The G8 Was Pontiac’s Last Model, and Inarguably One of Its Best
When referring to Pontiac’s final flagship, the G8, the adage “saving the best for last” definitely comes to mind. Produced for Pontiac’s swan song years of 2008-’09, the G8 followed in the wide tracks of its Grand Prix predecessor, though it thoroughly modernized the idea of what a large, athletic GM model could be.
The G8, a full-size, rear-wheel drive sedan built on GM’s Zeta platform—which also underpinned the fifth-generation Camaro—faced a tall set of challenges when it debuted. Singlehandedly filling multiple holes in Pontiac’s model line left by the cancellation of the Bonneville, GTO, and even the Firebird to an extent, the G8 represented Bob Lutz’s new direction for the brand—one that unfortunately would not get to be fully implemented.
The G8 was born in the land Down Under as the Commodore VE performance sedan, built by GM’s Australian subsidiary, Holden. Launched in 2006, there were multiple variants including a two-door coupe utility or “Ute” in Aussie-speak—think Chevrolet’s El Camino—and a five-door station wagon. Power came from GM corporate V-6 or LS V-8 engines. Like the Holden Monaro CV8, which became the 2004-2006 Pontiac GTO, the Commodore’s in-production status made for a smooth transition to the G8 for the American market.
After a very warm reception at the 2007 North American International Auto Show, then-GM Vice Chairman of Global Product Development, Bob Lutz, announced that the new G8 was expected to hit Pontiac showrooms as a 2008 model. “Maximum Bob,” as he is called, felt that G8’s global rear-drive architecture offered a luxury sports sedan that would play on the same field as the German makes, at a more attainable cost.
Pontiac’s mission statement for the G8 was clear. “G8’s powerful engines, rigid rear-wheel-drive structure and performance-tuned suspension deliver outstanding driving dynamics—exactly what is expected from Pontiac’s flagship vehicle.”
When the G8 debuted, it displayed all the Pontiac tenets of style, power and technology, starting at around $30,000. Ironically, the base G8 was not powered by an eight-cylinder motor as the name inferred, but by the all-aluminum (LY7) 3.6-liter DOHC V-6, making 256 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft. of torque. The only transmission was the 5L40-E five-speed automatic with 2.92 ratio gearing.
The base car was loaded with performance-oriented features including:
- Four-wheel independent (FE2) performance-tuned suspension
- 18-inch split-spoke, silver-painted aluminum wheels
- Stabilitrak electronic stability control with all-speed traction control
- Four-wheel ventilated antilock disc brakes with Electronic Brake Assist (EBA) and Electronic Brakeforce distribution (EBD)
- Driver shift control with sport mode option
The G8’s exterior styling was muscular yet refined, indeed similar to the German sedans in its segment. Even with its Aussie bloodlines, the G8’s aggressive wide-track stance, hood scoops, and modernized arrowhead symbol perched between its dual grilles were unmistakably Pontiac.
Inside, the cockpit was aesthetically pleasing and well-appointed with a suite of safety, comfort, and convenience features. On top of power windows and door locks, four-way power adjustable driver/passenger cloth seats, rear-seat pass-through, dual cup holders, and a Blaupunkt seven-speaker AM/FM stereo with CD player, every G8 came thus equipped:
- Six air bags including front, side and head-curtain side impact with active front-seat head restraint
- OnStar with available turn-by-turn navigation
- Remote start and keyless entry
- Tilt/telescoping steering wheel with audio/DIC controls
- DIC (Driver Info Center) with 16 functions/options
- iPod/MP3 audio input jack
The $795 Comfort and Sound Package (PDD) added dual-zone automatic climate control, a six-disc in-dash CD changer, a larger 6.5” color LCD multi-function display, and an 11-speaker audio system with MP3 playback capability, all standard on the GT model.
For another $1375 you could get the Premium Package (PCQ) which included six-way power and heated leather front driver/passenger seats, rear center armrest, and a leather-wrapped shifter and steering wheel. A power tilt-sliding sunroof (CF5) was available for $900.
