars form the past. There was contiversy whe the widetrack appeared. People spoke out when the Chrome was remoced from much of the 63 GP. when the 69 GP appeared many were shocked and took a while to understand the long hood and funny door handles. Today they are looked upon as classics even though at the time they came out many were unsure of the first impressions. Anymore if you Can appeal to 50% or more of the people with a new car you doing good as First impressions grow and more will fall in with their like of a car most times. We see this every time a new Vette comes out with 50% loving it and 50% not sure and sales keep chugging along. Anyway I know we can sit here and argue the pro's and con's here about styling and AWD but the only real test will be sales. So it is in the best itis in interest of all just to watch how this car sells and it will prove if Pontiac did the right thing here or not. No one here can predict this and if you could I am sure Pontiac would pay you well to do so. I have a hunch the Pontiac future will improve with each model and we as Pontiac fans will adapt as l expecially if others take interest in our brand. If we don't gain new members from outsidethe Pontiac family I will be seeing you at the Orphan car show in Michigan. It is time we just let the general public not just Pontiac fans voice their opinion on this car with their buying dollars. Their opinion is the one that counts. While it may not be everything every one wants at least it is not an Aztec.

77 I think was the the last offical year but low sales and little if any profit killed off the package. Many of the cars in Smokey II were old Police cars and ones that were just dressed up to look like them.

Per Fbodfather [and he should know] the car will have cues from the 60's [67 was mentioned] but will be a modern design like the Camaro. It will have 6 tail lights and is a new sheet metal car and not a modified Holden. We do know for a fact they even have altered the wheel base to help with turning radius with large wheels up to 24 inch though only 20 inch is expected. I would guess they are planning for the future? Don't know and can't say about the motor trend picture but I like it. It is much better and closer to what I expect than their last lost cause silver picture. I too expect a little new impala may have been in the volt but just a little that car was a little extreme for a next gen Impala. I expect some of the same cues from the Malibu and Camaro to find their way into a original design for the Impala as a Chevy family id as GM did in the late 60's. Also take note some small cues from the present car may be carried over and expanded upon as this is a general GM practice. I would expect no less impact with this car thant we had with the concept Camaro. I get this vibe from those who have seen the car but could not give details. This will be an impact car and more American like as Chevy is GM American leading car company. Chevy will get a more modified car as it also will sell in greater volumes than the other Zeta's as well sharing may of the same parts with the Camaro. Both will be on the smae line so I am sure there will be many of the same parts shared.

Is there really a need for a B4C? I had a friend bring a 4th gen Colorado State Police car played with it one day at my house. Other than the novalty of it at car shows I see no need for it in today forces. The new Impala RWD will have the same underpinnings and drivetrain so where is the need? Oh the Colorado car was sill stickered up, led light bar and still had a radar unit in it yet. Many in Ohio had to be puzzled. It is a pain to drive as every one slowed down below the speed limit my buddy told me.

I can't wait till next years GXP. I would assume the following will be added. Bigger tires larger brakes LS3 430-450 HP Tweeks to the Suspension HUD I really want this More aggressive body parts In other words it will be time to hit the HSV parts bins and add some trick parts then hunt and kill the SRT Charger. As for the name if you don't like the G8 just peel off the name and get a GP or Bonnie emble to stick on as you have many styles still available. I think just adding a repo Royal Bobcat emblem from Jim Wangers company would be kind of cool. A littl old and a little new.

They were not so much for stealth as they were for power. Keep in mind the Camaro and Mustang were brought in as chase cars as the Caprice and LTD/Crown Vic were not as powerfu then as they later were. To many people were out running them till they got the LT1 and 351 engines. As a whole the Mustang and Camaro make very poor and expensive police cars that with todays tight budgets are going to be hard to justify. With a Impala package that will be using many the same parts and engine as the Camaro there is no reason for a Camaro package anymore. Many of todays cars wil top 150 mph in sedan form. Even my wifes V6 FWD sedan will hit the 140 MPH +.

The name change will not fix this car. You can call a turd a diamond but it is still a turd. While the 500 or Taurus or what ever you want to call it is a good car it is still behind many other cars in so many areas. While the Face lift on the Focus and 500 help but Ford needs to replace these cars as there sales have not lived up to what they need and will not imporve to where they need to be. I know Ford is hurting and I truly think we will see Ford either get bought into by Nissan or Toyota or file for Bankrupcy at or after 2009. Lets face it the only asset Ford has right now is The F150, Mustang and Mazda. The Fustion and Edge will do ok but not to the level they need. I think we will see what nearly happend at GM will really happen at Ford. Ford has always lived on one power model in their line up as in cars like the T, A, F150, 49/50 Ford, 60's Mustang Taurus etc. At this point they have no vehicles that are paying the bills and the F150 will not help if gas goes back up. The Taurus is a single when they are needing a home run car.

I think with a RWD Impala coming the is no chance Pontiac will field a Police car. Chevy has the Impala volume to take care of fleet sales and I would expect to see a Malibu Police package as more police forces have taken to the Impala FWD. The only place I have ever seen a Pontiac police car was in Smokey and the Bandit. Pontiac never did much in sales for Police but Pontiac did do a lot of chassies for airport Limos, ambulances and funneral hearses. GM police Packages of the future I see are the Impala, Malibu and Tahoe. I would not even hold my breath for a Camaro since the Impala will have the performance to handle the job.

A well done job. As for the scoops I could do with or without but it is not that big of a deal. I just hope they are opened up and not fake as they are on the G6 GXP. As for the wheels I like them but 19's should look fine I just hope they are better than the present GP wheels. For all those who have their reservations on Lutz. I wonder if they are chnaging their minds now. I can't remember a time this many new cars from GM with so much positive being said about them. Read the non GM sites and almost everyone has something good to say about this car so far. That is just something that did not happen over the last 30 years. Just think we have anywhere from 2-4 [Camaro, Impala, El Camino? Buick?]more cars coming from down under and I can't wait to see what they did to them.

AWD only helps on initial acceleration but once up to speed it does little and does nothing for stopping. We drove A bodies including GTO's for years on poor Bias snow tires and it was never an issue here in the snow belt. I even have 2 winters in a GMC Sprint SP with a BBC. [a Elcamino SS for GMC] Good tires and a LSD [Eaton still calls it a Posi unit yet today] rear make a big differance. The only thing poorer today is the driving skill of todays drivers. After years of FWD and electronic controls many just have poor skills today. Imagine what it will be after years of self parking and collision warning. Been driving RWD in the snow for near 30 years and even got my license in the snow in a 76 Buick. All I can say is if you lack any kind snow driving skills and buy a G8 remember one thing. Pontiac Builds Excitment!