Even with the additional packages and sunroof, a loaded ’08 G8 would run you around $33,000. That was a lot of car for the money and right in line with its competition of the day, including the Dodge Charger, Nissan Maxima, Infiniti G35, and thousands less than a comparable BMW 5 Series.
While the ’08 G8 was a fine entry-level luxury sports sedan, it was the G8 GT that upped the ante on Pontiac performance.
The GT came with all the V-6 sedan’s standard equipment and added:
- All-aluminum 6.0-liter SFI V-8 with Active Fuel Management (AFM)
- Six-speed 6L80-E automatic transmission with Sport mode and Driver Shift Control
- Limited–slip rear differential with 2.92 final drive rear axle ratio
- Large-capacity oil pan
- Performance-oriented computer calibration
- Larger front/rear brake rotors
- High-flow exhaust with quad outlets and stainless tips (Dual outlets on G8 Sedan)
- 18” machine-faced (with silver-painted inserts) five-spoke aluminum wheels with 245/45/18 summer-only performance tires
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
- Dual-zone auto climate controls
- Blaupunkt AM/FM stereo with in-dash 6-disc CD changer, upgraded display, and 230-watt 11-speaker sound system with amp and subwoofers
- Clear tail light lenses (red on the base G8)
- Chrome accents on door handles
The $600 Sport Package (PDX) option added metal-covered gas and brake pedals, a smaller leather-wrapped steering wheel, and more aggressive 19-inch machine-faced aluminum wheels wrapped by 245/40/19 summer-only performance rubber.
As for colors, the 2008 G8/G8 GT could be sprayed in a choice of six creatively-named hues including White Hot, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Panther Black Metallic, Liquid Red, Stealth Blue Metallic, and Ignition Orange Metallic.
The G8 GT’s 6.0-liter L76 mill was a re-tuned version of the LS2 that powered the Monaro and GTO. It was rated at a healthy 361 horsepower and 385 lb.-ft. of torque. In the two-ton sports sedan, this meant zero-to-60 times in the low five-second range and quarter-mile times in the high 13s. These numbers bettered most of the competition and even put the G8 GT on equal footing with the BMW 550i of the day. With the grand total for a loaded G8 GT at around $34,500, Pontiac had delivered on its promise to provide a world-class, full-sized, rear-drive V-8-powered performance sedan for a reasonable price.
Pontiac has never shied away from celebrating the uniqueness and exclusivity of its models, and the first 888 G8 Sedan/GT models built were designated a special VIN with a sequential build number from 001-888. Each car also had a G8 silhouette graphic and “G8 First 888” stenciled above the glove box. Some sources have the “888” referring to the Australian race team, Triple Eight Race Engineering. Born in England in 1996 to race Vauxhalls in the British Touring Car Championship, the team eventually moved down under to campaign Holden Commodore VE/VF’s in the Australian V8 Supercar Series.
The 2009 model year would sadly be Pontiac’s last. Even with the curtain closing, the brand released a car that would stand as one of the company’s best. The ultimate G8 wore the “GXP” badge, signifying Pontiac’s highest-performance models of the day.
On top of the G8 GT‘s standard equipment, the G8 GXP was up-gunned with specific weaponry, including:
- All-aluminum 6.2-liter LS3 V-8
- Available Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual transmission with 3.70 rear axle ratio, or 6L80-E automatic with 3.27 rear axle ratio
- Nürburgring-tuned (FE3) performance suspension with specific shocks and thicker rear stabilizer bar
- Upgraded Brembo ventilated four-wheel disc brakes with four-piston front calipers
- 19-inch, 10-spoke polished aluminum wheels with summer-only performance tires
- Unique front fascia and rear fascia lower diffuser
- Specific GXP logos and seat embroidery
- Unique sport-style steering wheel
Available options included a power sunroof, all-season rubber, and a dealer-installed Track Pack with transmission and engine oil coolers.
The GXP’s LS3 made 415 horsepower and 415 lb.-ft. of torque, and could launch the super sedan to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, and through the quarter-mile at just over 13 seconds at 109 mph. Car and Driver magazine matched these stats in their 2009 G8 GXP road test. That performance is just a couple of ticks off the V-10-powered E60 BMW M5, which had 85 more horses and was double the G8 GXP’s $40,000 MSRP.
Other than the release of the GXP, changes to the ’09 G8 were few and included standard XM Satellite radio with Bluetooth connectivity, the addition of four new exterior colors, Maverick Silver Metallic, Sport Red Metallic, Stryker Blue Metallic and Pacific Slate Metallic, with the deletion of Stealth Blue and Ignition Orange Metallic, and the elimination of center-console digital oil pressure and voltage gauges (replaced by storage space).
As far as production numbers go, according to GM’s sales data for the G8, here are the production totals:
2008:
- G8 Sedan LY7 V-6, model 2ER69 –5,837 units
- G8 GT L76 V-8, model 2EC69 –6,199 units
- Total 12,036
2009:
- G8 Sedan LY7 V-6, model 2ER69–8,080 units
- G8 GT L76 V-8, model 2EC69–16,464 units
- G8 GXP LS3 V-8, model 2EP69–1,829 units
- Total 26,368
Since all LY7 V-6 G8 Sedans were equipped with the five-speed 5L40-E automatic transmission, code M82, and all L76 V-8 G8 GTs got the six-speed 6L80-E automatic, code MYC, only a breakdown of the GXP transmissions is needed: 983 ’09 G8 GXPs came with the 6L80-E automatic transmission, code MYC, and 846 ’09 G8 GXPs were equipped with the Tremec TR-6060 six-speed manual, code M10.
A Q&A with Bob Lutz
When discussing Pontiac’s 1960s and ‘70s glory days and its iconic cars from this time period, legendary names like Elliot M. “Pete” Estes, John DeLorean, and Jim Wangers come to mind. Equally so, Pontiac’s final years conjured a name well known to car people worldwide, and the last executive who championed the great models for the arrowhead brand. That man is Bob Lutz. I spoke with Lutz in 2016 about the G8, its role for the brand, and what could have been.
Question: Mr. Lutz, what was the thinking that brought the Commodore to the U.S. as the G8?
Lutz: ‘’When I came back to GM in 2001, I had a vision for Pontiac. I felt it should be the American equivalent of BMW, a little youthful, brash, outrageous, anti-establishment. I knew that Chevy was GM’s mainstay and would always be fed well, and I wanted to stop the overlap of Pontiac with other GM divisions. The G8 was the natural progression for the Commodore’s global architecture. It [the G8] followed along the more sport-oriented former BMW style and was also the lowest investment approach.”
Question: Was the G8 meant to be the de-facto successor to Pontiac’s discontinued full-size models, the Bonneville and the Grand Prix?
Lutz: “Yes, in terms of price-point, but not product character. Size characteristics were similar, but those other cars, the early versions, were boats and the later models, all front-drive. The G8 was to be a unique car, part of the plan to make Pontiac a sharply focused brand, rear-drive, performance-oriented cars only. I wanted Pontiac to stop trying to be all things to all people.”
Question: In your opinion, do you believe the G8 accomplished its perceived goal, taking the helm as Pontiac’s flagship, with BMW in its crosshairs?
Lutz: “Yes, from a product standpoint, the G8 was a great car. I should have bought one when I had the chance. It was attractive to many, especially enthusiast buyers. It did very well in its brief time on the market. The G8 could and did compete well against the BMW 5-Series.”
Question: If Pontiac had survived, was the G8 slated to see a long production run? And was Holden pegged to continue supplying developed platforms for the General’s excitement division?
Lutz: “Yes, as long as the currency exchange rate and production costs made sense, the G8 would have progressed along. The Commodore was such a great car with terrific global rear-drive architecture [Zeta], this translated well to the G8. The G8 was set to be updated if Pontiac had gone on. When Pontiac was canceled, the G8 was too good of a car to let go to waste, so Chevy eventually got the SS.”
Today, given their relative rarity and what they mean to Pontiac enthusiasts, V-6 G8 sedans remain sought-after, and the G8 GT is a prized example of the last of the breed. The G8 GXP is counted among the most rare and collectible Pontiacs, with clean, low-mileage examples commanding solid values: the Hagerty Price Guide values a 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP in number 2 (excellent) condition at $38,400, with a 15 percent premium for a manual transmission. Driver-quality cars remain accessible, coming in just under $25K. In all its iterations, the G8 was a final glowing testament to Pontiac Motor Division, presenting the style, performance, and excitement for which the company was renowned.
First, Bob Lutz is the clown that killed Pontiac. He’s all self promotion, a regular PT barnum. 2nd the last Pontiac was the solstice. G8 is another one of Klutz rebadged holdens.
Bob came way too late and had no money to fix what was wrong.
The real trouble is GM never knew what to do with Pontiac.
Delorean and the engineers did but once Delorean moved to Chevy Therecwas no one left to protect the engineers. Their best work broke rules with GM.
If Pontiac had survived the bail out it was just going to be more CUV models. Pontiac had just become a stying changed corporate platform.
Cadillac now offers an even better sedan now but few buy.
I think one of the issues with low sales is that few want sedans. Offer a coupe with a six-speed manual option and watch out.
And even fewer want coupes. See the Camaro’s dismal sales numbers.
Cadillac makes the Blackwing with 668HP and a six speed manual standard (10 speed automatic optional). Not many buyers unfortunately, especially for the six speed,
He tried to save pontiac from GM wanting the Chevy branded cars plied on the masses. The G8 GT is an amazing car with a stout, performance oriented engine. GM execs took government money to cover their incompetence during the 08/09 market crash, directly leading to the death of Pontiac and American made affordable muscle sedans.
The market crash just was the final scene. The fact was GM was losing money and made bad decision starting in the late 70’s.
Even before the market crash they were flat broke. The GTO program was limited to fuel system and bumper designs for crash testing. There were no hood scoops and no true duel exhaust as there was no money to do them. I remember Fred Simmons from Pontiac said if I had the money the 04 would have had them.
Many people don’t realize to make the fuel system pass the tank was moved into the trunk. It takes up some room.
The Pontiac death started when they lost their own V8. Part of the draw of Pontiac was their own engines and their own suspensions. This set them apart from Chevy.
Many of the things they did that worked were broken GM rules. like no engines over 330 CID in mid size cars in 64 when they did the 389.
They did OHC 6 engines and even had a DOHC V8 ready to be built but were stopped. The 455 SD broke rules and GM killed it.
When they moved the Lemans to be a Bonneville this was the first move to close the division but the engineer refused. The Fiero while it was short brought many to show rooms and sold many Pontiacs. The Fiero was canceled several times by GM and they hid the program.
The later SC GTP cars were fun but they really were not true Pontiac cars. They were just the best version of a GM platform.
True about the GTO’s trunk and fuel tank. I seriously considered one, until I saw just how small the trunk was. To justify the purchase, I needed to be able to use the car to take my family on vacations; there was plenty of seating room for the 4 of us, but the trunk was totally inadequate.
Behind the scenes Lutz was fighting the Obama admin to keep Pontiac, but they had to kill at least three brands to get the government bailout. And Buick was too popular in China.
I am amazed at how wrong you could be in so few words. At least you have read “The Elements of Style”
It would be hard to be “wronger”.
Worst. Hot take. Ever.
Totally wrong on the first two counts, and a name misspelling in the third (correct) statement.
Ever driven one?
The G8 and late Hail Mary and a good car but was it really a Pontiac? The GXP and GTvwill be valued as we move forward but they would have never lasted with regulations killing cars and buying habits changing.
GM is still making V-8 super sedans at Cadillac, so I think it would have survived. A 2024 G8 probably would have been a de-contented version of the CT5 V
Well the problem is the prices would have gone up and Cadillac was already in that slot.
People don’t buy de contented and there is little money made in them. Cost to do cars in the same segment robs profits. The CT5 is the G8.
The truth people today are buying what they can afford and what they get utility out of. There is little money in Performsnce unless you charge a big price. Even the Hemi did not save Chrysler from vein sold again.
Pontiac dying may be a blessing. If it were alive today it would be just under powered CUV models. That is not what Pontiac was.
They left clean with performance and maybe they can come back if the market changes. The name was retired with a good image. GM holds the rights and who knows.
GM ended up with too many brands. At a time when the US market was dominated largely by American manufacturers that worked fine . Then foreign cars became more readily accepted and added increased competition. Mistakes were made as does happen. Soon they found their competition was largely in house, a family feud of sorts. Something had to give and they made that happen by then badly mismanaging the whole affair. Unfortunate for Pontiac fans but necessary. Pontiacs head had been on the chopping block before during the 1950s recession e.g. as well so not all that surprising.
Nice summery. Yes GM did a poor job of managing division. As John Schniella told us Chevy sells more cars so they get more say than Pontiac.
Gm should have focused on Toyota, Ford and Honda but the divisions were fighting each other vs complimenting.
This was all going on while they were losing tons of money with bad contracts and bad downsized cars in the 80’s.
The G8 along with the GTO and the Solstice were the first cars outside of a Firebird that interested me in a long time. I wish we had received more of Australia’s great RWD cars.
“I wish we had received more of Australia’s great RWD cars.”
We did in the form of the Chevy SS. Similar LT3 as the GXP with nearly identical stats and a total blast to drive. Chevy really did not market the car, but for those of us who knew about it, recognized and appreciated it for what is was (and still is), nothing for the money even came close. When GM stopped importing it, it was the last V-8 powered sedan offered by Chevrolet. I have a 2017 SS and it (along with my 2001 Ram Air, WS6 Trans Am convertible and 2015 Z51, 3LT Corvette) will be with me until the day I stop driving. Long live the LS!
Oh I am aware of the SS. What I am talking about was before we got the Australian cars there were other ones we never got. Also many special edition cars that when we got the GTO/G8/SS we never got like some that had the supercharged Corvette engines or the LS7 or the “utes” or wagon variants. There was so much we could have enjoyed that we never got. A wagon variant would have been my ideal car.
I too have a 2017 SS. Black, six speed manual, sunroof and spare tire with just under 20,000 miles.
Like you stated, it’s a keeper. My daily drivers are a 2010 Camaro 2SS six speed manual and a 1970 Impala with a GM Performance ZZ4 small block with a Richmond Gear Super T10 four speed.
Car wise I’m truly blessed.
I have coveted a clean G8 for several years. Unfortunately, now finding a low mileage rust free unit is out of my financial reach. I do have a friend with one , I am jealous lol.
You left out the approximately 30 SLP tuned GXP Firehawks, less than 10 of which were manuals.
I regret to this day not trading in my 01 Bonneville, and buying a GXP that was at my local dealer still as they were closing down in 2009. Just couldn’t swing the payments with a new baby.
I do think the SS ended up better looking. The smooth curves give it a better look than the more angular G8, especially in that copper color.
You have to remember the year this car came out. 2009. Gas went up to $4/gallon. Folks bought small cars with whatever credit could be found since the banks were all in trouble after Lehman Brothers collapsed.
Camry was the 2nd best selling vehicle followed by the fourth best seller which was a Honda Accord. In fact 6 of the top 10 vehicles were cars.
This was a well priced and equipped vehicle. GM was known for sub prime interiors but this one was well outfitted with better materials and it was well laid out. It was the wrong car for the time.
Americans haven’t given cars a 2nd look since.
@Glen- This car and its cousins at GM were performance cars aimed at folks not placing MPG at the top of the list. I don’t agree they were the wrong car for their time. GM did their best to hide these cars from anyone who might have been interested.
And American drivers thumbed their noses at this magnificent machine and the other high-performance Pontiacs, Chevrolets, and Cadillacs from that era. All were Pearls cast before Swine.
I think Lutz was smart in bringing the Aussie cars over ala GTO and G8. They easily translated to Pontiacs and didn’t require a huge investment to bring to market. If Pontiac had endured the recession, I imagine they would have been GM’s RWD performance division not unlike BMW that he imagined.
These were very nice cars, and some were quick. That said, I would still rather have a 2004-2006 GTO.
I grew up in Pontiacs, had a GTO as my first car, and worked at a Pontiac store in ‘08-‘09, so no one was more disappointed by Pontiac’s closure than I was.
That being said, looking back at Lutz’s vision for the brand vs. the reality of today’s GM product line-up (95% Trucks and SUVs), maybe Pontiac’s demise was already in the cards. At least they went out on a high note instead of slowly fading into irrelevancy as a me-too purveyor of badge-engineered ICE and BEV SUVs.
Lutz Help Kill Pontiac along with a few others like Pontiacs President at the time. All the top selling name plates where cancelled one by one until there was nothing left. No reason to kill off Grand Prix or Bonneville when they did or the 4 door Sunfire. It was all to help boost Chevy sales. What they did not count on was the resiliency of the Pontiac dealer net work to keep selling what ever junk Lutz would send them like rear wheel drive cars with no AWD option. So when GM went into bankruptcy they finally could get rid of Pontiac and it;s dealers. And hope all those Pontiac loyal customers would run to Chevy. Well they did not and GM has not been the same since. This is what you get when you only have dumb people run a big company like GM.
No. GM found out the hard way that when you shutter a brand (Oldsmobile) the customers do not run to the sister corporation’s offerings, even if they’re extremely similar. Pontiac, and more accurately its stand-alone dealers, were a fundamental problem. When you sell only Pontiacs then you need more than a couple of different cars to sell your customer. After the bailout had they been able to keep Pontiac as a brand they could have put it *with* their Buick-GMC siblings so that you’d have all three brands at every store. With this model you can keep high performance Pontiacs, semi-luxury Buicks, and “Professional Grade” GMCs and none of them needs to be a full lineup of cars unto themselves. That’s what Lutz was probably working towards, but the dictate came from on-high that they had to shutter brands. They did NOT want to close Pontiac. As evidence to that the brand never went up for sale like Saturn and Hummer did.
I had a G8 GT (#167) and it was a blast to drive, other than the slush box. Even in manumatic mode, you’d move the lever, and it would think about honoring your request (which was occasionally denied). I traded mine in on a manual Chevy SS, which was an upgrade of everything, especially the interior. GM had to cut costs somewhere, and the interior was the place. Lost of plastic, some of which was coming loose and needed to be constantly put back in lace by the time I traded mine in. The SS didn’t have those problems (and cost $10k more).
The transmission is certainly the worst feature of the car. The “Sport” mode isn’t, it isn’t even regular mode. I’ve yet to find away around that. The trans control module is probably the issue. Maybe recalibrated to Corvette/Camaro program or an aftermarket unit. Being north of the boarder we didn’t get the SS Chevrolet and the GTX G8 is extremely rare.
The G8 is our long distance car, it has a 6disc CD player, the 2017 Camaro SS1LE doesn’t. Shoot me, but a lease used 2017 Mazda3 Sport GT we got is the daily driver and our 1998 Camaro Z28 is the best for backing up. You can see rearward!
I too drove a G8 GT as an Avis rental! Like your observation the transmission/slush box stood pretty strongly in the way of getting this car to deliver a lot of excitement. The 2.92 gears couldn’t have helped much either?
I thought about buying an SS, but went with something else when the time came- they were pretty scarce.
Killing Pontiac is the reason I own a Kia Stinger gt. A few years back an extremely clean, ultra low mileage G8 gt popped up at a dealership. I had to go look at it as I’ve always wanted one. I remember test driving them when they were new. Seemed like a rocket ship back then. The one I looked at was fantastic but………they wanted almost $40,000 which was absolutely insane. That’s Chevy SS/GXP, Camaro money. Mind you I paid 36k for my Stinger brand new. The G8 was nice but the Stinger does everything better besides the V8 sound. Stinger has awd for starters, which here in MN comes in handy, compared to the rwd G8. Stinger has heated seats, heated steering wheel, has nav, touch screen, is a hatchback and oh, stock is faster than the G8. I just couldn’t see paying that much for a daily driver that was over 10 years old. Obviously it was worth it to somebody cuz the car did sell but it was listed on there for awhile. I’ve talked to a few guys that own G8/gto’s they’ve mentioned how certain parts interior and or body panels are are to find, which sounds crazy as they cars aren’t even that old. Money being no object I’ll take my 6th gen Trans Am from that place in Jacksonville and a loaded Stryker blue GXP please!